How many reps should you do and how much weight should you use to gain muscle?

Sadly msucle gain and development is a long term thing so can takes months before you really see developments.

To gain muscle you should be looking at doing a maximum of 8-12 repetitions per set of a weight and after those repetitions you have reached your limit and can do no more within the set. If you can squeeze out another repetition it's too light a weight.

Generally allow at least 48 hours between resistance training sets to allow your muscles to recover. And do you have a good diet with plenty of protein?

If you do the same weight everytime you exercise for the same number of repetitions your body will start to not respond to the stimulus. So try something different.

1. Stop using the machines and start using free weights?

2. Find yourself a partner to exercise with that gives you extra motivation.

3. Get yourself a personal trainer tpo really push you to the next level.

There are several factors that contribute to muscle gain. However, in answer to your question regarding reps and weights, here is a general guide.

Weight = As a general rule of thumb, use as much weight as you can safely lift so that at the end of the 8 reps your target muscles are fatigued, but you are able to maintain your form throughout the set.

Sets = 3 (or at least 2 if you don't have time for 3).

If you are after more of a toned long lean look (like many women are) slightly more reps (say 10-12) reps may be better. The same rule of thumb regarding the amount of weight applies; the most you can safely lift (10-12 times) while keeping good form.

Some bodybuilders will use even less reps (4-6), with very heavy weights to achieve muscle hypertrophy.

The overload principle is the key to gaining muscle. You need to really challenge your muscle's strength (not endurance) to gain muscle. So heavier weights rather than more reps is usually how this is achieved.

The idea is that lifting weights (as described above) causes micro-damage to the muscle fibers (this is partly why they are sore after weights). As your body heals this damage, it makes your muscles stronger (slightly bigger) than they were before.

Therefore it is also important to have at least a days rest before you target the same muscle groups with another gym session. Some people will target different body areas on different days (e.g. Monday = arms and core, Tuesday = legs, Wednesday= arms and core Thurs= legs, Friday =rest etc.) However, I prefer to do all body parts on one day and then have a day or two rest before going back to the gym again.

If you want more info feel free to contact me via my profile page or post here.

...as always... this is offered as general information only and is not to be considered as specific advice. :).

Progressive overload should be the goal of your training - this means increasing either weight and/or reps and/or time under tension (TUT) every session.

Once you have achieved a training effect, your diet must supply enough energy (calories) and protein to put your body in a state where it has surplus energy (weight gain) and enough protein for muscle repair and growth to occur.

I've written more about it at the below 2 links.

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There are so many guides and different explanations online. What it really comes down to is this. In my opinion, and this has worked for me, you cannot just rely on weights.

When I work out, first of all I do 35 minutes on the running machine. (also a little hint, don't listen to music whilst on a treadmill, it actually makes time seem slower). After that then go straight off the treadmill and do weights.Do a series of exercises and don't stop moving.

This creates the burn that you need to gain muscle and tone up.

Just make sure that you get advice from a certified physio or doctor before embarking on a new exercise for the first time, to make sure that any problems are taken into account.

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