Men's Fitness Online

Light weights, lots of reps, heavy weights, fewer reps: the right rep range is an old debate, and regardless of which camp you’re in, you’re wrong, says YouTube channel ATHLEAN-X to its 13.7 million subscribers last week.

The right rep range should be measured by fatigue, or the point at which your muscles are truly stressed, commonly known as failure. With heavy weights that’s easy, almost binary. You can do it or you can’t. No matter how hard you try on that last lift, you simply don’t have it in you.

But with lighter weights and more reps, the range of true failure is broader. Did you fail at 26, or could you have grunted another two? The thing is, the last rep sets off a complex chain of biological events in your body, too complicated to explain here.

So, don’t obsess over hitting a specific number of reps. Instead, channel your energy into ensuring that every rep you perform truly counts towards your fitness goals. Don’t count your reps, so much as make your reps count.

Recent research highlights that a fixed rep range doesn’t solely dictate muscle growth; you can stimulate muscle growth even with higher rep counts, up to 30 reps, given that you push yourself to absolute failure. Especially when using lighter weights, it’s crucial to embrace the metabolic burn and push through to the point where your muscles can’t do another rep. Even with lighter weights, this intensity is key to triggering muscle growth.

Remember, the 12-rep range isn’t some magical formula. It might require some tweaking to ensure that the cumulative tension matches what heavier weights deliver. It’s about adjusting your approach to ensure your muscles are adequately challenged, lifting heavy or lighter weights.

Questioning the necessity of performing exactly three sets is valid. What’s so special about three sets? Does doing one or two sets render an exercise ineffective? If you lighten the weights because you’re worried about completing all three sets, it’s time to rethink your strategy. Instead, aim to start with the heaviest weight you can manage for 10-12 reps in your first set, adjusting as needed in subsequent sets to match your fatigue level.

You need to be flexible. Sticking rigidly to set and rep numbers can hinder your muscle gains. While three sets of 12 reps might be okay, adopting a mindset solely focused on these numbers can impede your progress. Stay flexible with your approach and prioritise intensity and challenge over fixed numbers. That’s the key to unlocking your muscle-building potential.

Benefits for Each Rep Range

6-8        Maximizing strength and power gains

8-12      The core range for hypertrophy (muscle growth)

12-15    Focuses on muscular endurance and metabolic stress

15-20   Targets endurance and metabolic conditioning

20-30   Emphasises endurance, metabolic conditioning and… hypertrophy

Understanding the purpose behind different rep ranges can empower you to tailor your workouts effectively in your fitness journey. Here’s a breakdown of the ideal rep ranges and their respective purposes:

6-8 Reps: This range maximises strength and power gains. It challenges your muscles with heavier weights, promoting neurological adaptations that enhance strength.

8-12 Reps: This range is widely regarded as the sweet spot for hypertrophy, or muscle growth. It balances lifting heavy enough weights to induce muscle tension and light enough weights to sustain repetitions, effectively stimulating muscle growth.

12-15 Reps: This range targets muscular endurance and metabolic stress. It pushes your muscles to endure more repetitions, fostering endurance and promoting metabolic adaptations.

15-20 Reps: This range primarily focuses on endurance and metabolic conditioning. It challenges your muscles to sustain effort over a prolonged period, contributing to overall endurance and stamina.

20-30 Reps: This rep range emphasizes endurance and metabolic conditioning even further. It involves high repetitions with lighter weights, promoting muscular endurance and cardiovascular health.

Incorporating a variety of rep ranges into your workouts can ensure comprehensive muscle development and overall fitness. Remember to listen to your body and adjust the intensity based on your goals and fitness level.