My brand new "TrainWise" app is set for launch on January 21st. DM me the word "VIP" on Instagram (or visit SeanNal.com/VIP) to receive priority notification and a lifetime 20% off discount when the app is ready. TrainWise will condense my 20+ years of fitness knowledge and experience into one place, providing all the tools and information you need to build your best physique ever in 2025, including: ☑️ 5 regularly updated training splits ☑️ 100+ video exercise tutorials ☑️ 5+ hours educational video content ☑️ Progress tracking tools ☑️ Community support
@@a4tay3 reps with 0 in reserve for multiple setsare riskier for your joints and taxing on your body. 10 with 1-3 reserved with multiple sets are safer and you can recover
ADDITIONAL NOTES: I never intentionally aim for 3 reps and am not saying you should either if the goal is hypertrophy… But in the rare event that it does happen, it’s by no means a “wasted set” and will still provide a solid muscle building stimulus. People will have an off day or miscalculate the load and then believe the set was somehow ineffective because “1-3 reps is for strength”. Nope, it’s still 3 stimulative reps that all count towards growth, and you don’t need to add in an extra set to make up for it. It’s roughly the last 5 reps of a set before failure that provide a hypertrophy stimulus to some extent (at least in people who aren’t complete beginners), and a set of 3 is simply starting you off closer to failure from the outset. Not to mention that reps 4 and 5 away from failure won’t be as stimulative as reps 3, 2 and 1 (try doing all your sets at 4-5RIR and see what kind of gains you make long term), so you’re probably getting a fairly close to maximal stimulus from a 3 rep set anyway. I personally do almost everything in the 4-7 range, including smaller isolation lifts. You don’t NEED to train in rep ranges that low (if proximity to failure is equated then pretty much any rep range will produce similar gains), but I do think low to moderate reps are ideal (at least as the foundation) since they’re easier to train to failure on and for less fatigue/demand on recovery.
@Samjain4512 Like @Demonzico said, being sore doesn't always indicate a good workout. What matters is pushing yourself during reps, during which you should feel a lot of tension in your muscles (it doesn't feel the same as the soreness after a workout). In my experience, soreness usually comes after I do an exercise that I haven't done in a while.
I love the content you provide and the no bull shit approach of yours. It’s exactly, what the internet and to be honest, people in real life too, need. Thanks 🙏
One knowledgeable dedicated bodybuilder! I’ve trained for 40 years, competed in the 90s and won local shows ( all natural). If I didn’t overtrain soo much, I know I could have made better gains, problem was I read too many muscle magazines!! Once I learned about the body’s recovery process and how all this ties into gains, more intensity, less volume, more days off, eat properly, Life is Good!
@@ashwinplazz4099 Brother, there are actual natural bodybuilding competitions. Of course, there are also always people who try to cheat, but in well-regulated competitions with strict testing protocols, it’s incredibly hard to get away with it. Many of these federations conduct random drug tests throughout the year, even before you’re in the prep phase. You often have to register far in advance, and if you’re someone who competes regularly, it’s nearly impossible to not remain natural. On top of that, they don’t just rely on urine and blood tests-they also use polygraph testing to verify that you’re truly drug-free. Some competitions even require you to prove that you’ve been natural for the past seven years through a combinatination of past medical evidence, polygraph exams, and other documented evidence. These measures make it extremely difficult for anyone to cheat the system consistently. Sure, you might cheat them once with a lot of luck, but never multiple times in a row.
My new gym saying: ‘Progress is progress’ I check in with my body each time I arrive, scope out some ways to make some progress in the time I’m there then call it a day when I know I’ve made progress. I gym not to prove anything to anyone but because I have other goals in life that I want to lay a strong foundation of health for :-)
Contgrats! Same, I listen to what is sore, and when something hurts I pull back. DON'T hurt yourselves, an injured person can't do anything, and if you aren't already super fit, just focus on getting getting form down, do it safe, and add a little at a time. Good luck to you all and if my 550lbs butt could find somewhere to start, you can too, just make sure it's not gonna hurt you!
@@walidhamid5469 a "cut" in this context is a term for when someone is undergoing a temporary diet of caloric deficit in order to "cut" off weight and lower body fat percent for higher muscular definition
I agree, some days I have these moments at the gym and it's fine with me, I like doing time under tension for all my lifts because it works for me and I see results.
I wish Sean would get more recognition in the mainstream fitness community lol. He’s been sharing quality content since the beginning of the TH-cam fitness era🫡
I benchpress at 4 reps, generally increasing the weights 5 to 10 lbs every 6 to 8 weeks. Full range with slow eccentrics gives me good mind to muscle connections, and really strengthens the stabilizer muscles. I find doing higher reps tires me out faster. I'm 65 and work out nearly every day. Push, pull, legs twice a week. I feel great if I don't tax my central nervous system, which this low rep high weight seems to help.
@ Wrong. Explain then why “skinny” rock climbers can pull-down relatively the same weight as bodybuilders who are twice their size? It’s not too late to delete your bro science comment.
@@fukun5773 because the difference is higher reps give you a lot less strength for only slightly more muscle and because those rock climbers arent skinny and they focus on training their lats and forearms.
I usually do dropsets, so if i can only do 3 reps, I'll make sure to drop 5-15kg of the weight and do a few more reps until failure. Feels really good for me, especially the pump
Low reps , 1-5 per set, primarily target neuromuscular strength rather than hypertrophy because they focus on maximizing force production with heavy loads. While some muscle growth can occur, the total volume is often insufficient to create the sustained metabolic stress and muscle damage needed for optimal hypertrophy.
Thanks for this kind of advice. When i up the weight to the next plate, my form starts to break down and i sometimes think i should go back to the lower weight, but i just do less reps now and build from there.
The patience this guy has to give so many explanations is just above and beyond. At times I would get tired of spelling it out for everyone who seems to have an opinion but no knowledge on the matter.
Love it. 3 reps can still grow muscle even though its not the most optimal. Of course it does mean the set is torture but the occasional 3 rep set wont damage anything.
Hey Sean, I've been following you for years, I think a lot of people would be interested in your Diet, is there any possibility of you doing a video about that? I've been following your body transformation blueprint for years and have seen greats results, but I still struggle with diet to this day. Great stuff, keep up the good work!
I don't train for hypertrophy, but I do for strength I know I must be on the right path when I can only do 3 reps, considering I do bodyweight or weighted at most
I personally really get stressed when I don't hit the rep range because I think it's the best way to get bigger, i'm always changing the weight depending on percieved effort, am I doing wrong and should stay with 1 weight and slowly build Up?
Yeah everytime I bench as a 14 year old. I do with 60kg and 3-6 reps and the rest day it hurts a lot. On heavy weight and low reps you gotta make sure that the technique is perfect
To be fair: Your AWESOME, deliberate form makes all the difference here. A 3-rep 12 second “jerk-a-thon” - even if tough - won’t cut it. A clean, controlled, max-focus 3-reps-to-failure set obviously is super productive. Anyone who disagrees is an idiot.
Oh, i thought you were about to say how you rest for like 10 seconds and push harder than a soldier trying to break into the great roman empires walls for the last rep of ultimate failure
I typically do 8 to 10 sets of three for certain exercises Zero difference than 3 x 10 in terms of muscle for me but far better for strength adaptations
Alright internet, here it goes. I started from being really overweight 220 at 5’10. I’ve lost about anywhere between 40-50 pounds in 9 or 10 months. I still have annoying love handles. My limbs are skinny, I think I lost muscle, and I just want to tighten the loose skin and build muscle. Where should I start to lose the loose love handles? Should I lose them first and then build muscle? Any advice is appreciated!!
I once hit my 3 rep max on bench and I hadn't fully recovered by the next chest day. Like my wrists and joints hadn't bounced back yet. It's the only reason I don't train that hard anymore.
It’s okay if you cannot do a lot of reps on your last set. The idea is to cause muscle tearing so that it can regenerate and lead to hypertrophy. As long as you have pushed the limit - that’s all that matters
lol I refuse to really ever do more than 8-10 reps. I train mostly in the 2-5 rep range weight wise (around 80% or so of my 1rm). If I’m doing more than 6 or so reps I’m only doing slow eccentric focused lifts to train stabilizers and overall control of weights/changes in grip.
In this specific case I'd honestly just use the other hand to aid me in the concentric and get a bunch of forced reps by controlling the negative, which would be even more hypertrophic in itself than a standard set.
My brand new "TrainWise" app is set for launch on January 21st. DM me the word "VIP" on Instagram (or visit SeanNal.com/VIP) to receive priority notification and a lifetime 20% off discount when the app is ready.
TrainWise will condense my 20+ years of fitness knowledge and experience into one place, providing all the tools and information you need to build your best physique ever in 2025, including:
☑️ 5 regularly updated training splits
☑️ 100+ video exercise tutorials
☑️ 5+ hours educational video content
☑️ Progress tracking tools
☑️ Community support
Is one of those 5 splits Upper/Lower?
Can't wait.
@@ChappersLaNoCry Yep 👍
Yeah, but far from optimal.
I can’t afford more apps. Damn. Kino guy. Built With Science. Now this guy
3 reps with 10 in reserve ❌️
3 reps with 0 in reserve ✅️
Better said:
10 reps with 3 in reserve ❌️
3 reps with 0 in reserve ✅️
@@a4tayExactly. But also worth noting doing 3 reps to failure with good form is hard.
3 reps with 1-2 rir ✅
Thank you for explaining the joke my good sir😇
@@a4tay3 reps with 0 in reserve for multiple setsare riskier for your joints and taxing on your body. 10 with 1-3 reserved with multiple sets are safer and you can recover
shoulder/arm muscle separation is looking 🔥
I know right , with that intensity you dont need lots of reps
Hes on juice
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
I never intentionally aim for 3 reps and am not saying you should either if the goal is hypertrophy…
But in the rare event that it does happen, it’s by no means a “wasted set” and will still provide a solid muscle building stimulus.
People will have an off day or miscalculate the load and then believe the set was somehow ineffective because “1-3 reps is for strength”.
Nope, it’s still 3 stimulative reps that all count towards growth, and you don’t need to add in an extra set to make up for it.
It’s roughly the last 5 reps of a set before failure that provide a hypertrophy stimulus to some extent (at least in people who aren’t complete beginners), and a set of 3 is simply starting you off closer to failure from the outset.
Not to mention that reps 4 and 5 away from failure won’t be as stimulative as reps 3, 2 and 1 (try doing all your sets at 4-5RIR and see what kind of gains you make long term), so you’re probably getting a fairly close to maximal stimulus from a 3 rep set anyway.
I personally do almost everything in the 4-7 range, including smaller isolation lifts.
You don’t NEED to train in rep ranges that low (if proximity to failure is equated then pretty much any rep range will produce similar gains), but I do think low to moderate reps are ideal (at least as the foundation) since they’re easier to train to failure on and for less fatigue/demand on recovery.
But I don't feel sore after low rep workouts?
But I don't feel sore after low rep workouts?
@@Samjain4512Being sore isn't always an indicator of a good workout or set, it's the burning or like tension feeling during it.
@Demonzico so like during the set or a few mins after the set?
@Samjain4512 Like @Demonzico said, being sore doesn't always indicate a good workout. What matters is pushing yourself during reps, during which you should feel a lot of tension in your muscles (it doesn't feel the same as the soreness after a workout). In my experience, soreness usually comes after I do an exercise that I haven't done in a while.
I love the content you provide and the no bull shit approach of yours. It’s exactly, what the internet and to be honest, people in real life too, need. Thanks 🙏
One knowledgeable dedicated bodybuilder!
I’ve trained for 40 years, competed in the 90s and won local shows ( all natural).
If I didn’t overtrain soo much, I know I could have made better gains, problem was I read too many muscle magazines!!
Once I learned about the body’s recovery process and how all this ties into gains, more intensity, less volume, more days off, eat properly,
Life is Good!
Nobody wins anything Natural 🤡
@@ashwinplazz4099 Imagine not getting it up one day 🤡
@@ashwinplazz4099Thanks for your opinion mate
Mike Mentzer said it best
@@ashwinplazz4099
Brother, there are actual natural bodybuilding competitions. Of course, there are also always people who try to cheat, but in well-regulated competitions with strict testing protocols, it’s incredibly hard to get away with it. Many of these federations conduct random drug tests throughout the year, even before you’re in the prep phase. You often have to register far in advance, and if you’re someone who competes regularly, it’s nearly impossible to not remain natural.
On top of that, they don’t just rely on urine and blood tests-they also use polygraph testing to verify that you’re truly drug-free. Some competitions even require you to prove that you’ve been natural for the past seven years through a combinatination of past medical evidence, polygraph exams, and other documented evidence. These measures make it extremely difficult for anyone to cheat the system consistently. Sure, you might cheat them once with a lot of luck, but never multiple times in a row.
I do 3 reps of 15lbs single arm lat pulldowns, and now my gains are astronomical.
We have seen your track record over the years. Stay Awesome!
guys sean is just a chill guy cmon
Looks like chill guy forgot to re-rack their bench this time😂
Bro's just a chill guy
My new gym saying: ‘Progress is progress’
I check in with my body each time I arrive, scope out some ways to make some progress in the time I’m there then call it a day when I know I’ve made progress.
I gym not to prove anything to anyone but because I have other goals in life that I want to lay a strong foundation of health for :-)
Contgrats! Same, I listen to what is sore, and when something hurts I pull back.
DON'T hurt yourselves, an injured person can't do anything, and if you aren't already super fit, just focus on getting getting form down, do it safe, and add a little at a time. Good luck to you all and if my 550lbs butt could find somewhere to start, you can too, just make sure it's not gonna hurt you!
You are in amazing shape and you look incredibly healthy. Absolute beast!
Please Sean never change Love from Darwin Australia❤️
Someone started a cutting phase 😂💪
True asf
Bro what do you mean by that..can you explain pls 🙂
@@walidhamid5469 mean he started cutting
@@walidhamid5469 a "cut" in this context is a term for when someone is undergoing a temporary diet of caloric deficit in order to "cut" off weight and lower body fat percent for higher muscular definition
@@walidhamid5469 if you start cutting you most likely loose some strength
I agree, some days I have these moments at the gym and it's fine with me, I like doing time under tension for all my lifts because it works for me and I see results.
It’s all about effort
I'm just a chill guy.
I wonder when Sean will get back to long form videos
Probably when he launches his app.
@@Lefflan Perhaps. I hope so.
@Lefflan Would really like to see long form gym content like workout vlogs.
This Tylerpath TikTok style gets more traffic. People have short attention spans?
i mean, look at the name of this channel
My shoulder popped watching this 😂
I wish Sean would get more recognition in the mainstream fitness community lol. He’s been sharing quality content since the beginning of the TH-cam fitness era🫡
Bro's just too chill
Hes just a chill guy
Thanks brother
I benchpress at 4 reps, generally increasing the weights 5 to 10 lbs every 6 to 8 weeks.
Full range with slow eccentrics gives me good mind to muscle connections, and really strengthens the stabilizer muscles.
I find doing higher reps tires me out faster.
I'm 65 and work out nearly every day.
Push, pull, legs twice a week.
I feel great if I don't tax my central nervous system, which this low rep high weight seems to help.
With that kind of struggle it is effective
Amen to this! I use moderate and low reps.
If you can only get 3 reps it means you have reached failure, your work is done here.
When you’re a chill guy and know consistently working hard is how you progress at anything in life
And nice slow control on the eccentric. That is sending a nice message to the fibers.
Good to know that when I go extra heavy on a last set getting a few high quality reps isn’t a wasted set
Looks like someone forget to re-rack their bench this time😂
Adding that plate to your lap is genius, gonna incorporate that from now on lol can't believe I never thought of that
careful with the jewels, tho
I always thought time under tensions was also important, but good to know low reps ranges are still effective
Mechanical tension is the only thing that matters
I'm a chill guy who's about to lighten the weight.
Versa Grips, a man of culture I see
Your form is always a thing to behold. Beautiful.
So you're strength training?
mp
There is no real difference between strength and muscle training. To progress in both you need to get stronger. He is strength training to gain muscle
@ Wrong. Explain then why “skinny” rock climbers can pull-down relatively the same weight as bodybuilders who are twice their size? It’s not too late to delete your bro science comment.
@@fukun5773 because the difference is higher reps give you a lot less strength for only slightly more muscle and because those rock climbers arent skinny and they focus on training their lats and forearms.
@@RoverXDthere's a difference between strength training and bodybuilding ya donut
That chill Guy part got me😂
I usually do dropsets, so if i can only do 3 reps, I'll make sure to drop 5-15kg of the weight and do a few more reps until failure. Feels really good for me, especially the pump
The best stimulus to your muscles to adapt is going to failure. As far as I know the ideal number of reps going to failure is still unknown.
Low reps , 1-5 per set, primarily target neuromuscular strength rather than hypertrophy because they focus on maximizing force production with heavy loads. While some muscle growth can occur, the total volume is often insufficient to create the sustained metabolic stress and muscle damage needed for optimal hypertrophy.
Omg IM ACTUALLY THIS CHILL GUY. I feel so validated right now lol
😂 I am so chill call me chiliiii 😂
@lavonekuhse 😂😂
It might be helpful to do another set though
This channel has come a long way. Chill guy memes?
Thanks for this kind of advice. When i up the weight to the next plate, my form starts to break down and i sometimes think i should go back to the lower weight, but i just do less reps now and build from there.
'Only' 3 reps? It's those reps that matter.
This happened to me yesterday. Did what I could and dropped the weight down some to push even more
Almost a Indian classical music instrument played during this video❤
ie push the set hard, use good form, get the gains
The patience this guy has to give so many explanations is just above and beyond. At times I would get tired of spelling it out for everyone who seems to have an opinion but no knowledge on the matter.
I always figured that if the muscle has stopped functioning, then it was an effective exercise regardless of reps.
And MAN does it feel good 💪
Thanks Coach!
Holy damn that plate on the legs trick is big brain. Stealing that one
Why is cardio and gallon of water my favorite
Bro is massive.💀
You have great insight bro. Cheers 🍻
Well done you Sean that's why you look like you do doesn't come easy😊
Love it. 3 reps can still grow muscle even though its not the most optimal. Of course it does mean the set is torture but the occasional 3 rep set wont damage anything.
Why the wraps?😂
Hey Sean, I've been following you for years, I think a lot of people would be interested in your Diet, is there any possibility of you doing a video about that? I've been following your body transformation blueprint for years and have seen greats results, but I still struggle with diet to this day.
Great stuff, keep up the good work!
Keep up the great work
I don't train for hypertrophy, but I do for strength
I know I must be on the right path when I can only do 3 reps, considering I do bodyweight or weighted at most
Wait till antwan sees this 💀💀
As long as you get good time under tension
I personally really get stressed when I don't hit the rep range because I think it's the best way to get bigger, i'm always changing the weight depending on percieved effort, am I doing wrong and should stay with 1 weight and slowly build Up?
Anymore longer videos coming please
Is it possible to avoid hypertrophy while only focusing on strength?
When you do one rep and already have the lemon face
And those versagrips are awesome right. They help me level up big time.
Yeah everytime I bench as a 14 year old. I do with 60kg and 3-6 reps and the rest day it hurts a lot. On heavy weight and low reps you gotta make sure that the technique is perfect
I’ve pretty much only grown my quads with 5x5 squats and my quads are the biggest part of my body by far
To be fair: Your AWESOME, deliberate form makes all the difference here. A 3-rep 12 second “jerk-a-thon” - even if tough - won’t cut it. A clean, controlled, max-focus 3-reps-to-failure set obviously is super productive. Anyone who disagrees is an idiot.
Especially if you increased the time under tension
When you’re a chill guy who won’t do pull ups cause you’re lazy
Oh, i thought you were about to say how you rest for like 10 seconds and push harder than a soldier trying to break into the great roman empires walls for the last rep of ultimate failure
That aesthetic physique. Like Greek statue. Much respect, S. happy new year when it comes
Chill guy trying to break limits
I typically do 8 to 10 sets of three for certain exercises
Zero difference than 3 x 10 in terms of muscle for me but far better for strength adaptations
Alright internet, here it goes. I started from being really overweight 220 at 5’10. I’ve lost about anywhere between 40-50 pounds in 9 or 10 months. I still have annoying love handles. My limbs are skinny, I think I lost muscle, and I just want to tighten the loose skin and build muscle. Where should I start to lose the loose love handles? Should I lose them first and then build muscle? Any advice is appreciated!!
Tension time is all about
Looking huge man, danggg.
Consistency, diet, and sleep are all that really matter.
"Chill & Lift"
Going below 8 reps on extremely shortened biased movements like the one in the video feels like zero stimulus achieved tbh
Slow down the eccentric to 2-3 solid seconds and you’ll feel it
For zero net gain and potentially even more muscle damage… I’d rather just do a slightly higher rep set lol
Sometimes I like to go heavy on the last set. Can really feel it.
i go heavy on everything so i can lift all the groceries my wife has me carry
@@parry3439
❎️
😂I'll always continue with a dropset or rest pause.
I once hit my 3 rep max on bench and I hadn't fully recovered by the next chest day. Like my wrists and joints hadn't bounced back yet.
It's the only reason I don't train that hard anymore.
What company makes those wrist straps?
3 hard struggle reps 💪💪💪
It’s okay if you cannot do a lot of reps on your last set. The idea is to cause muscle tearing so that it can regenerate and lead to hypertrophy. As long as you have pushed the limit - that’s all that matters
Faking failure is wild
how is he faking twin
lol I refuse to really ever do more than 8-10 reps. I train mostly in the 2-5 rep range weight wise (around 80% or so of my 1rm). If I’m doing more than 6 or so reps I’m only doing slow eccentric focused lifts to train stabilizers and overall control of weights/changes in grip.
hypertrophy keeping you big as hell
Lmao literally
Got them versa gripps for Christmas I see
Only thing that matters is that you do it until failure. Numbers are almost entirely irrelevant.
In this specific case I'd honestly just use the other hand to aid me in the concentric and get a bunch of forced reps by controlling the negative, which would be even more hypertrophic in itself than a standard set.
Great former too!
Head far forward though .
Should pull into good posture with head up not down.
the risk of injury though
damn can we see the whole set please?