General Guidelines for Building Size
How Heavy?
The weights you use must be challenging in order for any changes to take place... For example, If you end a set at 12 reps but you could have done more reps - that means the weight was too light. Your last rep, whether it’s 6 or 12, should take close to 100% effort.
Always warm up with lighter weights and higher reps. I suggest doing a complete warm up set (15-20 reps) before getting into your workout sets.
Example:
The weights you use must be challenging in order for any changes to take place... For example, If you end a set at 12 reps but you could have done more reps - that means the weight was too light. Your last rep, whether it’s 6 or 12, should take close to 100% effort.
Always warm up with lighter weights and higher reps. I suggest doing a complete warm up set (15-20 reps) before getting into your workout sets.
Example:
- Your workout is going to be 6 sets of dumbbell curls 8 - 12 reps
- You should take a lighter weight and do about 15 reps just to warm the muscle up (this set does not count)
- Your first set should be with lighter weights, on the higher end of the reps for 12 reps
- Each set will get a little heavier until you can only do 6-7 reps
- Only do a few sets at the lower rep range (6-7 reps) most of your sets should be between 8-15 reps for maximum growth
Sample Set: Db Curls
Warm up: 8-lb Db's for 15-20 reps (this set doesn't count)
Warm up: 8-lb Db's for 15-20 reps (this set doesn't count)
- Set 1: 10lbs x 15 reps
- Set 2: 12lbs x 12 reps
- Set 3: 15lbs x 10 reps
- Set 4: 20lbs x 7 reps
- Set 5: 20lbs x 6 reps
- Set 6: 15lbs x 10 reps