# Rep/Set/Aim



## donggle (Aug 28, 2007)

Well for loosing fat and toning, many a gym instructor would say high reps, light weight, 3 sets.

Most people do 3x10 (god knows why?)

What are the "normal" sets/reps/%1RM for different aims/targets?

E.g. If I was aiming at strength gain what would I be doing?

If I want pure mass what would I be doing?

If I was cutting down?

I also mean things like isolation exercises to build individual muscles, certain amount of sets/reps, or hit the muscle from every angle until exhaustion?

I know it's a long winded topic but it's good advice.

Cheers guys.


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

*If I was aiming at strength gain what would I be doing?*

this would need a more lower rep range between 2-6 this definitely would help build your strength.

*If I want pure mass what would I be doing?*

8-10 reps 4 sets maximum weight for these reps

*If I was cutting down?*

8-10 reps 4 sets maximum weight for these reps

the only thing that dictates if we cut or bulk is cardio and diet not what we do in the gym with weights, i and many others who compete do not change anything in the gym concerning reps and sets when cutting for a comp....


----------



## stocky24 (Mar 8, 2007)

so thats 4 sets per body part for mass is that right?


----------



## Chris4Pez1436114538 (Sep 3, 2007)

what does your trainin look like paul? e.g what exercises would you do for mass and also how many sets/reps?


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

Stocky no that is 4 sets per exercise.

Chris i train using this routine below but i cannot give you exercises done because they change every week.

Mon - Back/Rear Delts/Calfs

Tue - Chest/Biceps

Wed - Off

Thur - Quads/Hams/Calfs

Fri - Shoulders/Triceps


----------



## Truewarrior1 (Jan 27, 2005)

lol pscarb i swear your routines are perfect.


----------



## stocky24 (Mar 8, 2007)

ok cheers pscarb


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

Truewarrior1 said:


> lol pscarb i swear your routines are perfect.


18yrs trying to get it right mate


----------



## invisiblekid (Jun 18, 2006)

Does that 4 sets include warm ups Paul? And do you increase poundage for each set?


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

the 4 sets are working sets, you should warm ups on the first exercise after that you should not need to do them.

Of course you should increase the weight per set not to do so would mean your not lifting enough or you could get injured...


----------



## Aftershock (Jan 28, 2004)

Do you go to positive failure on each of the 4 sets then Paul?

What about forced reps, negatives etc how do you incorporate these?


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

jason i go to failure on the last 2 sets i use the first 2 sets to gauge the weight i have used less sets before but do not get along with them...

I use force reps on my last set no more than 2 though, i also use Rest/Pause and Stripping to push the intensity...


----------



## offo (Apr 10, 2006)

well when i do my sets i always get out 8 reps on the first 2 sets then on the 3rdgo to failure which is at 6 reps and see if i can beat it next time.. i dont up the poundage each set  just leave it the same..or have i misread the post :S

i only do 3 working sets i am scared of doing a 4th cuz i think its pointless and overtraining if i am beat on my 3rd


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

of course you up the weight what is the point otherwise??

for example this is how my incline bench works...

1st set - 135lbs - 10-12 reps

2nd set - 185lbs - 10-12 reps

3rd set - 235lbs - 8-10 reps

4th set - 325lbs - 8 reps


----------



## invisiblekid (Jun 18, 2006)

Pscarb said:


> of course you up the weight what is the point otherwise??
> 
> for example this is how my incline bench works...
> 
> ...


Maks a little more sense to me now Paul. I understand that 135lbs isn't really a warm up as such, but I'd consider the first set or two there as part of my warm up - which makes it obvious why you said "of course" you increase the weight - I can't imagine pressing 325lbs first off for 4 sets would be such a great idea!


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

exactly mate, althugh these weights do change workout to workout depending on how i feel..


----------



## jjb1 (Jun 28, 2007)

Pscarb said:


> Stocky no that is 4 sets per exercise.
> 
> Chris i train using this routine below but i cannot give you exercises done because they change every week.
> 
> ...


swap tuesday for friday and you have my routine weekends off and this allows alot of rest on the body parts.

i played with loads before setteling with mine and i change it out the blue sometimes to suit my life or mood


----------



## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

Pscarb said:


> of course you up the weight what is the point otherwise??
> 
> for example this is how my incline bench works...
> 
> ...


My head works is Kilos... so I just worked out what you do!

In dumbells that would be 30's - 42's - 50's - 72's That's insane. I can only do four sets of 36KG dumbells at the moment! Maybe in a few years...=)


----------



## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

Actually out of interest... I've been looking at the 40K dumbells for the last year.... What would you recommend for me to do to comfortably do three sets of 40's - can you recommend a routine that would take me from 36's to 40's over the next 8 weeks?


----------



## invisiblekid (Jun 18, 2006)

Why would you do 3 sets at the same weight mate? I could understand if you were doing a 5x5/dual/single factor style routine.

Why not work up and do one or two work sets and just one to failure?

I think if you backed off the volume a little you'd progress quicker.


----------



## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

yeah I have been seriously rethinking my routine since reading this forum.


----------



## jjb1 (Jun 28, 2007)

Mack said:


> My head works is Kilos... so I just worked out what you do!
> 
> In dumbells that would be 30's - 42's - 50's - 72's That's insane. I can only do four sets of 36KG dumbells at the moment! Maybe in a few years...=)


who mentioned dumbbells:rolleyes:


----------



## CHIRO (Nov 7, 2007)

Most people can not do the same weight using dumbells VS Barbells. Only time I would use the same weight is if I was doing the rest/pause but then would try and increase either weight or reps the next workout.

As far as rep set scheme I follow more to the idea that your diet plays a majority of the role in the results you receive.

Studies have show that with muscle biopsies between bodybuilders and powerlifters that bodybuilders had more interstitial tissue between muscle fibers giving them more mass where as powerlifters had less interstitial tissue between muscle fibers and had smaller overall muscle size but had more density of muscle tissue.

I say train using both power and bodybuilding methodology's work up to max weight for a set of 6-8 to failure with a compound movement then finish with a pump set to flush the muscle with blood using a stretch concentration exercise.


----------



## jjb1 (Jun 28, 2007)

you can do 20 reps or 8 reps as long as its to the point your breaking the muscle fibres it doesnt matter

then you rest and feed the muscle but same out come either way


----------



## CHIRO (Nov 7, 2007)

I dont agree with 8 or 20 reps it does not matter it is dependent on what muscle your working and how many sets are being doing, intensity etc...


----------



## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

jjb1 said:


> you can do 20 reps or 8 reps as long as its to the point your breaking the muscle fibres it doesnt matter
> 
> then you rest and feed the muscle but same out come either way


Cheers... It's made me think about changing my routine as it's been pretty similar for the last 12 months, using similar exercises and reps. I thought about going all the same weight for the full 10-12 across the sets... as mentioned above - because I think my endurance may have gone a bit becuase of declining the weight rather than keeping it static thoughout the sets.

At the moment I do a 6,6,8,8,8 on db bench, going heavy on the first two sets of six and then usually going down in weight slightly for the 8 rep sets.

So, would anyone recommend that I go up in weight as the sets progress and start lighter (not going to failure) and then failing on the heavier weights on the last set?


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

guys it is down to trial and error....

Chiro i have done the 6-8 rep range and it did very little for me muscle wise i swapped over to the 8-109 range and this is working for me very well.

there is no one way that works for everyone i would love someone to prove otherwise, growth in both strength and muscle is not just down to reps or sets it is mainly down to intensity and how long you can keep the intensity up.

Mack - if you want to lift the 40's then i suggest you make sure you can do 8 reps (without to much spotting) with the 36kg DB on the third set, once this is acheived make the 36kg's your 2nd set and the 38kg's your 3rd set again once you have acheived 8 reps then move onto the 40's so your routine would eventually look like this

2 sets warm up

working set 1 - 36kg's 8 - 10 reps

working set 2 - 38kg's 8 - 10 reps

working set 3 - 40kg's 8 reps

it is all about trial and error when you are in the gym, on the muscle growth side of things then you will not grow if you are not eating a decent diet make sure you have enough protein for muscle growth and carbs/fats for energy and you will be fine....


----------



## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Damn Paul, that is a pretty impressive incline.


----------



## Mack (Oct 12, 2007)

Pscarb said:


> guys it is down to trial and error....
> 
> Chiro i have done the 6-8 rep range and it did very little for me muscle wise i swapped over to the 8-109 range and this is working for me very well.
> 
> ...


Thank you putting it down so clearly Paul. I think having a clear method in my head will really help in me reaching the 40's. I remember starting on 15's at university when my flat mate started me out.. so 40's is a really mental goal for me. Cheers.


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

hackskii said:


> Damn Paul, that is a pretty impressive incline.


cheers scott....i am stronger on incline than on flat bench mainly because i switched and concentrated on incline a many years ago....


----------



## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Pscarb said:


> cheers scott....i am stronger on incline than on flat bench mainly because i switched and concentrated on incline a many years ago....


That is the biggest incline I ever saw at any gym I have ever been to.

I did see a guy once doing 315 for reps (10), and he did about 4 sets but dude was probably 270 lbs.


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

my PB on incline bench is 368lbs(167.5kg) for 7 reps this was when i was on Methyl Trenalone i have incline pressed 165lb DB's as well when on MT.

i think Tom has pressed slightly more when he was using MT


----------



## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Wow, I would have ripped something loose doing something like that.

We dont even have any DB's over 120 and only a couple of guys can push those.


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

we only have the 165lbs DB's because Stuart (Core) the gym owner needed them for one arm rowing/Incline press and shoulder press


----------



## donggle (Aug 28, 2007)

Pscarb said:


> we only have the 165lbs DB's because Stuart (Core) the gym owner needed them for one arm rowing/Incline press and shoulder press


 mg:

Your talking about 165lbs combined dumbell weight right? Not in each arm? Because that would call for one of these to you ------>:beer1:


----------



## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

no one DB is 165lbs total....


----------



## donggle (Aug 28, 2007)

Pscarb said:


> no one DB is 165lbs total....


*Congrats to you then, maybe one day I could do it.*


----------

