How many reps and why.

[crazyfmike]

At 12 years old I was doing either ten sets of ten or 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 1 and one single when I had another knucklehead buddy spotting me.

I am fortunate I didn't injure myself going heavy with my skinny bones ans joints.

Years of 8-12 worked but at this point the weight is taking a toll. I am 48, the joints have seen allot and fucking Stanozolol is a MFer!!

Today I rep 20-30 with great results. My main pic is pushing girl weights for a target of 30 reps. Fuck the dumbshit and ego. Do what works!

What is working for you at this point?

Age 48
13 cycles
225 lbs
6'-1
BF 8%

 

[PITBULLLOCK]

I have always done 8-12 mostly 8-10, up to this point its worked great for me. Never did one rep shit, never been into powerlifting. I dont need to push x amount of weight in order to feel good, my feel good moments come in front of the mirror.

 

[crazyfmike]

I have always done 8-12 mostly 8-10, up to this point its worked great for me. Never did one rep shit, never been into powerlifting. I dont need to push x amount of weight in order to feel good, my feel good moments come in front of the mirror.

Amen my Bro.

I was young and dumb. Live and learn my man.

 

[PITBULLLOCK]

Yeah i know what you mean i remeber trying to push mad weight, lucky for me i had someone there to tell me, wtf are you doing you aint no powerlifter drop that weight and do it right. It can be hard to put the ego aside sometimes, it gets easier as you get older.

 

[Chase]

I have been lifting ( not all correctly ) for about 15 years. My first organized program was from this big f'er in my gym when who sold Herbalife and gave me a 10-8-6-4. It gave me some structure although I wouldn't use it now.
The latest program I was on was a 6 day split
Mon-Bench Squat 10x3 9 ( ten sets of three)
Tue-Leg assist ( leg press, hack squat, leg curls etc @ 3x12)
Wed- Bench 10x3
thur- Bench assist ( incline, dips, close grip bench etc. @ 3x12 )
Fri- Deads ( 10x3)
Sat- Back assist ( Pull ups, pull downs, curls etc 3x12)

I was on about a 5000 calorie diet with massive amounts of fat and carbs and grew about 15 lbs in 12 weeks- no gear.

Now I am looking at a mon/wed/fri split with more compound movements @ 8-12 rep ranges

 

[Chase]

I have been lifting ( not all correctly ) for about 15 years. My first organized program was from this big f'er in my gym when who sold Herbalife and gave me a 10-8-6-4. It gave me some structure although I wouldn't use it now.
The latest program I was on was a 6 day split
Mon-Bench Squat 10x3 9 ( ten sets of three)
Tue-Leg assist ( leg press, hack squat, leg curls etc @ 3x12)
Wed- Bench 10x3
thur- Bench assist ( incline, dips, close grip bench etc. @ 3x12 )
Fri- Deads ( 10x3)
Sat- Back assist ( Pull ups, pull downs, curls etc 3x12)

I was on about a 5000 calorie diet with massive amounts of fat and carbs and grew about 15 lbs in 12 weeks- no gear.

Now I am looking at a mon/wed/fri split with more compound movements @ 8-12 rep ranges

Forgot to mention that my 10x3 program was nice to get me over the plateau but it was simply too much gym time and I think I was over training at the end

 

[crazyfmike]

Forgot to mention that my 10x3 program was nice to get me over the plateau but it was simply too much gym time and I think I was over training at the end

Overtraining is real. The more experience we get, the more we overtrain.

The less I do the more I stay full and pumped looking.

You're onto it man

 

[darkside06]

I like the 6-10 rep range.

 

[crazyfmike]

I like the 6-10 rep range.

Me old joints would give out....lol

I figure in time I'll burn out on this high rep thing and mix it up with something new.

 

[Solid Snake]

for the most part i stick to 6-12. I mix it up and go lower every now again to work on my strength but I rarely do more than 12 of anything.

 

[lifter121]

I do from 6 to 12 as well, unless I am doing body weight workouts, push ups, pull ups, sit ups etc. I do more than 12 for any core workout too. I do those until failure.

 

[mapachi]

Im 48 and its 6-20 reps for me also.
I cant take the injuries of powerlifting
anymore. Just sick of the come-back
road.

 

[dankone85]

10 reps for warm up and then usually 5-8 reps for my working sets

 

[OmegaReign]

compounds I'll get as low as 5 reps.....but for all others its the 10-15 mark for me.
I always usually start with a compound. Do a good 4-5 working sets ranging in the 3-10 rep range. Then all other excercises its about the pump and the squeeze not heavy weight.

 

[Ezskanken]

As of late, I've transitioned my thoughts and actions from weight lifter to body builder type routines. I've had to come to a realization that I am 6 years out of college, and no longer involved in sports. There is no need to throw heavy weight around anymore and risk getting hurt.

I have been doing more of the isolation movements first, and then finishing with high rep compound movements. Sacrificing weight but still getting intense sets done due to pre exhaustion of the muscle. I'm not lifting as big as I know I could if I went about it the opposite way, but the feeling and results are getting me there faster then I imagined.

Everything is done at 4 sets and 12 reps. If I know I won't be able to get 12 in my last set, I drop weight so I can get my reps in

 

[WilliamCutting]

6-8 but on my last set of 4 I always burn out at around 4-5

 

[BigPal]

I do about 3-4 sets going up in weight each set

1st set 10-12

2nd set 7-10

3rd set 5-7

4th set usually repeat 3rd....sometimes Ill follow with another set of 12-15 reps at a lower weight

I like to switch it up about every 4 weeks. But Ive been told I overtrain too.

 

[DaHurt]

I keep most lifts in the 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps neighborhood. Exceptions would be sometimes squats and deads...I'll pyramid to 2 reps on my final set with those. Honestly I play with all sorts of rep schemes though, whatever it takes to shock the muscle. Sometimes I love to rep out 20-30 reps. No matter what, I usually take the muscle to failure by the end.

 

[oliver_holes]

I use to do 3x10 on every exercise it felt like except some. It would be 4x10.. usually last rep would only be able to hit 6-8 solid reps and with a little spot finish off the 10

Did that for about a year to realize I was over training doing that 6 days a week finishing every exercise with at least 200 pump close-grip push-ups.

Now, I like to do 8,6,4 for chest shoulders arms tri's for 3 weeks then 12,10,8 for three weeks.. I use to go to the gym no matter what, but now, I listen to my body. If I need rest or if im scheduled to do chest that day and its still tight or sore. I take the day off if im tired or train another body-part if im sore/tight...

 

[Baroid015]

Im 42 and I guess I still let my ego decide how many reps. Thats why my shoulder is jacked up at the moment. It didnt click till I read ur post, Im still tryn to hang it there with the 20 somethings and I really dnt need to. My body has been through alot too and Ive always been so competitive hard to not show what I can do. And like you Im payin for it now in worn out parts. Gonna take a diff route Im curently doing 5-6 reps gonna try something diff.