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The Perfect Rep Range For
Building Muscle
By Sean Nalewanyj
No matter what you read or who you talk to,
everyone has their own opinion of what the "perfect" rep range should be to
allow for maximum muscle stimulation and growth. In this article I?m going
to clear up the confusion once and for all and teach you the truth about
choosing the most effective rep range for optimal muscle-building results.
Sets that utilize heavy weight and low reps are without a doubt the most
effective means of stimulating muscle growth. For every set you perform in
the gym, you should utilize a rep range of 5 to 7. This means that for every
set you perform, the weight should be light enough that you can complete 5
reps in good form, but heavy enough that you cannot complete more than 7.
What's so special about 5 to 7, you ask? Well?
1) Each set will only last between 20-30 seconds.
Maximizing your muscle gains is all about intensity and efficiency. By
utilizing a lower rep range, your sets will only last a short period of
time, allowing you to generate 100% mental focus and effort. Training with
100% intensity is critical to stimulating muscle growth and it is much
easier to maintain this level of effort for shorter periods of time. You
will not have to psyche yourself up for marathon sets lasting minutes on
end, but rather for a short burst of all-out effort lasting only several
seconds.
2) Muscle stimulation will be maximized.
Our bodies are made up of 2 main types of muscle fiber: slow twitch and fast
twitch. Slow twitch fibers cannot generate large bursts of power and are
utilized during prolonged activity. They have a high tolerance for endurance
exercise but do not have a very high potential for increased growth. Fast
twitch fibers on the other hand produce large bursts of power and are
utilized during short, explosive movements. They contain a large amount of
mitochondria (an area in the muscle cell where energy is produced) and have
the highest potential for increases in both size and strength. By utilizing
a rep range of 5 to 7 you will tap into these extremely responsive fibers
and this will result in the greatest amount of muscle growth and strength
gain possible.
3) Maximum resistance can be used.
By performing only 5 to 7 reps per set, you will enable your muscles to
handle heavier amounts of weight than you could with a higher rep range.
Building muscle is a byproduct of building strength, and training in a lower
rep range is the most effective way to accomplish this. Since your strength
will shoot up much faster using 5 to 7 reps per set, so will your muscle
size.
4) Lactic Acid production will be kept to a minimum.
Training in the range of 5 to 7 will also decrease the amount of lactic acid
that is secreted within the muscles. Lactic acid is a metabolic waste
product that is produced as the body burns carbohydrates for fuel. Lactic
acid accumulates in the muscle tissue at increased rates the longer you
exercise. By limiting the amount of lactic acid production you will decrease
muscle catabolism and create an environment in the body where greater
amounts of energy can be generated. This will translate into greater power
output and maximum strength potential.
Okay, so we've established that a rep range of 5-7 is the absolute most
effective means of stimulating muscle growth. However, this does not apply
all the time or on every single lift. There are a few select muscle groups
that should be stimulated using a slightly higher rep range. These are the
calves, abs, forearms and upper traps. These muscle groups are predominantly
made up of slow-twitch fibers, and therefore will respond better to higher
reps. For this reason, a rep range of 10-12 should be utilized for these
muscle groups. Again, this means that the weight should be light enough for
you to complete at least 10 reps, but heavy enough that you cannot complete
more than 12.
Summary:
Perform 5-7 reps for the chest, lats, biceps, triceps, shoulders and thighs.
Perform 10-12 reps for the calves, abs, forearms and upper traps.
Sean Nalewanyj is a bodybuilding expert, fitness
author and writer of top-selling Internet Bodybuilding E-Book: The Truth
About Building Muscle. You can learn more by visiting his website:
http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/
Article Source:
www.ArticlesBase.com
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