From gym-floor debates to scientific studies, the question of how many reps to perform per set remains a cornerstone of strength training and for good reason. Different rep ranges create different physiological adaptations.

Whether your goal is to maximize muscle growth (hypertrophy), build maximal strength, or develop explosive power, the number of reps you perform matters. At Muscle and Motion, we translate exercise science into clear, practical training tools that are easy to understand and apply.

In this blog, we break down how rep ranges influence training outcomes, define key concepts such as hypertrophy, maximal strength, and power, and provide evidence-based recommendations to align your rep choices with your specific goals. Whether you’re just starting or refining an advanced routine, this guide will help you make smarter, more effective training decisions.

Why reps matter

The number of repetitions you perform per set plays a key role in the type of adaptation your body experiences. Reps influence muscle fiber recruitment, nervous system fatigue, metabolic stress, and muscle time under tension. In short, reps shape the training stimulus.

Defining hypertrophy, maximal strength, and power

Before diving deeper into rep ranges, it’s essential to define what we mean by each type of muscular adaptation:

• Hypertrophy refers to an increase in muscle size. It results from high mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and adequate training volume. The muscles grow in response to progressive overload and consistent effort.
• Maximal strength is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert the greatest possible force in a single voluntary effort. This reflects the nervous system’s capacity to recruit high-threshold motor units and coordinate them efficiently.
• Explosive strength is the ability to rapidly produce force, making it essential for actions like sprinting, jumping, and Olympic lifts. It is a muscular power component that combines both force and speed. Power training typically involves moving moderate to heavy loads as fast as possible.

Understanding the differences between these strength types enables you to select the optimal rep range, load, and tempo for your specific goal. To learn more about the different types of strength and their training implications, check out our blog: Understanding Strength: A Deep Dive into Its Types and Foundations.

Hypertrophy

You don’t need to follow a strict 8-12 reps formula to build muscle. Research shows that a broad range from about 6 to 20 reps per set can effectively stimulate hypertrophy, provided the sets are performed with high effort and taken close to failure. As reps increase, however, it becomes more difficult to accurately assess how close you are to failure, which may lead to lower training intensity. Proximity to failure can be measured in various ways:

• RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) of 8 or higher
• RIR (Reps In Reserve) of 2 or fewer
• Lifting at around 60-80% of 1RM

Schoenfeld et al. (2017) demonstrated that low and high reps can produce similar hypertrophy if training is performed with high effort.

Want to learn more about training to failure? Read our blog on this topic

Maximal strength 

Maximal Strength is the ability to generate the most significant amount of force in a single effort. It’s best trained with low reps (1-5) and high loads (85-100% of 1RM). These heavy efforts target the nervous system, stimulating maximal motor unit recruitment and neural efficiency. The effort should be very high aim for

• RPE 9-10,
• RIR 0-1,
• or lifting at around ≥85% of 1RM.

Due to the high intensity, use more extended rest periods (2-5 minutes) between sets to ensure performance and recovery.

Explosive strength

Training for explosive strength, also known as power, focuses on producing force quickly, which is crucial for sprinting, jumping, and Olympic lifts.

This type of training uses moderate to heavy loads moved at high velocity, often with low reps (1-5) to maintain speed and technique.

Effort can be measured by

• RPE of 6-8 (to ensure speed is maintained),
  RIR of 2-4 (stopping well before failure),
• or using 30-70% of 1RM, depending on the movement.

Typical exercises include squat jumps, power cleans, push presses, and other explosive lifts.

Power = Force × Velocity. 

The goal is not just to move heavy loads but to move them fast.

High reps: Muscle endurance and volume

Very high rep ranges (20-30+) can still lead to muscle growth, particularly in beginners or during rehab phases, but they primarily develop muscular endurance rather than maximal strength or size. These are often used in lighter-load accessory work or for targeting slow-twitch fibers.

What rep range should you use?

💡Note: These categories aren’t strict walls – hypertrophy can occur across a wide range of reps, especially when training close to failure.

Additional considerations

While reps per set influence the training stimulus, it’s important to remember that total weekly volume, typically measured by the number of hard sets per muscle group, is also a major driver of hypertrophy. To learn more, check out our blog: How Much Set Do You Need to Build Muscle?!

Tailoring rep ranges also depends on individual factors such as training experience, recovery capacity, and specific goals. For example, beginners may benefit from slightly higher rep ranges to improve technique, while advanced lifters may cycle between low, moderate, and high reps for balanced development. To learn more, check out our blog: Periodization in Training

Incorporating tempo control (especially during the eccentric phase) can also enhance mechanical tension and hypertrophy, even with moderate loads. To learn more, check out our blog: The Role of Time Under Tension in Hypertrophy & Strength

Selecting exercises that align with the intended repetition range is also crucial. Heavier compound movements, such as squats or deadlifts, are often better suited for lower reps, while isolation movements, like curls or lateral raises, can be safely pushed to higher rep ranges.

Reps aren’t just numbers; they’re a powerful tool that shapes your training outcomes. Whether you’re chasing size, strength, or endurance, aligning your rep ranges with your goals and training with intent is what drives real progress. Train smart. Train with purpose. Let every rep move you closer to your goal.

At Muscle and Motion, we believe that knowledge is power, and understanding the ‘why’ behind any exercise is essential for your long-term success.

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Reference:

1. Baz-Valle, E., Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Alix-Fages, C., & Santos-Concejero, J. (2022). A systematic review of the effects of different resistance training volumes on muscle hypertrophy. Journal of Human Kinetics, 81(1), 199–210.
2. Bernárdez-Vázquez, R., Raya-González, J., Castillo, D., & Beato, M. (2022). Resistance training variables for optimization of muscle hypertrophy: An umbrella review. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, 949021.
3. Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2017). Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. High-load resistance training: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(12), 3508–3523.