Quote Originally Posted by Mossdog View Post
However, there must be a lot more to the physiology (stating the obvious!!!) if fewer than 8 reps is insufficient for efficient strength building.
We had this discussion, a couple of years ago, on a different thread. I mention it again, as I had great results on fewer than 8 reps.

When I started fell racing, I discovered that my legs were not strong enough on the descents; they were physically buckling below me as I chased the leaders. In the absence of any real hills locally, I used heavy weights and 1 set of 3-6 squats to build up strength without weight (using competitive weightlifting techniques). If I couldn't do 3 the weight was too heavy; if I could do 6 it was too light and I'd add one kg for next time.

This worked really well for me, (although I appreciate it might not work that well for everyone). I got a lot stronger, without adding any body weight, and it only took a couple of minutes three times a week.