Wide Rep Ranges

Hi Paul

What are you thoughts on wide rep ranges (e.g. 8-15 or 8-20)?

In my experience they have been useful in ensuring I truly dominate a weight before increasing the load, but I have also heard they should be avoided in favour of narrower rep ranges (e.g. 6-8, 8-10, 10-12, etc.), to be better able to manipulate training variables.

Thanks

Higher rep ranges can serve as a novel stimulus, or for metabolic stress to improve nutrient partitioning but they only drive muscle growth if they are taken to failure.

They also cause greater degrees of fatigue at the nervous system level, making them harder to recover from, even though the loading is lighter. More reps = more systemic fatigue, less reps = less systemic fatigue. That should make sense.

I don’t think you need a wide array of rep ranges anymore, TBH. I know Brad proposes that you do, but the truth is, if you can get to where you’re moving massive loads in the 6-12 rep range you’re going to be about as big as you’re ever going to be.