str, hyp, end question about size.

Simple rule to follow when designing set/rep schemes. Total reps for any exercise must be approx. 24 or more, (30-40 is best for growth. A little less is ok for strength.), of 75% - 90% 1RM. So by doing 3x3, you are only doing 9 reps. For strength training, sets/reps should look like this 5/5, 6/4, 8/3 progressively every 2 weeks.

One other thing about strength training that is rarely mentioned, is that to perform the concentric contraction explosively. This means to put maximum effort into the lift, not just enough effort to lift it. This triggers a greater neural adaptation, which is responsible for approx. 50% of your strength gains.
 
okay.. ive just been told that the number of reps per set for str training was in the range of 3-6. and that is what made the difference between str training and other like endurance training.
but now you tell me its the ammount of reps and has nothing to do with sets or? :S

can i continue the 3 reps if i just do more sets? maybe different exersices that hits the same muscle?

"For strength training, sets/reps should look like this 5/5, 6/4, 8/3 progressively every 2 weeks."
what exactly do you mean?
if i do squats i should do 5/5 for two weeks then two weeks of 6/4 then two weeks of 8/3? or what? :S
 
You can't keep doing the same # of reps and sets all the time, so that's why you cycle them like that. You do want some hypertrophy training in there as well because it assists in recuperation because of the added blood flow. So even if your goals are best reached by doing say.. sets of 3, you still want to do some work in the other rep ranges to keep your body from adapting and to get the benefit that hypertrophy training gives you (other than the added size).

If you're training mostly for strength.. 3x3 isn't bad at all. That 25 rep thing.. that's for hypertrophy. The 8x3 and 10x3 is still hypertrophy stuff even with the low rep per set. I would also do more than the suggested 2-2.5 min rest period. When you're targetting your cns, you want your muscles warm, but close to fully rested and that's more like 5-8 min.. and since you're not doing many sets, this can still be done in a reasonable amount of time. Your 3x3s are fine, just make sure that's not all you're doing.. your cns can't handle it long term and your gains will drop off very quickly. Simply put, Volume = hypertrophy, intensity = strength.

Here's a good article (one of many on this site) that talks about varying rep ranges and the benefit some hypertrophy training has even when lifting for relative strength.

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle...8B8107FE8B38CB9.hydra?article=05-129-training
 
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so basically i should do this: 5/5, 6/4, 8/3 progressively every 2 weeks? simple as that?
or just do 3x3 now for two weeks, but make sure i get the volume of each muscle group to arounjd 25 reps? and then after two weeks maybe do 5x3 and then the next two weeks maybe do 8x3? just cutting the number of exersices each muscle group or keeping the number of exersices each muslce group and get very variated volume trough the cycle of 6 weeks?

and you say intensity is str and volume is hyp. if i do 25 volume with high intensity, will i get both hyp and str then? if so, thats the way i want to go. or will more volume, despite of the high intensity with 3x3 set/reps give me more hyp than str?

and about the volume, its per muscle group right? not exersice? like i need atleast 25 reps total on my biceps, but i can do lets say 20 reps of pullups and 5 reps of curls? and that would total the 25 volume for the biceps?
 
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That 25 volume thing isn't accurate. That's only if your main goal is hypertrophy. Your low volume training is fine and is better for strength.

In order to do 8x3, you wouldn't be able to do the same weight you use for 3x3... so no, with higher volume you have to lower the intensity, just to get through it. Don't do 8x3 unless you're doing it for hypertrophy.
 
okay thanks a bunch. so no real use doing alot of different exersices then either?
so basically i would have to cut down alot of exersices (see my routine on the first page in this thread) since alltogether my bicep and upper back volume is 27, also some other muscle groups have too much volume if what you say is right. :S
im confused..
 
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That volume level will cause hypertrophy, yes.

Are you interesting in NOT gaining muscle, or are you looking to gain both muscle and strength?
 
both. muscle AND strenght. aslong as the muscle doesnt have a big negative effect on my str gains, since my main priority is getting stronger. how do i do that?
thanks for replying.
 
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Ohhh, ok. I thought you were trying to avoid muscle growth.

If you want both, then 8x3, 10x3 is great. Keep the volume 25 or above, and the intensity 80% or above and you'll develop both.
 
ok thanks! i do about 90-95% of max now i would think with the 3x3.
but i can split the sets up on different exersices hitting the same muscles right?
like doing 3 sets of squat, 3 sets of lunge and then 3 sets of some other exersice hitting the same muscle.. and then really having 9 sets.
i guess what im asking is, does volume go by the muscle of by the exersice?
by the muscle just makes more sence to me i guess.
 
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