I Like Rep Ranges

Hi again friends, back with more fun to end the week for you! After a couple of convos with my clients this week on this topic, I figured this would be a good bit to write about. I like rep ranges and here’s why.

First off, I like them for the big movers, usually the first or second block of a program (A’s or B’s to some of you). I usually start off by saying, with an 6-8 rep range for example, shoot for 6 reps, if you get to 8 and are feeling really strong still, go for 8. Keep in mind I’m still hoping for a 7-8 out of 10 on the effort scale so that plays a factor into what rep the trainee (client) is targeting.
 
I also find rep ranges good because folks can feel like they’ve made progress on a movement without necessarily adding weight to the bar, because sometimes you’re just not ready for that yet. Example, someone was doing a front squat with 95 lbs for a set of 8 to 10. Maybe the first week they do all their sets for 8 reps. The next week they’re still not overly comfortable with even 105 on the bar, so they stick with 95, BUT they bang out 10 reps for all their sets. I’d still call that progress, even without the bar weight changing 1 ounce.
 
An example that's good, sort of the yang to the yin above, perhaps someone comes in, 6-8 reps are prescribed that phase/week or whatever. They get up to 165 on the bar for their bench press having done that for one of their, we’ll say solid feeling sets, the previous week. Maybe they are not feeling so hot about grinding out that 7th and 8th rep as they’d done so easily the previous week, so they stick with 6 for the day. That is still progress, just not necessarily how we think of it. It gives people a bit of freedom to recognize, 'OK maybe I don’t have it to the same degree today. I’m going to stick with this weight, just back down the reps to that lower end of the rep range.'
 
There you have my fairly short and sweet reasoning for liking and using rep ranges. Have good day fam, thanks for reading and see you next time!