Working out your body, you might often think about the set and rep ranges. And that might lead you to think what if you’re overdoing your reps? Especially if you are in a high rep range of 12 to 15 or more.

So, is 15 reps too much?

The simple answer to your question is no, 15 reps aren’t too much. Every rep range has its sole purpose. And a high rep like 15 helps to gain muscle endurance and to build muscle. So, 15 reps aren’t too much. Rather, it’s useful for you if you systematically utilize this for endurance.

The small briefing above may not be able to clear all your doubts. For that, we’ve got a full-sized article waiting for you. Please read further for more information.

What Does Reps Mean

“Reps” is the shortened form of repetitions. In a workout, repetition depicts the completion of one movement of a specific exercise. So, 15 reps meaning is that 15 repetitions are done of a specific exercise.

Reps is a fundamental term in workout programs and a lot of things revolve around it. Reps comprise two phases. These phases are called concentric or upward phases and eccentric or downward phases.

One total completion of concentric and eccentric phases means 1 rep. As the rep number increases, the total completion of concentric and eccentric phases increases as well.

In short, this is what rep means in a workout.

Different Reps Range

There are different ranges of reps that are focused on different goals. There are low rep ranges as well as medium and high rep ranges. Different people choose them according to their workout goals.

Low Rep Range

This denotes 1 to 5 reps and it’s considered the lower rep range. This is mainly done for strength increment. Weights are usually high in this range.

Medium Rep Range

This comprises 6 to 12 reps and works as the intermediate rep range. The main goal of this rep range is to gain more or bigger muscles. Weights may vary as the rep numbers increase.

High Rep Range

Usually, 12 to 15 or more reps fall in this range. This is done to increase endurance as well as gain strength and more muscle. When rep range increases, producing a certain level of strength for a long time is challenging.

So, these are the different rep ranges while working out. So, if you have questions like is 15 reps good for hypertrophy, that should be cleared out.

Is It Too Much to Perform 15 Reps

If you love recreational work or like outdoor sports, weight lifting can increase endurance. This may also help you in laborious jobs.

Endurance means the length of time you can function under certain load conditions. The more endurance you have, the more you can be functional in carrying heavy loads.

Increased endurance gives you more stamina to repetitively perform various tasks. So, having good endurance is quite important.

You can also perform better in outdoor activities like hiking or kayaking if you have better endurance. And to increase your muscular endurance, weight lifting of 15 reps or more is necessary.

So, it can be said that 15 reps aren’t too much. However, this high rep range should be done with small rest periods. And the weights should decrease as the rep numbers increase.

Possibility of Building Muscle with High Reps

Muscle building may not be beneficial while working out with 15 or more reps. Because this high rep range mainly focuses on endurance.

So, if building muscles is your main priority, high reps may not be ideal for you. Muscle building needs a heavy weight to be lifted. But it’s not the case in high reps. Due to the increased number of reps, the weights keep decreasing gradually.

Considering all these, the argument of whether high reps can build muscle should be clear.

Why Reps Matter

Reps matter because it’s a total measurement of your workout volume. So, you can know well how much you’re training yourself.

Also, reps are important to fulfill your goal-based training. You can know well about the results of your training and compare it with the standard practices. It also helps to structure your training schedules and outcomes.

For all these reasons, the amount of reps matters.

When 15 Reps Become Too Much

15 reps are quite useful for muscle endurance. But is it alright for every exercise? Not at all. Some people may find it to be too much if not implemented for the proper cause.

Aligning 15 reps with the proper amount of sets may give you the chance of increasing muscles. But that’s not the conventional way and it may not be beneficial for you. Because it’s often hard, time-consuming, and not significant enough for a better outcome.

Not lifting significant weights for strength training using 15 reps as an excuse won’t be fruitful. Adding to that, 15 reps is quite a tough thing to do. So, is 15 reps too much? Yes, if you wanna do it without specific goals.

In the same way, if you have queries like is 20 reps too much, the answer is the same.

Optimal Rep Range

Your optimal rep range can vary depending on the state of your workout plans. For example, beginners may not do high reps as efficiently as experienced ones. So, they might need a revised rep range that will be optimal for them.

Also, rep ranges can vary depending on how many sets you are performing. For example, there can be different sets and rep ranges for hypertrophy. If the number of sets increases significantly, performing higher reps can be tough. That’s why an optimal range should be there.

Also, keep in mind that when performing higher reps, the weights will decrease at a point. This is a general practice for smooth workout performance. So, depending on all these, an optimal range should be there for you as well.

Cautions While Bodybuilding

As you work out or start bodybuilding, you need to be careful as well. Maintaining proper sets and reps isn’t easy and you may suffer body pain at times. Especially, if you’re a beginner, you might need some time to adjust to the workout plans.

That’s why you should be careful not to put too much pressure on your body. Also, try to maintain a proper schedule and workout plan. Talk with your trainer to safely perform all the activities.

Adding to that, consult with your trainer if you miss your training session. For example, if you have a cheat day while bodybuilding.

In case you get body pain or joint pain, you’ll need some medications for relief. You might also need to recover your damaged joint tissues. For that, you can try the ones below.

Hope you’ll find relief using these products. However, use them after consulting with the experts.

FAQs

Is it too much to perform 15 reps per set?

In most cases, 15 reps per set should not be a problem. However, for beginners, it’s suggested to perform 5 sets and 10 reps. So, that means 10 reps per set for 5 sets total. Also, you should select a weight that’s comfortable for you to lift at the beginning.

Is 15 reps enough for building biceps and triceps?

Yes, 15 reps should be enough for building biceps and triceps. Usually, 5 to 20 reps are recommended for building biceps and triceps. The number of reps can vary depending on your capability, goals, etc. However, 15 reps fall within the ideal range, so it should be enough.

Is it too much to perform 20 or more reps?

Anything more than 20 reps can be a mammoth task to do. In general, it is too much to perform 20 or more reps. Because it can affect your body. Also, you might not be able to complete your goal. And if you’re able to perform 20 reps very easily, probably your weights aren’t heavy enough.

Is overtraining good or bad?

Overtraining is bad for health. It affects your body and damages the soft tissues. Overtraining can lead to serious injuries and your muscle training can be hampered. So, in short, overtraining should be avoided.

Lifting higher weights or doing more reps, which is better?

Both of them can be necessary depending on your purpose. If you want muscle growth and strength, you should lift higher weights. On the other hand, doing more reps with lower weights can increase your endurance.

Conclusion

We’re now at the end of the article. Hope you enjoyed reading this and cleared your doubts about is 15 reps too much.

To summarize, 15 reps isn’t too much when you’ve got a planned workout goal and schedule. And acting according to that should give you better results.

So, this was all from us. Have a good time and take care.