How To Determine Loads, Repetitions and Sets During Weight Training (3400 hits)
Whether you want to increase the effectiveness of your current weight training program or if you are new to weight training and looking to put together a program with a specific goal in mind, you’ll need to manipulate loads, repetitions and sets.
Loads and Repetitions
As implied by the name, repetitions (or reps) are the number of times you repeat an exercise. In relation to reps, the amount of weight you lift (load) should fatigue your muscles within your planned number of repetitions.
For example, if you plan to perform 15 repetitions, your muscles should start to fatigue somewhere between 12 and 15 repetitions. In other words, 12 should feel like you can't make it to 15 but light enough for you to get there. Use this as a guideline when selecting loads for all exercises.
In general, when you lift weights with high loads and low reps (4 to 6) you’ll experience maximum gains in muscle size and strength, which is ideal for those who are trying to gain weight or "bulk" up. Slightly reducing your loads and increasing your reps (6 to 12) will result in moderate strength gains with enhanced muscle tone.
Lifting weights with very light loads and a higher number of reps (13 to 20+) will result in improvements in muscular endurance which is great if: 1) you’re looking to improve your ability to perform day to day tasks as efficiently and effectively as possible, 2) you’re older or have a fear of getting injured while lifting weights, and/or 3) you’re looking to improve your exercise performance (i.e. long distance running).
In addition, when coupled with cardiovascular (cardio) exercise, performing a higher number of reps can greatly enhance weight loss. Consider your specific weight training goals and then choose the number of repetitions that works best for you.
When lifting weights, irrespective of your number of repetitions, it is generally safe to stick with what is called a 2-1-4 tempo, where 2 represents the lifting portion of the exercise or the exertion phase (2 seconds), 1 represents a pause (1 second), and the 4 represents the lowering portion of the exercise (4 seconds).
