Know your anatomy!

[JohnnyClutch]

Ive been away from this forum for a while now due to LIFE bein busy as hell, but Im finally able to get back on a AAS cycle within the next week, so Im here to refresh my memory (mostly in the AAS educational forums) but I decided to take a peak here in the "lifting technique" forum...
before i give my spiel, lemme jus say that Im a personal trainer with 6 years of experience; ive serviced a wide range of age groups as well as fitness goals... from increasing functionality to focusing on specific muscles and fixing muscular imbalances and everything in between. the number one thing that any body who spends any time lifting should know is MUSCULAR ANATOMY! if you can visualize your muscles and what they look like underneath your skin, it is much easier to target them and you will have a much better understanding of how to work them out.
this is the first thing I require from every single client Ive ever worked with, and I owe a lot of my success to this simple concept. before goin to the gym, or even at the gym between sets look at a picture of the muscles you intend to work that day. take into consideration their size as well as their origin and insertion, and use your hands to locate and feel them underneath your skin...and fat. Smaller muscles will need less work to fatigue them, obviously, and larger muscles will require more sets and different movements/angles to thoroughly work the entire muscle.
so, keep that in mind along with.....
6-8 reps for strength
10-12 reps for growth
and 15-18 reps for endurance
... and that should help a lot.
ITS REAL SIMPLE MECHANICS

[Conrad0032]

1-5 reps for strength I think :P Seems to be working well for me. 8-12 for growth. But hey, I'm not as experienced as you just what I've read/heard and what not.

[>Good Luck<]

I'm a bit confused with this post, and many other posts I have read. I see people referring to strength and growth as different categories but I was under the impression that size is directly proportional to strength... Im not educated in fitness, but I'm trying my best to understand. I ask because I'm on a 5x5 routine and hope to gain strength and size... Do I need to switch to 5x8 or 5x10 or something?

[goodlifting]

I'm a bit confused with this post, and many other posts I have read. I see people referring to strength and growth as different categories but I was under the impression that size is directly proportional to strength... Im not educated in fitness, but I'm trying my best to understand. I ask because I'm on a 5x5 routine and hope to gain strength and size... Do I need to switch to 5x8 or 5x10 or something?

higher volume (anything over six reps) is generally better for hypertrophy. Low volume is generally considered anything under six reps. If you want size you will have to isolate your muscles and give them 3-4 sets of higher volume exercises (again, generally speaking).

everyone is different and reacts positively or negatively to different types of training. It will take time (years) to figure out what your body likes when it comes to training.

Since you stated that you are new to fitness I suggest that you focus on your form and get stronger in your bread and butter lifts (squats, deads, presses). Size will come with this since you are new.

With that said, I like to have people start with sets of 10 or less. The 10 reps will allow the athlete to get proper practice with the movements using light weight.

The size of a muscle has little to do with how powerfully the muscle fibers contract. Big does not equal strong is all cases.

[Philly82]

The size of a muscle has little to do with how powerfully the muscle fibers contract. Big does not equal strong is all cases.

^^^totally agree with this statement. I bench 350 for 8 reps witj strict form, there are guys at my gym who are overall "bigger than me in appearanc", but who bench aroun 230 for 8 reps, if that. Size and stength are correlated, but not directly imho; the bigger I get the stronger I get, sure, but the relationship is not totally linear. A lot of guys have low body fat and decent size, but their muscles look massive. MY arms measure 18.5 cold flexed but don't look remarkably big on my frame. I see guys who curl 25-35 lb dumbell, nothing more and their arms look pretty big, but if they actually measured I'd bet most are well under 17'. MY 2 CENTS.