8 Reps for the Best Muscle Growth If we are discussing recommendations of employing a certain percentage of your Maximum Weight to perform 8 reps, it is necessary to grasp such concepts within a larger framework. The typical recommendation is that you should be using 70–80% of your one-rep max (1RM) for sets of 8–12 reps to maximize muscle growth. But new research suggests there could be more wiggle room in the guidelines.
Understanding Rep Ranges
Bodybuilding/Hypertrophy Focus: Most of the time it will be written as 8—12 reps which is a classic rep range for hypertrophy. This provides enough volume and intensity for muscle hypertrophy, while minimizing the total amount of fatigue14.
Variation Between Individuals: the way an individual responds to rep ranges can be quite difference between individuals. However, some evidence suggests that not only is this just as productive (6–35 reps total) when taken to or close to muscular failure13
Volume and Intensity Balance– This principle speaks to always monitoring how much work you do (volume in total reps) as well as balancing that with the amount of weight your moving usually measured as a percentage of 1RM. For example, 5-8 reps at 80-85% of your max as this stimulates the perfect mix of fiber recruitment and metabolic stress, two key factors in muscle growth24.
Practical Application
To maximize muscle growth:
Start off with 8-12 reps at approximately 70–80% of your max.
This can be done by titrating up and down rep values, from say 5-8 to 12-20 as this allows the stimulation of multiple muscle fibers and helps prevent plateaus.
Keep a track of your progress and adjust weights as needed, but always be sure to add weight over time for progressive overload to continue growing.
To sum it up: Lifting 70-80% of your max for 8 reps is a good rule of thumb, but playing around with other intensities and better counts can help improve hypertrophy outcomes.hypertrophy (ad) The perfect approach for muscle development, is the individual who can do it and still lift to exercise by hitting any muscle group required, first and using a 1 on 1 workout after.
