High reps lighter weight vs lower reps heavier weight

[littleman50-CHARGEBACK]

Is there an advantage to going with lower reps and higher weights vs higher reps and lower weights if in either case you go to failure?

Example - DB Bench Press with weights per set at 70, 75, 80 & 85 with reps at 12, 10, 8,6 but only able to get maybe 3 reps on last set before failure but not quite the best form (yea I know about form) versus say 60, 65, 70, 75 with higher reps (15, 12, 10, 8) and getting maybe 6 reps at the end before failure but a little better form.

Psychologically when I can only get 3 reps on my last set with 85's I don't feel like I got a good workout as the reps were low at the end.

Thanks

 

[TxLonghorn]

Aside from the fact I don't like going to failure, I have always had more success with lower reps and higher weight.

 

[drrman]

i used to be a low rep high weight guy, but now i use lighter weights and very very tight controlled slow movements to get the best pump in my oppinion, but then again, im not trying to get any "bigger" im just trying to improve the quality of my muscle and if anything add size slowly.

 

[Frackal]

Generally the best overload is said to be accomplished using weights that you approach/reach failure in the 4-6 possibly up to 8 rep range with decent volume....6-9 is what Max-ot recommends.

 

[gymtime]

If your muscles are not challeged, they will not grow. Anything you can lift over 10 is not really a challenge, IMO.

The psychological aspect is a problem though. 4-6 reps, even at a really heavy weight, doesn't seem like much when you're done. But just try it for a month and see what happens.

 

[MassMadeEasy]

Both have advantages and disadvantages. In fact you should cycle your training to incorporate many different types of weight to rep ranges. The reason being is that different schemes have dramatically different effects on outcome. Our main focus however should be within the 8-12 rep range which will give your muscles the best hypertrophy(growth). Howeverlow reps with a higher weight 2-6 reps will build strength and likewise higher reps will build endurance 15-25.

You should use the last to rep schemes to enhance your training in the 8-12 range. Example: DB bench within the 8-12 range for one month then switch to 2-6 for three weeks then to 15-25 for 1 week then start over. In this scenario you are tring to gain strength so you can use more weight in the 8-12 range thus get bigger. The 1 week of high reps will recuperate your joints after three weeks of heavy lifting but also gives a great pump and works on your endurance. If you take a look at your body you can see that some areas may need more endurance and some may need more strength to improve within the 8-12 range.

Give it a shot, in this manner we hit all the different muscle fiber types and should actually improve your lifting skills in the 8-12 range.

Forgot to mention that rest time changes and should be 2-4 min for 2-6 reps, 45sec-1.5 min for 8-12 reps, and 30sec for 15-25 reps. Or just listen to your body, it knows when its ready to go.

-Mass-

 

[Zyglamail]

Your system adapts to how it is trained. Also, there is more to it than muscle size but muscle fiber recruitment and synchronization of the central nervous system. For maximum strength, lower reps is the only way to stimulate both maximal fiber recruitment and CNS synchronization.

 

[Burning_Inside]

what about the hypertrophy/hyperplasia thing?

I learned from somewhere that when you lift lighter weights for higher reps, this causes no new muscle to grow, but causes the cell walls of the muscles you already have to split, therefore you get bigger. Hypertrophy is when you use low reps and high weight, your body tries to compensate by growing new muscle fiber...This would explain why Powerlifters are often real solid, but not huge, and bodybuilders are for the most part huge and soft in comparison. Right? Wrong?

 

[littleman50-CHARGEBACK]

Thanks for the info

Thanks to all for your suggestions/advice. MassMadeEasy - great idea on set/rep variety. I'm looking forward to trying it.

 

[MassMadeEasy]

The Hyperplasia theory has yet to be proven. The literature on this subject goes back and forth, however there has been a recent shift in thinking that hyperplasia is impossible unless under external factors such as GH and AAS. There is also another therory that the only natural way to induce hyperplasia is via plyometric exercises. Good point about the muscle density of different athletes, does make you wonder.

-Mass-