Strength Training Doesn't Build Muscle

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by jslep

to see all this high rep for size bs is crazy the strongest men in the world do not train in high rep, low weight, and these are some of the largest men in the world. if you do that and it works great for you then fine but i'm train for strength and if size comes with it(which it is) then i'll take it.

My philosophy on size has moved to lower rep ranges, and for intermediates I like even lower reps with restricted/tight rest periods.

I like 6-10 for beginners simply to develop set rhythm and gain familiarity with movements.

Once the beginning stage is done, and this depends on the individual, I really don't see a need for many sets with reps over 8. Legs are the exception for me, as 20 rep squats are great, and I like higher rep RDLS and calf work.

But, with all this said, if the goal is hypertrophy, progression remains the key ingredient for me.

[TitanWIP]

I read Powerlifting USA and there aren't too many frail powerlifters in the pages.

[glwanabe]

bumping to the front, because this was a good convo we had last year.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I see it dozens of times every week: (in fact, just read another thread about it)...

"Strength training doesn't build muscle."
"You have to work in the 8 to 12 rep range for hypertrophy."

I will state for the record that most of my sets over the course of my life were under 6 reps. Most of my sets now are under 4-5 reps. I like training in this range. I get ADD on high rep sets. I don't appear to be shrinking.

What say you on this "controversial" topic?

Thanks for bumping this glwanabe.

I personally, think it comes down to overall load lifted. With the exception of really light loads, I think any form of weight lifting will build muscle. I did what would be considered as endurance range training with 3 sets of 20 for each muscle group and managed to gain around 10 lbs of muscle in a year; but many would consider that endurance training cannot build muscle.

I've also done more strength based work and noticed increases in lean mass.

So, that's why I feel that every rep range can build muscle.

[BendtheBar]

I had to go back and re-read this to make sure I didn't say anything I regretted.

[BendtheBar]

But don't get me started on the belief that TUT is the golden key. I might say something I regret.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

But don't get me started on the belief that TUT is the golden key. I might say something I regret.

TUT makes no sense to me, I don't see the necessity of mega slow reps.

[BigFiveFive]

Haven't read any of these posts but the title of the thread made me "WTF!? LULZ!"

[BigFiveFive]

And after reading these posts I still WTFLULZ, not because of the posts by any means, because it all is true (Steve good posts) From my experiences as an "advice giver" or "person to look up to" I see these kids coming to me with no drive or will power to achieve anything they want, in or out of the weightroom. Almost 3 years ago I was that kid that read, read, read, read, read, and oh yeah, read. And I had a group of buddies that where the Joe Schmucks smashing ****ing weights and didnt give a damn about macros, form, sets, or reps, it was SFW ALL DAY and progressive increases in those weights lifted.

But I was different than the kids reading all day now and "trying" to piece it together...I did piece it together, and i lifted with my joe schmuck buddies and SFW with them and when stuff started getting "sloppy" or "stupid" (lifting wise) I applied all the science I read about, and I have the motivation and drive to take what i learned from forums like this one and use it to better myself.

It seems all I get is the Joe Schmucks that dont know the science and are stuck, or its the readers that are too lazy to progress like the joe schmucks and SFW. Either way, anytime i look at it, its the same thing, people are lazy. They apply themselves in no way to making themselves or what they do better.

I wish I had all the answers in one breath, but I don't, and personally believe it can't be answered, people have to take the time to learn on their own and sum it all up.

[recarp82]

i got into this with someone on a uk site.i agree they go hand in hand and personally the lower rep ranges work better for me in size gain.he pretty much told me i was full of it and its either one or the other.his thinking for this was powerlifters lift for power and not size and they always compete in the same weight class so they dont gain weight.it was useless arguing so i just dropped it.