Sets and Reps For Bulking

[Yates]

So thinking I want to put on some size, reading up on it, seeing different things, people saying go light, heavy, heavy.

Just want to know what you lot do? And what reps? Was reading and people say about doing 6/8 reps

[JA1987]

I do 3 sets of 8 reps, heavy weights or 5x5 when trying to improve on my chest press.

[Giraffe]

8-10 reps, 3-4 sets is about right for hypertrophy, but I would still have heavy days to build the thicker fibres that give good density. Experiment though, everyone is different.

[Yates]

What would you do on a heavy day?

[L33h]

Couple of light sets to get the blood into the muscles then 2 heavy sets of about 5 or 6 reps

[Gashman]

4 sets 8-12 reps, heavy weight

Push, pull training is very good

[Giraffe]

What would you do on a heavy day?

Compound lifts like deadlifts, squats, bench, OHP, rows etc.

[Yates]

You do that all in one day or splits?

[Giraffe]

A few ways you could go about it I guess. Could just focus on doing one each day with assistance exercises afterwards, which would be about the 8 - 10 reps and 4 sets, but the big movements I'd stick to heavy weight low reps high sets.

Or you could go heavyish and do say deadlift and OHP one day, squats and rows another, sort of like 5x5.

I'm going to experiment a bit when I start training again, probably with the first method I reckon.

[Ryancoyle]

Don't think it makes a difference to be honest whether you go heavy or light. Just eat right, carb up and make sure your doing the weight properly i.e. full contraction etc.

[McGuire86]

8-10 compounds 10-12 isolates 4 sets upper body

10-12 compounds 12-15 isolates 4 sets lower body

Keep it simple. Consistency is what gets you results.

[Yates]

Don't think it makes a difference to be honest whether you go heavy or light. Just eat right, carb up and make sure your doing the weight properly i.e. full contraction etc.

So you think to bulk up go light? Really?

Going to look more into the compound and isolation moves.

Cheers Dave n Mac

[e8_pqck]

If you want to get big, get strong, its that simple really.

I use rest pause, so max out 6-8 reps, 20 sec rest, 3 to 4 reps, 20 secs rest, then 1 to 2 reps to finish. I work up to that set through warmups first.

Most importantly write everything down and try and hit some PB's. Once you beat yourself you'll get bigger.

[e8_pqck]

8-10 compounds 10-12 isolates 4 sets upper body

10-12 compounds 12-15 isolates 4 sets lower body

Keep it simple. Consistency is what gets you results.

Tjhats on the verge of pumping up. You need to get strong and you'll only do that through weight and heavy compounds not isolating.

Consistency will always bring results, but you'll get better results by getting strong.

As Ronnie says: Everyone wants to get big, but don't no body want to lift some heavy as weights...

[Yates]

Haha i just seen that quote on ronnies Twitter. So the rest pause a with same weight? And what reps and sets do you do as a warm up? What kind of weight?

[McGuire86]

Tjhats on the verge of pumping up. You need to get strong and you'll only do that through weight and heavy compounds not isolating.

Consistency will always bring results, but you'll get better results by getting strong.

As Ronnie says: Everyone wants to get big, but don't no body want to lift some heavy as weights...

There's nothing wrong with throwing in isolations to contemplate your compounds and round off the routine, bringing up lagging body parts etc.

You will get strong doing what I suggested, those extra reps will break down the muscle tissue even more forcing you to grow.

[e8_pqck]

Haha i just seen that quote on ronnies Twitter. So the rest pause a with same weight? And what reps and sets do you do as a warm up? What kind of weight?

Yeh, same max weight. You want to be screaming that last rep off so get a spotter. it really overloads you doing the rest pause and keeps the numbers down so you can try and beat them next time.

trying to beat high numbers leads to bouncing or getting mechanical advantage early on as you try to conserve something later on, i know because i've done it. If its heavy from the start you can't do that. 12-14 will never be heavy from the start! you just can't do that many reps, it only gets hard on the last 5.

I'm saying all this but i actually do do more isolation exercises at lower weight, mostly because after 20 years in the gym i seem to get injured easily these days so im just trying to stay fitter - but i know what you need to do to get bigger, get strong, nothing else will come close. Sure you can get bigger doing reps and "pumping up" but you'll get way more out of lifting a big fuck off weight thats HARD WORK! lol

Drop sets are also good for overloading. I throw them in sometimes. If you ont have a spotter use a smyth for chest and really load some plates on - you can go really heavy then and it's quite safe but i usually do warm ups on the bench upto a couple of plates.

[Yates]

I always train alone at home only problem.

Need to start writting it all down now too i guess. Never been too bothered about size, but Gona be away a lot so training a lot.

Going to have to stock up on protein shakes too. Never Gona get enough protein n that from works food

[e8_pqck]

Your a sailor right?

I work away and i take BioRhythm supps with me. The Square Meal is really nice, mango or watermelon both taste awesome and go a long way. The post training stuff (afterglow) lasts ages, i blend a shake with crushed ice and use 1 scoop of the watermelon Square Meal with 1 scoop of the watermelon Afterglow, it tastes amazing and way better than gloopy protein in standard flavours.

[K17NEY]

Always 3-4 sets of 8 for me, As heavy as I can, Without affecting form obviously.
I occasionally throw in the a super set/monster set when things get boring.

[Yates]

Yeah I am. I will look into it

Started today, done some compounds 5x5 with a set of ten to start.

Bench press, done 30 each side. Was ok, most I've benched in a while

Squat, 40.each side, which is a p b for me, think motiviation helped me.

Dead lift was Decent too. 40 a side too

All with Olympic bar. Wrote it down too so now determined to beat it next time. Need to incorporate more moves into my work out.

[Chris_O]

Just been reading up on this myself.

Thought this might be of interest

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw46.htm

[Giraffe]

Why do you need to do more exactly? I'd add one more pulling movement, which would be bent over rows or chin ups, or both.

[Yates]

I mean more of what you said mate, not to that specific work out, just in general.

I was also going to do rows with that work out today, but I was fucked has been a while since done anything quite like that

[L33h]

I always do rows. One of the best workouts for back aslong with wide pull ups n deadlifts

[Yates]

Just been reading up on this myself.

Thought this might be of interest

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw46.htm

Haha check first three exercises ans look at what is first on that article!

[Chris_O]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=149807833&page=1

This one here seems a fairly decent push/pull routine as well