question on sets and reps..

Simple question really..
 
Is 3 exercises of 5x5 enough to bulk when lifting heavy?
 
The above is what i have just completed for a workout of chest and triceps and i feel like i cant lift any more to my maximum but on the other hand i have a mate who goes gym and does 8 exercises with  3 sets on each.
 
Which would be better for trying to bulk? I feel as though my mate is doing too much but hes says hes been told its fine to do a big workout like that.
 
Is a workout like mine where im lifting as much as i possibly can the right way to go when trying to gain some size?
 
 

Each to their own, different people will respond to different approaches, your diet will have much more of an impact on your bulking success.

Hoppy is correct with his comment on diet but your training will obviously have an impact.
 
If you enjoy 5x5 have a look at "Stronglifts", been doing it myself for 6 weeks and after 3 exercises at 5x5 trying to put up the weight every session all I want to do is eat and sleep, fcuk bicep curls or any other isolations.
 
 

james90


Simple question really..

Is 3 exercises of 5x5 enough to bulk when lifting heavy?

 
If they are compound exercises and you're giving it all you've got, then yes.
 
If they are isolations then probably not.
 
 

   UGM - A friendly fitness community.

I'm not an expert, but that sounds right. You'll know it if your doing too much,
because you'll get weaker. More reps are allright if the weights are light enough,
but that is more for circulation and conditioning. I heard that the boxer Archie Moore
could chin himself 265 times.

harpandrest


I'm not an expert, but that sounds right. You'll know it if your doing too much,
because you'll get weaker. More reps are allright if the weights are light enough,
but that is more for circulation and conditioning. I heard that the boxer Archie Moore
could chin himself 265 times.

 Without knocking himself out?

When bulking you want to do as many sets as possible, as heavy as possible while trying to keep reps between 3-6.  But remember you only stimulate a muscle to grow in the gym.  Muscle growth (hypertrophy) can only occur through rest and diet!
 
Generally speaking you gain mass at 3-6 reps.  Strength 6-9 reps.  Power 9-12 reps.  It's fairly logical...
 
When you switch to a heavier weight you can't do as many reps - if you can you're still not giong heavy enough!  So reps reduce to 3-6 and as your body adapts they increase - at which point you've built extra muscle mass which in turn holds more energy for more reps and the extra reps create more muscle... before you know it you're at 9-12 reps and they're easy... then you start again with a heavier weight...

BW


When bulking you want to do as many sets as possible, as heavy as possible while trying to keep reps between 3-6.  But remember you only stimulate a muscle to grow in the gym.  Muscle growth (hypertrophy) can only occur through rest and diet!

Generally speaking you gain mass at 3-6 reps.  Strength 6-9 reps.  Power 9-12 reps.  It's fairly logical...

When you switch to a heavier weight you can't do as many reps - if you can you're still not giong heavy enough!  So reps reduce to 3-6 and as your body adapts they increase - at which point you've built extra muscle mass which in turn holds more energy for more reps and the extra reps create more muscle... before you know it you're at 9-12 reps and they're easy... then you start again with a heavier weight...

 
Think you've got that a bit wrong mate. Strength and power would be at the lower end of the rep range (1-5) with hypertrophy at the mid to higher end (6-12), although there will be some overlap.

 
Agree with darcy, low reps for strength, Stronglifts and Starting Strength routines both based on 5x5