Bigger Muscle.....

[2 Real]

I read that 6-8 reps max weight, is what builds big muscle. I've noticed that when i do multiple reps (over 20) i can really feel the pump, and my muscles show off alot more compared to 8 reps of heavier weight. Im also alot more sore the next day, from doing multiple reps. Why is this?

 

[2 Real]

This big guy at the gym, had huge biceps...and he was doing like 30 reps and like 3 sets (hammer curls)

 

[MidwestBeast]

Bottom line is you have to be eating over maintenance cals to grow.

But, there are different schools of thought on this. It also boils down to how you personally respond to the training methods.

I used a typical split (Mark Alvasi's, I think) and used it for about a year and it worked great. I tried Max-OT (4-6 rep range) for about 2 months and got incredibly strong, got some great growth out of it. And I've since returned to more of the traditional ranges 10-12 while I cut.

Just try each for a while (not just a day of this here and there) and see how your body takes to it.

The reason you're more sore after doing 30 reps is just because you're tired; think about it. Different rep ranges all serve their purpose, as far as I'm concerned, but think about it - if you're doing something you can rep out on 30 times, it's really not all that much weight. It's like doing ONLY pushups and expecting a Phil Heath chest. It's like the women you see doing lateral raises with the 5's for sets of 50.

Different muscle groups will respond differently (or better) to certain rep ranges, but I don't think any muscle group needs to be worked at that level (other than maybe calves). You also have to factor in form. You mentioned curls. I read a great article by Chad Shaw (thenaturalone on bb . com) about this. Some people can use significantly less weight and get awesome bis compared to the guy lifting twice as much - but he's swinging his shoulders, not squeezing his biceps at the top of the rep, not pulling with the bi initially, etc.

There are a lot of different factors in play here, so there's not really one good answer other than - try both for equal amounts of time without making changes to any other variables, compare results (which very few people want to or are willing to do).

 

[TateFTW]

I read that 6-8 reps max weight, is what builds big muscle. I've noticed that when i do multiple reps (over 20) i can really feel the pump, and my muscles show off alot more compared to 8 reps of heavier weight. Im also alot more sore the next day, from doing multiple reps. Why is this?

pumps means nothing.
how your muscles look right after a set means nothing.
soreness means nothing.

Atleast, not if your trying to get bigger and stronger.

Some advanced lifters use a wide variety of rep and set numbers to try to stimulate new growth. Sometimes they also do things that don't really help that much, but they've been doing them the whole time and are now huge, so it must have been right.

You get a big pump because your muscle is completely exhuasted, and once the longer set is over and the tension if removed from the muscle the blood comes rushing in. This is a short term effect and has no bearing on muscle development.

What midwestbeast said is true. There are so many factors involved, the biggest being different people and different muscle groups, that it's impossible to put a rep range out there and say it will work the same for everyone. 1-5 reps for strength and 8-12 for size are just places to start in the quest to find what works best for you.

 

[primetime74]

Everyone is different. What works for him may or may not work for you. You have to find what works best for you through trial and error.

Personally, I find the best thing to do is mix it up. Any one thing for too long leads to stagnation. Which I think Im getting now because Ive been on a heavy cycle for a while now, longer than normal. I find I get best results when changing things up every few weeks. Sometimes going a bit heavier with a lil more rest. Other times, higher reps with lighter weights and less rest.

 

[2 Real]

I've been liftin weights and bulking for a year now. Already ran a cycle of sdrol about 6months ago, so im getting pretty swoll. I was just curious becuz more reps actually felt better. Ima keep lifting heavy!

 

[TateFTW]

juice changes how your muscles react as well. At least from what I've read, as I have no personal experience.

 

[2 Real]

What do you mean it changes how they react? Someone told me its hard to gain muscle naturally once u juice...is this true?

Ps. My cycle was not injectable, they were the oral caps.

 

[TateFTW]

I'm not going to even act like I know anything about how those things affect your body. If I tried to I'd only expose my utter ignorance.

 

[R1balla]

What do you mean it changes how they react? Someone told me its hard to gain muscle naturally once u juice...is this true?

Ps. My cycle was not injectable, they were the oral caps.

if ur asking this question, u shouldnt be on juice. and 6ft 190 is not swoll. my 16 year old cousin is 6ft 1 225 naturally.

the important thing to understand about rep ranges is that, while everybody is different, ur muscles react to different rep ranges. this is why it is important to change up the rep ranges. i change mine every 3 weeks. Heavy for 3 weeks, 8 to 12 for 3 weeks, then 12 to 15 one week. diet is whats gonna KEEP the weight on u and keep on gaining, not a steroid or PH. unless u keep on juicing