Aznman

This is more about weight lifting rather than cycling, but I am assuming that this is one of the best places to get an answer.

People say that 5-7 reps/set is "Bulking Up the Muscle" exercise, 10-12 reps/set is "Hypertrophy Inducing" exercise and 15-20 reps/set is "Endurance" exercise.

I don't understand how such small differences in numbers can lead to very different results and categories.
What happens if I do 8 reps per set? What happens if I do 14 reps per set?

gregf83 

There are probably better forums for this type of question but when they talk about different reps/set they assume you are changing the weight as well. So a 5 rep set would have higher weight than a 14 rep set. If you are doing 3 sets of 5 reps/set the weight should be high enough that it is tough, but possible, to complete the three sets. Obviously a 14 rep set would require lower weight.

Carbonfiberboy 

It's a continuum. Those numbers are generalized target numbers for most people. 1-7 rep range is actually called "Strength," because that range increases the amount of weight one can move, usually called one's strength. That range works on neuromuscular recruitment more than muscle size. Next range up is for size. Next range up is for endurance. All these ranges can increase strength, size, and endurance, though the emphasis changes with the reps.

jralbert

As gregf83 notes, the idea of a rep range is to lift the maximum weight that you can perform all the intended reps at with correct form. So if you're doing an eight rep set, you should choose a weight that sufficiently fatigues your muscles that a ninth rep would not be possible without compromising form. Then you rest, and perform another set. If you do this (and most don't), you can use your set length to signal a different response in your muscles - which is the difference between myofibril hypertrophy, which primarily induces a greater power response from affected muscle tissue, and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which primarily induces volumetric increase of affected muscle tissue. My totally reliable citation here, terribly enough, is wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_...ength_training) - but it's got the basics right.

I am not an expert, and this is all opinion based on my own reading and experience, but:

If you want to look like a bodybuilder, you need to undertake a program of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy with high-rep, short-rest sets of sub-maximal loads <50% of your 1RM, using isolating exercises to individually stress muscles you wish to accentuate; you also need to manage your nutrition with iron discipline, and perform ongoing cycles of mass-building through caloric excess followed by weight-cutting through caloric deficit. It's an awful lot of work, and doesn't co-exist well with other athletic undertakings. This process is the foundation of bodybuilding, which is a sport unto itself.

If you want to be stronger and better able to perform athletic functions, you need to undertake a program of myofibril hypertrophy through low-rep full-rest sets of near-maximal loads >80% of your 1RM, using compound exercises to establish muscular collaboration between the large muscle groups in your body. This process is the foundation of power and Olympic-style lifting, and develops your capacity to generate maximal force against a fixed load (ie, squatting against a weight, or driving down a pedal against resistance).

Cycling is an interesting sport because it demands a basic level of power output from your lower-body musculature in order to motivate the bike's drivetrain against the resistance of the terrain; but beyond the point that you're able to spin at a reasonable cadence for your gear ratio against whatever grade of climb you regularly have to contend with, the weight of any extra muscle you're carrying around becomes a liability. Your program of muscular development must also take into account the type of cycling you do: short-distance time trials will benefit from high power-output exercises like Olympic-style power cleans and power snatches, while long-distance tour races will demand muscular endurance that's better served by a program of moderate-weight power lifts of the squat and deadlift variety.

The very long story made short is that I personally don't believe bodybuilding is valuable as a sport conditioning technique; its output is primarily aesthetic, and the maintenance required often precludes training for other sports. I believe most recreational athletes are best served by a combination of Olympic-style and power lifting techniques, with the very general rule being a set length of between 5 and 10 reps for most exercises, performing 3-5 sets. If you haven't seen it already, I strongly recommend Rippetoe's Starting Strength as the entry to recreational Olympic-style and power lifting for novices - they've got a supplementary wiki that's a great place to start (https://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi..._Strength_Wiki) but ordering the book is well worth the investment.

Sorry for the giant wall of text, I hope there's something in there you'll find useful!

Aznman

Thank you everyone - and Jralbert especially - for the helpful and informative posts. I understand at last! Aww shucks. I guess that it is true what people say then: it is impossible for most people to look like Arnold without steroids?

License2Ill

Most of it is bs. It's about time under resistance. Working through a repetition gets different response than isometric or just negative reps. Hypertrophy is everything, it is muscle building, and that increases resistance to exhaustion in cardio and strength level. It turns into endurance activity when that effect goes away and the repetion becomes more about aerobic work within the tissue, which happens after about a minute. This is also why counting reps is never accurate anyway because slow reps vs fast reps makes a difference in that equation as well. The faster the rep, the more momentum works, lessening the effects of the resistance. You also get into the type of movement, single joint vs multiple joint(or compound) movements and how much isolation and actual resistance you have on any one muscle in a specific range of motion. One rep of bench press is not going to put the same resistance on chest as a fly(horizontal adduction at the shoulder). The reason a bench press can be done with much more weight(not resistance but weight) is because you've got leverage at the elbow, and the triceps and delts become more involved at those ranges when leverage is making the resistance lower on the pecs at the top of the movement. The problem with compound movements like that, is that when the chest muscles are strongest, the resistance on them is the least throughout the range of the movement, and the most when the chest is at its weakest point within its own range of motion when you start the movement. You'll notice the for aerobic work your body engages the most muscle and the most joints and the most leverage to be efficient. If you want to work an individual muscle, you've got to isolate it with resistance throughout the muscle's range of motion with an amount of resistance that only allows for anaerobic work. If you can perform regular reps with a specific resistance for a long enough period of time to make it an aerobic activity, it's going to give you aerobic results or reduced hypertrophy.

JoeMan

I don't make it complicated. I do squats, dead lifts, pull ups and bench presses. These are compound exercises that work multiple muscles. For strength I lift heavier weights lower reps. I keep my weight low and eat sensible. I love cycling however I really enjoy other activities as well; SCUBA and backpacking are two I like.
These four lifts cover all the bases for my interests.

rumrunn6

I began weight training in high school when they invented the "universal" type equipment. I picked up some barbells and other free weights and plodded along with occasional weight training and did fine over the years using the 10-15 rep technique but was never a "body builder". in my 40s I got back into weight training as part of a whole program for body reformation. in my research I learned about the 5x5 program. 5 sets of 5 reps and finally learned how to add muscle mass, which btw is more difficult in your 40s than when you are younger and have natural growth hormones surging through your body. at 54, I recently tried adding a couple reps to make it a 5x8 program, that is 5 sets of 8 reps and noticed a very pleasing addition of muscle mass.

try it for a month and see how it goes for you. the trick is using the highest weight you can manage and still complete your sets/reps. use free weights, machines & body weight exercises like pushups, pullups & dips, etc.

Null66

If you're just starting lifting. Like riding, different goals different methods. I'll never be a fast rider. But I can ride far. Learning from these guys, I'll get faster, but will be THRILLED to achieve a 15+ average over 20+ miles.

Don't worry about advanced or even intermediate programs. Magazines exist to sell you stuff, and are full of $#!+...

JoeMan describes a traditional, safe, effective, and very time efficient workout. He's hitting 90+ % of the muscles and in ratios that will avoid imbalances and injuries. It will also build a very nice symmetry. With proper loadings, time, and form this workout can build a rather strong person. By rather strong, I mean likely to be one of the strongest guy per pound in almost every room he enters...


If you want the look though.
Work the big 6 (squats, deads, Bench, Military press, rows and pull overs)
focus on proper form,
using as little weight as your ego will allow
3x10 for all but squats, and deads, 3x5 for those. If form breaks down set is done, and you've "missed"... Use less weight next time or pull a little off between sets.
You can do full body (all every work out) or splits, splitting out say, Squat/dead day and upper days. or push/pull all pushes one day, next pulls...

Avoiding injuries is critical.
Your connective tissue improves the slowest.
You will get stronger very fast, but ligaments and tendons take more time.
Try to keep your pulling as strong as your pushing. Bench 200? one handed rows ~100...
Stay consistent, just keep going.
Your first lift will be your best for a while.
You will increase weights, but please small increments.
Attend to your sleep hygiene.

After 3 months, pick a program like 5/3/1, starting strength, 5x5, 3x10. Stick with your program for a while. Think in terms of seasons, or years, not weeks. It is a LONG game, chess, not tic-tac-toe.


To answer a specific question you asked... different results...
Everyone has a range of possible fiber types per muscle.
You can alter the characteristics of each fiber type(larger and more fibers) within your genetic range for the various types.

Different loadings stress different fiber types.
Fast twitch, heavy loads, lower reps...
Slow twitch, less strength, much more endurance.

examples of exhausting workloads.
Hammer strength military press
10x10 140lbs
5x5 270

I grow rapidly on 10x10, but achievable weights fall then I get injured. 5x5 I get stronger, and larger but do not get much definition. 3x10, I get definition, but size and strength plateaus. I do seem to avoid injuries...

rumrunn6

try it and see. seriously. I used to do weight training in the 10-15 rep range and never really saw much muscle mass growth. I switched to a 5x5 program and then started to see impressive growth. later this past summer I used the same weights and tried to do 8 reps instead of 5 and really saw some growth. I will leave it to others to explain WHY. the trick is the amount of weight and the number of sets, not just # of reps. there are weight training specific forums such as "caged animal"

WonderMonkey

As far as those ranges go there are not hard and fast lines that says "When you do one more rep then you are now in endurance training..." they are more likely slowly changing outcomes. You should look at it like "IN GENERAL when you do lower reps, high weights then...." and "IN GENERAL when you do higher reps, lower weights then...." and so on.

Though not competitively I've lifted as a pitcher should for baseball (because that's what I was), a power-lifter (because I wanted to), a body-builder (again for the change of pace) and for general fitness (muscle balance, etc). Each approach was different IN GENERAL but there were over-lapping principles.

Remember the "IN GENERAL...." phrase because that's what it is. Your technique and body type greatly influence this as well.

WonderMonkey

When I lift now this is the type of thing I do. Compound exercises for the most part. At times an isolation but for specific purposes. Even when I don't do a compound movement workout at times I'll do a push/pull where I will do one set push (say bench) and the next set pull (say row) and then another push then pull, etc. of the same exercises. That's not compound but is a intense way to get in more reps in a smaller time and keep your heart rate up.

Flat Bench/Row
Incline Bench/Chin (or pulldown)
Barbell curl/Skull Crusher (triceps)

etc.

Usually that's for a change of pace for a few weeks but for the most part it is compound movements.

rwwff

On the look thing, I'll second the comments on diet management; its kinda weird at 5'8" I have a bit of that "ripped model dangerous" look at 180lbs. I'm bigger and stronger at 195lb, but the small accumulations of fat at the creases between delt and tricep/bicep; and over the striations on the calf flatten the look so I "look" smaller and weaker. I'm settling at 185 as the most comfortable compromise, though I do have to pay a price for the extra weight when it comes times for hills. (I've been as heavy as 250lb, but that was just plane stupid)

On the OP question, low reps at maximal force, generate an adaptation to producing more maximal force, aka strength. Very high reps generate an adaptation to sustained, enduring effort, aka endurance. To get the bodybuilder stimulus lift in the middle, and it requires huge discipline with regard to DIET and REST. Both when you have to eat more than you want to eat, and when you need to eat less of stuff that you don't want to eat in the first place. (egg whites, broccoli, and poached chicken breast woohoo!) oh, and err... shall we say vitamins....