Tip Perform All Rep Ranges Regardless of Goals Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Perform All Rep Ranges Regardless of Goals Train heavy Train light Train somewhere in between It works for strength and size Here' s why by Dean Graddon June 15, 2018August 18, 2019 Tags Bodybuilding, Powerlifting & Strength, Tips, Training Conventional wisdom led us to believe that low-rep ranges (1-5) build strength, moderate-rep ranges (6-12) were best for hypertrophy or size, and high-rep ranges (more than 12) develop muscular endurance. While that's partly true, the problem is in the application of the idea. Lifters were advised to specialize in the rep ranges associated with their goals. So, powerlifters and Olympic lifters never really went past about 5 reps per set. Bodybuilders stuck primarily with the "hypertrophy zone," while beginners and people training at home with plastic-covered dumbbells would only do high-rep sets to work on their "definition." What we know now is that, regardless of your goals, there are benefits for everyone in all rep ranges: A Powerlifter or O-lifter would be well-served to put on some size with hypertrophy-focused training (more than 6 reps). More muscle moves more weight. Bodybuilders need to lift heavy (5 or fewer reps) on a regular basis to improve their strength foundation. As your limit strength goes up, so does your sub-maximal strength, at least to a point. By improving your 3RM and 5RM, you'll be able to lift that much more during your hypertrophy work, leading to greater gains. Everybody should regularly throw in some high-rep work for just about anything, other than deadlifts and the O-lifts. The increased vascularization, extended time under tension, and improved mind-muscle connection all make high reps worth your time. Chase the pump. There's something truly special about 20-rep sets of squats. A solid program will include all rep ranges in some way, whether by hitting low, medium, and high reps all in the same workout, or by cycling through them in a periodized program. Sure, prioritize the rep range most closely associated with your goal, but no matter what, you need to train in all rep ranges. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Train Pull-Ups Like a Powerlifter Speed work and band resistance are used by top powerlifters for the big three lifts. But they can also be used to improve your pull-ups. Here's how. Tips, Training Ben Bruno February 24 Training Squat Mechanics A Deep Analysis It's time to finally fix your squat. Here's an in-depth look at squat mechanics from the author of Starting Strength. Powerlifting & Strength, Squat, Training Mark Rippetoe April 22 Training Tip The Main Stretch You Need to Move Better This stretch helps with just about everything. It even helps you activate and train your glutes more effectively. Mobility, Tips, Training Eirik Sandvik May 3 Workouts A Simple Program for Complex Results If you want to build muscle as fast as humanly possible, here's a complete A-Z program to help you do just that. Bodybuilding, Training Nick Tumminello December 10