How many reps is too many?

Asked by: John Mitts

Anything greater than 20 reps in a set is probably far too many. Performing this many reps in a set will have diminishing returns. 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. The only exception to this rule is 20 rep squats!

Is 4 sets of 10 reps too much?

4 sets x 10 reps = 40 reps

Moderate to low intensity. Most ideal for building muscle, but also suited for endurance.

Is 10 sets of 20 reps too much?

So, How Many Reps to Build Muscle? Doing around 6–20 reps per set is usually best for building muscle, with some experts going as wide as 5–30 or even 4–40 reps per set. For bigger lifts, 6–10 reps often works best. For smaller lifts, 12–20 reps often works better.

Is 10 sets of 10 reps too much?

You may not be able to perform all sets for 10 reps. If that is the case, then start lowering the weight once you do a set where less than 10 reps are performed. Once you can do all 10 sets for 10 reps, then it is time for you to go up in weight.

Is 4 sets of 12 reps too much?

If you’re looking to get bigger:

Target a rep range of 6 – 12 reps per set. Aim for 3-5 sets. Rest time between sets should be short, about 60 to 90 seconds.

Is 20 reps too much?

Anything greater than 20 reps in a set is probably far too many. Performing this many reps in a set will have diminishing returns. 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.

Is doing 5 sets too much?

People who did 5 sets gained more muscle than everyone else. People who did 5 sets gained more strength on almost every exercise than everyone else. People who did 3 sets gained more muscle than people who did 1 set or body weight training only.

Is 30 reps too much?

But maybe it’s time to re-think that distaste for high reps because some researchers at McMaster University in Canada have done a study that shows that 20-30 rep sets are just as effective, and in some cases more effective, in building muscle than low or lower-rep sets.

Is 15 reps too much for hypertrophy?

The “hypertrophy range” of roughly 6-15 reps per set may produce slightly better results per unit of time invested than low rep and high rep work.

Is 25 reps too much?

Are 25 reps for each exercise too much? If you divide 25 reps between four sets (about 6 reps per set) then 25 reps is not unreasonable. But if you can complete 25 reps per set, you probably need to increase the amount of weight that you are lifting.

Is 3 sets of 10 reps enough to build muscle?

Three sets are not enough to build muscle. Increasing the number of sets of each exercise, even while only performing 10 reps, can build muscle because you will be pushing your muscles to fatigue because they are under tension longer. Don’t stop at 3 sets but complete 4 or 6 or 8.

Is 15 reps too much?

When training for muscular endurance you want to be in the 12-20 rep range, so 15 is a perfectly reasonable rep count. In contrast, 1-3 reps trains for strength, 3-5 trains better for power, and 6-10 trains better for mass.

Is 20 reps too much for hypertrophy?

Research and years of training have previously shown that the rep range of 1-6 per set is best for increasing muscle strength; 7-12 reps per set is best for increasing muscle growth; and reps of 12 and higher are best for increasing muscle endurance.

How many sets are too many sets?

The Takeway For How Many Sets You Should Do

Each workout can consist of a total of around 15-25 sets, but the number of sets for a specific muscle group in that workout should be at around 10 or below.

Is 3 sets of 10 reps enough to build muscle?

Three sets are not enough to build muscle. Increasing the number of sets of each exercise, even while only performing 10 reps, can build muscle because you will be pushing your muscles to fatigue because they are under tension longer. Don’t stop at 3 sets but complete 4 or 6 or 8.

How many sets per workout is too much?

So, How Many Sets to Build Muscle? The ideal training volume for building muscle is around 9–18 sets per muscle per week. And if you’re choosing good lifts, doing 6–20 reps per set, and bringing those sets within 1–2 reps of failure, the bottom end of that range is often enough to maximize muscle growth.

Is 5 sets of 15 too much?

While five sets of 15 reps is a good rep range for more seasoned lifters, Howell advises that beginners opt for five sets of 10 reps. Start with a weight you can perform easily (about 50 percent of your max). “This sounds super conservative but trust me, it catches up,” says Howell.

Is 20 reps too much for hypertrophy?

Research and years of training have previously shown that the rep range of 1-6 per set is best for increasing muscle strength; 7-12 reps per set is best for increasing muscle growth; and reps of 12 and higher are best for increasing muscle endurance.

Are high reps a waste of time?

High rep (13-plus) sets

They’re necessary, but also a waste of time and energy. But if you do a set of 8, you’ll only need 5-6 reps to get you into the growth zone of that set.

Is 8 exercises per workout too much?

The ideal number of exercises per workout session is 3-4 exercises. If you select your exercises appropriately and train them with sufficient volume and intensity, this will be more than enough to make great progress. This means: Focusing on an 80/20 split of compound to isolation exercises.

What are signs of overtraining?

Lifestyle-related signs of overtraining

• Prolonged general fatigue.
• Increase in tension, depression, anger or confusion.
• Inability to relax.
• Poor-quality sleep.
• Lack of energy, decreased motivation, moodiness.
• Not feeling joy from things that were once enjoyable.

How do I know if I’m over exercising?

Here are some symptoms of too much exercise:

1. Being unable to perform at the same level.
2. Needing longer periods of rest.
3. Feeling tired.
4. Being depressed.
5. Having mood swings or irritability.
6. Having trouble sleeping.
7. Feeling sore muscles or heavy limbs.
8. Getting overuse injuries.

What is considered over exercising?

To know the effects of over-exercising, you should assess how it makes you feel physically and emotionally. For example, if you can barely move the next day, you probably exercised too much. Even so, if you are out of shape, expect to feel sore and tired.

Is 2 hours a day too much exercise?

But in general, adults should get around five hours a week of moderate exercise or two and a half hours of more intense activity. Or some combination of the two. That’s according to the CDC. But research shows that going way above and beyond that doesn’t increase your health benefits.

Is 2 hour workout too much?

Those who need to lose weight might need even more. Based on that, working out 2 hours per day might not be a very big stretch for most people. However, if you are new to exercise, a 2 hour workout can do more harm than good. Start with 15 minute sessions, then gradually at time as your body adapts.

Is working out 3 hours a day too much?

Three hours of exercise is too much for the average person. It’s more likely to lead to burnout than sustained weight loss.

How many hours is overtraining?

If you workout for 2 hours straight at a very high intensity, then do it again every day, you could very well be overtraining. For most people exercising roughly 45 minutes to an hour a day, 4 to 5 days per week is the sweet spot which will prevent overtraining regardless of how intense your workouts are.

Is 90 minutes of exercise a day too much?

And at the high end of the spectrum is 90 minutes of exercise every day. “The 90-minute recommendation is for people who have been significantly overweight, lost a substantial amount of weight, and seek to maintain that weight loss in the long term,” Pate tells WebMD.

Is 1 hour at the gym enough?

Is one hour in the gym enough to get fit? When it comes to building strength, an hour-long session is more than adequate for both beginners and intermediates. It will allow you time for a 5-10 minute warm-up, 40-45 minutes of weight training and 5-10 minutes of cooling down and stretching.

How long does it take to get in shape?

And if you exercise regularly, over time you will gain even more fitness benefits. “At 6 to 8 weeks, you can definitely notice some changes,” said Logie, “and in 3 to 4 months you can do a pretty good overhaul to your health and fitness.” Strength-specific results take about the same amount of time.

How long does it take to see results from working out 5 days a week?

You’re putting your whole heart and soul into the fitness regimen, going to the gym five days each week. You should be able to notice visible changes after about two weeks of training 5 days a week.