How many Reps?

[Lizard]

How many reps should I be able to do on a weight before I increase? For example, if Im lifting 80kg for 12 reps (benchpress) should I go up to 90kg now or should I wait until I can do more reps at my current weight? I'm mainly looking to develop strength and muscle mass, but a little bit of endurance might be nice.

[Biker]

I'd say when you can easily do three or four sets of ten reps. Although a 10kg jump in weight may be a bit too much, bit you may be okay. Give it a try and see how you do.

[Thai Bri]

Lizard - don't get too excited about your gains at the moment. Your'e obviously a beginner at the weights, and theres nothing wrong with that. But much of your gains is down to technical and balance improvements at the actual exercises, thats all. I'm not trying to put you down, its just that people see these amazing gains fall back after about three months and then give up, which is a shame.

Go here for all you sensible and safe weight training advice

https://www.hardgainer.com

ps - if you really can bench press 80kilos for 10 reps this early in your training (on free wieghts, not those misleading machines) then you are a born Hulk.

[Lizard]

Well... It is on a machine and I have been weight lifting for about six months... So I guess I'm not a natural born Hulk. But recently I have have started improving much faster than ever before. So there is still hope for me. I'm sure my biceps have been shrinking as they get stronger...

[Biker]

If they are available to you, switch to free weights. You will not be able to lift as much to start, but you will get stronger faster. This is because free weights force you to balance the weight and keep it under control yourself rather than having the strict up-down movement of a machine. Free weights work all the support and stabilizer muscles in addition to your target muscles.

[Thai Bri]

I agree, free weights are better. But you need much better technical knowledge and safety equipment. I pushed 100 kilos on a bench press machine once. I could probably only manage half that on a free weight bench press at the time. Ignore the supposed weight measure on these things.

[Tim Mousel]

Hi,

Here is from the American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults

"It is recommended that novice to intermediate lifters train with loads corresponding to 60–70% of 1 RM for 8–12 repetitions and advanced individuals use loading ranges of 80–100% of 1 RM in a periodized fashion to maximize muscular strength. For progression in those individuals training at a specific RM load (e.g., 8–12 repetitions), it is recommended that a 2–10% increase be applied on the basis of muscle group size and involvement (i.e., greater load increases may be used for large muscle group, multiple-joint exercises than small muscle group exercises) when the individual can perform the current intensity for one to two repetitions over the desired number on two consecutive training sessions."

So, you should increase your weight anywhere from 2 - 8 kg which should drop your reps down to 8 until you are able to build back up to 12.

Tim

[Kinderknight]

How many reps?

I am never clear about this. I have always been doing some exercises for 3 sets at 8 to 12 reps per exercise per set. Lately, I overheard a personal trainer tell his customer that it would be economical with time and effective with results if each exercise was done in 8 to 12 reps to muscle failure. There is no "warm-up
set. For example, doing the chest press, just do it from 8 to 12 reps with enough weight to muscle failute; then move to bent-over row, and do so likewise.

Any thoughts about the benefits and the effectiveness of this one set to failutre concept? To me, it would indeed save some time, and allow me to do some cardio afterwards all within an hour.

Kinderknight

[Lizard]

Re: How many reps?

Originally posted by Kinderknight
I am never clear about this. I have always been doing some exercises for 3 sets at 8 to 12 reps per exercise per set. Lately, I overheard a personal trainer tell his customer that it would be economical with time and effective with results if each exercise was done in 8 to 12 reps to muscle failure. There is no "warm-up
set. For example, doing the chest press, just do it from 8 to 12 reps with enough weight to muscle failute; then move to bent-over row, and do so likewise.

Any thoughts about the benefits and the effectiveness of this one set to failutre concept? To me, it would indeed save some time, and allow me to do some cardio afterwards all within an hour.

Kinderknight

Recently I have been improving quite fast on the bicep curl, I attribute this to two factors:

Improved diet and more sets (I used to only do two at the most)

If more sets wasn't a good idea people wouldn't do it.

[Paul Wilson]

Originally posted by Lizard
Well... It is on a machine and I have been weight lifting for about six months... So I guess I'm not a natural born Hulk. But recently I have have started improving much faster than ever before. So there is still hope for me. I'm sure my biceps have been shrinking as they get stronger...

Machine take a lot of the weight for you compare to free weights so you might be benching more like 60-50k.

But 12 reps is a lot for heavy weight so buy all means go up. I am always increasing my weight as I become stronger.

To gain mass which is one of the reasons why I started weight lifting to improve my physic can be gained by the correct diet.
Basically you will need a increase intake of your calories.
Food is best but shakes will help you to get 6 meals a day. Weight gain shakes will give you lots of Carbs so you will intake more calories.

You just need to sit down and work out you diet. Then the intense workouts.

[RobertG]

Originally posted by Paul Wilson


Machine take a lot of the weight for you compare to free weights so you might be benching more like 60-50k.

But 12 reps is a lot for heavy weight so buy all means go up. I am always increasing my weight as I become stronger.

To gain mass which is one of the reasons why I started weight lifting to improve my physic can be gained by the correct diet.
Basically you will need a increase intake of your calories.
Food is best but shakes will help you to get 6 meals a day. Weight gain shakes will give you lots of Carbs so you will intake more calories.

You just need to sit down and work out you diet. Then the intense workouts.

You mean like those intense 7 rep 110 lb. benches you are doing?

Paul you cannot give anyone any advice on anything. Everyone here agrees.

Your grammar and spelling could use some work as well.

[falcon3624]

Lizard, first off get off the machine. This will only hinder you in the long run. The bad thing about the machine is lets just say for example your right arm is stronger than you left........The machine lets your right arm compensate for the left and then you are getting more gain for your right than you are the left. Free weights won't allow you to do this because of the free motion.

There are some good machines that have a pretty good free motion. One of these machines is callled the FREE MOTION and it is two seperate handles on cables. I like that machine for decline and incline presses although most of the time I use the dumbells.

There are alot of studies on when you should increase and how much you should go up and all this and that. The problem with this is that everyone is different and some people move up faster than others. I say when you feel comfortable doing a weight for 10 reps and feel like you could have gotten 2-3 more reps, go up 10lbs. I usually try to do a 10, 8, 5, 3 routine.

My routine on bench:

First set: warm-up with about 180lbs.
Second set: 250lbs. for 10 reps
Third set: 295lbs. for 8 reps
Fourth set: 315-320lbs. for 5 reps
Fifth set: 350lbs. for 3 reps

The way I got to benching a good bit is by just moving up when I thought I needed too. Sometimes you move fast and sometimes you hit a slum and you are at a certain weight longer than what they say you should be. If it wasn't for slumps I would be lifting about 1200lbs. right now on bench........you have to slow down sometime.

And Robert is right Paul, with a 120lbs. bench you shouldn't be giving advice to anyone.

[Paul Wilson]

Why that’s silly. I know my stuff I have studied Sports and Nutrition longer than I have been weight lifting. I have been weight lifting for 7 month. I was right about the machine weight training. Why must I train harder in my weight lifting than my fighting? My fighting is much important.

And besides I am putting a lot of effort in my training. I will advance. So stop dissing me.

[Kurt]

Originally posted by falcon3624

And Robert is right Paul, with a 120lbs. bench you shouldn't be giving advice to anyone.

Since when has how much you can lift been any indication of whether you know your shit?

Tell you what, taking your theory I should be asking ronnie coleman, or dorian yates or any other Mr.O on advice on how to workout.

The fact that they are bigger than me or lift more does not make them a genius! half these 'greats' have personal trainers, reason I'm hitting on you like this is because

a) your all to harsh on paul wilson, ok maybe he's a little ignorant, i agree there.

and..

b) your to ignorant!

o and hey to everyone! this is my first post - hope I wont be living soon due to a load of 'keyboard warriors'

peace.

[falcon3624]

Listen Kurt you are getting off on the wrong foot by:

a) coming in and taking sides with Paul.

b) challenging me on sports nutrition.

Fact of the matter is I have been lifting a long time and been doing sport nutrition for just as long. I know my shit and that's that. I have spent many years with nutritionist and personal trainers who are very good freinds of mine and have done a few courses myself. This Paul guy came onto the forum trying to tell everyone that he knows everything there is about sport nutrition and trying to give everyone routines that just don't work. He consistently is giving wrong information and just spouting off at the mouth. You can defend him if you want but know one is going to stand behind you for defending him after the crap that Paul Wislon (teen stuntman) has tried to pass on everyone.

And as far as me saying he doesn't know anything about lifting because he lifts 120lbs............I don't know who takes advice on nutrition from a 140lbs. 15yrs. old that lifts 120lbs...........If you want advice from him just ask in a private message cuz I am going to call bullshit on post about nutrition that are bull.