Best rep scheme for Rows

[Aslin]

I've been following the madcow intermediate routine and its working great...

But I'm struggling to keep form with my 2.5% increases in weight for the BB rows...

I've just finished reading starting strength and I noted that rippetoe suggests doing sets of 8 instead of 5, I was just wandering what you guys do?

I might lower the weight and do sets of 8 and still have the 2.5% increase.. sound good?

thx for your time.

 

[Nomak666]

Stay around 6 reps. For strength, id say stay at 3-5 reps, for mass 6-8 reps. i do warm up at 8 reps and working sets at 5-6 reps. your goals are for mass and strength right?

 

[Aslin]

yeah mass and strength, my entire workout is geared around the bill starr 5x5, mixed with a bit of rippetoe.

for example on a squat i'd do

10 warmup reps on an empty bar

132*8

176*5

231*5 (3 working sets)

If i cant do all 3 working sets across i'd drop weight 5 or so lbs untill i can get a 5.


thanks for reply, the 5 reps is working for me with all my other lifts. But you might be right, if i did 6 or 7 reps on the row it might help me with my form. Thanks.

 

[Nomak666]

yeah mass and strength, my entire workout is geared around the bill starr 5x5, mixed with a bit of rippetoe.

for example on a squat i'd do

10 warmup reps on an empty bar

132*8

176*5

231*5 (3 working sets)

If i cant do all 3 working sets across i'd drop weight 5 or so lbs untill i can get a 5.


thanks for reply, the 5 reps is working for me with all my other lifts. But you might be right, if i did 6 or 7 reps on the row it might help me with my form. Thanks.

i never did 5x5 workout so i cant comment on that. i usually stick to 3-4 sets and reps between 6-10 for both bulking and cutting, when i cut, ill concentrate a little more on form, when bulking, ill do a warm up set of 10, then 8, then 1 heavy set of 6 reps with maximum intensity (going to failure).

i know alot of people who use the 5x5 with great results. stick with it, it works.

 

[future]

Good advice. Sounds like a sensible plan.

 

[Aslin]

i never did 5x5 workout so i cant comment on that. i usually stick to 3-4 sets and reps between 6-10 for both bulking and cutting, when i cut, ill concentrate a little more on form, when bulking, ill do a warm up set of 10, then 8, then 1 heavy set of 6 reps with maximum intensity (going to failure).

i know alot of people who use the 5x5 with great results. stick with it, it works.

Just out of curiousity.. how do your reps differ when you cut? I presume you would stay low?

 

[Unit 2005]

1-5 reps is for strength 6-12 is for muscle building. 8-12 is the generally the best range for muscle size. That being said, change is always good. I would recommend pyramiding up the weight over 4-5 working sets. 12, 10, 8, 6, 10-12....something like that. You have it spot on with the 2.5% increase, its all about slow and steady increases. Keep doing that for heavy sets and concentrate on your form. Its key with Rows.

 

[Nomak666]

Just out of curiousity.. how do your reps differ when you cut? I presume you would stay low?

i use the same reps for bulking and cutting.

 

[ExtraMile]

1-5 reps is for strength 6-12 is for muscle building. 8-12 is the generally the best range for muscle size.

dont forget this is purely a guidance, lots of guys build lots of muscle doing 15-20 reps and then look at some of the big PLers who gotten huge from primarily the 1-8 rep range, ceo said it best:

"I grab some heavy ass weights and smash the hell out of them. If I did 6 reps or 13 reps that set doesnt really make a differance. I am pushing my body hard & giving it reason to adapt to the resistance it is recieving. When it adapts and it gets bigger and stronger I grab more weight off the rack.
Point is sets and reps dont matter. If you finish and workout and you feel like you could have done more then you didnt work hard enough. If you feel like you pushed it hard enough you are probably lying to yourself. Intensity is insanity. Be a beast. Be bigger & stronger than the day before no matter what it takes."

 

[Unit 2005]

dont forget this is purely a guidance, lots of guys build lots of muscle doing 15-20 reps and then look at some of the big PLers who gotten huge from primarily the 1-8 rep range, ceo said it best:

"I grab some heavy ass weights and smash the hell out of them. If I did 6 reps or 13 reps that set doesnt really make a differance. I am pushing my body hard & giving it reason to adapt to the resistance it is recieving. When it adapts and it gets bigger and stronger I grab more weight off the rack.
Point is sets and reps dont matter. If you finish and workout and you feel like you could have done more then you didnt work hard enough. If you feel like you pushed it hard enough you are probably lying to yourself. Intensity is insanity. Be a beast. Be bigger & stronger than the day before no matter what it takes."

I know what your saying bro, but journal after journal has doccumented the most effective rep range for muscle hypertrophy. Nearly did my dissertation on a very similar study. Building muscle is a science as we all know and the 8-12 rep range has been proven time and time again as the most productive rep range.

 

[ExtraMile]

so doing 8-12 rep deadlifts build more mass in the back than heavy ass 1-6 rep range deads?

look at matt kroc's back Im pretty sure he isnt deadlifting 8-12 reps, and he does chinups in the 15-30 rep range.

but i know what your saying bro going heavy and stimulating muscles for a decent period of time is best achieved with 8-12 reps because any lower and the sets become very short and the rests very long and any higher and the sets start to become a little long

 

[Aslin]

I dunno if I agree with pushing to failure on everything for every workout.. it's interesting to hear from all you guys,.

I used to go to the gym and do pyramid sets it would look somthing like 10-8-6-8-10. I find thats fine with the easier exercises like curls, as far as squats go i love doing heavy for 5 reps, it keeps my form tight and really works my legs.

Deadlifts are also great 5x5

I think I worry about the CNS and stimulating muscle fibres etc... all that shit.

http://www.drdarden.com/readTopic.do?id=394848 - interesting read on fibre recruitment

 

[Nomak666]

I dunno if I agree with pushing to failure on everything for every workout.. it's interesting to hear from all you guys,.

Then join the rest of the average joes in the gym who drop the weight once they start feel ing a little pain and discomfort, its those last reps that really count, imo.