# Low Or High Volume



## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

*Intensity or Volume ?*​
High Intensity : 3 sets per bodypart or less 1026.32%Intermediate : 4-10 sets per bodypart 821.05%High Volume : More than 10 sets / bodypart 513.16%Some combination of intensity & volume1539.47%


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## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

Curious to know how many people favour low volume / high intensity and how many go for high volume.

I've answered 'some combination', because I train each bodypart twice a week - once with 3 or 4 heavy sets to failure, and once with 8-12 sets with short rest periods


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## Kazza61 (Jun 14, 2008)

I'd be a combination too. I train 3-4 sets on the compound exercises at around the 5-7 rep range then do some high rep idolation exercises to follow. E.g. Bench Press 3-4 x 5-7, incline DB Bench Press 3-4 x 5-7, flyes 3-4 x 12-15.


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## Kazza61 (Jun 14, 2008)

Interestingly, I collect old bodybuilding magazines (some as much as a hundred years old and more - I litterally have thousands!) and the volume some people trained with in tne past is incredible compared to today. Example - I was reading an article on Bruce Randall from the 60's ( he was famous for bulking up to about 400lbs then cutting for a year to 185lbs then winning the Mr Universe!). He trained 7 hours a day 6 days a week then went home and performed 3,000 situps every night! I'm glad we finally realised we could get similar results in a fraction of the time!


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## McGuire86 (Nov 23, 2011)

I find as an ectomorph I respond better to high volume with **** loads of food !


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## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

McGuire86 said:


> I find as an ectomorph I respond better to high volume with **** loads of food !


Interesting..

I'm also an ectomorph, and when I was natty I always responded better to high intensity. It's only since I went on gear that I've been able to get gains from higher volume.


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## andyhuggins (Nov 21, 2008)

Kazza61 said:


> Interestingly, I collect old bodybuilding magazines (some as much as a hundred years old and more - I litterally have thousands!) and the volume some people trained with in tne past is incredible compared to today. Example - I was reading an article on Bruce Randall from the 60's ( he was famous for bulking up to about 400lbs then cutting for a year to 185lbs then winning the Mr Universe!). He trained 7 hours a day 6 days a week then went home and performed 3,000 situps every night! I'm glad we finally realised we could get similar results in a fraction of the time!


Care to share the hundred year old mags?


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## CAPTAIN CRUSH (Jan 11, 2014)

all this year ive done high intensity, high reps, all body workout 4 times a week, mainly because i wanted to loose some weight and get fitter, the extra muscle is a bonus.

this year, for my new years resolution im gonna try low reps, heavy weight.

might try the 5 x 5 routine.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

I gain well on both tbh, but I get much better strength gains on low volume/high intensity (Yates style HIT for me) so I tend to go with that most of the year, with a cycle of GVT here and there.


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

currently doing a pull push legs alternating the first exercise each session e.g. push A - mil press 5x5, push B -bench 5x5 with long rests. the rest are in the 8-15 rep range depending on what exercise it is and with short rest times.


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## Kazza61 (Jun 14, 2008)

andyhuggins said:


> Care to share the hundred year old mags?


When I retire I will probably have to make a start on disposing of them and will eventually probably end up listing them on eBay etc. I have quite a few vintage books too - several by Eugen Sandow who was pretty much respondible for the sport of bodybuilding as we have it today. He also ran a magazine from the 1890's. He also had some interesting ideas about how to get rid of weakness from society and I'm certain Hitler must have read one of his books in particular...

If you're interested in the chap I mentioned above and his incredible bulking / cutting feat have a read here: Profile of 1959 Mr. Universe, Bodybuilder Bruce Randall | Muscle and Brawn. The clip is interesting to see just how respectfully he was dealt with on TV even though it was the late 1950's.


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

I use a mixture of volume & intensity style training methods

:thumbup1:


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## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

High volume for me


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## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

a.notherguy said:


> currently doing a pull push legs alternating the first exercise each session e.g. push A - mil press 5x5, push B -bench 5x5 with long rests. the rest are in the 8-15 rep range depending on what exercise it is and with short rest times.


Sounds similar to mine.

For my push workout, Sundays it's seated press - 3 heavy sets to failure stripping 10% off the bar each time, then 8-10 sets of chest. Wednesdays it's bench press (same protocol) followed by 12-15 sets of shoulders


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## gaz90 (Jun 19, 2014)

doesnt take me much. 2 exercises for 3 hard sets each is all i need. smaller muscles may need 6-8 sets. big fan of rest pause also

I dont like to leave any reps in the tank, try to keep rest to a minimum. if theres too many exercises and sets i just lose interest


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

Major Eyeswater said:


> Sounds similar to mine.
> 
> For my push workout, Sundays it's seated press - 3 heavy sets to failure stripping 10% off the bar each time, then 8-10 sets of chest. Wednesdays it's bench press (same protocol) followed by 12-15 sets of shoulders


I'm focusing on the big lift for the 5x5 with straight sets then after that I have no fixed routine and will just do what ever exercises I feel like for a couple of sets to failure each with very slow reps.


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## JwaR (Jan 7, 2015)

a.notherguy said:


> I'm focusing on the big lift for the 5x5 with straight sets then after that I have no fixed routine and will just do what ever exercises I feel like for a couple of sets to failure each with very slow reps.


Same for me, seems to be working better than strictly high or low volume.


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## theBEAST2002 (Oct 16, 2011)

Both


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## FelonE1 (Dec 23, 2013)

High volume


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## zyphy (Jun 23, 2014)

High volume with regular deloads.


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## BigLou (Dec 25, 2014)

I voted combination. I've been doing high volume for about 4 years starting out at 8 1/2 stone.... I'm now 12 stone BUT I am actually of the opinion I would have gained more had I focused on intensity. (Obviously diet was a factor too but that aside).

I've looked at Mike Mentzer's training and even though I don't fully agree with everything he said, I decided to take the plunge. I have noticed much more muscular response. For all my exercises I had very little rest and the reps were on a 2-1-2 tempo. With only 5-7 sets on a bodypart I had totally fatigued it. Saying that though, I like high volume training but it is much harder to keep that kind of intensity. It's all down to individual body types at the end of the day.


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