Does doing high and low reps have nothing to do with muscle weight development?

[Vivaldi]

Low reps refers to below 6 reps.
High reps refers to above 12 reps.

When I do push ups, I do more than 40 reps in the first set ( my record is 46 reps), which is high reps ( In other sets the amount of push ups I do get lower of course). I feel that my biceps and chest get pumped. After doing high reps of push ups , I touch my chest, there becomes some hardness but this is only the pump, right? I will not develop any muscle weight, right?

As for low reps, I do dumbell bench press at home. I have a pair of 27.5 kilograms dumbells at home. In the first set I do 4 reps with a pair of 27.5 kilograms dumbells for bench press. In other sets I lower the weight a little bit to do the same amount of reps, though. I did 3 sets of 4 reps the last time for dumbell bench press.

So, Do high and low reps have anything to do with muscle weight development?

[Just_another_Indian]

It is said that for gaining muscle mass, one should go for higher weight low rep system.
This means you should be able to do at least 15 -8 rep with higher weight to cause you enough pain without causing strain.

Higher reps mostly increases your stamina abd only pumps your body and doesn't increase much muscle mass. It makes you look buff temporary because of water and after relaxation, you start looking lean again.

If you are not having good protein diet , chances are it will eat your muscles for energy and decrease your muscle mass.

Therefore first make sure you are having required protein.
Then you can mix both type of technique for muscle mass gain. One should not use only one type if technique for longer time. Variation is required for constant muscle gain.

As far as warm up exercises is concerned it's fine to have good reps. Do eat banana daily b4 going to gym.

[Vivaldi]

I don't go to gym. I work at home :D

[Crazypete3]

Higher reps are for muscle endurance and stamina. They help you last longer and get more lean. Lower reps with weights you'd reach your FAIL point at 6-8 will give you the biggest muscle definition and strength, but do not increase your endurance (stamina) as much.

[Crazypete3]

And by muscle definition I mean muscle mass, not toned muscles.

[Vivaldi]

I think, to be toned, you have to have some muscle weight, right? Being slim does not mean you will look toned.

[Vivaldi]

Being pumped also means neither being toned nor gaining muscle weight, right? Push ups make me pumped so good but it is only for the moment, right? No development will ocur, only the pump that will go away later?

[Crazypete3]

Okay yeah your right, I meant to say lean muscles not toned. Yeah you do need muscle mass for both of them, but to put it to better perspective doing 6 reps will make you look like Arnold and doing 16 reps will make you look like Tom Cruise. Your only pumped because the blood flows to your muscles when you do an active workout so it gives you that pumped look, it isn't actually like your muscle when you wake up its blood pumping into your muscles to make it bigger.

[Crazypete3]

That's why guys before they go to the bar or competition will pump their muscles out before doing those things to make it look big with the blood flow.

[Crazypete3]

But to also answer your question, no, pumping your muscles will not make them any bigger. Muscle growth occurs when you rip apart your muscles by lifting weights and they heal (sore) the next few days, and you repeat this by ripping it and healing it bigger and stronger. Pumping is like if your muscles were a balloon, and you fill the ball on with air (blood) it'll deflate later. Muscle growth is ripping that Ballon in half and taping on another Ballon to make it bigger.

[Vivaldi]

How about low reps, which is below 6 reps?

[Crazypete3]

I've heard of body builders doing dead lifts of as low as 3-4 reps, but this is like massive massive weights and with the bar. So I'm not entirely sure about normal dumbells and machines.

[Vivaldi]

Allright. One more question. I can do 4 reps with a pair of 27.5 kilograms dumbells for bench press. Am I a begginer?

[Crazypete3]

Are you trying to go for weight lifting competition? If not, there is not technically a beginner level because old guys or kids might start with 5kg dumbells so there isn't really a beginner for weights. Same thing for max, yeah you could say expert is 60kg or 90kg but some guy in Russia could be bench pressing 200kg. So it really depends on your goals. If your trying to get buff, weights don't matter as long as you hit your fail point at 4-6 reps or whatever your going for. Judge yourself on how big your arms are. If your going for competition for aethestics the same thing, it's judged by the muscle in your body not how much you lift. If your doing into a body building competition where you lift the most, yes it would be considered beginner because their are guys there who are super super bulked like the hulk who lift people on there bench presses.

[Vivaldi]

I have a fatty body.

[Vivaldi]

My arm can also look bigger because of Fat. I can not judge myself acording to size.

[Crazypete3]

You should do 8-12 reps then. Bulking isn't a good idea when you need to lose a lot of fat because to bulk you body requires excess energy (calories) to build all that muscle but as losing fat you should be doing the opposite.

[Vivaldi]

I am endomorph.

[Vivaldi]

When you lose fat, you also lose muscle, right? I dislike getting weaker also :( :(

[Crazypete3]

You can take supplements like whey protein while dieting and exercising which is what a lot of people do. It gives your muscles almost pure protein and body energy which is why a cup is like 200 calories. Most body builder I know eat a lot of veggies, fruits, and tons of meat. What determines whether they want to get really big muscles or good sized muscles is the amount of meat they eat. In your case, I don't know for sure but a lot of people don't usually bulk while they are trying to lose weight because it doesn't work out as well as losing the weight and building a good size of muscle, then when the fat is gone, then start bulking. If you don't you could fear getting building muscle under your fat and it not showing plus even looking more bigger but not in a good weigh because you don't have any definition from that fat covering your muscles.

[Guitarwizard7]

Depends on your weight. Typically with body weight workouts like push ups you're gonna want to do a lot of them. You increase reps with less exertion and decrease reps with greater exertion. If you do a set of 10 at one weight then jump up 25 pounds you'll do less reps naturally because it's harder. But some will do only a couple reps at high weight for explosiveness.

[Vivaldi]

Depends on my body weight? It is 70 kilograms at the moment.

[Guitarwizard7]

I mean it depends on the weight of the bar, dumbbells etc

[Vivaldi]

Interesting.