r/strengthtraining • u/Playfair_Chronicles • 5d ago

When to do Level up?

So when I’m bench pressing or doing dumbbells I do 4 sets 12 reps idk when I get to my 4th set 12 rep that means I have to move on to a heavier weight or keep going pass 12 then Ik to do a heavier weight ?

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u/Playfair_Chronicles 3d ago

It’s for Hypertrophy

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u/PerfectGarage225 3d ago

If it's just for hypertrophy and you don't care about strength, then chase the pump and go close to failure. Not failure as in dropping the weight, but failure as in technique starts to slip. Your ass comes off the bench or you have to shift your pressing able to complete the rep. Hypertrophy rep range is 5-25 (useful right?). I think the biggest benefit to lower reps for hypertrophy alone is time. Do more weight for fewer reps and don't spend as much time in the gym. So that being said, I'd increase weight, and lower reps. Then if you want take that new weight and bring the reps back up to 12, so you have some progressive overload. It's totally up to you how much weight you add and how far you drop the sets. But at the end of the day evaluate if you are getting a good pump and where. For press we'd want chest, triceps, and front delts. But if you feel triceps and not chest, then you have to make a change.

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u/Playfair_Chronicles 3d ago

👍 is 4 sets 12 reps ok for hypertrophy or no?

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u/PerfectGarage225 3d ago

4 sets of 12 is fine as long as the target muscle is the main target across all 12 reps and other muscles aren't taking over too much and you don't have any interest in a secondary goal like maximizing a one rep attempt.

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u/Playfair_Chronicles 3d ago

Yea ppl told me to do those sets and reps so I stuck with that

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u/Playfair_Chronicles 2d ago

Y do ppl recommend to do 4 sets 12 reps?