As a beginner, I recommend that you do 15-30 total reps per exercise. Fitness trainers explain whether you should train low reps, high weight or high reps, low weight for strength. Sets and reps and inversely proportional. The first set is the heaviest set and the following sets get progressively lighter. The precise number will depend on what your specific goal is, which can include muscle growth, strength, or endurance. This is all great reading. This style of training is useful for those wanting to maximize hypertrophy. Getting good at circuits, only makes you good at circuit style training. A set refers to a group of repetitions (or reps) of that exercise. If you are a beginner, I rather that you perform straight sets at a weight you can sustain for at least 3 sets. 2 sets can be enough if you perform at least 10-12 difficult repetitions per set. Note: When you click the button, you will be joining The White Coat Trainer email list. That’s a great point. Get Started With Four Free Tried and Tested Beginner Workouts That Only Take 30 Minutes A Day! Going from the starting position, through the action and back to the starting position counts as one repetition (rep). Regardless, you should be aiming for about 10 to 15 sets per week. You have to continuously challenge yourself as you become more advanced. I recommend you focus on reps rather than time, because you can always be objective with the number of repetitions you do. The adoption of his protocol, however, misses a crucial point: you, and what you want to achieve. How Many Sets Total Should Be Done for Triceps?. The advantage of supersets is that it allows you to perform more work in less time. And that’s where it’s been since 1948, in what became known as ‘the DeLorme Technique’, which demands a different weight proportionate to 10 rep max, or RM (a weight you can lift for only 10 reps, not nine or 11) – 50, 75 and 100 per cent, respectively. So, now let’s go over the ideal number of reps you should do for each exercise. So how many sets should you do for hypertrophy? The power training protocol was 3 sets of 12 to 14 reps at 40% of the participant's one rep max. Enjoy! However, this can be somewhat difficult and confusing because everyone one has a different opinion about how many repetitions you should be doing or how many sets you need to do in order to grow. Going above 20 reps can also useful for beginners focusing only on bodyweight exercises. In rep one he registers 92 per cent. But before you follow the crowd into a practice that may undermine your fitness goals, it’s worth taking a look at the science (which, as it happens, agrees with me). How Much Weight Should You Lift To Build Muscle & Gain Strength? Most people should stick to hypertrophy and general strength, in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio, If you want to improve your endurance: Do sets of 12-15 reps per set, If you want to get muscular hypertrophy: Do sets of 7-12 reps per set, If you want to improve your overall strength: Do sets of 4-6 reps per set, If you are competing in a strength sport and want to improve maximal strength: Do sets of 1-3 reps per set, For each individual exercise, do 3-5 total sets, averaging 15-30 total reps per exercise, Use supersets for your secondary or accessory exercises to speed up your workout, and build aerobic capacity. It feels like most of the benefit comes from hitting that first heavy set completely fresh and at a high RPE (9+). Can you do less than 4 or more than 12? Those classes are great for getting in a “workout”- wHich just means you sweat and burn calories with no real goals or objectives. As we mentioned above, the four goals are endurance, hypertrophy, general strength, and maximal strength. Alex & Brittany Robles are physicians, NASM CPTs, health & fitness experts, and founders of The White Coat Trainer: a site dedicated to improving the health and fitness of busy professionals. I just recently started training that way and I so far I prefer it over the straight sets I had been doing. And lastly, just always keep in mind that research tells us about averages. You may think your reps are doing the job, but a subtle switch could maximise your fat loss and send your metabolism through the roof, writes Grant Lofthouse. Those are your averages out of all the statistics and data in this article. Performing this many reps in a set will have diminishing returns. Or, if you’re curious – you can dabble in this rep range 2-3 times a year. Females trying to tone should do two sets of 10 to 15 reps each at a "Moderately Heavy" weight. Get the WCT Strength Program, plug in your desired exercises, and the template tells you exactly what to do. You can overcome this by performing drop sets after your top set. When doing straight sets I tend to kind of coast on the first couple sets because I know that if I push my RPE too high I’ll never be able to get my reps on the last couple sets. You may think your reps are doing the job, but a subtle switch could maximise your fat loss and send your metabolism through the roof, writes Grant Lofthouse Five by six is the new three by 10. These are the same strategies we use every day despite working 80+ hours a week! I tried it for a short while, but I kept the follow up sets at the same weight. When it comes to fat loss workouts, in particular, the problem with the dominant high rep training is that because you’re so weak in the final reps, the weight you can accommodate is too light to do anything. The major difference is that women on average can handle more volume than men. With supersets, you will only rest 1-2 minutes between sets, decreasing the total time of your workout, while accomplishing the same amount of volume. Hi Rook, Thanks for your comment. If you are doing 8 reps per set, then you only need to do 3 total sets, If you are doing 5 reps per set, you should do ~4 sets. If your only goal is to lose weight, circuits can be beneficial, but just make sure you use this in conjunction with the other training methods we discussed above. Unlike cardio and interval exercises that are measured by time and distance, weight training is measured by repetitions.. Get 4 Free Full-Body Workouts plus a 10 Step Checklist that goes over the exact step-by-step formula that ensures your workouts are optimized for results! ), A Comprehensive Full Body Workout To Build Muscle & Burn Fat (In just 30 minutes a day), Download this valuable FREE template that goes over the best exercises to do to and how to do them to get the best science-based results (especially if you don't have a lot of time to exercise. In other words, after your warm-up setsâwhich are never taken to failureâyou should select a load with which you can complete at least 8 reps but not more than ⦠In my opinion, straight sets are the only type of sets you need to do. If your goal is to lose weight and burn fat, then it is best to perform a high number of sets and reps at a moderate intensity. Walk into a room filled with strength coaches, personal trainers, and exercise physiologists, and ask how many reps per set you should be ⦠To tone your muscles and develop the type of strength you need for everyday life â moving furniture or shoveling snow â aim for 10 to 12 repetitions. Maximal strength is the ability to lift the most amount of weight as you possibly can. Download this valuable FREE PDF that goes over the best exercises to do to + the top 10 mistakes you need to avoid in order to get the best science-based results! In addition, the information presented on WhiteCoatTrainer.com is for informational purposes only, and should not to be taken as medical advice or recommendation. With that said, it will also be beneficial for you to train for muscular hypertrophy. As for the specific amount of reps and sets to perform for each exercise, it is common to perform 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps for one particular exercise, and then switch to a different exercise. If you do 3 reps and then barely get the 4th one up ⦠The more repetitions you perform, the more calories you will burn. Ramping sets are when you increase the weight of the exercise on each set, for a specific amount of sets. HOW MANY PUSHUPS SHOULD MEN BE ABLE TO DO: HOW MANY PUSHUPS SHOULD WOMEN BE ABLE TO DO: And there you have it! As you can see, there were more reps total in the power training protocol. Any of these modalities work, as ⦠Muscular endurance is the ability to make your muscles work for a long period of time without fatigue. You will build muscle tone, but the high number of reps will keep you from loading on excess weight, which would make you bulk up. Generally, this is how approaching rep and set ranges should be done, if ⦠Its almost a combination of ramping sets and drop sets. A circuit is when you perform three or more exercises in sequence, one right after the other with little to no rest between each exercise. The 3 x 10 originated from a couple of studies published by Dr Thomas DeLorme. 2. The first set I went pretty hard (RPE 9), and the second I gave it whatever I had left. Many people have gained a great deal of strength and muscle using 20 rep squat programs, but this is not for the faint-hearted! You might also benefit from circuit training (which I’ll discuss later). He published the improvements he witnessed in his patients in 1945, but before 7 x 10 had a chance to stick, Dr DeLorme issued an amendment deeming the set count too high and revising it to three. If you’d like, you can alternate between strength and hypertrophy cycles and never do endurance or maximum strength blocks. Block periodization is when you dedicate a specific amount of time training for a specific goal. Their advice has been featured on KevinMD, The Doctor Weighs In, My Fitness Pal, Reader's Digest, Livestrong, and The Active Times. Also, this post may contain affiliate links: meaning we may receive a commission if you use them. Need A Simple Workout Program That Only Takes 30 Minutes? Using this information, you can construct the following graph: Okay, let’s recap and summarize everything you have learned. Ok, so now you know how many sets and reps you are going to do. Strength (dense, powerful muscle): 1-5 reps per set. When you hear âlow repsâ it usually means 8 or less reps per set. Please read our full Disclaimer for more information. Learn more about them here. In the 1940s Dr DeLorme was working in the military with injured soldiers, whom he instructed to perform 7-to-10 sets with 10-to-12 reps per set. This is where you put yourself at risk for injury.â So, plank when you can and do it as long as you can hold good form, for up to a minute. You should mix it up with 2-3 different exercises to hit the muscle from different angles. If you are a female who tends to bulk up, increase the reps to 15 to 20 per set. In general, women don’t need significantly different sets / rep recommendations than men. If you press a dumbbell over your head 10 times before resting, that is considered 10 repetitions. Both approaches can create sub-optimal results. Typically 12 to 15 repetitions make a set and three sets complete the exercise. While this is perfectly acceptable for some people, it is not the best way to to improve your overall fitness. To become as strong and as big as your body type will allow, do fewer than 8 or 10 reps per set. Keep in mind, this does not include any warm-up sets that you do before reaching your ‘working weight. Hypertrophy (bigger muscles): 6-12 reps per set. It also easier mentally to push each set hard because you know the next set will be lighter. It’s important to make one key distinction. The sets/reps recommendation should remain the same at your age, but it will probably be less beneficial for you to train below 6 reps. Stay primarily in the hypertrophy and endurance rep ranges. This makes sense, because there's an inverse relationship between reps and load: If ⦠All kinds of exercise and dietary activities are potentially dangerous, and those who do not seek counsel from the appropriate health care authority assume the liability of any injury which may occur. Because you won’t be able to continue making progress if you are always doing the same number of repetitions. It depends. Here you'll find health advice, free workouts, recipes, motivational articles and much much more. This is ideal for people who want to burn a lot of calories and do a HIIT style workout. A superset is when you alternate between two different exercises, performing a set of exercise A, followed by one set of exercise B and so on. If you can easily do more than 20 reps, then the weight you are using is probably too light or too easy to elicit any significant growth. You can now piece together all of this and apply it to your current workout program, or you can create a brand new program using these principles. At my suggested limit of six, he still manages an impressive 84 per cent. enough to allow you to fall within the optimal volume range for each muscle group You should lift a weight that is heavy enough that you cannot easily exceed the number of reps in your goal rep range, but not so heavy that you cannot accomplish the minimum number of reps you are aiming for (with good form)! For strength, you want to focus on 3 to 5 sets of deadlifts per workout with 1 to 8 reps per set. Stick to weights where you can get 7-15 reps per set. All kinds of exercise activities are potentially dangerous, and those who do not seek counsel from the appropriate health care authority assume the liability of any injury which may occur. General strength refers to the ability to lift higher amounts of weight relative to your own body weight. The trap bar is a great tool for bodybuilders, but not so ⦠There are two other types of sets I want to tell you about. So as you can see, I generally recommend that you stick to the muscular hypertrophy and general strength rep ranges for the majority of your training. [Why 30 Min is All You Need]. But after that his speed and power drop dramatically, to 69 per cent at rep 10 and a futile 53 by rep 12, which he only does because he underestimates his 10 rep max – another hazard when it comes to reps. Quality, not quantity, is key. If variety is the spice of life, varying your approach with your strength training may provide just enough flavor to keep your triceps workouts fun and effective. If you are training for general strength, then you need to lift sufficiently heavy weight, where you can only do 4-6 repetitions per set. I am a 60 year old male. You know, the kind when your muscles begin to burn with lactic acid. In general, you should perform anywhere from 4-12 repetitions per set for the vast majority of your workouts. But do your best to leave something on the table. I personally don’t go higher than 12-15 reps, but others may find it beneficial to do so. Youâll perform fewer reps in a row, and youâll perform more sets. How you ever experimented with Reverse Pyramid Training?