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Anonymous
Hey /fit/fucks, any of you feel like clearing up some noobish issues here for me?

"Many reps on mid-weight" vs "few reps on near-max-to-max weight". What's the difference, and what would I get if I did 20x5 curls(for example) each arm with some 30lbs compared to doing 8x3 with around 50-60lbs? Beyond _pain_, of course. Heard a lot of conflicting shit on this, both from friends and here on /fit/ in passing references to it. What say you, feel like offering some clarity?
>> Anonymous
i focus on doing 3 sets of 12 reps. It is a good median for me.

Less weight and mor reps will increase endurance and tone.

More weight and less reps will increase size and explosive strength.
>> Anonymous
20 reps really isn't a mid-weight, it would be low weight for you. 20x5 would tone muscle that you've already got, and depending on the time between sets, be a mild cardio workout.

>>40197
is right about reps etc.
>> Anonymous
>>40197
So to give myself a very simplified mental image here.

light weight and many: "fishwife moving boxes of near-rotted fish all day long without becoming any less of a bitch"
heavy weight and few: "fisherman who'll knock you out if you comment on how much of a bitch his wife is"
>> Anonymous
Actual numbers will vary by person, but for me I find that if I decrease the reps and increase the weight, I change how much muscle weight I gain and whether I acquire strength or endurance.

12-20 reps: build endurance, tone muscle
8-10 reps: build size and strength
4-6 reps: build strength but not much size

Those numbers are for the last set of any exercise, to complete and utter failure. All sets of a given exercise prior to the final set are not done to failure, but are progressive warm-ups, if you will.

So rep# vs. weight comes down to your goals. Want to have crazy muscular endurance and be tone without putting on much size? Do higher reps with lower weight. Want to build both size and strength? Do a medium number of reps with fairly heavy weight. Want to get psycho-fucking strong and not build much size? The heaviest weights you can for a few reps.
>> Anonymous
>>40210
sure.

Op, as far as curls go, this is how i do my main Bi's workout:

3 sets of 12 normal curls
3 sets of 12 hanging curls
then a burn out on the incline bench with the following back to back without a break(repping as slow as I can, with each arm in unison):
1 set of 10 with 5-10 less lbs that i used on my first curls
1 set of 8 with 5-10 less than the previous
1 burnout set using 15-20 lbs doing as many as I can.
>> Anonymous
You might want to develop your core and ligaments before the limbs.

Also, 20 reps for any load is not enough. Believe it or not, 30-150 reps is what serious strength builders go for, in muscular endurance.
>> Anonymous
High weight
2x4-6 3x5-6

Mid Weight
3x6-10

High weight
3x10-15


Really, most newbs should avoid high weight. Many personal trainers regard this as a complete waste of energy, since new research shows that we have little or no control over the "length" of our muscles. What that means is, women who do low weight high reps used to say "i don't want to get bulky muscles" really, they weren't getting "long sexy muscles" they were just developing muscles slower, creating the illusion of "longer sexier muscles"

TL;DR

newbies, sitck to mid or high weight routines.
>> Anonymous
>>40227
sorry, meant to say *avoid low wight, high reps
>> Anonymous
Curlz are stupid GTFO, NOOB
>> Anonymous
>>40230
You're stupid, if you diss curls. Perhaps your trolling, but perhaps not.

if you aren't trolling, the benefits of curls are obvious. The main benefit in my routine? The cosmetic enhancements with an exercise that targets ONLY the long and short head of the biceps brachii. This means quicker gains on a muscle group that in most other exercises is merely a synergist.
>> Anonymous
>>40234
YOU TELL HIM BRAH!
>> Anonymous
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>>40230
Touché
>> Anonymous
>>40219
>4-6 reps: build strength but not much size
Umm source on this? It just doesn't sound right to me.
>> Anonymous
>>40265
his frail looking body. Yeah, dont listen to this anon.
>> Anonymous
there is no such thing as "toning" muscle.
>> Anonymous
>>40265
Clinical studies show that very low rep workouts produce more power potential with less of a size increase. During a normal moderate weight lift, a muscle may actually recruit ~30% of the fibers. Very high weight training conditions the muscle to activate a larger pecentage of the fibers, thus producing a comparable increase in power without actually increasing muscle size; perhaps 40% of the muscle rather than 30% for an advanced athlete.

Read this page for more details: http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/publications/technique/1996/8/strength-training.html
>> Anonymous
I've read numerous articles defending lower and lower number of sets and reps. if you have the training, form, and motivation, I believe 2x5 is a great set for any excercise
>> Anonymous
>>40270
its more of a cardio workout...resulting in a toned look compared to a bulked one.

duh
>> Anonymous
>>40287
i agree, and i've taken this even farther. i do 0x5. ITS FUCKING BLEEDING EDGE, shit man, i've said too much.
>> Anonymous
>>40291
building more muscle will result in a more "toned" look, due to the fact that you'll simply have more muscle. muscle also burns calories. you dumb faggot.
>> Anonymous
Not OP.

So, if I'm a female who's just recently started weight training.

For most exercises, I do 3 sets with 15 reps, with a weight that I can manage.

Should I take it down a notch? Fewer sets and/or reps, but with a much higher weight?


Also, sometimes when I'm done with my last set and I'm not completely tired out, I'll bump the weight up substantially and do a few more until it hurts.

Is any of this good? What should I be doing? The reason I am doing weight training is to raise my metabolism to help lose weight. Once I have lost all the excess weight, I want to start building muscle just for the sake of looking awesome.

tl,dr. Which is best for raising my resting metabolism to aid in weight loss? High weight/low rep, or low weight/high rep?
>> Anonymous
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>>40297
You have no idea what you are talking about.
>> Anonymous
>>40303

I think you're doing fine. It's always good to change things up 3x14, 4x10, 4x8 (more weight). Your form should be perfect. Your aim should be that the muscles should get fatigued on the very last rep.

I hate to use bicep curls as examples but when you're reaching the top you need to squeeze tightly. You will get a better workout that way.
>>40270

Correct, "toning" the muscles is a Myth. i don't know why people say it.
>> Anonymous
>>40297
that's why most power lifters are toned amirite. building muscle alone won't give you the toned look. getting rid of the fat will.
>> Anonymous
>>40329
That's also why doing high reps low weight has NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH TONING. STOP SAYING IT BECAUSE YOU HEARD IT FROM YOUR BUDDIES.

IF YOU WANT TO "TONE" THEN LOSE SOME FUCKING FAT.
>> Anonymous
>>40337
>getting rid of the fat will.

durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
>> sage !jyye8faDxg
>>40329
that's what cardio's for faggot