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I am about to tell you how to get the best results possible with the magic rep range. What is it? Well, you may not like this but it doesn’t exist.

When I first started, I knew nothing about rep ranges and how each range affects your muscles and their benefits. Along with talking about rep ranges, I will talk about hypertrophy and how you can design a program that suits your needs. Armed with this knowledge it should help you create a more effective program to reach your goals.

Lets’ start with typical Rep Ranges

• 1-6
• 8-12
• 15 plus

These are the typical rep ranges you will see attached to most programs, all of them have benefits. Now that I have given you the typical rep ranges, lets’ talk about the types of hypertrophy and how each rep range affects hypertrophy.

I’ll Start off by describing the one most people train for. Sarcoplasmic is “pump related” training, and basically it is just pulling of fluid and nutrients inside the muscle cell, to make it bigger. It is pretty looking but doesn’t do much for strength, or true size. This type Of Muscle gain will fade quicker than Myofibrillar, because it is not actually increasing the contractile proteins inside the muscle. This type of Hypertrophy or muscle size equals about 20-30% of muscle growth, there are some strength gains associated with this. This is often referred to as the Fluff muscle, doesn’t do much to lift the weight but looks good! This type is usually created through training in the 8-12 and higher rep ranges. Typically Used for Isolation movements, such as barbell curls, tricep Extensions.

Second is Myofibrillar Hypertrophy! During myofibrillar hypertrophy, the myofibrils, actin and myosin contractile proteins. These bad boys increase in number and add to muscle strength as well as contribute some size gains! This Type of Hypertrophy will equal about 70-80% of total muscle gain. This is the working part of the muscle, which does the work when you are lifting heavy weights! To get this type of Hypertrophy you should train in the lower rep range with a greater % of your 1 Rep max. So shoot for 1-6 Reps for this type. I suggest you most certainly use this rep range on your compound lifts like squats and Deadlifts.

Examples of how you can use this.

Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy- Again the increase of fluid and nutrient storage inside the muscle cell. The pretty muscle, but won’t get you some serious muscle. This should make up a small part of your training, not be the base of a training program.

Ex: 2-3 Sets and 8-12 Reps of bicep curls tricep extensions. This works well for most isolation movements.

Myofibrillar Hypertrophy- the Increase of the contractile proteins. This will equal 70-80% of total muscle gain. Remember if you want to look good, and want to be strong you have to lift somewhat heavy things! This should be the base of your program, and is great to use for compound lifts, such as squats and deadlifts.

Ex: 3-5 Sets of 1-6 Reps of Squats, Deadlift, Bent Over row, Bench Press, Military press. It should also be noted some people will respond better to one rep range or the other. You need to find your sweet spot, and use it to get the most out of your body.

Some things I would like you to take away from this. Don’t stick with one rep range, if you do your gains will be average at best. I use both in my training and the programs I create. Lastly choose the right rep range that suits your goals. Don’t train for max strength (1-6 Reps) if your goal is muscular endurance. Now that you know the magic rep range, use it!

Key Terms

• Hypertrophy : Growth of tissue , increase in bulk or size.
• Myofibrillar Hypertrophy: The Myofibrils actin and myosin contractile proteins, increase in number
• Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy: The volume of Sarcoplasmic fluid in the muscle cell increases
• Rep: Moving a weight through a range of motion and then back again one time, short for repetition
• Set: A grouping of repetitions that is followed by a rest interval and usually another set

Author Bio: Dayerrick Ireland is an ISSA Certified Fitness trainer who believes that everyone is an individual, that needs a specific diet and training program for their needs. Not some cookie Cutter Approach to fitness, but a true program that works. Find him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#/dayerrick?ref=profile and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Dayerrick