To build muscle you need is lift weights, train hard, eat and rest. Those are the basics, but to pass things to the next level you need to look at minor details, such as your TV and rep schemes.
Spend any amount of time in the iron game, and you'll find hundreds of different approaches to building muscle, burn fat and get bigger muscles and lean. One aspect of training that most seems to agree and for which the guidelines tend to be fairly uniform and outlines the set of repetitions necessary for muscle building.
Muscle gains, sets and reps
Traditionally, three sets of eight to 10 repetitions has been the norm. There can be some variation in this, but most bodybuilders stick two to four sets of eight to 10 repetitions, sometimes falling six or seven repetitions, and sometimes it is increased to 12.
Who will argue with this approach? It has been a cornerstone in the development of thousands of physical incredible, so it works clearly.
The question is, however, that while we always see the boys working for - professional bodybuilders, athlete’s first class presentation models and Mr. Olympia winners, there are many more people that this approach is not optimal.
It seems very simplistic to say categorically that three sets of eight to 10 repetitions is the best way to build muscle.
To begin the question is posed - "What if I only do seven reps per set, or up to 15 in a year?" Is unlikely to lead to any muscle growth at all, however, this type of training do not fall within the guidelines of bodybuilding.
Secondly, there are plenty of weightlifters and athletes who train with heavy loads, but some bodybuilders look small. Just take a look at the quads of an Olympic weightlifter and know that you can get great goals without the ranks of bodybuilding repetitions. Olympic lifters usually lift heavy weights with the explosive power seldom more than five repetitions per set are made, often dropping as low as only one or two repetitions.
The problem with having these strict guidelines is that it leaves little room for leeway. Moreover, from a combination of scientific research and real-world experience it is also evident that there is more than one way to skin a cat. Or in this case, more than one way to build big muscles.
As Olympic lifters and weightlifters, bodybuilder’s old school used different rep ranges, often incorporating systems of ultra-high representative in certain exercises and works the mixture into the low resistance and repetitions.
To take your training to the next level, look no further than three standard sets of eight to 10 repetitions that you took the last bodybuilding magazine, and start adding in different rep ranges, changing their percentages by weight and varying your training a little more . By incorporating different methodologies that are preparing for their size and strength better earnings history.
Varying the patterns of sets and repetitions for optimal muscle growth
There is a bit of a lesson in biology before entering your action steps here. So sit back, get a pencil and paper and prepare for building muscle.
Training methods for building muscle
The two types of muscle growth
Muscle growth (known as hypertrophy) comes in two forms - the sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar hypertrophy.
These sound like big scary words and complicated but are actually quite simple.
Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy refers to when the muscles increase in size due to increased fluid-carrying substances in muscle cells. The cells themselves are stretched and become larger, and muscle waves slightly. This happens in tiny amounts, so you will not notice a difference from one year to another, but over time you will see an increase in size.
This type of hypertrophy most to perform series of slightly higher repetitions occurs (most of argument say 10 or more per game, but not as strict as that) with lighter weights, more time under tension and times slower repetition.
Myofibrillar hypertrophy is slightly different. This is more to do with heavy training, explosive speed and power. This is the type of muscle growth that you associate with weights and sprinters. Muscle becomes larger due to an increased fiber density. You'll reach the myofibrillar hypertrophy throbbing, powerful training and performing groups of five or later with the heavyweights.
As you can see, none of these approaches fit exactly into traditional patterns of adjustment and reps bodybuilding. And this is probably why these guidelines are given - they do not focus on any of sarcoplasmic or myofibrillar hypertrophy, but are a combination of both.
This means that if you were to just pick a range of reps, then three sets of eight to 10 would not be a bad path to go down. You might get some good gains from it. But pretty good is not enough - when it comes to building muscle, only the best results will be.
Setting his plan to gain muscle
You're probably have ideas running through your head of how it will combine with weight lifting weight lifting and sprinting, then throw some traditional bodybuilding work, muscular endurance training and any another set and rep ranges imaginable to ensure that cover all your bases, but really does not have to be so complicated.
There are two ways you can go about incorporating each different range of repetitions in your routine.
The first way is to break your workout into blocks and focus on a different quality in each.
This works well if you do every block three to four weeks and cycle between them. It also requires very little planning as you can stick to require the same training program and even the same exercises, and still get the best of everything. For example, chest, shoulders and triceps can be something like this -
Series of exercises and repetitions
Bench Press 6 x 3 (block 1) 4 × 8 (block 2) 3 × 15 (block 3)
Press incline bench 4 × 4 (block 1) 3 x 10 (block 2) 3 x15 (block 3)
Military Barbell 6 x 3 (block 1) 4 × 8 (block 2) 3 × 15 (block 3)
Dips 2 × 6 (block 1) 3 x 10 (block 2) 2 × 20 (block 3)
All you need to do here is change the weights in each block according to the number of sets and repetitions that you have to hit. You can use the same format for each workout.
The second option is to have training stages using strength training, bodybuilding and strength each week. This works best with an upper / lower body split body.
Training 1 - Upper Body
Two in the chest, back exercises three two shoulders, each performed for three to five sets of five six and seven repeats, plus two biceps and triceps two exercises for three sets of eight to 10 each.
Training 2 - Lower Body
Two of quadriceps and two hamstrings exercises, each performed for three to five sets of five six and seven replications, and two beef and two abdominal exercises for three sets of eight to 10 each.
Workout 3 - Upper Body
Three in the chest, back exercises, three and three of shoulder, two each by three sets of eight to 10 repetitions and one to two sets of 15, plus one biceps and triceps exercise for two sets of 15 20 each.
Workout 3 - Lower Body
Three years and three hamstring quadriceps, two of each performed for three sets of eight to 10 repetitions and one to two sets of 15 plus a calf and abs exercise for two sets of 15-20 each.
Get out of your comfort zone and ditch the standard repetitions established patterns and make new progress in building muscle.
