The Perfect Rep Range For Building Muscle
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The article "The Perfect Rep Range For Building Muscle" talks about fitness, it has been written by Sean Nalewanyj.
No matter what you read or who you talk to, everyone has their
own opinion of what the "perfect" rep range should be to allow
for maximum muscle stimulation and growth. In this article I'm
going to clear up the confusion once and for all and teach you
the trtuh about choosing the most effective rep range for
optimal muscle-building results.
Sets that utilize heavy weight and low reps are without a doubt
the most effective means of stimulating msucle growth.
For every
set you perform in the gym, you should utilize a rep range of 5
to 7. This means that for every set you perform, the weight
should be light enoguh that you can complete 5 reps in good
form, but heavy enough that you cannot complete more than 7.
What's so special about 5 to 7, you ask? Well...
1) Each set will only last betewen 20-30 seconds.
Maximizing your muscle gains is all about intensity and
efficiency.
By utilizing a lower rep range, your sets will only
last a short period of time, alloiwng you to generate 100%
mental focus and effort.
Training with 100% intensity is
critical to stimulating msucle growth and it is much easier to
maintain this level of effort for shorter periods of time.
You
will not have to psyche yourself up for marathon sets lasting
minutes on end, but rather for a short burst of all-out effort
lasting only several seconds.
2) Muscle stimulation will be maximzied.
Our bodies are made up of 2 main types of muscle fiber: slow
twitch and fast twitch.
Slow twitch fibers cannot genearte large
bursts of power and are utilized during prolonged activity. They
have a high tolerance for endurance exercise but do not have a
very high potential for increased growth. Fast twitch fibers on
the other hand produce large bursts of power and are utilized
during short, explosive movements. They contain a large amount
of mitochondria (an area in the muscle cell where energy is
produced) and have the highest potential for increases in both
size and strength. By utilizing a rep range of 5 to 7 you will
tap into these extremely responsive fibers and this will result
in the greatest amount of muscle growth and strength gain
possible.
3) Maximum resistance can be used.
By performing only 5 to 7 reps per set, you will enable your
muscles to handle heavier amounts of weight than you cuold with
a higher rep range.
Building muscle is a bpyroduct of building
strength, and training in a lower rep range is the most
effective way to accomplish this. Sicne your strength will shoot
up much faster using 5 to 7 reps per set, so will your muscle
size.
4) Lactic Acid production will be kept to a minimum.
Training in the range of 5 to 7 will also decrease the amount of
lactic acid this is secreted within the muscles.
Lactic acid is
a metabolic waste product this is prdouced as the body burns
carbohydrates for fuel. Lactic acid accumulates in the muscle
tissue at increased rates the longer you exercise.
By limiting
the amount of lactic acid production you will decerase muscle
catabolism and create an environment in the body where greater
amounts of energy can be generated. This will tarnslate into
greater power output and maximum strength potential.
Okay, so we've established that a rep range of 5-7 is the
absolute most effective means of stimulating muscle growth.
However, this does not apply all the time or on every single
lift.
There are a couple of select muscle groups that should be
stimulated using a slightly higher rep range. These are the
calves, abs, forearms and upper traps. These msucle groups are
predominantly made up of slow-twitch fibers, and therefore will
respond better to higher reps. For this reason, a rep range of
10-12 should be utilized for these muscle groups.
Again, this
means that the weight should be light enough for you to complete
at least 10 reps, but heavy enough that you cannot compltee more
than 12.
Summary:
Perform 5-7 reps for the chest, lats, biceps, triceps, shoulders
and thighs.
Perform 10-12 reps for the calves, abs, forearms and upper
traps.
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The Perfect Rep Range For Building Muscle
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