“Why are we only doing 8 reps?” That’s a question that often arises with athletes and 1 on 1 clients.
My answer is always the same…”Because I said so.”
The truth is there is a sweet spot when it comes to delivering a stimulus that provides the best general outcome. Over the years I have done just about every rep range and intensity out there. I have also experimented with programs on all types of athletes, ages, capacity and goals. The conclusion from all that data is that 6-10 reps per set seems to hit the sweet spot of being able to get stronger, not overtax tendons and ligaments, and keep athletes fresh enough to train often.
Why?
- Anything below 6 reps will typically put you into an intensity level of 85% and above. This is great for maximal strength. Powerlifters are typically always doing their most important work in the ranges of 1-4 reps. The hard part is that not only is it physically taxing, but it is very heavy on central nervous system output. You have to recruit a lot of tissue to lift really heavy weights. If you have ever done a really heavy deadlift, you will know that after, you want to take a nap. This doesn’t lend to training (whether it be practice, game or lift) the next day at a high readiness.
- 6-11 reps will typically give you some strength and some hypertrophy. We can still hit some power numbers at 6 reps for weights and med ball throws, and also really tax the system overall with a set of 10 heavy split squats or presses. The only downside to this type of training is that it can become boring. You never really get to test true strength levels and or metabolic demands. This is where good programming becomes important.
- Most work being done at a 12-20 rep range is going to create some hypertrophy which is increased muscle size. Now you are running the edge of more endurance based adaptations rather than strength. This is where most people think body building or “toning” takes place. In reality, it’s kind of the middle ground of all qualities which usually leads to stagnation. Developing tendinopathies can also happen in this rep range. Anything over 20 reps, if done at a high intensity, is not only brutal but is also going to come at a cost. Think about high volume of mechanical tension and energy system demand. Sometimes this can be a place to promote weight loss and becoming overall fit, but a very poor choice for athletics and developing power/strength. Performed at a low intensity, it is the equivalent of walking. You can pretty much walk all day which means the stimulus isn’t strong enough to cause the body to adapt after a short period of time.
Where does that leave us? I would argue that most people should live in the 6-10 reps range for at least 2-3 months before venturing out to the other ends of the spectrum.
For example:
Phase 1 (2-4 weeks) most main exercises 8-10 reps.
Phase 2 (2-4 weeks) most main exercises 8-6 reps
Phase 3 (1-3 weeks) most main exercises 5-1 reps
Phase 4 (1-3 weeks) most main exercises 12-20 reps or back to 8-10 reps
This all depends on goals and what the athlete or client can tolerate. Most of where the variation should come from is changing weights and slight progressions or regressions of exercises. Because most of our athletes are only with us for 3-5 months and also are playing sports, we don’t do too much in the 1-5 or the 12-20 rep ranges simply because it will then be too taxing for them to perform at their sport.
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