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Anonymous
Lemme get this straight.

Low reps, high weight = big muscles
high reps, low weight = ability to do more reps?

Can someone explain these in detail? Also, what can I do to get monster veins coming out of my arms?
>> Hammerknife !7ITukp3Pj2
High reps low weight is cardio exercise. The more reps you can do, the less microtears occur in the muscle tissue, = no growth.
>> Anonymous
http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/publications/technique/1996/8/strength-training.html
skip down a paragraph or two
>> Anonymous
if you're work out consists of low reps, you're naturally going to be able to do more weight, since your energy will be used for more weight rather than doing more reps. if you do this regularly, you will constantly be getting gains, since you are focusing on more and more weight rather than reps. this will increase the need for your body to have bigger muscles, since you are constantly increasing the work load it is doing.

more reps makes you lean, you CAN get a muscle gain but it wont be as dramatic as constantly increasing the workload the muscle is doing. there is no real need for much more muscle if you aren't doing much more work.
>> Anonymous
so doing reverse pyramids does nothing?

start high weight, do 6-10, untill cant do any more
take off some weight, do it again.
rinse, repeat
>> Hammerknife !7ITukp3Pj2
>>30548

Those do a lot, because each set is done to exhaustion, and every time you lower the weight you're working out with already-sore muscles.
>> Anonymous
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>>30553
but what about doing low weights until exhaustion?

say you CAN bench 8x180 lbs
but instead you do about 30x100 lbs
what difference would I see?
>> Anonymous
>>30548
i wouldn't recommend doing reverse pyramids... you will probably only get small gains, the only thing that will happen is you will get used to the same work out, same weight, etc.

normal pyramids are best, start with low weight reps of 10 and end with high weight reps of 5
>> Anonymous
>>30554
you wont gain a lot of muscle, you will just get used to doing a lot of reps of 100. you will get leaner since you are still burning calories but your body won't need the extra muscle, since it isn't doing more work.
>> Anonymous
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So as a general rule, what is a good indicator for 'you arent doing enough weight'

something like
A) If you can do 12 of them consecutively
B) On your 3rd set you can complete all 8?
>> Anonymous
>>30543
Your statement is all fucked up. More reps equals more tears (when compared to less reps at same weight).
Basically:
High reps/low weight gives definition to muscles which equals endurance and probably speed
Low(er) reps/high weight gives tone and power.

If you do go the lower reps/higher weight remember to stretch. It is important to stay limber because it helps alleviate the tight feeling among other things.
>> Hammerknife !7ITukp3Pj2
>>30569

But not when compared to less reps at more weight.
>> Anonymous
>>30568
Not necessarily. My bro and I do three sets of 15 (if we can). If we can we generally do>>30548's method.
My dad was a freak at my age. He generally did his best in deadlifting (max: 455 weight: 165). I don't recommend going that route if you're going for power because it can have negative effects down the road (back-problems and it makes your head look kinda small). REMEMBER TO STRETCH! It pays off.
>> Anonymous
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Well my last workout was something like 8, 6, 6 in terms of reps per set.

After the workout I didnt feel sore at all. Was I not pushing it hard enough? was the weight too much?
>> Anonymous
>>30570
agreed, but that's not what was said: The more reps you can do, the less microtears occur in the muscle tissue
>> Anonymous
>>30577
you won't always get soreness, soreness isn't any real indicator of how much you've worked out.. it stops after a couple weeks of going regularly, you'll have to go above and beyond to get sore after a while
>> Anonymous
>>30577
At first, if it's wearing you out just try doing it more times a day. Thats seemed to work for me.

By the way, what are you doing? Bench press?
>> Anonymous
>>30583
yep, bench.
>> Kanader
If you want to build strength, then do higher weights at lower reps. If you want to build endurance, then you do less weight with more reps.

Aesthetically, strength training will result in hypertrophy of the muscles. Endurance training will result in more lean muscle mass.
>> Anonymous
>>30652
more lean muscle mass = more weight?

big muscles dont weigh as much as lean muscles?
>> Anonymous
Low reps, high weight = strenght
high reps, low weight = endurance

I believe the best method is to do strength for a few months, then endurance for a few months. You will need both. Oh, and high weights are more effective if you just want to build muscle fast.
>> Anonymous
To be honest there isn't much proof from what I've read that the LARGENESS of your muscles will be dramatically affected by the low rep high rep argument unless your talking over 20 reps for "endurance" and under 8 reps for "strength"

The truth is, most of what determines yuor muscles size, shape, and strength is sadly, genetic. Look at any "highlight reel" for those companies that do like...90 days to a great new bod, or bowflex or whatever, it just proves that a lot of people on the same training schedule will NOT end up with the same muscles.

In my oppinion, people try and deny the importance of genetics in fitness because they don't want to admit that they will never have the "chest of their dreams" (as in my case) or the "abs of their dreams." That's why i think its important we all remember the goal should be fitness first, aesthetics second!

If you are truly looking for muscular endurance I would recommend swimming.
>> Anonymous
Well its just that low weight high rep is a lot easier for me.

I have to push like hell for the whole 8 rep deal with heavy weights. With 20+ reps I just go until my muscles dont work anymore.
>> Kanader
>>30671
Lean muscle mass tends to have a lower relative density of fast-twitch muscle fibers and is more compact.

>>30681
Your weight training schedule should incorporate exercises for strength, power, and endurance at regular intervals.

>>30694
An endurance training exercise should optimally be 25 reps at about 75% of what you train for strength with. You should read something less popular and more academic. Besides, this is not about "sculpting your body." This is about fitness.

>>30702
Ideally, you should do multiple sets of 25 reps, as opposed to one set until exhaustion. If you want better results, that is.
>> Anonymous
>>30726
is ideal strength training 8 reps or 10?
>> Kanader
You should be strength training with around 75% of your 1RM (maximum weight you can move in a single rep). When you introduce a new exercise or increase your weight, you should start with 8 reps, and then move up to 10 when that's comfortable. You should move up to 12 reps in preparation for increasing the weight again.
>> Anonymous
>>30753
thanks