You probably already know what this guy did next; He blew me off completely, and walked away. I shouldn't have been surprised. This wasn't the first time this had happened. I've had a number of guys think I'm full of it.
Unlike those other guys, you came here for the truth. You want to know what the best rep range is for building muscle mass, and you want to know once and for all.
Do you want to know the truth?
More importantly, do you want to know how you can build up to 46% more strength in just 1 week, and build even more muscle size?
Today, I want to teach you the exact rep range recommended to you by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. I also want to teach you how to lift properly to build serious muscle size and strength. If this interests you, keep reading.
Recommended Rep Range.
If you've heard the common gym non-sense, then you have probably heard that you should lift between 6 to 8 repetitions to build muscle, and 10 to 12 repetitions to tone muscle.
The truth is, and this is the truth, as it is written in the National Strength and Conditioning personal training book, you should be lifting between 10 to 12 repetitions to build size, if you're a beginner. If you're an intermediate or advanced lifter, you should be lifting between 6 to 12 repetitions to build size.
Although 6 to 8 repetitions does fall into a size-building range, there is a second compontent to building muscular size that hasn't yet been talked about.
Time Under Tension for Muscular Size.
Time under tension refers to the amount of time it takes you to complete an entire set. If you're attempting to build muscular size, you should have a time under tension of 40 to 60 seconds. Don't just take my word for it. Continue reading.
By the way, you may also find this video useful, as it will teach you how to properly utilize time under tension to build the most muscle possible.
When Do You Build the Most Muscle?
A study at Eastern Carolina University has found that people in a test group found who focused on the eccentric part of the lift saw 46% more of a strength gain increase in 1 week, compared to those who didn't focus on the eccentric part of the lift.
In simple terms, if you have a time under tension of 40 to 60 seconds, meaning you're focusing on the eccentric (negative) part of the lift, you will build more muscle.
You Can Vary the Rep Range.
The final note I want to make here is that you can, and should vary the rep range. The most important thing is time under tension, and lifting with good form.
If you're going for muscular size, and you want to lift 5 reps, just remember that that complete 5-rep set should take you between 40 to 60 seconds to complete. Again, this is if you're trying to build muscular size.
Nevertheless, anything under 6 reps is generally seen as strength training.
To Summarize.
The truth is, you don't have to, and you shouldn't lift heavy to build muscular size. If your goal is to bulk up, then you should be lifting in the 8 to 12 rep range if you're a beginner, or the 6 to 12 rep range if you're an intermediate or advanced lifter.
More important, you should always focus on lifting with good form, and hitting a time under tension of between 40 and 60 seconds to build muscular size.
If anyone ever tells you otherwise, even if they're bigger than you, just remember that everything in today's article is backed by scientific evidence, and you just can't beat that. If you really want to get into it with guys that try to tell you otherwise, just show them this infographic.
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