# Rep Range Guidance

Map rep ranges to exercise category, not goal label. Within category constraints, hypertrophy is rep-range agnostic across ~5–30 reps when effort and weekly sets are matched.

## Default Mapping by Exercise Category

| Category | Examples | Hypertrophy | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy compound barbell | Squat, deadlift, bench, OHP, weighted pull-up/dip | 4–10 | 1–6 at ≥80% 1RM, 3–5 sets, RPE 7–9 |
| Moderate compound | Machine chest press, Hammer/T-bar/cable rows, lat pulldown, leg press, hack squat, pendulum squat | 6–15 | 4–8 primary; 6–10 accessory |
| Unilateral compound | Bulgarian split squat, lunge, single-leg press, single-arm DB row, step-up | 6–15/side | 5–10/side |
| Large-muscle isolation | RDL/SLDL (as ham iso), leg extension, leg curl, pec deck, reverse fly, hip thrust | 8–20 | 6–10 if loaded as accessory |
| Small-muscle isolation | DB/cable curls, triceps ext, lateral raises, calves, rear delts, wrist curls | 8–20 free-weight; up to 25–30 cable/machine | Not primary; 6–8 acceptable if joints tolerate |
| Power/explosive | Power clean, hang clean, snatch, jump squat, push press, MB throws | N/A — do NOT count toward hypertrophy volume | 1–5 reps; 30–60% 1RM (speed-strength) or 60–85% (strength-speed); terminate on 10–20% velocity loss |

## Goal-Specific Rules

### Hypertrophy
- ~10–20 fractional sets per muscle per week, building toward upper end across mesocycle
- Most sets at 1–3 RIR
- Distribute: heavier on stable compounds, moderate on machines, higher on isolation
- Below 5 reps: per-set returns diminish, joint stress accumulates
- Above 30 reps: requires very close proximity to failure

### Maximum Strength
- Heavy primary lifts: 1–5 reps, 80–95% 1RM
- Accessory: 5–10 reps
- Isolation for connective tissue / weak points: 8–15 reps
- Volume plateaus at ~3–6 hard sets per powerlift per week
- RIR-insensitive across 0–4 RIR — 1–3 RIR is fine

### Body Recomposition / Fat Loss
- Do NOT change rep ranges. Use hypertrophy plan unchanged.
- Expect ~1 RIR drop in failure tolerance and ~5–10% performance lag in late deficit

### General Fitness
- Any range 6–20 with adequate volume, frequency, and proximity to failure

### Sport-Specific
- Layer power/velocity-loaded movements over base of strength and hypertrophy work
- Power athletes: velocity-based loading. Strength athletes: near 1RM. Field sports: both plus high-rep accessories.

## Within-Mesocycle Progression

**Default: double progression.** Work to top of rep range, add load when ceiling reached, return to bottom of range.

Adjustments:
- Rep range bottom routinely exceeded → load-only progression
- Joints flaring under added load → rep-only progression
- Two sessions stalled with no RIR change → abandon double progression

## Volume Counting (Fractional Sets)

- Direct sets (target muscle = prime mover) count as 1.0
- Indirect sets (synergist) count as 0.5 — e.g., barbell row = 1.0 back + 0.5 biceps
- Sets to 0–2 RIR contribute full hypertrophic stimulus regardless of rep count
- Sets at 4+ RIR contribute meaningfully less

## Individual Adjustments

| Trigger | Action |
|---|---|
| Joint pain in any lift | Remove from low-rep zone; shift to 12–25 |
| 1RM test within 8 weeks | Shift primary lifts to 1–5 reps for 3–4+ weeks |
| Stagnation across full mesocycle | Audit weekly fractional sets, RIR, total hard sets BEFORE changing rep range |
| Cannot recover between sessions | Drop volume 30%, hold rep range, before changing rep range |

## Operating Principles

- **Volume × effort > rep range.** Sets at 0–2 RIR contribute roughly the same regardless of 6, 12, or 25 reps.
- **Strength has different logic.** Heavy load specificity matters; volume plateaus early; RIR barely matters.
- **Map by category, not goal.** A heavy compound at 6 reps and an isolation at 18 reps are both hypertrophy work in the same program.
- **Audit volume and effort before changing rep range** when results stall.

For full citations see https://json.fit/rep-range-references.md