will you gain size doing 5 reps?

[asoe209]

thanks for the reply feller.

[stronglikewood]

No probs.

[hailtotheking]

Low-ish reps with enough sets, and not massive rest intervals, will give you a large overall amount of training volume, and reasonable training density (i.e the amount of work done in a given set time frame). However, density is important, and if you are taking 10 minute rest intervals between sets you will be limiting the density effect and therefore the overall stimulus.

Abbreviated low volume (few reps AND sets) , high intensity (i.e heavy) training is not necessarily a good route for gaining muscle. Funnily enough, i noticed a few comments on Martin Berkhan's LeanGains site in response to his infamous 'F**karounditis' article (i cant link it because the MP filter blocks it out - just Google it) made on Dec 3, 7, 9, and 13 (2nd comment that day) where people are getting strong, but having problems getting mass, from abbreviated approaches like the RPT system Berkhan suggests. This illustrates the problem.

[asoe209]

hum sounds investing that will defo have a look at that later. Would I be right in saying that just like every thing with training its all just a case of how your body will respond to it some may get size on low reps heavy sets where as other may do better with mid-higher slightly lower weight.

[Zeigler]

In Chad Waterbury's 'Set/Rep Bible' on T-Nation he lays out some pretty good guidelines for goals.

A quick quote from it is - "Simply increasing your 3 x 3 to 8 x 3 will provide an immediate hypertrophy effect"

So Im with HTTK on this - low reps and low volume = strength with little mass / low reps and higher volume = strength with maximal hypertrophy.

The article is a good read and I've used a lot of the principles over the last 12 months with good results - CHECK IT!