What is the best rep range for maximum muscle growth?
It is believed that the development of hypertrophy is only achieved in ranges of 6 to 12 repetitions. It is better to say that the optimal ranges for the development of this is from 6 to 12 repetitions, since the production of hypertrophy is present regardless of the number of repetitions that are performed (Hypertrophy Continuum). As I said, there are optimal or effective ranges that will allow us to develop more muscle mass in less time.
Hypertrophy Continuum: As we can see, any range of repetitions implies an increase in muscle gain. However, not all of them are as effective (get results in less time) as a range of 6 to 12 repetitions.
Each repetition range is effective or optimal to generate different effects on muscular adaptations.
So the best rep range is 6-12 because we meet the 3 most important variables of hypertrophy:
Mechanical Tension: this depends on the intensity (% of weight that we load of our maximum repetition) with which it is worked and the duration of a repetition or muscular contraction, whatever you want to call it.
Metabolic Stress: this is manifested as a result of:
The accumulation of metabolites: The accumulation of this is believed to promote positive alterations in the anabolic environment, possibly modulated by a combination of hormonal factors such as testosterone and growth hormone.
Muscle hypoxia: decreased oxygen supply to muscle cells.
Muscle damage: this results from the two previous points, originating as a response an inflammation in defense by the muscle fibers. After training, and after the recovery period, when the muscle has recovered, the fibers will present a greater volume if adequate nutrition and rest have been carried out
If we work at an intensity of 1 to 3 repetitions, the mechanical tension will be very high, but the metabolic stress will be very low. By not complying with an adequate metabolic stress there will be no muscle damage and therefore the proteins that will be degraded for muscle growth will be low.
If we work at an intensity of 20 repetitions, the mechanical tension will be low due to the low intensity, but the metabolic stress will be high. However, muscle growth will be low, because with little mechanical tension there will be no muscle damage, and we already know what that means… muscle growth will be low because few proteins will be degraded.
And if we work with intensities of 6 to 12 repetitions, the mechanical tension will be notable, due to its high intensity, and so will the metabolic stress, therefore, muscle damage will occur and protein degradation will be high.
The most used method for muscle gain is the following:
Effective Sets: 3–5 sets.
Rest between series: 2–5 min.
Execution Speed: Medium high or Maximum possible.
Managing these repetitions in the exercises is of vital importance. The most optimal when it comes to gaining muscle is to combine ranges with greater mechanical tension with ranges of greater metabolic stress.
Ranges with higher mechanical tension (6 to 8 reps) for compound exercises. This is believed to disrupt the integrity of skeletal muscle, both mechanically and chemically, triggering a series of molecular and cellular responses in myofibrils and satellite cells.
And ranges with higher metabolic stress (10 to 12 reps) for isolation exercises. In this way we can add more volume of work by increasing our capacity for effort due to the little fatigue that they can produce with respect to compounds, and we can also direct our attention more internally to these muscle groups that we work to produce greater muscle damage.
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