Fil I notice you seem to go against what the world says about building muscle mass. I was just curious if you could explain it to me. Basically what I get from your posts is that if I do 200 reps of 10lb bicep curls, ill pack on more muscle than if i did 10 reps of 25lbs, but i wont get stronger. Can you explain this whole muscle mass thingy? Because currently I'm trying to pack on some muscle, gaining strength and endurance is a far second. How much weight should I be using and how many reps/sets?
A question mainly directed at Fil...
- Thread starter Shinra
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No no no no. It's not about very little weight and a ton of reps. It's about lower weight (80% of what you would normally do for strength building) and more SETS. Also, I've pointed out numerous times, this isn't me going against the world, it's me simply quoting the National Strength Training and Conditioning Association's (NSCA's) stance on bodybuilding.
So, let's say what you normally do is 3x10 @ 25lbs. For bodybuilding, you'd want to be closer to 15x10 @ 20 lbs, for example, or whatever weight you can handle for 15 sets. When you reach muscle failure through endurance lifting, you experience more hypertrophy (bigger muscles = more muscle endurance) than strength building (because you're not really taxing your muscles weight wise). So the goal is to overtax your muscles as usual, but over a longer period of time.
You will still be building strength, but not as much as if you were to do a 3x6 @ 30 lbs routine, for example, which would build up strength faster but at the cost of less growth.
It really depends on how far you want to go with it, but the NSCA says that it's not uncommon for bodybuilders to try and make their way through 20 sets for a particular muscle group.
So, let's say what you normally do is 3x10 @ 25lbs. For bodybuilding, you'd want to be closer to 15x10 @ 20 lbs, for example, or whatever weight you can handle for 15 sets. When you reach muscle failure through endurance lifting, you experience more hypertrophy (bigger muscles = more muscle endurance) than strength building (because you're not really taxing your muscles weight wise). So the goal is to overtax your muscles as usual, but over a longer period of time.
You will still be building strength, but not as much as if you were to do a 3x6 @ 30 lbs routine, for example, which would build up strength faster but at the cost of less growth.
It really depends on how far you want to go with it, but the NSCA says that it's not uncommon for bodybuilders to try and make their way through 20 sets for a particular muscle group.
Also, an addendum, it's important that you allow yourself very little rest between each set. With a strength building routine, you push yourself as hard as you can and get a lot of rest. With this bodybuilding routine, you push yourself moderately hard but allow yourself very little rest.
ooooooooooooh ok i get it now. well i normally do 3x8 w/25lb. today i tried to do 15x10 with 20lb. didnt work out too well lol. i finished at 7x10 w/20lb. looks like im gonna have to build up to get those other 8 sets in 
. my arms do feel alot tighter than they ever did with my old workout. so doing this and ill see size gains faster?
. my arms do feel alot tighter than they ever did with my old workout. so doing this and ill see size gains faster?Actually i misinterpreted your post. But personally i wouldn't do 20sets but that's not what your suggesting is it? lol
I would suggest 3 to 4 sets for each excercise and 6 to 8 reps for mass. You still need to build strength to build mass.
9 sets for small muscles
12 sets for larger ones
That's pretty well my guidelines. While i am just getting back into weightlifting i have been doing it off and on since i was 12. But i have learned somethings the last few weeks and i know nothing about nutrution.
I would suggest 3 to 4 sets for each excercise and 6 to 8 reps for mass. You still need to build strength to build mass.
9 sets for small muscles
12 sets for larger ones
That's pretty well my guidelines. While i am just getting back into weightlifting i have been doing it off and on since i was 12. But i have learned somethings the last few weeks and i know nothing about nutrution.