Is there an optimal rep range to build muscle?
What is the optimal sets and reps to build muscle?
If you're new to working out or if you're experienced then you may have asked the question "how much is enough to trigger muscle growth?". This blog seeks to answer that question as it's the most basic question most people will ask.
Typically people are taught there are rep ranges. These rep ranges will be listed below for further discussion:
- 8 to 12 reps for muscle hypertrophy
- 3 to 6 reps for strength (central nervous system)
- 15+ reps for muscle endurance
Unfortunately all of this is WRONG.
The latest science proves that it simply does not matter at all the rep ranges you choose. What matters is the total volume, time under tension, and metabolic stress. Total volume is, instead of thinking of your bicep curls as being broken into sets and reps, just think of volume as the total reps per workout. You can do 5 sets of 5, or 2 sets of 10, but because 5 sets of 5 is more volume you will get more growth from 5 sets of 5. In addition with 5 sets of 5 you can lift heavier without becoming as fatigued so you can promote strength as well.
What about metabolic stress? Metabolic stress is the result of producing "the pump" which is the feeling of lactic acid in the muscles. You can achieve this with higher reps and lower weight. So muscle can grow from lower weigh with extremely high volume as well. That being said, what a study did indicate is that high load training produces greater strength gains than low load training (so you get the benefit of more strength if you train under higher loads). High load training in the study was defined as 8-12 repetitions were performed per set per exercise. Low load training was defined as 25-35 repetitions were performed per set per exercise.
So it would seem high load training is superior if you want size and strength. If you just want size then low load will work. For some exercises low load training may indeed be superior due to the risk reward for safety favoring it. It really depends on the exercise and your goals.
Conclusion
Rep ranges don't seem to matter. The whole rep range idea is based on myth (broscience). Actual science invalidates the idea that your muscles grow based on rep range.
References
Morton, R. W., Oikawa, S. Y., Wavell, C. G., Mazara, N., McGlory, C., Quadrilatero, J., ... & Phillips, S. M. (2016). Neither load nor systemic hormones determine resistance training-mediated hypertrophy or strength gains in resistance-trained young men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 121(1), 129-138.
Schoenfeld, B. J., Peterson, M. D., Ogborn, D., Contreras, B., & Sonmez, G. T. (2015). Effects of low-vs. high-load resistance training on muscle strength and hypertrophy in well-trained men. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 29(10), 2954-2963.
This is good information. Being an athlete, there are a lot of myths and beliefs that gets mixed up with training and sometimes your body gets confused. I pretty much focus on the quality of what I do to make sure I maximize my training. I mean, you can do a hundred low quality reps so it's still inefficient.
Thanks for this informative post - it could guide people like us on our training/workout, and adjust it as necessary.
Wow, you really debunked that myth and reps are like the cornerstone of every workout video, article and routine ever. I didn't even give it much thought I just accepted it for what it was. This post has really changed the way I see my work outs and the way I approach my training going forward
That is what is so cool about science. Finding out we were wrong all along.
I disagree, rep ranges DO matter, it just not as simple as
As long as you do it with the correct technique and the right amount of resistance (going to muscle failure, which happens in the chosen range), you're going to achieve the right volume and metabolic stress, so it's something to navigate your efforts.
There are, however, not only concentric exercises, but eccentric and isometric as well, which might not have "reps", but rather time under load. They achieve the same goal, without those clear-cut ranges.
i disagree also the many reps is very important, good reply bro. i use 25+ for cardio and indeed 1-5 for strength. it works for me :)
I'd more or less agree. Rep ranges can be used as guidance to help you progressively overload. For example, I will start an exercise doing 3 x 7. The next time I do it I will push to get 3 x 8, then the week after 3 x 9. Depending on the exercise I will push to 3 x 12 or 15 before putting some additional weight on the bar. With large compound exercises 15 reps 3 times is just too much and too exhausting to complete other exercises so I will restrict it to 12.
By using rep ranges like this I know that I'm continually pushing the limits of my strength and making progress.
I agree, been working out for 10 years straight and the most important part is to mix it up for progress. Doing the same volume or exercises will stop growth, when the body gets comfortable wtih the stress, we should change both aspects on regular basis :)
Constantly pushing 1-5 reps will be problematic for joints and can cause less symmetrical growth, I think many body builders agree here, as you state, size is not equal to strength, and we should also ask, how strong is it really necessary to be? I lift about 2-2.5x body weight in squats and just under 2x in bench and would not try to increase this, maybe more reps, but why push my body beyond this ?
I think it is healthy to focus on other aspects when reaching this "plateau" like speed, mobility, symmetry and pure form off course, text book reps for life :)
Peace
This is so useful expecially some of us who want to build muscle
Part of extending healthspan should include muscle / strength building as well as cardio.
Good info to know. Been back in the gym on a kick trying to get back in high school football days shape.
I always thought to myself, whilst being taught what you first entioned was wrong, that I could get as good a lift and sore the next day by doing high reps with good full motion.
I guess I was right.
The idea is you have to do just enough to trigger muscle growth. This is different than triggering soreness. In fact once you do train regularly for about a month on the same forms you stop getting sore at all or you barely do. Do a new exercise you never did before and you get sore because it shock s the system but this soreness isn't required for muscle growth.
All you really need is muscle damage, mechanical stress, and metabolic stress. A combination of those three produces muscle growth. Muscle damage produces the soreness but you can grow without muscle damage apparently.
Ah yes I can attest to that, the soreness does begin to subside. Muscle memory right?
I saw a bit of atrophy in my body, even at 25 years, when I hadn't worked out in a month or two and it was like a 30% decline in strength..
Right back at it tho
The atrophy speeds up in your 30s and 40s. At 25 it's minimal compared to what it will be at 35, and 45, and 55.
Yay to life! :]
That is my goal too, to get back into highschool or college condition. Flexibility is the first thing we seem to lose in our 30s. We also lose muscle as we age unless we train. This isn't obvious in our 20s because in our prime we don't lose very much and may even grow a bit, but by 30 it's a decline unless we work to maintain and grow.
Mankind should spend far more time understanding man than space. I say this as we still do not have a full understanding on how to become better humans. So any information that helps us understand us better, should be a primary focus for us. So thanks, I learned more about the body.
I found great value in this (not trying to kiss up either), I do not lift weights as a professional Martial Artist I am more geared to subconscious and relaxed muscle action rather than stronger.
In either case we can not forget consistency... the back bone of any program.
As you know, Bruce Lee used strength training to get his legendary speed. He lifted a lot of weights.
Yes but what most folks don’t understand is that he (and other elite athletes), did and do not move (initiate), from their muscles. When we closely examine them in action we can see this. And the look of speed is on the pullback.
I saw a video about this concept on YouTube some days ago and iam totally agree with this research because the more time we put tension on a muscle the more better results we get,
I personally do a lot of gyming and this type of posts i like the most, thanks @dana-edwards
People really think that different rep ranges and workout are going to provide more or less mass... this is so wrong, it may help a little, but it's nothing compared to the power of having your meal plans all set, a good meal plan and sleep pattern is the way to succeed in fitness!
The only thing that matters during the workout is: less rest time, more time under tension, and increasing the weights while maintaining good form... but if we have bad nutrition doing all of the above won't work!
But this is just my expertize from lifting for some years and studying on the internet and on myself!