How do we build muscle mass? Do we do endless sets of high reps to blow up our muscles with a super pump?
Scientific research has shown that the best rep range to build pure strength in your muscles and tendons is 2-5. The best range to develop both strength and size is 6-8 and the best range to develop mostly size is 10-12. The reason strength is developed in the low rep count while avoiding a lot of muscle size is due to the muscles developing better neurological efficiency as well as tendon strength in addition to the enlargement of muscle size. This is due to the development of the Myofibril fibers in the muscle. These are comprised of actin and myosin contractile proteins which increase in number after the proper stimuli.
The reason the higher rep count develops more muscle size is largely due to the development of additional sarcoplasm in the muscle. This fluid increases with this higher rep count and is largely responsible for the corresponding muscle size increase. Some, but not nearly as much strength increase is obtained with this increase.
Hopefully, this sheds some light on why and how both methods of training cause the results they do.
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