On average, how many reps per set do you do?

F

Foundpower

This is a question that I think about a lot. I tend to do 6-8 reps per exercise, at high intensity. In terms of optimal rep count, I believe that all numbers of reps per set have their own benefits. Please let me know if you agree or disagree.

1-6 reps at high intensity, or training till failure helps to build strength as opposed to muscle mass. This is done to mainly to increase your PR. This is because it gets your muscles used to high intensity reps, near your previous max and therefore, this is making your body comfortable with lifting weights similar to your PR. Therefore, when it comes to increasing your PR, you can lift more than your previous record, since your body is already comfortable with that weight.

8-20 reps at lower intensity, still to failure helps to build muscle mass. I think that this is probably because doing 8-20 reps causes the most damage to your muscles (in a good way), thus allowing more muscle repairs to occur and therefore increasing muscle volume. This also increases strength as with most exercises, but since this is the optimal intensity and duration for muscle mass, I think that this is mainly used for bulking and increasing muscle mass.

20+ reps at low intensity help to build endurance, injury resistance and may also help with injury rehab. This is because, first of all, the body is being trained to lift weight through fatigue therefore training the muscles to endure pain, and their ability to hold and lift weight for longer. This also increases blood flow to the muscles and tendons and is one of the only efficient ways to improve tendon strength. Therefore, this can be quite effective in warm ups.

Generally, I believe that 8-20 reps is generally the most popular rep count - 8-12, more specifically but I try to do 6-8 to get the most of both strength, and muscle mass. What are your takes on this, and did I miss anything?
 
Excellent post @Foundpower . I don't think you have missed anything. I have a write up I put together:-

1 to 5 Repetitions

AIM - Increase in your muscle strength and power.
WEIGHT - 85 to 100 per cent of one repetition max.
WHY? - Low repetition sets of heavy weights build strength and power, because they recruit and fatigue your fast-twitching muscle fibres. They're responsible for your muscles explosiveness, and this approach makes them grow back bigger.

6 to 7 Repetitions

AIM - Optimal compromise between an increase in muscle strength and size.
WEIGHT - 78 to 83 per cent of one repetition max.
WHY? - Sets in this repetition range will still work your fast-twitch muscle fibres, but performing extra repetitions will also fatigue your muscles more thoroughly, resulting in improvements in strength and size.

8 to 12 Repetitions

AIM - Increase in muscle mass.
WEIGHT - 70 to 77 per cent of one repetition max.
WHY? - The most effective way to build muscle mass is for each set to last between 40 and 70 seconds. Sets of 8 to 12 repetitions are the perfect repetition range for this, because the weight is heavy enough to fatigue the muscles thoroughly but still manageable for you to maintain correct form.

13+ Repetitions

AIM - Increase in your strength-endurance, with some muscle mass gains.
WEIGHT - 60 to 69 per cent of one repetition max.
WHY? - Using lighter weights combined with a higher repetition range recruits your slow-twitch muscle fibres. Sets in this repetition range improve the ability of these fibres to deal with lactic acid and the other waste products that accumulate during exercise.

I use repetitions ranges from 8 to 12 mainly unless I have a lighter session.
 
I do every rep range. I think a large majority of people do multiple ranges on the same set. I think various movements benefit various people at various ranges in a different way and the only way to know what works is to do things for a long time and see for yourself. Progression is probably the most important factor.

I think in the majority of people worrying about or spending as much time researching all the things listed above is the reason they don’t seem to get very far very quickly.
 
I used to start with 12 reps going down to 8 with progressive overload.
Then I saw a Ronnie Coleman podcast where he explained that he would start with 15 and go down to 10, sometimes 8. Increasing the rep range from 8 to 15 instead of 8-12 for same weights definitely gives a better pump for obvious reasons.
I guess everyone is built differently, you got to try various things on yourself to see what works better for your needs. I don’t know what’s best for me, just trying and learning something new everyday!
 
s man said:
I do every rep range. I think a large majority of people do multiple ranges on the same set. I think various movements benefit various people at various ranges in a different way and the only way to know what works is to do things for a long time and see for yourself. Progression is probably the most important factor.

I think in the majority of people worrying about or spending as much time researching all the things listed above is the reason they don’t seem to get very far very quickly.
Click to expand...
Completely agree mate. When you’ve been around a few years (as we both have) you’ll understand that building strength/tissue is in no way governed by a rigid set of rules as stated by the OP.
Overthinking this stuff will only hinder gains imo. Paralysis by analysis!!!
 
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1st set 6-8 reps
2nd set (if I do one) usually 12-15

If I am with a training partner then I’ll do one set only and it’ll be 6-8 reps on my own with as many forced reps as possible on top of that
 
I mostly do progressive training for compound work, or progressive overload i think its called, so looks like

Say for chest press for example;

warm up;
10x reps light
6x reps mid weight
3x reps heavy

Top set, 10-12 reps heavy the same weight as my 3rd warm up
Back off set, 15x reps 30% reduce

the reason my 3rd warm up set is the same weight as my top set is that if you lift a few reps on the weight your about to smash out, your body and mind is in sink, it knows whats coming, and can avoid injuries.
 
There's no one-size-fits-all answer for reps per set, as it depends on your fitness goals. Here's a breakdown to help you pick the right zone:
  • Building Muscle: Aim for at-least 6-12 reps per set. This weight should challenge you by the last rep or two, but you can still maintain good form.
  • Toning and Muscular Endurance: 12-15 reps per set is a great range. You'll use a lighter weight but feel the burn towards the end.
  • Building Strength: For pure strength, go for lower reps (3-5) with a very heavy weight. You'll need longer rest periods (around 2-5 minutes) between sets.
But it's important to prefer over the form while going heavy. I would suggest to, if you're a beginner, start with some light weight aim for at-least 15 reps with proper mind-muscle connection and do progressive overload with the time.
 
Garv_Singhal said:
There's no one-size-fits-all answer for reps per set, as it depends on your fitness goals. Here's a breakdown to help you pick the right zone:
  • Building Muscle: Aim for at-least 6-12 reps per set. This weight should challenge you by the last rep or two, but you can still maintain good form.
  • Toning and Muscular Endurance: 12-15 reps per set is a great range. You'll use a lighter weight but feel the burn towards the end.
  • Building Strength: For pure strength, go for lower reps (3-5) with a very heavy weight. You'll need longer rest periods (around 2-5 minutes) between sets.
But it's important to prefer over the form while going heavy. I would suggest to, if you're a beginner, start with some light weight aim for at-least 15 reps with proper mind-muscle connection and do progressive overload with the time.
Click to expand...
Train consistently for a few years and you’ll realise this is nonsense.
 
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