Fast twitch/slow twitch fibers

[Onerepmaximum]

Everyone's ratio of is different. I've read a few different ideas on how to determine if you have more slow twitch or fast twitch fibers. Personally I try to change up my set and rep numbers from week to week to try to influence hypertrophy of both fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. Do you guys try to switch it up, always go heavy or always try to rep out?

[b fold the truth]

I really hate doing high rep anything. I rarely ever go above 6 reps in my training on the gym lifts but I quite often will do a Strongman event for 2 minutes straight (will puke too...lol).

What I DO do is I use bands on the bar to force me to move weights quicker...maybe using more fast twitch muscle fibers.

I think that Time Under Tension comes in to play as well. If I can move a weight really fast...then we can say that is a real one rep. If I do a squat in 1 second and it takes you 3 seconds to perform the same rep with the same weight...then you had more Time Under Tension than me...maybe being really similar to doing a higher number of reps.

For the strength athlete looking to be explosive and more "fast twitch"...the faster lifter will be the stronger lifter both in and out of the gym.

For anyone...I suggest changing things up often to get the best gains. There is nothing wrong with doing a set of 12, set of 6 and a set of 3 in a workout.

B True

[Onerepmaximum]

I appreciate you weighing in B Fold. I have a great deal of respect for you. I like to try to get an idea of how other people approach it. Especially people that I know have a great amount of knowledge on the subject.

I think variety is the a good thing too.

[Citruscide]

I switch things up... sometimes I'll have different exercises to accomplish this. I may use a more compound exercise for the lower-rep, and more of an isolation for a higher-rep... that's sometimes... not all the time. I always include some high rep 10-12 work in my workouts... but I try to focus on my 3-5 rep scheme... FTF are much, much bigger than STF... so if you spend too much time developing the smaller fibers, you won't yield nearly the results (physique wise) that you should.

C-ditty

[Sh4dowF4lcon]

I tend to get problems in my shoulders if I go over 8 reps. Not so much legs with squats or leg presses, I can do sets of 12, then 10, 8, and then 6 getting heavier each time. Just in my shoulders, I think I have some cartlidge torn or tendonitis. I stay away from anything over 8 reps in my upper body: bench, incline, flies, dumbell presses etc. I prefer heavier weight and less reps & pushing to failure. I am not a competitior, and I dont have a trainer, I just enjoy looking and feeling good.

My shoulders get irritated when I try pressing light weight 10-12 times. Someday soon I hope to get an MRI and pinpoint the issue, but more than one orthepedic doc has told me it is just tendonitis (without an MRI). Sometimes I go weeks with no pain, then I sleep weird or strain my shoulder and it is sore for days, especially during and workouts.

Not sure if this answers anything about FTF and STF, I just wanted to chime in how I use my reps and weight. My training is more diversified in my lowerbody, I guess because I run sprints and bleachers that works the FTF in my legs more than my weight training.

[Dial_tone]

I do anywhere from 6-15 reps usually. The only thing I really can't stand high reps on is leg extensions for some reason.

[Onerepmaximum]

Originally Posted by Dial_tone

The only thing I really can't stand high reps on is leg extensions for some reason.

I'm the same way. I don't even do leg extensions anymore.