Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So I have been lifting for about 2.5 months now, and I am not fallowing the traditional "lift an X number of times" methodology that appears to be used by most people. Instead I am using a different methodology where I have a maximum and minimum number of reps in each set. For example, for my dumbbell press that would be a minimum of 8 and a max of 16. That means that if I can't do at least 8 in each set (I do 3) I consider the weight to be too heavy, but once I am able to do 16 with good form I increase the weight. There are 2 reasons I like my method more:
1. It allows me to do both fewer reps and greater reps. I hear that fewer reps are better to get stronger and that higher reps are better for building muscle. By doing it the why I am doing it I am generally doing fewer reps when I just start out with a new heavier weight and then as I get stronger I am able to do more thus increasing the number of reps. This just seems smarter to me than doing only few reps or lots of reps.
2. It's easier to progress this way I feel. It's easier to go from dong 16 reps to doing just 8 once the weight increases rather than increasing the weight and still do the same number of reps.
Is my lifting methodology any good? How do you lift?
So I have been lifting for about 2.5 months now, and I am not fallowing the traditional "lift an X number of times" methodology that appears to be used by most people. Instead I am using a different methodology where I have a maximum and minimum number of reps in each set. For example, for my dumbbell press that would be a minimum of 8 and a max of 16. That means that if I can't do at least 8 in each set (I do 3) I consider the weight to be too heavy, but once I am able to do 16 with good form I increase the weight. There are 2 reasons I like my method more:
1. It allows me to do both fewer reps and greater reps. I hear that fewer reps are better to get stronger and that higher reps are better for building muscle. By doing it the why I am doing it I am generally doing fewer reps when I just start out with a new heavier weight and then as I get stronger I am able to do more thus increasing the number of reps. This just seems smarter to me than doing only few reps or lots of reps.
2. It's easier to progress this way I feel. It's easier to go from dong 16 reps to doing just 8 once the weight increases rather than increasing the weight and still do the same number of reps.
Is my lifting methodology any good? How do you lift?
Different strokes for different folks for different goals.
Your method is fine as long as see progress. are the more efficient ways? Sure. Are the goals of those methods your goals, probably not.
Always tinker and never fall into doldrums. Keep up the good work
So I have been lifting for about 2.5 months now, and I am not fallowing the traditional "lift an X number of times" methodology that appears to be used by most people. Instead I am using a different methodology where I have a maximum and minimum number of reps in each set. For example, for my dumbbell press that would be a minimum of 8 and a max of 16. That means that if I can't do at least 8 in each set (I do 3) I consider the weight to be too heavy, but once I am able to do 16 with good form I increase the weight. There are 2 reasons I like my method more:
1. It allows me to do both fewer reps and greater reps. I hear that fewer reps are better to get stronger and that higher reps are better for building muscle. By doing it the why I am doing it I am generally doing fewer reps when I just start out with a new heavier weight and then as I get stronger I am able to do more thus increasing the number of reps. This just seems smarter to me than doing only few reps or lots of reps.
2. It's easier to progress this way I feel. It's easier to go from dong 16 reps to doing just 8 once the weight increases rather than increasing the weight and still do the same number of reps.
Is my lifting methodology any good? How do you lift?
I think 16 reps is too high. The only time I have ever seen 16 reps recommended is for legs. I would suggest a minimum of 6 to 8, and a maximum of 12.
I think 16 reps is too high. The only time I have ever seen 16 reps recommended is for legs. I would suggest a minimum of 6 to 8, and a maximum of 12.
What makes you say 16 reps are too high? And why someone recommend 16 reps for legs? Squats are literally the only exercise I use where I DON'T have 16 as my max limit. There it's a minimum of 5 and a max of 10.
So I have been lifting for about 2.5 months now, and I am not fallowing the traditional "lift an X number of times" methodology that appears to be used by most people. Instead I am using a different methodology where I have a maximum and minimum number of reps in each set. For example, for my dumbbell press that would be a minimum of 8 and a max of 16. That means that if I can't do at least 8 in each set (I do 3) I consider the weight to be too heavy, but once I am able to do 16 with good form I increase the weight. There are 2 reasons I like my method more:
Help me understand. Are you saying once you are able to do 3 sets of 16 clean reps on this specific lift you move up? So you start at 3x8 and work your rep count up as you improve? Am I getting that right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by hakkarin
1. It allows me to do both fewer reps and greater reps. I hear that fewer reps are better to get stronger and that higher reps are better for building muscle. By doing it the why I am doing it I am generally doing fewer reps when I just start out with a new heavier weight and then as I get stronger I am able to do more thus increasing the number of reps. This just seems smarter to me than doing only few reps or lots of reps.
2. It's easier to progress this way I feel. It's easier to go from dong 16 reps to doing just 8 once the weight increases rather than increasing the weight and still do the same number of reps.
Is my lifting methodology any good? How do you lift?
You're just starting. There may be some people who are going to say your method isn't the best way to do it but whatever you are doing is better than what you were doing before. If it works for you then don't worry about what others are saying. This is a good start for you to build a base and some confidence in your abilities. You may find in a few months this methodology has run its course and that you are ready to move on to a new way. There's no rule that says just because you start one way that's how you have to always do it.
Five years ago I was all about running and only lifted weights to balance my training. I never put much focus on it, as long as I could bench 175-185 for reps I thought I was good. A couple years ago a few injuries led me to rethink my running habit and I made the weight room my primary focus. Once I did that it took me about half a year to really refine my methodology into something sustainable and progressive. And I'm still constantly making adjustments with the more I learn.
The only thing I see like others is the rep range. It seams your goal is both strength and bulk at the same time. Versus doing strength for a year then moving to a more bulk program. If you want to mix them I say more power to you the best workout is one you will do and enjoy.
But, most strength programs are in the 4-6 rep range and most bulk or mass programs I have seen are in the 8-12 rep range.
So my advice would be to start at 3X5 and move up to 3X12, then jump weight. I see no advantage to going to 16.
That's the best advice I can give you and not shoot down your program. I would go with a tradition strength and them mass program. At this point these programs have been proven to work. And you will find lots of info on them to guide you. On your program you won't have that foundation.
So you start at 3x8 and work your rep count up as you improve? Am I getting that right?
Yes.
It seems like the most common complaint here are the min and max reps I have picked. If I lower the min rep to about 5 and the max to about 13 while otherwise keeping my program the same would that be better?
EDIT: Actually, according to this article I might have a valid reason for sticking with the max 16 reps.
" High reps are usually considered to be any set that contains 15 reps or more. There are many that argue, since low reps stimulate all the muscle fibers and moderate reps induce sarcoplasmic protein synthesis, that there is really no need to do high rep sets. At first this sounds like sound reasoning, but it leaves out one very important factor. This important factor is the effect of glycogen on protein synthesis.
Glycogen is essentially stored carbohydrate within muscle tissue. Glycogen is hydrophillic, it causes muscles to swell since every gram of glycogen stores 2.7 grams of water along with it (Chan et al. 1982). I know many of your are thinking, "why would I want my muscles packed with water?" Besides the fact that this added water will increase the size of your muscles, it will also increase protein synthesis. Many people do not realize that cellular hydration is an extremely strong anabolic trigger. Protein synthesis is often directly related to a muscles cells state of hydration. In response to increased cellular hydration, the cell initiates a signaling cascade that causes the muscle to grow larger to protect itself.
So what does this all have to do with high rep training? High rep training will drastically deplete glycogen stores. At first this may sound counterproductive but the body will react to this depletion by increasing muscular glycogen stores. In the long run this will allow cells to stretch and lead to greater overall muscle growth and release of anabolic hormones. In addition to all of the above benefits, greater occlusion is associated with higher rep training. This prevents blood from leaving the area being trained, which can induce growth through increases in growth factor production and possibly satellite cell fusion (Vierck et al., 2000)."
Last edited by hakkarin; 03-13-2016 at 05:07 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
