How Many Reps Should I Do? Many people ask this question, and there are as many answers to this question as there are people asking it. One expert will tell you one rep scheme will produce mass gains, and that no other scheme will work. The next expert will tell you that you need to do a completely different amount of reps to gain mass, and that any other amount of reps will not produce favorable results.

So who is right? Many are right, and many are wrong. I will lay out the scientific facts, and you can decide for yourself.

Basically, different programs target different muscle types as well as different parts of the muscle. Just to keep it simple, let’s say there are two types of muscle fibers, fast and slow twitch. Let’s also say there are three types of rep schemes.

1. Low reps (3-5), very heavy weight (88-93% of 1RM)

2. Medium reps (6-8), moderate weight (84-88% or 1RM)

3. Many Reps (15-25), light weight (60-70% of 1RM)

#1 is for gaining power. It should be noted that doing this type of rep scheme is intended to build strength, not size. This is how a person can be small but much stronger than someone who has 50 pounds more muscle mass. Generally a muscle needs at least 36 seconds of continuous tension to stimulate the need for growth. Since the weight is so heavy, these reps should be done quickly and explosively without losing form, although the move will actually be quite slow.

The middle scheme is for recruiting fast twitch fiber growth which builds muscle mass as well as strength. This kind of set should be performed slower than the first set. You will lower the weight in four seconds while lifting in two. This combination of time and lifting weight within 84 and 88 percent of your 1 rep max will stimulate muscle growth.

The high reps scheme of 15-25 at 60-70% of 1RM will recruit slow twitch muscle fiber almost exclusively. This type of rep scheme will increase endurance and increase overall aerobic fitness. This rep scheme is also much easier to recover from. One reason this type of rep scheme increases aerobic activity is because your body has produced so much lactic acid that you will fail at the end of a set because of cardiovascular fatigue and not muscular fatigue.

What’s best? It depends on what you want. There are two types of muscle fiber, Type I and Type II. They are also referred to as Slow Twitch and Fast Twitch. These muscle fibers usually are found in the bigger muscles like the pecs, biceps, and quads and are made for quick power. Most people focus all of their attention on the fast twitch muscles, as they have more potential for growth than slow twitch fibers. Just remember, your body adapts to your workouts in two to four weeks, so you need to change your rep scheme every few weeks to keep introducing new stimuli to your body. Also, changing up your workouts will eliminate any change of a plateau. Also, be sure to use proper form, and when you can’t lift the weight for one more rep, the set is over.

The bottom line is to mix up your rep scheme from time to time to ensure you are developing both the fast twitch fibers and the slow twitch fibers to their maximum potential.

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