Do 8 to 12 Repetitions ?
The claim: It's the optimal repetition range for building muscle.
The origin: In 1954, Ian
MacQueen, M.D., an English surgeon and competitive bodybuilder,
published a scientific paper in which he recommended a moderately high
number of repetitions for muscle growth.
The truth: This approach places
the muscles under a medium amount of tension for a medium amount of
time, making it both effective for and detrimental to maximum muscle
gains.
A quick science lesson: Higher tension—a.k.a. heavier weights—induces
the type of muscle growth in which the muscle fibers grow larger,
leading to the best gains in strength; longer tension time, on the other
hand, boosts muscle size by increasing the energy-producing structures
around the fibers, improving muscular endurance. The classic
prescription of eight to 12 repetitions strikes a balance between the
two. But by using that scheme all the time, you miss out on the greater
tension levels that come with heavier weights and fewer repetitions, and
the longer tension time achieved with lighter weights and higher
repetitions.
The new standard: Vary your
repetition range—adjusting the weights accordingly—so that you stimulate
every type of muscle growth. Try this method for a month, performing
three full-body sessions a week: Do five repetitions per set in your
first workout, 10 reps per set in your second workout, and 15 per set in
your third workout.
