If I had a dollar for every time I said “two more reps”, well, I’d probably be a rich man! When it comes to organising training, reps, a sub category of volume (think: “how much you do”), are one of the main variables to consider. If you’re someone looking to get fitter, stronger, improve your quality of life or body composition, reps may not be on the forefront of your mind. That being said, it’s important to consider how repetition choice matters when it comes to getting the results you’re after. In this article we’ll discuss why choosing rep ranges counts for your result. In particular we’ll cover the following:
- Differences between rep ranges
- Muscle
- Strength
- Weight Loss
Spoiler alert: anything less than 11 reps is perfect for us as coaches, as it means we don’t have to count any more than the number of fingers on our hands!
Differences between rep ranges:
Is there much of a difference between 4 or 6 reps compared to say, 3 to 8 reps? These are valid questions and worth considering. Exercise Guidelines recommend for those looking to maximise lean muscle mass, to perform “no more” than 8 – 12 reps with the caveat that to get stronger people may need to lift “heavier loads and lower repetitions” ¹. It’s clear then that certain ranges may benefit certain goals, but the question remains, “why”? Well, it’s about how different rep ranges, and their association with intensity, influence training adaptations.
A fundamental principle is the SAID principle. That is, specific adaptations to imposed demands. In simple terms, “you get good at what you train”. We will get into the specifics of that later on in this article. For now, it’s clear that differences matter, but the differences lie on a spectrum. It’s likely that there isn’t much difference between 1 – 3 reps, but there’s probably a difference in training effect between 3 reps and 15 reps. It’s good practice however to utilise a variety of rep ranges in any training program. Practically, certain exercises suit particular ranges. For instance, it takes considerable effort to counter the inertia of the pulley stack for a Triceps pressdown with a weight that’s hard for low reps (think 5 or less) versus the effort to brace for a weight that’s hard enough 10 – 20 reps. Sometimes practicality takes precedent.
Rep Ranges for building muscle
Realistically, nearly any rep range will work. Research shows that proximity to failure matters more than exact rep ranges ². Taking the exercise close to failure works as this creates enough mechanical tension to signal to the body the need for muscle growth. The typical recommendation is around 8 – 12 or even 6 – 12 reps and based on our practical experience as coaches, this works well for two reasons:
- It’s a rep range that doesn’t require too much time to warm-up for or precise technique to execute effectively
- It’s a rep range that isn’t either a) so low or b) so high that either the technical demands (see 1.) and perceived fatigue and “burning” sensation of high rep sets throws off whether or not someone is close to failure.
Here’s what I mean in particular. You could do multiple sets of 3 with a heavy barbell squat to build leg muscle. But, that would require warming up to that load sufficiently, and a high level of skill to maintain technical proficiency with a skilled movement under said sufficient load. It may also be that more than 3 sets would be required with long enough rest periods. This will ultimately cap how much total work someone can get done in a session as eventually, time is a constraint. It’s quicker, and just as effective to have 1 – 2 warm-up sets and take something like a Leg Press, or even a Barbell Squat, close to failure with 8 – 12 reps and then move onto more exercises.
Rep Ranges for getting stronger
Much in the same vein as before, any rep range will see someone “get stronger”. Remember, you get good at what you practise. What we are really saying is, “maximise force production in the context of a singular hard effort.” With that in mind, according to the SAID principle, lower reps are closer to the “test” and therefore, will get someone stronger. What matters here isn’t just reps, but also the perceived effort and proximity to failure. You see, as you get close to failure your movement speed slows down, no matter how hard you try. Drop to the floor and do a set of push-ups genuinely until you can’t – you’ll notice you slow down on the last couple of reps!
This is because as you fatigue you produce less force – remember back to your high school physics where Force = Mass x Acceleration. Well, with that in mind, if you want to maximise force production, you’ve got to lift heavy but you also need to move somewhat fast. Heavy slow reps are good for practising pushing something hard, but to build strength, most of your rep work should be low in range (5 and below is a good start) but also fast and snappy, with efficient form. Efficient form usually means the straightest line from point A to B and “good technique” means setting up in a way that minimises deviations off that bar path.
Weight Loss
Many people want to train for general health and also improve body composition. In particular, lose excess body fat. To begin with, there’s no such thing as an effective “fat loss” exercise program. Those claims are gimmicky and misleading, especially as you can’t spot reduce bodyfat with exercise. Instead, we recommend people train with lots of variety, as much volume as they can manage and use dietary interventions to shift the scale. However, there are a few recommendations that I believe are reasonable on the grounds of time efficiency, especially for busy individuals who are looking to lose weight, but don’t love the gym or have any particular high-level strength or muscle mass goals:
- Full body workouts
- Antagonist/Agonist supersets (opposing muscles such as biceps & triceps)
- Peripheral supersets (different regions of the body such as upper & lower)
- Lower rest periods while using supersets (to maintain rep quality)
- High amounts of exercise variety as specificity is more useful when it comes to displaying strength
Diet should be the primary focus when it comes to weight loss, however, intelligent workouts can help people best use their time in the gym for health benefits and keep training fresh and motivating which is an important factor of adherence.
Conclusion:
Whether you’re looking to get stronger, build muscle or just improve fitness in general, rep count is worth considering. Variety across rep ranges is important for long term progress but the specific use of reps and rep ranges come into play when someone wishes to optimise strength or hypertrophy outcomes. Importantly, reps aren’t considered just in a vacuum, but also how they interact with someone’s training intensity proximity to failure, time management and practical considerations such as available equipment. If you’re looking to maximize your training outcomes but you’re not sure how rep counts are best understand, contact our expert coaches today for guidance.