Does More Weight Less Reps Lead to Faster Muscle Gains?

More weight less reps?

Is this better for building muscle?

What rep ranges are the best for building muscle?

I hear so many people tell others that higher reps are for toning and less reps for building muscle.

That type of info is everywhere…

What in the world does that mean?

Anyone who answers a question like that should be disregarded and banned from answering any more weight lifting, fitness, or exercise related questions.

Seriously.

Lift Weights To Build Muscle

Let me answer your question with the correct answer…

The main focus of any weight lifting program or workout should be to build muscle and strength.

What else would you lift weights for? To burn calories? Sure, lifting weights will burn calories, but don't make that the focus of your weight lifting or you'll never get anywhere.

If you want to burn calories, use cardio and diet for that sole purpose.

We lift weights to build muscle. Building muscle will help you burn more calories.

The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns.

This means you'll be able to eat more food in the future while losing fat.

Wouldn't you be much happier on a future diet when you're able to eat so much more food and lose the same amount of fat?

So, What's Better? More Weight Less Reps?

Well, it all depends on what you mean when you say more weight less reps.

The muscle building rep ranges have proven to be in the range of approximately 6 to 12 reps. These rep ranges are not set in stone.

I would say anywhere from 5 to 15 reps are the muscle building rep ranges, but I base the WLC System on 4 to 15 or even 20 reps because I know those rep ranges work for building muscle.

The truth, though, is any rep range will build muscle and strength.

As long as you make progress in the amount of weight you are lifting, you will build muscle and strength in that rep range. Different rep ranges target different muscle fiber types.

Lower reps build more strength and that is proven.

When I say lower reps, I mean less than 5 reps. So, if your main objective is to build strength and not size, I would focus on a program that keeps you lifting weights in the low rep ranges.

This will improve strength in the low rep ranges… some of that will carry over to higher rep ranges.

If you want to gain strength in the higher rep ranges (like a Strong Man competition), you'll have to train in the higher rep ranges. Hope this makes sense to you.

Just remember that nothing is set in stone and that every person is unique.

Some people will be able to build more muscle with low reps while others will need higher reps for building more muscle.

Bodybuilders are the experts when it comes to building muscle.

Powerlifters and weightlifters are the experts when it comes to building power and strength.

Many bodybuilders have found that higher rep ranges in general work better for building legs and lower rep ranges in general work better for building the upper body.

In reality, though, it all depends on the person and the muscle fiber make up of each muscle group along with many other factors for that particular person.

The Best Way To Build Muscle

Building muscle is quite easy. I'm going to explain how I do it within the WLC System.

I focus on the proven muscle building rep ranges of 4 to 15 reps or so.

I help you get progressively stronger in those muscle building rep ranges by the way I designed the program and weight lifting schedule.

The WLC System helps you get sronger. You get stronger in the muscle building rep ranges. You eat a calorie surplus throughout the program.

You build muscle. Simple, but the most effective method of building muscle out there.

So, the best rep ranges for building muscle are in the 4 to 15 rep range. You get benefits from the 15 rep range that you don't get from the 4 rep range and vice versa.

Most of our WLC System based programs start out with a higher rep range and increases the weight you lift over time while decreasing the rep ranges throughout the program.

You finish off the program in lower rep ranges.

Lift heavier weight over time in the muscle building rep ranges while eating enough calories to gain weight, and you will build muscle. It really is that simple.

The WLC Programs do much more than mentioned here in this article, but the concept of building muscle on any program should be to lift heavier weight over time in the correct rep ranges.

A good weight lifting program will help you to do just that. Also remember that a good diet packed full of nutritious foods will make muscle building that much easier.

So, To Answer Your Question…

What's better for building muscle? More weight less reps or more reps less weight.

The answer is both.

You need to lift weights in different rep ranges to get all different benefits. You should try to cover the spectrum of rep ranges as I do within the WLC System.

The most important thing for building muscle is progressing in the amount of weight and/or reps you lift over time. Increase your strength in the muscle building rep ranges.

Building muscle really is that simple. Always attempt to add more weight to the bar. That's your goal and your mission from here on out.

One thing many people neglect, though, is their diets. You need a calorie surplus to build muscle. The foods you eat must be the best foods and you must increase your protein intake.

If you eat bad foods while trying to build muscle, you will build muscle but you will get fat along the way.

Continue reading everything here at Weight Lifting Complete. You will learn everything you need to know to put together a complete weightlifting program.

We hope we've answered your questions about more weight less reps. All you really need to do is follow the WLC System based workouts, and you'll do amazing.