Can 3-5 Reps Truly Maximize Growth? (New Study)

Summary by Krater

An analysis of a new study comparing 3-5 reps versus 20-25 reps for muscle hypertrophy, concluding that while evidence shows similar growth, training with 6 or more reps per set remains the safer recommendation.

From the video

Answers: Do 3 to 5 reps build muscle as well as higher rep ranges?

• Rep ranges for muscle hypertrophy
• Low load vs high load resistance training
• Volitional failure in resistance training
• Muscle fiber cross-sectional area
• Sampling variance in science

Exercises

• leg press · machine
• leg extension · machine
• barbell curl · barbell
• back squat · barbell
• bench press · barbell
• overhead press · barbell
• lat pulldown · cable
• cable row · cable

What it concludes

• Low-load and high-load resistance training to volitional failure lead to comparable increases in muscle thickness over a training period.
• Training with 3-5 reps per set produces muscle growth similar to higher rep ranges, though evidence is not strong enough to be completely certain.
• Training with 6 or more reps per set is recommended as a safer bet to maximize muscle hypertrophy.
• Training programs can successfully include a variety of rep ranges, and having a few sets under 6 reps is not a major problem.