Reps for definition

[oldfella]

How soon (or far out) do you begin using high reps for definition when competing?

And what do you class as high reps?

Pointers on specific exercises for specific muscle groups would be appreciated.

[Shutupandsquat]

I haven't competed yet, but judging by most pro videos, 20-25 would be high reps. but I guess 20 +

[weener lad]

This could get ugly :pfft: :pfft: Many schools of thought on the subject.

Personally I keep lifting hard and heavy with plenty of posing practice till the week before comp. Given I will mix it up during that time with drop sets ect but I figure if it's worked all year why change it!

Also if you are doing enough posing you will harden, define and build the stamina required for the day.

[Jigga]

Repz foar DefiNItionz?

[lemon]

I would have thought around 15 or more as high reps. I like drop sets for definition.

Posing is definitely good. The more you pose you will gain better control of the muscle and I personally think it helps it show more too. Just trying to hold a tense during the day.

[Bobsta]

Hey Old fella, I wouldnt change my routine too much when getting ready for a show, the lowerd calorie intake and using much lighter loads (high reps) than you used to, is the recipe for muscle loss, why would your body hold on to muscle when you lifting lighter weights and eating less??

Keep the majority of your work still heavy and just throw some higher rep sets in there.

The more muscle you can keep whilst losing the body fat the more definition you will have

[oldfella]

Hey Old fella, I wouldnt change my routine too much when getting ready for a show, the lowerd calorie intake and using much lighter loads (high reps) than you used to, is the recipe for muscle loss, why would your body hold on to muscle when you lifting lighter weights and eating less??

Keep the majority of your work still heavy and just throw some higher rep sets in there.

The more muscle you can keep whilst losing the body fat the more definition you will have

Sound advice. I def prefer to lift as much as I can when training. I have heard some guys talk about high reps to bring certain muscles out, but if there's no real need as you and WL have said, then I'm all for it.

[Bobsta]

Hey Old fella, I wouldnt change my routine too much when getting ready for a show, the lowerd calorie intake and using much lighter loads (high reps) than you used to, is the recipe for muscle loss, why would your body hold on to muscle when you lifting lighter weights and eating less??

Keep the majority of your work still heavy and just throw some higher rep sets in there.

The more muscle you can keep whilst losing the body fat the more definition you will have

Sound advice. I def prefer to lift as much as I can when training. I have heard some guys talk about high reps to bring certain muscles out, but if there's no real need as you and WL have said, then I'm all for it.

There's a place for higher reps for sure, and i would use them all year round, as long as the majority of the work is still done quite heavy.

Having said that, as probably most people know/agree legs respond very well to higher reps and actualy thrive on it, so keep that in mind.

As the comp gets closer, as the others suggested, do a lot of flexing and squeezing the muscles, especialy legs and back, when doing back exercises do a 2 to 3 second squeeze at the peak contraction of each rep.

Go hard, you'll be sweet mate :nod:

[weener lad]

Which comp you doing Oldfella?

[oldfella]

Which comp you doing Oldfella?

NABBA/WFF

[Doc_Cyclo]

How soon (or far out) do you begin using high reps for definition when competing?

And what do you class as high reps?

Pointers on specific exercises for specific muscle groups would be appreciated.

Usually this technique is used within the last 4 weeks, once you have lost strength to a point where it is psychologically depressing as well as being physically challenging to lift heavy when your muscles are depleted of glycogen.

The high rep/low weight method can be used to make sure a good volume of weight is still being moved during your workouts and this action allows for oxidation of fat for the majority of energy during the workout.

With an adequate protein intake, this method is useful fat burning cardio and allows for enough reps at a suitable weight to ensure protein synthesis while maintaining a level of strength that should asist with positive nitrogen balance & anabolism.

[Optimass]

How soon (or far out) do you begin using high reps for definition when competing?

And what do you class as high reps?

Pointers on specific exercises for specific muscle groups would be appreciated.

don't change it - if you've been conditioning under low rep programs and change it up too close to your show - and your body doesn't respond that well you'll lose size for sure.

The only time I would recommend high reps is if you were well behind on your fat reduction and required additional cardio and therefore circuit/superset training was required to dry you out a bit more. or: If you were on the cusp of the weight grade and needed to quikly drop the week before so you come in at the top end of your measure. i.e if you are 92kg and needed to compete at 89kg to qualify for the 80 - 90 class. That way you have the weight advantage sorted and conditioning/symetry will be the descding factor. (IMO).

Use high reps on the day to pump up. Low reps will definately maintain size.

[Pseudonym]

There's a place for higher reps for sure, and i would use them all year round, as long as the majority of the work is still done quite heavy.

So what do you consider higher reps, Bobsta? (And conversely, how many reps do you do going heavy?)

[WANABJAKD]

I think most people will agree that what put the muscle on will be what keeps it on.

[Riccardo]

Keep training heavy but throw in maybe one isolation exercise per body part to get all those fibers popping out. nothing fancy eg throw in leg extensions if you aren't already doing them, high reps, 20, 30, 40 or 50 even. Wouldn't bother over exerting yourself though.

[Bobsta]

There's a place for higher reps for sure, and i would use them all year round, as long as the majority of the work is still done quite heavy.

So what do you consider higher reps, Bobsta? (And conversely, how many reps do you do going heavy?)

For upper body pushing movements I like 3 to 6 reps for low reps (compound movements only) but lots of sets, and anywhere from 10 to 50 reps for higher reps (compound again), 8 to 20 reps for isolation stuff.

For pulling movements 6 to 10 reps I consider heavy low reps any heavier and its hard to get a good squeeze on each rep, and as high as 50 reps on high rep sets, except for deadlifts where i like to go 3reps max or rack pulls 6reps max.

Legs low reps is normaly around 5 reps and upto 50 for high reps, some times do 100 rep leg extension etc...

Obviously these are all my opinions and others would have other styles of training that would work for them, however the more experience Im getting training others and also trying to fix all the holes in my physique the more im leaning towards these ideas

[train hard]

I think most people will agree that what put the muscle on will be what keeps it on.

thats my theory too but will chuck in the odd superset here and there and maybe finish my workouts with a very high rep set when ever i feel the need

[Sifo-Dyas]

Train as heavy as you can for as long as you can. The only high repition you should do is posing

[Shutupandsquat]

Train as heavy as you can for as long as you can. The only high repition you should do is posing

That doesn't sound like good advice to me. You're saying do sets of 1rms every workout day, as a bodybuilder?

[Riccardo]

Do you really think thats what he meant or are you being a factitious prick? lol

[Luigi]

Train as heavy as you can for as long as you can. The only high repition you should do is posing

That doesn't sound like good advice to me. You're saying do sets of 1rms every workout day, as a bodybuilder?

:doh:

do you have to be so anal about everything ? i mean your only 17 stop being such a dick all the time.

[ThePman]

There's a place for higher reps for sure, and i would use them all year round, as long as the majority of the work is still done quite heavy.

So what do you consider higher reps, Bobsta? (And conversely, how many reps do you do going heavy?)

For upper body pushing movements I like 3 to 6 reps for low reps (compound movements only) but lots of sets, and anywhere from 10 to 50 reps for higher reps (compound again), 8 to 20 reps for isolation stuff.

For pulling movements 6 to 10 reps I consider heavy low reps any heavier and its hard to get a good squeeze on each rep, and as high as 50 reps on high rep sets, except for deadlifts where i like to go 3reps max or rack pulls 6reps max.

Legs low reps is normaly around 5 reps and upto 50 for high reps, some times do 100 rep leg extension etc...

Obviously these are all my opinions and others would have other styles of training that would work for them, however the more experience Im getting training others and also trying to fix all the holes in my physique the more im leaning towards these ideas

Solid. :nod:

[ThePman]

There's a place for higher reps for sure, and i would use them all year round, as long as the majority of the work is still done quite heavy.

So what do you consider higher reps, Bobsta? (And conversely, how many reps do you do going heavy?)

For upper body pushing movements I like 3 to 6 reps for low reps (compound movements only) but lots of sets, and anywhere from 10 to 50 reps for higher reps (compound again), 8 to 20 reps for isolation stuff.

For pulling movements 6 to 10 reps I consider heavy low reps any heavier and its hard to get a good squeeze on each rep, and as high as 50 reps on high rep sets, except for deadlifts where i like to go 3reps max or rack pulls 6reps max.

Legs low reps is normaly around 5 reps and upto 50 for high reps, some times do 100 rep leg extension etc...

Obviously these are all my opinions and others would have other styles of training that would work for them, however the more experience Im getting training others and also trying to fix all the holes in my physique the more im leaning towards these ideas

Solid. :nod:

[nate225]

Agree with above....

Why change the training that gave you the mass in the first place? Risk of losing mass is particularly high when low calorie dieting.

I personally stuck with 5-8 rep compounds (incl 220x5's on squats) as close as 2 weeks out. Then for injury prevention, knowing I was depleted already & heading in carb depletion, went slightly lighter & higher reps (8-12 mainly)but nothing drastically different.

Nate

[Sifo-Dyas]

Train as heavy as you can for as long as you can. The only high repition you should do is posing

That doesn't sound like good advice to me. You're saying do sets of 1rms every workout day, as a bodybuilder?

Yes as a bodybuilder and an accomplished one,...any other real bodybuilder would know exactly what I am talking about. :?