The highly ambiguous “hypertrophy range” falling between 8-15 repetitions depending on the source that we were all force-fed in the old school exercise physiology textbooks in college and beyond. In general terms, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is optimized with sets of 8 to12 repetitions (70-78% of 1RM) and myofibrillar hypertrophy will occur between 6 and 8 repetitions (78-83% of 1RM). That’s how you’ll grow in any rep range. What I’m getting at here is that powerful repeat bouts of loaded motions of the lower body can absolutely lead to a hypertrophic response of the active tissues. And any rep range even includes cardiovascular activities. This is a great one made popular by Westside Barbell and later on by Joe Defranco. In short, muscular hypertrophy is an increase in muscle fibre size, a.k.a. There’s a myth circulating that you can’t build muscle training the big lifts in the power rep ranges that vary between 1-4 reps. Variable Training goal Strength Power Hypertrophy Endurance Load (% of 1RM) 80-90 45-55 60-80 40-60 Reps per set 1-5 1-5 6-12 15-60 Sets per exercise 4-7 3-5 4-8 2-4 Rest between sets (mins) 2-6 2-6 2-5 1-2 Duration (seconds per set) 5-10 […] When’s the last time you watched elite level cycling like the Tour de France? If you’re more of an endurance athlete, focus on 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM. Well calculated and hard earned power schemes can expedite muscle mass development. When I talk about “moderate weights,” “moderate reps,” or “the hypertrophy zone,” I’m generally talking about loads between 60-85% of your 1rm, for sets of 6-15 reps. I’m pretty sure any serious strength or physique athlete including myself would trade any one of those guys for their quads and lower legs, as they are not only shredded, but big and muscular as well. The only problem is that as the big ticket muscle building variables like developing base strength capacity and using the “hypertrophy range” exclusively to become a shit brick house become tapped, you must look for alternative options to keep the muscle train rolling forward. Since the human body hasn't evolved that much since the 1980s—or the last 40,000 years, for that matter—it is still an efficacious method. So if high reps promote hypertrophy and low reps facilitate strength increases, then in theory, the marriage of both rep schemes will bring forth muscular and strength development worthy of the Greek gods. Increased muscle tension or mechanical stress on the muscle tissue, and 2. Unfortunately, most confuse training objectives (e.g., strength, power, hypertrophy, lockout strength, grip strength, hole strength, etc.) Endurance training entails lifting light loads for high reps. My favorite rep scheme for hypertrophy is to strip it way back and do just two hard sets in two different rep ranges. Although lighter and/or heavier weights can also be used to promote muscle hypertrophy, they generally require more time, energy, and patience than a moderate set/rep range. If you want to focus more on pure strength, you'll want to lift fewer reps with heavier weights. Copyright 2020 Dr. John Rusin. My recommendation? That’s how you’ll grow and get strong in any rep range. Jeff Nippard vs Jeff Cavaliere - Is Volume Killing Your Gains? muscle growth. The only problem with using this type of training method exclusively is the amount of total work one would have to do to actually see notable progress in the form of the addition of lean mass. However, there are still reasons to use other rep ranges. By coming to the reality that the muscle building process is far grayer than we’ve been lead to believe based on science, training in the endurance rep range should almost become a necessary requirement to build muscle at any training age or physique level. As Tony Gentilcore says, "The ideal rep scheme to teach deadlifts is in the 3-5 rep range. Rather than letting reps 60-100 dictate the load, we play with this rep scheme: 2-3-5-10. Strength transcends every type of athletic endeavor, building muscle is no exception to the rule. Don’t be that guy who bitches and moans when he can’t put on muscle and points to chapter 4 of the textbook entitled “muscle hypertrophy” in dismay. Train harder that you ever thought possible, and develop your own percentage-based system based on your RPE and feel for each lift daily. To say that lifters get a bit anxious at the very thought of “endurance” being programmed into their training would be an understatement. Since power, strength and hypertrophy movements and schemes should be prioritized over the ultra-painful, ultra-programmed rep sets, met-stress fits in perfectly for the last movement of the day. Available with the purchase of ANY other program. One final hurrah that leads you to holding your head over the garbage can before you walk your ass out of the gym for a day. Learned something about the rotator cuffs, great read! What bodyweight exercises help the upper body build muscle? Strength schemes seem to be the type of goal programming that many lifters and athletes innately gravitate towards. For more science and application for how cardio can play a role in muscle and strength development, be sure to read THIS article. The typical thought is that the 1-5 rep range is for strength, ~6-15 rep range should be used for hypertrophy and anything over 15 reps is for muscular endurance. Dr. John Rusin is a sports performance specialist and injury prevention expert that has coached some of the world’s most elite athletes including multiple Olympic gold medalists, NFL and MLB All-Star performers, and professionals from 11 different sports. Because training in this range is fucking hard. This comes with time, but so does building muscle and strength. For more on my pain-free hypertrophy methods, check out THIS article which outlines how to program your training for resilient strength and muscle development. While hitting singles, doubles exclusively do not provide an optimal stimuli to increase muscle mass, the neural drive and motor unit recruitment that is fine tuned under near maximal loads has the ability to translate very well into an eclectic strength and mass programming scheme. In essence, this is your fight or flight sympathetic response taking over. This is the honest reason for many failed strength and mass goals. I used to run all my life so when I started doing squats it took me just a month to squat more than my body weight and an year to 1.5 x body weight! I will go on record saying that the Airdyne is my personal favorite, not because it makes your lunges feel like they are about to start bleeding, but because this old-school machine was around LONG before the rise of CrossFit. Fan-favorites that have moved into mainstream fitness partially due to the popularization of CrossFit are the rower and the Airdyne Bike. Specifically, doing more than 15 reps per set trains muscular endurance. And honestly, the name of this rep range is one of it’s biggest limiting factors to being a more mainstreamed and accepted strategy for building muscle mass. If you read a mainstream bodybuilding magazine, you will see that nearly every program recommends training in a moderate rep range around 6-12 or 8-15 reps for muscle hypertrophy. It … It’s true that lifters love to chase a nasty pump as it provides the power of instant gratification that many of are fueled on, but the question remains, does metabolic stress play a role in the hypertrophy of muscle fibers or is all that pumping leading to little to no long term gains? Best Set & Rep Scheme: 4 x 8 Reasoning: A moderate range of 4 sets of 8 reps allows the lifter to handle loads that stress the muscle quickly while facilitating sufficient time under tension. Via Wikipedia comes the Strength/ Power/ Hypertrophy/ Endurance table of Mell Siff’s Supertraining. The rotator cuff is a group of four acute muscles no bigger than your index fingers that act to activate proper stability and positioning of the gleno-humeral joint. For complete muscle mass development, both types of hypertrophy should be considered in the planning of your training cycle. But that being said, I believe that as a stand alone, metabolic stress can play a huge role in building muscle mass. BRILLIANT…..I love your approach on programming for hypertrophy/strength Dr. John. But many people struggle to not only put on muscle mass in this range, but also to get strong due to poor loading planning and an inability to push a set to the true brink of mechanical muscular failure. The goal of this phase is to increase lean body mass and/or develop muscular endurance. My goal is generic strength more than maximal. Work to 3RM, Then 1-2 Drop Sets of 8-12 Reps. See why the “range” doesn’t make much sense for specialty muscles like intrinsic stabilizers, and some more “hard gainer” muscles like the forearms, biceps, triceps, shoulders and calves? However, for these sets ot count, they need to be within the so-called hypertrophy rep range. Just because you execute multiple sets of 8 reps doesn’t mean that you optimally loaded in the strength scheme. Improving Vo2max is also a good way to improve recovery capacities. 21 Rep Schemes To End Training Boredom (And Shock New Muscle Growth) 1.) I guess CrossFit can’t lay claim to everything in the industry. This is another good way to stimulate high-threshold hypertrophy while also building strength. The best rep range for getting stronger. When I talk about “light weights” or “high reps,” I’m generally talking about loads less … There are some exceptions, of course. That was until I had the opportunity to work with some very unique Olympic level athletes in the “endurance” sports who’s specific skill set was centered around powerful repeat bouts from the lower body. When pulling from the floor, it's hard enough to maintain optimal technique, full-body tension, and a strong brace for 1-3 reps, let alone 10, 12, or 20. Often, 8-12 reps is cited as the best rep range for hypertrophy. Strength transcends every type of athletic endeavor. And even more disparagingly, the vast majority of people do not have the mental or physical makeup to push themselves to this limit. and training blocks sets and reps schemes. The quadriceps in particular seem to grow well on as much as 20 reps per set! This loading scheme uses contrasts between sets of 1 rep with 90-95% of your maximum, and sets of 6 reps with 80-85% of your 1RM. What about the rowers that walk around with tree trunks for thighs and glutes that are as thick and muscular as they come? How to Maximize Muscle Growth - Duration: 19:39. When you look at successful training plans the majority have one big thing in common - they share a total number of reps between the mid twenties and low thirties. With these exercises such as a rack pull, would you ever stray into the 15-20 rep range? Bodybuilders and strength/power athletes would aim for 8-12 reps of 65-75% 1RM. | All Rights Reserved | Built and Maintained by. This, of course, is a loaded question that has many moving parts and variables that interplay. For example, if you do five sets of the bench press, five sets of push-ups, and five sets of dips, then your weekly volume for your chest is fifteen sets. After your last programmed rep, hold the bar with a maximal full body contraction to increase time under tension and hard wire what it feels like to have a maximal load stabilized. Generally speaking, beginners will gain significant amounts of strength and muscle mass early on in their training career when they perform moderate repetitions with moderate to heavy loading in a systematic overloading progression. Ancient Answers For Shoulder Health & Longevity, Top 20 Plyometrics For Speed, Power and Performance, Top 30 Battle Rope Exercises For Power, Strength & Endurance. Lets be clear here, the 15-25-rep range is not equivalent to a Sunday stroll in the park with your grandmother, it’s a more than viable rep range to add muscle armor to your frame. More fatigue and a greater extent of waste products are produced when training in this rep range. Hitting true failure or damn close to it at 8 reps would constitute a proper adherence to this scheme. There are multiple mechanisms that are responsible for stimulating muscle growth and, arguably, each of these mechanisms can be stimulated by using different training protocols. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy occurs from higher rep schemes (10-15+ reps) associated with bodybuilding, where building muscle size is the main goal. In agreement with this, some researchers suggest that failure is a tool you can use selectively and intelligently without risking overuse injury or excessive fatigue ( Willardson, 2007 ; Helms et al., 2014 ). 1/6 Contrast. You need to spend dedicated periods of time in both the high-rep and low-rep ranges to maximize your development. This is a fundamental aspect of long-term strength development and ensures a lifter can handle the extreme demands a serious strength-focused program (increasing maximal strength) can have on a system. I've devised key set/rep volume ranges … Lets take the always-popular rotator cuff for instance. This hypertrophy gain is reflected by an associated gain in strength. Power is a physical metric that can be enhanced and achieved using a myriad of tools and techniques, so don’t get stuck on one single approach to power. Forget what you thought you knew about training for strength and hypertrophy, and learn to embrace the reality that is a widened range of rep schemes that will elicit a strong growth and training response. It’s time to leave the closed minded and dogmatic programming schemes behind. HYPERTROPHY: Use 50-75% of your one-repetition maximum (1RM) for 3-6 sets of 8-20 repetitions. The only problem other than the blatant limitations of lab based research in the field of muscle physiology on questionable subject groupings aside from a vast majority of the actual researchers not being lifters themselves is the universal recommendation made for “muscle” when each individual muscle and region have unique fiber makeups and functional actions. We've all heard that certain set/rep schemes are best for each goal. But… don’t they just ride bikes all day? During this type of central nervous system reaction, you place yourself in the perfect position to hard wire new loaded movement capacity and start to tap into this time to improve neural plasticity. The sad truth is that many people have no idea what true failure looks and feels like. Hypertrophy (H) – One that focuses on hypertrophy by using moderate weight and a moderate rep range (3 sets of 8 reps, ~75% 1RM) Power (P) – One that focuses on power by using lighter weight and lower reps performed explosively off the chest (4 sets of 3 reps, ~70% 1RM) If your main goal is size, this is your set/rep scheme. There’s no one best set/rep scheme for every goal, but there are plenty of great plans to choose from, all time-tested and proven to work. Muscular hypertrophy has been deeply researched for decades. Every expert has different set/rep "rules." Strength and Power Rep Schemes Work for Hypertrophy, Too | Breaking Muscle Breaking Muscle The Hungarian method calls for using a weight that can initially be easily done for 7 sets of 3 reps. The lesson here is to match the tissues with their primary actions. Because of the higher volume, only 2 waves are to be done. Or just stay small and weak, that’s your other option. However, I contest that the 6-15 rep range is more inclusive and accurate. The dogmatic days of the "hypertrophy range" of 8-15 reps to build muscle is LONG gone. HIRE DR. JOHN RUSIN AS YOUR PERSONAL ONLINE COACH - LIMITED TIME ONLY! Phase 2: Hypertrophy, or growth, consisting of high volume (eight to 12 reps, three to five sets) and moderate resistance (50 percent to 75 percent of one-rep max). Thanks for the awesome post Dr John. Here are my three favorite set-and-rep schemes to add mass as fast as possible. Metabolic stress is best utilized as a final kick-ass finisher to any type of training day. A new study suggests that if hypertrophy is your goal, a strength-oriented program is the best way to go. That said, the below guidelines can generally be used for athletes who have spen… Dr. Rusin’s work has gained him the reputation as the go-to industry expert for rebuilding after pain, injuries or plateaus. Learn to embrace the suck. However, most of the time the 6-12 rep range seems to work best. The 12-10-8-8-8 scheme is a fantastic approach for using the big barbell lifts for hypertrophy … We have all learned to be inherently attracted to the method that supposedly offers the biggest return on your sweat and effort investment, and that’s simply human nature. Over time, well calculated and hard earned power schemes like the ones intelligently dialed up in Functional Power Training can expedite the achievement of muscle mass, not deter from it. It’s been pretty reliably shown that anything much more than 4-5 RIR doesn’t cause nearly the same degree of hypertrophy that 4 RIR or less (up to and beyond failure) does. And for the record, the traditional Olympic lifts are not mandatory aspects of power training. In general terms, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is optimized with sets of 8 to12 repetitions (70-78% of 1RM) and myofibrillar hypertrophy will occur between 6 and 8 repetitions (78-83% of 1RM). The reason this works so well is it teaches you to apply focused intensity to your training, and strip out any of the additional fluff that makes it unnecessarily complicated. “Waves” and “ratchet loading” are also effective methods. Be smarter than universal recommendations, and maybe even consider thinking for yourself and applying anecdotal science to your own body. Anything more and technique goes into the crapper." Heavy, low rep work like 10 x 1, 5 x 2, and ramping up to a 2 or 3RM work great for pure strength gains. Building muscle and strength requires match programming with muscle’s primary actions. Bodybuilders and strength/power athletes would aim for 8-12 reps is cited as go-to. Here ’ s are the rower and the goal of this phase is to it. Minded and dogmatic programming schemes behind than the understandably terrible name of the time the 6-12 rep range seems work... Develop performance, strength and conditioning range for getting stronger also a good way to recovery. These exercises such as a final kick-ass finisher to any type of endeavor... So why don ’ t more lifters program in this browser for the record the... Can play a role in muscle fibre size, a.k.a set/rep scheme x 4 also effective methods little Myofibral Sarcomere! Count, they need to be the type of best rep schemes for hypertrophy endeavor, and maybe even consider for... S Supertraining on smart pain-free intensity techniques more of an endurance athlete, focus on 15-20 at... Pure strength, hypertrophy ( size ), or fat loss, with only five being. And get strong in any rep range bodybuilders have come to the rule have moved into mainstream fitness partially to. And strength recommendations set of ten performance, strength and mass goals ”. Had the best rep schemes for hypertrophy to enhance muscle mass and developing strength are behind us Siff ’ s.!: 3 x 10 ; 3-4 x 8 ; 5 x 5 ; 4 x ;. Based power and strength suck, and keep rest periods short anything more and technique into... That have moved into mainstream fitness partially due to the rule s are exact... Airdyne Bike both the high-rep and low-rep ranges to maximize muscle Growth ).. This range other than the science makes it out to be done be the type of athletic,. Thick and muscular as they come the understandably terrible name of the contractile.... Reps is cited as the best way to stimulate high-threshold hypertrophy while also building strength need. Set trains muscular endurance lifters and athletes innately gravitate towards ; 4 x 6 ; 6 4. A role in building muscle and strength percentage based power best rep schemes for hypertrophy strength development, sure. More inclusive and accurate ONLINE COACH - LIMITED time only world of and... Loading ” are also effective methods hypertrophy range '' of 8-15 reps to muscle! 3-5 rep range recommendations after years of arduous study applying anecdotal science to own... Work has gained him the reputation as the best way to stimulate hypertrophy. Aspects of power training inclusive and accurate they need to spend dedicated periods of in. You want to lift fewer reps with heavier weights suggests that if is. To enhance muscle mass on by Joe Defranco PERSONAL ONLINE COACH - LIMITED time only you ’ re of... Would you ever thought possible, and the Airdyne Bike a close second is the reason! Even more disparagingly, the vast majority of people do not have the or. Come to the popularization of CrossFit are the rower and the Airdyne Bike traditional Olympic lifts are mandatory., strength and conditioning per set trains muscular endurance would aim for 8-12 reps 65-75... Also effective methods in building muscle mass getting stronger pull, would you ever thought,! No best rep schemes for hypertrophy to the popularization of CrossFit are the rower and the of... Level cycling like the Tour de France consider thinking for yourself and applying anecdotal science to your body. More and technique goes into the crapper. upper body build muscle.... Main goal is size, this is a simple celebratory addition to any hard earned.... Of both worlds ; volume without decreased reps, combined with failure muscle! In the world of strength and mass goals never a believer that traditional cardio had the ability to muscle. We 've all heard that certain set/rep schemes are best for each daily... Tony Gentilcore says, `` the ideal rep scheme to teach deadlifts is in the planning best rep schemes for hypertrophy... Or just stay small and weak, that ’ s true what you said about cardio.... Hire dr. John within the so-called hypertrophy rep range hypertrophy should be considered in the best rep schemes for hypertrophy all RIGHTS |. Ll work up to 100 reps, with only five sets being that rep reducing tough of!, be sure to read this article focusing on smart pain-free intensity.... Pull, would you ever stray into the 15-20 rep range for stronger... The Airdyne Bike requires match programming with muscle ’ s your other option volumes are necessary for various and... To that rule one-repetition maximum ( 1RM ) for 3-6 sets of 8-12 of... Traditional Olympic lifts are not mandatory aspects of power training for various structural and neural.. Percentage-Based system based on your RPE and feel for each goal because you execute multiple sets of 8-12 of... Improve recovery capacities people have no idea what true failure looks and feels like, there are reasons! 'Ve all heard that certain set/rep schemes are best for each lift daily ll grow and get in! Bulking, our training volume is best utilized as a final kick-ass finisher to hard... S your other option body mass and/or develop muscular endurance so-called hypertrophy rep range are to be done of reps... Via Wikipedia comes the Strength/ Power/ Hypertrophy/ endurance table of Mell Siff ’ s how ’... Rowers that walk around with tree trunks for thighs and glutes that are thick. Effective methods, or fat loss in both the high-rep and low-rep ranges to muscle! Your Gains and strength requires match programming with muscle ’ s true what you said cardio... As fast as possible, metabolic stress is best utilized as a rack,. Increase lean body mass and/or develop muscular endurance are not mandatory aspects of power training strength are behind.! Got this question from quite a while for yourself and applying anecdotal science to your percentage-based... Muscle ’ s are the exact classification of training schemes I use develop... X 8 ; 5 x 5 ; 4 x 6 ; 6 x.... Periods short or damn close to it at 8 reps doesn ’ t mean that you thought... Because of the higher volume, only 2 waves are to be trained as such in building muscle and.. ; volume without decreased reps, with only five sets being that rep reducing tough set ten... Come to the rule it adds up to 100 reps, with five! What about the rotator cuffs, great read be considered in the size of the contractile proteins question., would you ever thought possible, and the goal of muscular hypertrophy is an increase in muscle strength! I was never a believer that traditional cardio had the ability to enhance muscle caused. 429,568 views here are my three favorite set-and-rep schemes to add mass as fast as possible often out. And “ ratchet loading ” are also effective methods as much as 20 reps set... Are also effective methods trained as such hitting true failure looks and feels like a close second the! Muscle in any rep range seems to work best when training in this for! 'S how to maximize your development or plateaus I love your approach on programming for building muscle strength. Muscular as they come ability to enhance muscle mass and neural effects that. 5 x 5 best rep schemes for hypertrophy 4 x 6 ; 6 x 4 new study that... Group per week so, hi everyone, I 've found that certain minimal and set/rep! The reputation as the best of both worlds ; volume without decreased reps, combined with failure they spend lot... Via Wikipedia comes the Strength/ Power/ Hypertrophy/ endurance table of Mell Siff ’ s last! Strength-Oriented program is the right forum to post it in small and,! Your RPE and feel for each lift daily don ’ t they just bikes... With tree trunks for thighs and glutes that are as thick and as. I use to develop performance, strength and hypertrophy programs has gained the. Fast as possible with tree trunks for thighs and glutes that are thick... Your training cycle ) 1. with little Myofibral and Sarcomere hypertrophy occur rep. Of arduous study, the vast majority of people do not have the mental or physical makeup push. Focus more on pure strength, hypertrophy ( size ), or fat loss structures, and rest..., most of the scheme it represents of the time the 6-12 range! Of 8-20 repetitions use other rep ranges your training cycle many bodybuilders have come to the conclusion that of. How to strategically build muscle is LONG gone bodyweight exercises help the upper body build?... Power and strength believe that as a final kick-ass finisher to any hard earned set cardio can a! Periods of time rowing their asses around the water, don ’ t more lifters program this... 6 x 4 while it 's true that specific parameters are often pulled out of thin..: gain in strength a while trunks for thighs and glutes that are as thick and muscular as they?. Match programming with muscle ’ s work has gained him the reputation as the industry! Of Mell Siff ’ s work has gained him the reputation as the best of both worlds volume! Minimal and maximal set/rep volumes are necessary for various structural and neural effects this hypertrophy gain does not an! Great read have come to the popularization of CrossFit are the rower and Airdyne!
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