High weight and low reps

**Craigr85** · 10-01-2012 10:24 PM

Firstly let me apologise in advance for asking this question as im sure there are other threads regarding this.

Being relatively new to training (around 6 months) i have now got the "gym buzz".

A few days ago i reached the first target i set myself, to bench 100kg!

Speaking to my brother who is a personal trainer, i asked him about the most suitable way to gain some size and strength. He advised me that if i do high weights and low reps then i will notice significant gains. 4-5 reps , if i cant manage 4 reps then lower the weight and if i can manage 5 reps then up the weight. Being curious about this i decided to Google it and answers seem to vary.

Can anybody confirm that this is what i should be looking to do?

Craig

**Zeigler** · 11-01-2012 09:45 AM

Congrats on the 100k mate, nice work for 6 months!

Your brother is pretty much correct, low reps will build max strength (you'll get 'strength' with most rep ranges, but it wont be maximal, and a side product of size gains). For size and strength - strength training will work for sure, especially as your still classified as a beginner. More strength does = more muscle, end of.

I'd advise you check out some popular strength programmes if you really wanted to progress. Things like 5x5, 5/3/1, theres some great ones around.

Oh and I forgot to ask - what has your training looked like up until now? Could you give us a little info?

**SpiderDan** · 11-01-2012 12:54 PM

Yes there are lots of threads discussing rep ranges.

If you want to be bigger and stronger there are lots of different ways to do it and people will always recommend whats worked for them.

The easiest way to know is to ensure you make progress regardless of the rep range.

If one month you bench 100kg x 5 and then you bench 105kg x 5 the following month - you've gotten bigger and stronger.
Similarly
If one month you bench 80kg x 10 and then bench 85kg x 10 the following month - once again you've gotten bigger and stronger.
Also
If one month you bench 95kg x 3 for 8 sets and then the following month you bench 100kg x 3 for 8 sets.....you see where Im going with this.

The best programs will tend to include an element of both higher volume (either sets or reps) and lower volume (not necessarily in the same session but they will) as this will improve both neuromuscular facilitation and muscular hypertrophy.

**dangooner** · 11-01-2012 01:35 PM

Quote

Originally Posted by SpiderDan

Yes there are lots of threads discussing rep ranges.

If you want to be bigger and stronger there are lots of different ways to do it and people will always recommend whats worked for them.

The easiest way to know is to ensure you make progress regardless of the rep range.

If one month you bench 100kg x 5 and then you bench 105kg x 5 the following month - you've gotten bigger and stronger.
Similarly
If one month you bench 80kg x 10 and then bench 85kg x 10 the following month - once again you've gotten bigger and stronger.
Also
If one month you bench 95kg x 3 for 8 sets and then the following month you bench 100kg x 3 for 8 sets.....you see where Im going with this.

The best programs will tend to include an element of both higher volume (either sets or reps) and lower volume (not necessarily in the same session but they will) as this will improve both neuromuscular facilitation and muscular hypertrophy.

This is great information and you've made it very easy to follow - it's a shame more trainers don't make information this easy to follow!

I've been doing Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength and I've made great gains in terms of weight lifted.

I've recently changed the routine slightly though and rather then increasing the weight every workout, I'm going to do 3 months of increasing reps and weight.

So, for example: I power cleaned 66kg for 3 set of 6 reps. Next time I'll do 3 sets of 7 reps, then 8 the next. Once I've done this, I'm going to increase the weight and start the circle again. So, it might be 70kg x6, then 7, then 8.

**Pkant2002** · 11-01-2012 04:00 PM

Quote

Originally Posted by dangooner

This is great information and you've made it very easy to follow - it's a shame more trainers don't make information this easy to follow!

I've been doing Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength and I've made great gains in terms of weight lifted.

I've recently changed the routine slightly though and rather then increasing the weight every workout, I'm going to do 3 months of increasing reps and weight.

So, for example: I power cleaned 66kg for 3 set of 6 reps. Next time I'll do 3 sets of 7 reps, then 8 the next. Once I've done this, I'm going to increase the weight and start the circle again. So, it might be 70kg x6, then 7, then 8.

Sounds pretty much perfect and you have got yourself a great routine, also sounds like your brother might have some know how especially if he recommended starting strength. You would be suprised at how many crap PT's their are that would have you doing about 8 million isolation exercises per body part once a week

**dangooner** · 11-01-2012 04:52 PM

Not sure where you got the brother reference from, threw me there! ;o)

I found Starting Strength from just doing some good old fashion research! Did Stronglifts for a while but found the SS forum to be more friendly and helpful, and I'm enjoying the programme more.

PT's do seem to have a bad rep. The problems there are some who are great but as is always the way, it's always the pore one's who get rembered/mentioned. But then, other gym-users can drive you mad either with their constand bicep-curls and doing as many machines as possible without any form. Grr...!

**dangooner** · 11-01-2012 04:54 PM

And Pkant2002 - great training log. You've made some good gains, and I like your honest style of writing.

**Waterfield** · 11-01-2012 04:57 PM

An excerpt from Starting Strength, just as a general guideline:

**Dadonda** · 13-01-2012 01:43 PM

Why would a personal trainier want it to sound so easy when they can charge you money for making it sound complicated.
As Spidey says, if you are progreesing with weights you are getting bigger and stronger. When you stall, change it and/or come back for more advice :-)
When you are an advanced trainer and you can't progress anymore with weight on the bar, then you need to do add more complicated concepts, like rest pause in an attempt to gain (or even maintain) muscle mass.

**dangooner** · 13-01-2012 02:37 PM

Quote

Originally Posted by Dadonda

Why would a personal trainier want it to sound so easy when they can charge you money for making it sound complicated.

This is so true. I was chatting to a trainer once who said that if after 3 months, a client hadn't made gains (be in muscle, strength or fitness) then he felt he had failed he's job as to him they were a walking CV - I kinda know what he meant.

You see too many trainers put their client's through endless cardio and using machine-weights that it's no wonder they get bored and give up. What I like with Starting Strength is how easy it is to follow. And once you've got a good base you then have something to build on - like you said, from here you can then change reps, time of motion etc.