How to start playing sports and not become disabled
Many people start doing fitness to improve physical form or reset overweight, and end up with injuries and disappointment in sports. Most often this happens due to a lack of understanding in what quantities and with what intensity the exercises should be done. Our freelance trainer explains why to repeat exercises, how to do proper warm-up and calculate the load that is right for you.
In training programs, the number of repetitions is almost always indicated: push-ups 20 times or do a maximum of squats in 30 seconds. It is clear what to do, but why so? Everyone who begins to engage in self-care needs to understand how many repetitions are needed, in what exercises and for what purpose. Otherwise, there is a risk of training according to a program that will not lead you personally to the desired result. If it is promoted by a fitness businessman breaking into the market, and not by a competent coach, then there is a danger of injury and forgetting for a while about any improvement in the figure.
There is no magic or super complicated calculations in choosing a rep range. Everything is determined by understandable logic related to the reactions of our body to the load. It should be remembered that overall result It also depends on other training parameters: working weight, movement speed, rest between sets, etc. But now let's look at what number of repetitions is better in different exercises and for different purposes.
healthy approach
The main selection criterion, as always, remains health: the right load strengthens it, the wrong one destroys it.
Multi-joint ones are more physiological, movement in them is more natural for the body, so you can perform any number of repetitions in one approach - from one to tens and hundreds. An exception should be made for exercises that strain the spine: back squats and deadlifts. In them, it is better to start with the average range (6-12) even with low weight. Although multi-rep squats and deadlifts are very effective, the lower back must be accustomed to them gradually.
Everything is different with single-joint exercises: since the movement is isolated in one joint and often puts it in a less than optimal position, you need to reduce the load and do more repetitions: 15-20 or more. Never do isolating exercises in a strength style - with a maximum weight of five repetitions, three or even one. Trying to set a record will only lead to damage to the joints, ligaments and tendons.
Warm-up and training
When you first enter the gym, the body is not ready for training and needs to be awakened. To do this, a warm-up is performed, first a general one (jogging on a track, an exercise bike or light gymnastics), then specific - in the exercises themselves. Start with minimal weight and high reps, then gradually increase the load by decreasing the number of repetitions. Let's take the barbell squat as an example.
First warm-up approach- 20-30 squats without weights.
The second warm-up set is 10–15 bodybar or empty bar squats.
The third warm-up set is 8–12 squats with a warm-up weight on the bar.
If you have problems with your knee joints or lower back (but the doctor allowed you to squat), then you may need an additional warm-up before squats: extension and flexion of the legs on the simulator or extension of the back (hyperextension). In them, too, do more repetitions - 15–25 with a minimum load to warm everything up, pump blood into the working muscles and lubricate the joints.
After warming up, start working sets of 6-10 repetitions with training weight. The first few months you need to master the technique of the exercise, not thinking about the intensity. If you can’t control the movement in this range, then do fewer repetitions in the approach, for example, three to six. At the same time, do not particularly increase the weight: it should be felt for proper execution, but not spoil the technique. The better you learn how to do exercises at the very beginning of classes, the more strength, mass or harmony will be in the end.
Reps for Strength
Now fast forward six months: you have learned how to do the exercises correctly, the whole room is going to look at you and bow to the divine technique. What to do next? Let's say your goal is pure strength, you're going to compete in powerlifting, climbing, martial arts or ballet. In cases where you need to become stronger with a minimal increase own weight, you should increase the load in a small range of repetitions. In the warm-up, leave everything the same - you still need to warm up the muscles and lubricate the joints, but in working sets, do five to six repetitions. At the same time, do not bring to failure: the last repetition in the approach should be difficult, but clean. When you have completed all planned repetitions, on next workout add two 0.5 kg pancakes to the bar and again beat to ensure that every movement is of high quality. Want to do more? Add approaches. Sometimes try the maximum load for five, three and one repetition, but not too often - once every few weeks.
If isolation movements are required, such as arm extensions for a lagging triceps, then add them at the end of the workout in a medium-high number of repetitions - 12-20.
Reps for Mass
You can often hear in fitness clubs that for mass you need to do 8-12 repetitions, and for those who are afraid to pump over, this range scares away. The thing is, they don't hear about important nuance: in these repetitions you need to work all the way - 8–12 lifts of a cup of coffee will not add any mass. Muscles in general can grow from different ranges if sufficient training volume is gained and a certain overload occurs. So what do you do when your dream is muscle growth? Choose the most mass-gaining exercises and increase the weights in the middle range, as well as add isolation with a large number of repetitions. In deadlifts, squats and standing presses, taking care of the spine, it is better to stay at 6-10 repetitions. But in lunges, bench presses and pull-ups, you can increase to 12-15 - this will bring more mass. In bench presses and deadlifts on simulators, you can reach up to 20–25 repetitions, reaching muscle failure, and in single-joint exercises, do 30, 40, even 50 repetitions, finally finishing off the muscles so that they no longer have the right not to grow.
How much to do, so as not to pump up?
Now that we have figured out a little about the features of muscle growth, let's move on to workouts that do not increase mass, but vice versa. In order to lose weight, you can do endurance, increasing the time of work of individual muscles and developing cardiovascular and respiratory system. Let's say you need leg endurance for a long run. Marathon every day is not the healthiest solution for knee joints, but some volume of squats will help. Start with light squats and increase the number of repetitions gradually, for example, five or even one per workout. When you hit 100 reps per set, you can continue and get to 200, or you can pick up dumbbells and do sets of 20-50 reps. It’s better not to do so many times with a barbell on your back, the lower back will fail.
Another option is general endurance, developed by circular or interval training. Choose a few multi-joint full-body exercises that you can do very well and do them one after the other without rest pauses - rest when you finish the whole circuit. Work at medium to high reps (8-12 or 15-25), but with half as much weight as you can handle in this range. The meaning of such a scheme is in long-term work with a change of exercises: individual muscles do not get enough load for growth, but the heart and lungs work intensively, and a lot of calories are spent.
Now you know why programs and specific movements have different reps, and you can start meaningful training. First learn how to clearly do the exercises, then take on the technique that leads to your goal. Try not to break the execution technique for the sake of the protocol: if you feel that you do not control the weight and the movement deteriorates, stop the set. It’s better to miss some reps than to finish everything, getting injured and losing the opportunity to train. remember, that healthy body will always look better.
Hi all. Welcome to a blog without lies and falsehood, bodybuilding in its purest form. In today's episode, we'll talk about how many sets to do in bodybuilding exercises. The topic itself is very important, because it is in the first place in any training complex.
Before we dive into this issue, I would like to tell the youngest inhabitants of the gym, what exactly is the approach? (and the difference between the approach and repetitions, just in case).
And so, repetitions are when you start doing the exercises and count how many times you have completed the movement. And the approach (aka a series, a shortened set) is when you have completed the required number of repetitions and finished the movement (well, for example, you did 10 barbell lifts for biceps and lowered) this is 1 approach (series), which means that you did 1 set of 10 reps.
If you rest 1 minute and repeat all over again (i.e. do 10 reps and lower the barbell), this will already be the 2nd set. Those. You have done 2 trips already. Do you understand?
I hope I explained it in an accessible way, now let's move on to another question, how many approaches should be done per workout, how many approaches should be done for each muscle group so that there is maximum benefit in the form of muscle growth?
The questions are very confusing, misinformation is everywhere ... one broadcasts that 1-2 approaches to failure will be enough, another says 5-6 is necessary, the third invents something else .. Everyone has their own opinion, and who is right, where the hell take it true?
There are athletes for whom 1-2 approaches are enough, for another, 5 approaches will not be enough.
This whole thing depends on:
- genetics
- psyche
I justify why. It is psychologically easier for some athletes to tune in and perform one but high-quality approach, instead of 5, well, let's say, anyhow. Usually I notice this in advanced athletes, because beginners are not capable of such a return.
Warm up sets
In any case, you will have to perform warm-up sets, of course, if you do not want to get injured and say goodbye to bodybuilding for a long time. Our muscles and ligaments must be warmed up before hard exercises in gym.
Moreover, warm-up sets prepare your psyche for maximum training.
So, whoever tells you that tough fighters don’t warm up, etc. this is a delusion, any athlete warms up when working with huge weights.
Personally, I performed both the maximum and minimum number of approaches, after which I decided to stop at the golden mean.
The golden mean: these are 3-4 working sets, after 2-3 warm-ups in the first exercise (quite enough). Let's see how it looks in practice in the bench press lying on a horizontal bench.
Let's say your working weight is 80kg x 8 reps.
So the golden mean looks like this:
- Warm-up with an empty bar (20kg) is mandatory (always start with an empty bar)
- 40kgX12 - warm-up
- 60kgX10 - 2nd approach again warm-up
- 70kgX8 - 3rd approach (leading warm-up)
- 80kgX6-12 - 1st worker
- 80kgX6-12 - 2nd worker
- 80kg X 6-12 3rd worker
We do warm-up sets with light weights, high reps.
This is done in order to prepare your muscles for the maximum working weights in the exercise.
After that, a lead-in approach follows, and finally, a working approach, which is the most important one.
As a rule, when the athlete is still fresh, it is in this 1st approach that one should try to regularly increase working weights (progress the load).
You can read more about load progression in the main articlesx:
- Bodybuilding training programs (here, at the very beginning, it is described step by step and chewed on how to use safe ways progressions i.e. increasing weights and repetitions, this is a must-read).
- German volumetric training (here again, the same safe methods are described, but also about the unsafe method of load progression, for professionals).
- Natural muscle bodybuilding without steroids (here, in principle, what progression is needed for, how to carry it out, etc., but not as chewed as in the first and second articles).
The second working approach stimulates the development of the muscle, it is also strength, the only thing is that most likely you will not be able to do the same number of repetitions as in the first one, because your muscles are already tired.
And finally, the 3rd working approach: here it is more than likely that you will do even fewer repetitions than in the previous (2nd).
I think that in the following exercises on the same chest, you should not warm up.
Because our muscles are already warmed up and even more than tired.
But, if you feel that you need (just in case, so to speak), then one will be enough.
For example: if you have the 2nd exercise according to the plan bench press on an incline, your maximum is 80kgX8 then:
- 60kgX6-8 - warm-up
- 80kgX6-12 - 1st worker
- 80kgX6-12 - 2nd worker
- 80kgX6-12 - 3rd worker
Why are there multiple working approaches?
For a novice athlete, 100% will not be able to achieve a return on one approach in an exercise.
Moreover, even more advanced athletes will not be able to do this.
Because, you still feel your muscles very badly, you simply simply cannot make them work as they should. That is why, in several approaches you have a chance, unlike one.
Only professional bodybuilders are capable of such a return, but they never perform so few approaches, because they often train according to high intensity schemes (the so-called German training).
This method of training is very useful (golden mean). Perhaps sometime in the future, you will discover the most effective complex strength exercises.
But not now, that time has not yet come. All successful athletes who are now addicted limited number approaches (and there are very few of them), or those who use a huge number of approaches, started with simple training methods. You can’t just take it and jump over your head. Start small and go big.
Behind every good training program is correct execution specific exercise. Training can be done different ways, and none of them is unambiguously better than the others. So, how many sets and reps for mass, strength, and sculpting exercises do you need to do? The following tips will help you decide how many sets and reps to perform.
Repetition- performing movement in an exercise in both directions is the basis of personal progress and required condition performing each exercise. One repetition consists of an eccentric contraction, during which the muscle is lengthened, and a concentric contraction, during which the muscle is shortened.
Performing multiple repetitions without a break in between is called approach. However, what really defines a set is the break between multiple repetitions.
To create a training program, you need to define number of sets and repetitions in the exercises you will be doing. In each approach, you determine the number of repetitions based on the goal of a particular training program. Sets and reps notation is denoted as follows: X sets x Y reps. For example, 3x10 means 3 sets of 10 reps each.
Before you start training, however, you must understand that the manner in which you perform repetitions will affect how a particular muscle develops. Probably the most important thing to remember is that each rep must be done correctly.
To be successful, you must strive to perform the rep perfectly on every set. This will keep you from acquiring bad habits in terms of lifting weights, reduce your chances of injury, and increase your chances of developing quality muscle.
Very often you can hear that approaches in the English manner are called “sets” (from the English “set”). In this case, they say: 4 sets of 8 repetitions. Repetitions in English “reps”, short for the word “repetings” - repetitions, repetitions.
For a perfect rep, spend 2-3 seconds lifting the weight and 3-4 seconds lowering it. The weight of the weight should be such that you lift it the right number of times, excluding excessive swinging and watching correct technique doing the exercise.
In general, one to three sets of 8-12 reps are recommended. Muscle fibers respond well to repeated stimulation in this range. However, once in a while it is better to do only 5 reps, or conversely, you suddenly want to do 20 or more reps. As the weight increases, the number of repetitions usually decreases. It takes more effort to lift more weight, and you need to “build up” your strength first.
Optimal for the development of strength and muscle performance is the number of 6 to 8 repetitions in the approach. The principle of gradual overload works here - when the muscles have adapted to the weights and their re-training must be done with a heavier weight.
Lifting lighter weights allows you to perform more reps, improving your ability to work for longer. The general rule is that more a light weight And large quantity repetitions increase muscle endurance, while heavier weight and fewer repetitions increase strength.
The number of sets depends on your ability to recover from each set. Usually, the harder you push yourself during a set, the harder it is to complete more sets.
The general recommendation is to perform from one to three approaches - the best option. Avoid doing too many sets, whether you are a beginner or an experienced athlete. Even one approach to the exercise already leads to significant results.
Bigger doesn't mean better; the number of approaches depends on the quality of repetitions. Personal progress comes with the number of quality approaches, not just the number of them.
Rest between sets
Recovery is an important part of training. How long should you rest between sets? It may be obvious, but the harder you push, the more time you need to recover. The length of time you rest affects the number of reps you can complete.
Recovery is also affected by the total number of sets you complete the exercises with. Good general rule Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets. More a short time rest, such as 30 seconds, promotes muscle endurance, but also requires lighter weights.
A longer rest period (3 minutes or more) means you will develop more strength and be able to lift more weight in subsequent approaches.
Number of sets and reps for mass, strength and relief
The following table classifies common goals and exemplary training criteria.
The goals of strength training and its specification
In fact, the situation with approaches and repetitions is really complicated. As for the number of repetitions, there are at least basic concepts, namely:
- 1-4 reps develop mainly strength,
- 5-12 - muscle volume,
- 13-15 - relief.
However, there are a lot of examples when athletes achieved impressive relief by doing 5-6 reps per set, and made a real breakthrough in terms of muscle volume, performing 12-15 and even 20 reps.
As for the set of relief, it has long become clear that the main factor is still not the number of repetitions, but a competent diet. But with extension muscle tissue still foggy. Therefore, many fans of bodybuilding and fitness constantly vary the number of repetitions performed.
Let's say you can work out one workout for 6 repetitions, and the other for 12. Or, within the framework of one lesson, using the "pyramid" principle, do 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 and even 4 repetitions in succession, as if providing your own body full range of repetitions.
As for the number of approaches, there is also no consensus, although recently something has begun to clear up. In fact, there are two directions in bodybuilding: strength training, which includes a minimum of approaches in exercises (1-2), and when 4-6 or even more sets are performed in one approach.
The minimum number of approaches implies prohibitive intensity: impressive weights, work to complete muscle failure, and even special techniques to increase the effectiveness of training such as “forced” repetitions. At the same time, in volume training, small weights are used, work to “failure” is not carried out.
It is impossible to say unequivocally that muscles grow well from 1 approach in an exercise, and from 5 they do not grow. Similarly, the opposite cannot be said. Muscles grow from both. Therefore, choosing one or another training system, it is better to be guided by personal feelings.
For example, some are sickened by long monotonous work and small weights. These athletes are best trained in power mode with a minimum of sets. And vice versa - if a person can hardly endure straining associated with working on extreme weights, volume training is his element.
It is only clearly known that a small number of approaches and weighty weights are much more fast track to injury. So, if you proceed from security considerations, draw your own conclusions.
For creating own program training, you need to set the number of sets and repetitions and the time that you will spend on rest, so that you can achieve the desired results.
Another of the most popular questions power form sports, especially among beginners, how many reps and sets to do. In order to study it most effectively, you first need to ask yourself a number of other equally important questions, the answers to which will help you understand the basic principles of drawing up a training program - correct and effective. You will be armed with scientific data that will help you improve and allow you to intelligently guide the less experienced in the gym.
And here is the list itself:
- Your level physical training?
- Body type?
- What are your goals?
Each of them has direct relationship to the answer, how many approaches and repetitions need to be done. Let's start with the very first question and analyze each of them in order to better understand its importance and significance.
Your fitness level
This is a very simple question. Do you have any experience in physical activity And strength training in particular? At this stage, you need to clearly define your level: unprepared, beginner, amateur, professional.
If you have been training for 45 minutes 3 times a week, then you are a beginner. Maybe you visit the gym 4-6 times a week for 45 minutes? Then you are an average bodybuilder (amateur). When you participate in workouts lasting more than 45 minutes, more than 6 times a week, then you are participating in competitions and are considered a professional athlete.
Completely "green" must start with aerobic exercise and some strength exercises with lighter weights to prepare your body and mind for more extreme workouts. It is very important to be patient and start small. The most unrestrained risk getting to know overtraining and injuries, after which they are unable or simply unwilling to continue to improve. Training is effective only when the body has time to adapt and recover. Beginners need to work at near-limit intensity in order to recover from physical activity. For the first 3-4 weeks, you should leave the gym feeling like you could have done so much more.
Beginners with little experience in bodybuilding should adhere to a large number 10-15 reps and 2 sets per muscle group (1-2 exercises per muscle group - mostly basic). This is necessary to create muscle coordination and chemical reactions in tissues. After 3 weeks, it's time to move on to the next step.
body type
Our bodies are divided into 3 main shapes: lean, muscular and full. In fact, they have scientific names, but for a change, let's leave it as it is. Most people who have a muscular physique will benefit the most from doing 6-8 reps. Naturally skinny people will benefit by only doing 6 reps. Well, the last group, full people, it is better to do 12-20 repetitions.
To find out how many approaches and repetitions you need to do, you need to decide on goals - they must be achievable and measurable.
There are three important moments that need to be taken into account:
- Strength and endurance cannot be optimally developed at the same time, as they are opposite to each other.
- By developing maximum strength, you increase the potential for maximum endurance.
- Strength takes longer to develop than endurance.
The repetitive continuum has STRENGTH at one end and ENDURANCE at the other. Strength is achieved by performing heavy reps in a low quantitative range, where 1 rep produces the most strength. Endurance, on the contrary, is achieved by performing repetitions with small weights in a high range, where the ability to do, for example, 100 push-ups - will be great example extreme endurance.
- The program, aimed at developing strength, consists of 1-5 repetitions in the approach. This range allows you to use Weight Limit weights and perfectly load the muscles. This type muscle growth called myofibrillar hypertrophy.
- If used in a set of 9-12, then sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is maximized, which causes an increase in muscle volume.
- Beyond 12 repetitions, anaerobic endurance is mainly developed, and muscle hypertrophy is reduced to a minimum.
- Ideally, a growth program muscle mass, should consist of 6-8 repetitions in each approach. Such training has an excellent balance between myofibrillar (strength) and sarcoplasmic (mass) hypertrophy, developing both types. muscle fibers(fast and slow) and perfectly raise testosterone levels.
- To maintain good shape, it is enough to train the whole body 3 times a week, doing 2-3 sets (from 2 to 3 exercises per muscle group) of 12-15 repetitions. You will get a basic level of fitness, become more experienced and be able to set new, higher goals to achieve.
All of the above figures are generally accepted, well-established and have proven their effectiveness in bodybuilding more than once. But science does not stand still and offers us new knowledge about muscles, forcing us to reconsider our views on certain things. And this is true for reps and sets. Therefore, on this topic, you can talk for a long time, and study even longer.
From this follows a completely legitimate question - "So what to believe?". Basically, it's not that important. After all, there are NO USELESS repetitions and approaches! Each person is unique and differently genetically arranged and gifted. So, don't get carried away with theories, focus on strenuous and varied workouts in the gym, experiment and make mistakes, because that's how you can find out what works best for you.
Jerry Brainum
Regular readers of IRONMAN magazine are already familiar with the high-intensity training system proposed by ex-Mr. Universe Mike Mentzer. In addition, Mentzer used to be an assistant to Arthur Jones, the inventor of the Nautilus simulator. Over the years, Jones has lauded high-impact, low-volume workouts—and often in a rather blunt style. He did not hesitate to brand those who did not agree with his system. Scientists specializing in this field were often the targets of his literary attacks.
According to his theory, and later to Mentzer's theory, for every person, regardless of his or her experience, one well-executed set in any given exercise is quite enough. And if a person does more approaches, then, in their opinion, this is simply an excessive load, which only brings harm, increasing the recovery time. Jones has often said that there is an obvious logic to such abbreviated training programs to failure.
Critics of the high-intensity system, after all, called it a "cunning trick" that only panders to natural human laziness.
Few would deny that only the most zealous adherents of this sport enjoy hours of pumping iron in the gym. And the idea that it is possible to achieve the same gains in size and strength with much less effort has intrigued many.
Bodybuilders actually tend to over-load themselves, the traditionally accepted muscle building formula calls for heavy weights and many heavy sets. Yet, many bodybuilders who switch to a low-volume, high-intensity system are surprised to find that their congestion disappears as a result. And all this is happening because they now have the opportunity to recover, which is what they needed in order to grow volumes.
Despite the inherent logic of this system, only a few of the competing bodybuilders still adhere to it. However, many have developed all sorts of versions based on limited training volume that include no more than 6-8 sets per muscle group. The difference is clearly visible compared to the 15 or even more sets favored by the rest of the competing bodybuilders. But personally, I do not know a single bodybuilder who would do just one approach per exercise.
In fact, the question is, is it possible to achieve the same results with one set of each exercise as three sets bring?
According to the available scientific literature, the answer depends on your goals. If you just want to look good and are not going to compete, then one approach is enough for you to achieve and maintain results. But those who are thinking about competing should prioritize more training volume.
For beginners, one set is enough, because the initial growth in resistance training is due to neuromuscular adaptation. In short, your brain begins to communicate better with your muscles, which leads to their rapid growth.
Those who criticize training system, designed for one set per exercise, they say that if you want to achieve any success, you need to move on to multiple sets.
A study was conducted, the subject of which was this problem. The study group consisted of 42 adults average age who was 39 years old, with about 5 years of training experience. They trained for a year on the same program, consisting of 9 exercises, one approach each. Based on the goals of the study, some of the participants increased the number of sets to three. All exercises were designed to work to failure.
After four months, the results showed that, regardless of the number of sets, the same changes were observed in both groups as in muscle tone as well as in body composition. However, upon closer examination of the results, it becomes clear that the group doing more sets achieved more than those who continued to do one set. For example, in terms of body composition, those who did three sets had a noticeable increase in chest and arm circumference, they lost more fat compared to the rest. In terms of endurance, the one set performers found a 48.2% increase in quad endurance, while the three set group experienced a 58.4% increase. The results in the bench press in the first group increased by 49.5%, while in the second - by 66.7%. However, the researchers considered this difference insignificant.
Other studies that have compared the results of workouts involving one, two or more sets of each exercise show that more training volume, i. more sets leads to a greater release of anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone. This explains some of the difference in the results of the study described above. For example, the fat loss in the high-volume group is due not only to increased calories burned, but also to the release of anabolic hormones. Both growth hormone and testosterone have a positive effect on body composition.
The one-set group took about 25 minutes to complete the workout, while the three-set group took an hour to complete the entire program. The authors of this study believe that participants in the low-volume training group will be more likely to approach exercise simply because they spend less time in the gym. Of course, one cannot disagree with these words, but in my opinion hour workout unlikely to negatively affect the psychological state of most people.
Based on my observations in the gym, I believe that doing one set of each exercise is quite suitable for beginners - and, of course, it is better than not training at all. But still, it seems to me that the probability of hitting the target with three shots is much greater than with one.
