Choosing Sets & Reps

Why Do I Choose Specific Set & Rep Ranges?

There’s a scenario that has come up often, and I can remember it happening even with high school football teammates of mine like 100 years ago (I decided there’s no reason to actually count anymore, being 30 and all). It goes something like this: “Coach wants me to do 3x5 (3 sets, 5 reps each set), but that’s only because he thinks I’m weak like everyone else…I’m a bad@** though, so I’ll just do 15 in a row.”

I might be paraphrasing.

The logical explanation or defense to the coach is, “I did the same amount of work in less time, and therefore I’ll get better results.”
Unfortunately, that logic is completely flawed. As a coach, we explain that if you could do 15 reps with a given weight, you should have used more weight to do a set of 5, rest or perform a 2nd exercise, then perform another set, and so forth.

This is satisfactory for most, but some still believe they don’t need rest and can “mentally push their way through it”. The fact is, if you are using the same weight for a set of 15 that you would for a set of 5, you are either cheating on the sets of 15 (too heavy, poor form) OR you are leaving something on the table for a set of 5. We can’t trump physiology in this case. If you are pushing yourself for a set of 5, there is no way you could use the same weight/intensity for a set of 15.

So why do we use different set & rep schemes? Isn’t 3 sets of 10 for every exercise good enough?

The fact is, we choose different sets and reps in order to tailor a program to specific goals and ability levels. We get different responses and results from each (neuromuscular, endocrine and cardiovascular responses are all different with different sets and rep schemes).

Below is a short breakdown of different qualities (goals) we can work on and what set & rep schemes we use to achieve each (For pure beginners this changes; anything will work with a newbie). These are very general and try to think of it as part of a continuum more than a hard and fast rule.

Beginners

No matter what the goal is, most of my beginners will start in very similar set and rep ranges. I generally progress from 1-2 sets of 15 reps at the beginning, and slowly work towards 3 sets where the reps actually drop down. Why?
By starting in a higher rep range, we can focus on form and mechanics but still get a training effect without too much risk.
By lowering the reps through progression we make it easier to increase the intensity (weight, exercise difficulty, etc.) while keeping the volume somewhat consistent (3x10 = 30 reps, just like 2x15 = 30 reps). By using heavier weights for the same number of repetitions, we have increased the total work done. Big win for progress!

I generally take 3 months to work through this progression in order to really hone in on exercise technique but still ensuring progress is made towards your goals. Once movements are more proficient I am more comfortable working in lower rep ranges and progressing things as outlined below.

1. Max Strength *

Set & Rep Range: 1-4 reps

Strength is literally a measure of how much force you can produce in a given movement. To get stronger it is necessary to lift progressively more weight (with proper form of course). The easiest way to do this is in the lower rep range. Why? As you start to add reps, other systems and limiting factors come into play (muscular endurance, mental focus, cardiovascular endurance etc.). At these low rep ranges your entire focus can be on producing as much force as possible.

Why do you need to do it?

Increasing muscular strength is great for many reasons if your goals are more general fitness related. For one, as we age bone density becomes an increasing concern. Strength training will be a huge foundation for curbing osteopenia/osteoporosis. Second, increasing strength will go a long way in increasing your work capacity (essentially you are increasing the size of your engine and it will make work bouts at lower ranges feel easier by comparison). In other words, the stronger you are, the more work you’ll be able to do in your metabolic strength sessions which will mean more calories burned in less time!

Be careful of: This set and rep range is best for advanced lifters and when done well can cause a ton of fatigue on the neuromuscular system. You won’t feel tired, or winded, but your ability reproduce these max effort lifts for the next few days will be compromised.

2. General Strength *

Set & Rep Range: 4-6

Now we’ve added a few reps but are still in a low enough range to focus on strength but is a little less taxing on the nervous system than the max strength range.

3. Strength*

Set & Rep Range: 6-12

This is a range where we can still use relatively heavy weights but increase the total volume and workload performed in a given workout. Example:

On Monday Johnny squats for 5 sets of 3 reps with 200 lbs. Total workload = 15 reps x 200 lbs = 3,000 lbs. This was a max strength-type workout.

On Friday Johnny squats 150 lbs for 3 sets of 10. Total workload = 30 reps x 150 lbs = 4,500 lbs. His total workload was higher, and most likely done in a shorter amount of time, although the weight used was lower.

4. Muscular Endurance*

Set & Rep Range: 12-20 or more

This scheme is reserved for metabolic workouts with lower weight but is extremely taxing in a different way. Here the focus is work capacity, or your ability to repeat a motion with good form, under load. How many times can you produce a given force before your muscles begin to fatigue? Here your ability to produce force isn’t as important as your ability to clear metabolic waste quickly enough to produce more energy to keep the set going without losing form. To elicit the desired response, the weight will be lighter (lower intensity) but still enough to the point where you only have 1 or 2 perfect reps left in the tank at the end.

“Wait a minute, none of those fit in with my goals of gaining muscle/toning/losing fat!”

Given these set & rep schemes, it is important to note that what seems to work best for muscle gain is a good combination of all of these. We’re not really sure why it works, but we know it helps to get a lot of volume, combined with max strength work and everything in between.

The same holds true for fat loss. ALL of these will aid. There will be a greater focus on Metabolic Resistance Training (circuits with higher rep ranges, specified rest periods, etc.) but it is all important to your goals!

So next time you look at your program try to think through each day’s sets and reps to have a good understanding of the “why” behind it!