Rep sets

Amanda4450

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I want to put on muscle but not get too big on my lower body if that makes sense... I would like to keep a feminine figure to a point, but also like the muscular tone. What is better high reps with low weight or low reps with max weight? Currently most of my programming has 5x20s but it has been suggested that I need to drop to 5x6s and increase the weight to where I couldn’t possibly do one more rep. I’m fine with that idea on my upper body, I like my broad shoulders, and biceps strong, but I’m worried about my thighs/legs gettin too large. What is your opinion? TIA 😊
 

Jin

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Gaining muscle is a long and arduous process. Very easy to dial it back if you don’t like the way your lower body starts looking.

You’ll have to experiment. Stark contrast (low reps, high weight) to your current program is sure to yield results because you simply aren’t used to it.

Give it a go and see what works.

Your figure probably has more to do with diet than rep schemes.
 

Seeker

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So you want to get a " muscular tone" but not to bulky?
Well here's some good news.... toning is not actually a real thing and its extremely difficult for you to get to bulky.

Why is it extremely difficult? Because your female hormonal profile is more estrogen rather than testosterone dominant , which ultimately plummets your muscle building potential compared to an average bro.

So what should you do to get toned? Maintain a protein focused calorie diet, weight train a good 5 times a week, be consistent. And no, high rep training is not the only way to go. Focus on doing compound movements in a variety of rep ranges, mostly in the 8-12 range, while challenging yourself a little more each and every week so your body is forced to adapt, grow some muscle, and yes, get stronger too.
 
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Amanda4450

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Great advice! Thank you for you reply. I’ll give it a go like you said and scale back if needed!
 

Amanda4450

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So you want to get a " muscular tone" but not to bulky?
Well here's some good news.... toning is not actually a real thing and its extremely difficult for you to get to bulky.

Why is it extremely difficult? Because your female hormonal profile is more estrogen rather than testosterone dominant , which ultimately plummets your muscle building potential compared to an average bro.

So what should you do to get toned? Maintain a protein focused calorie diet, weight train a good 5 times a week, be consistent. And no, high rep training is not the only way to go. Focus on doing compound movements in a variety of rep ranges, mostly in the 8-12 range, while challenging yourself a little more each and every week so your body is forced to adapt, grow some muscle, and yes, get stronger too.

Thanks for your reply :)
I prep and weigh everything I eat and weight train 6 days a week. I tend to stay leaner up top and carry my weight in my legs so I think that’s why I worry. I’ll give it a try and see what happens tho!!
 

Amanda4450

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Gaining muscle is a long and arduous process. Very easy to dial it back if you don’t like the way your lower body starts looking.

You’ll have to experiment. Stark contrast (low reps, high weight) to your current program is sure to yield results because you simply aren’t used to it.

Give it a go and see what works.

Your figure probably has more to do with diet than rep schemes.

Great advice! Thank you for you reply. I’ll give it a go like you said and scale back if needed!
 
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CJ

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Nothing to add, the boys nailed it, but.... If you do find the holy grail and somehow get your legs to grow wildly out of control, please share the secret. :32 (19):
 

Sicwun88

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Nothing to add, the boys nailed it, but.... If you do find the holy grail and somehow get your legs to grow wildly out of control, please share the secret. :32 (19):

Ditto .......!
 

BRICKS

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Thanks for your reply :)
I prep and weigh everything I eat and weight train 6 days a week. I tend to stay leaner up top and carry my weight in my legs so I think that’s why I worry. I’ll give it a try and see what happens tho!!

Seeker's answer for the win.

Everybody carries weight bit differently but I general women tend to lean out and look more muscular in the upper body first, legs md hips last. Men tend to lean out in the belly after everything else is shredded. As you get leaner you will look more muscular but you will also look less bulky. Follow Seeker's answer, consistancy, discipline, time and patience.
 

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Just to add to the great advice already mentioned,,,like Jin said it's a long process,it takes time and lots of work..........Finding what yields results for YOU is the rub....Lets say Chest...1-free weights is where you want to be.......machines are good,,but free weights put a demand on stabilizers(machines don't)....2-dumbells for the most demand on stabs...barbells are second,better for strength......3-what angle??.......incline most like and put more demand on front shoulder...the higher the angle the more shoulder(personal input...I believe this is why most have an over-developed front delt).......3-reps vs. weight................this is where the science comes in...I personally,use both and switch often to confuse the muscle.....being older I play it safe and avoid injury...You can get injuried by just about anything,but heavy weights increase that possibility....I would also say to look at super sets,drop sets and negitives.................there is no magic bullet..............most of the time it takes years to find what REALLY works ....
 

Amanda4450

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Nothing to add, the boys nailed it, but.... If you do find the holy grail and somehow get your legs to grow wildly out of control, please share the secret. :32 (19):

haha lol will do!
 

Amanda4450

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Just to add to the great advice already mentioned,,,like Jin said it's a long process,it takes time and lots of work..........Finding what yields results for YOU is the rub....Lets say Chest...1-free weights is where you want to be.......machines are good,,but free weights put a demand on stabilizers(machines don't)....2-dumbells for the most demand on stabs...barbells are second,better for strength......3-what angle??.......incline most like and put more demand on front shoulder...the higher the angle the more shoulder(personal input...I believe this is why most have an over-developed front delt).......3-reps vs. weight................this is where the science comes in...I personally,use both and switch often to confuse the muscle.....being older I play it safe and avoid injury...You can get injuried by just about anything,but heavy weights increase that possibility....I would also say to look at super sets,drop sets and negitives.................there is no magic bullet..............most of the time it takes years to find what REALLY works ....

i will say my coach has me doing a lot of negatives and controlled lifts and presses. For example today on the leg press it was a 4 sec decel with a 3 sec press. I did opt for the heavier weight today with less reps and it kicked my tail!!! Pretty crazy how you can get accustomed to doing the same thing and a variation can really push your workout.
 
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transcend2007

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Great advice so far! However I will simplify it all greatly.

Eat less (especially sugar) exercise more.

The fact that you have stated that you are working out with weights 6 days a week and you don't already know that women have a very difficult time building muscle tells me that you are in the beginning stages of the process (meaning first 12 months of consistently eating right and working out 6 days a week). Perhaps far less than 12 months ...

80% of your long term results will be diet related ... yes working out is important - but much less so that managing your calories .. you could get excellent results with modest or higher reos .. however without diet management over the longer term ... neither strategy matters ..

IMO opinion spending far more time determining your TDEE and your exact macros will BY FAR yield you the best results over the next 12 months. Once diet is understood toning in literally a simple formula ... and you will know exactly how long it will take to reach your goal.
 

Gabriel

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TOTALLY agree with T2007...............Diet is the cornerstone....sorry to go so deep into my last post,but it is a science.........Understanding how YOUR body responds to things,is the Key........It's not a race...it's a journey that should be enjoyed..........Is it hard,,,is it a challenge,,,YES but it's so worth it..!!
 

Ragingmenace223

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all i will add is dont change ur routine to often. try something new but give it a lil while before you change ur routine again. change is good but too much i found isnt effective for me. if i were in ur shoes i would shoot for 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps with going to failure on the last set or two. but with whatever u decide to do if you feel any bad pain not in the muscle but in the tendons and joints to back the weight off or substitute the exercise for a different one...its hard enough to get where you want to be healthy dd an injury and it will be a lot harder. u might also want to look at seth feorce you tube channel..he has a good leg volume day work out on there ....i started trying his lil tricks and exercises and i started to notice a big difference. i just chose him because i am lacking where he isnt and have about the same body type imo. so u might want to pick a pro female and watch how they train and try some of their work outs and see what u think
 

motown1002

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Gabe. WTF is up with all those ........... lol

Good stuff however. :)
 

Gabriel

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I'll work on it .............M1002..!!
 

Amanda4450

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Great advice so far! However I will simplify it all greatly.

Eat less (especially sugar) exercise more.

The fact that you have stated that you are working out with weights 6 days a week and you don't already know that women have a very difficult time building muscle tells me that you are in the beginning stages of the process (meaning first 12 months of consistently eating right and working out 6 days a week). Perhaps far less than 12 months ...

80% of your long term results will be diet related ... yes working out is important - but much less so that managing your calories .. you could get excellent results with modest or higher reos .. however without diet management over the longer term ... neither strategy matters ..

IMO opinion spending far more time determining your TDEE and your exact macros will BY FAR yield you the best results over the next 12 months. Once diet is understood toning in literally a simple formula ... and you will know exactly how long it will take to reach your goal.

For sure I’m new.... right at a year really of lifting so I’ve spent quite a bit of time just figuring out how to lift. I do track, prep, and weigh all my foods. I give myself one day off of weighing, but even on that day I don’t eat like an ass, I try to stay healthy. I guess I just need to find some patience!! Trust the process right??!! Thanks for the input. I appreciate it! :)
 

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