Should I aim to do an equal number of reps across my sets?

Asked by: Nathaniel Maza

If you mean to always to an even number of reps per set for every workout, than no. If you’re doing strength training and working in sets, you should work to achieve the same number of reps in a set, and once you achieve that goal, you can either A) increase the number of reps you want to achieve across all sets, or B)

Should you even count reps?

First, muscles don’t count reps, so these numbers could be completely different for someone who takes 10 seconds to complete one rep, compared to someone who takes 2 seconds for each rep. A good example of this misapplication is recommendations by the late Mike Mentzer. Mike usually recommended 6 to 10 reps per set.

Is it better to do many sets of one exercise or does one set each different exercises?

In general, a range of 1 to 3 sets of an exercise can provide benefits based on your goals, and even just one exercise per muscle group can give you results.

How many reps and sets should I aim for?

TO RECAP, aim for 3-5 sets in the following rep rangers per exercise based on your goals: Endurance: 12+ reps per set. Hypertrophy (bigger muscles): 6-12 reps per set. Strength (dense, powerful muscle): 1-5 reps per set.

Is it better to do multiple sets or all at once?

Overall, the research suggests that multiple-set training is superior to single-set training for most people.

Is reps until failure good?

Research has shown that stopping well short of failure, so for example, stopping at 5 reps in a set when you could have done 10 reps to failure, is inferior for muscle growth. Meaning that it’s crucial that you get close enough to failure during your sets to still maximize growth.

Is it better to do slow or fast reps?

If you’re looking to build muscle quickly, whether you’ve been training for years or are just starting out, then doing slower reps is the way to go. Workouts with slower reps cause your muscles to experience more time under tension, much more than with faster reps.

Should I do all sets at once?

No matter how many reps you’re completing per set, most fitness experts recommend performing between two and six sets for each exercise. Anything below two sets may not challenge you enough; anything over six sets could lead to overworked muscles.

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.

Should I train to failure on every set?

Failure training shouldn’t be used on every set. If you use failure training, do so only on the last set of an exercise, and perhaps only on a hypertrophy day. Individuals using “beyond failure” intensity techniques should factor in additional rest when doing so. Allow your body to recover!

Is 1 set to failure enough?

Increasing the number of sets taken to failure from one set to two, three or four provides no more benefit than doing just one set to failure. In fact, taking more than one set to failure may actually blunt strength gains. Take-home message: for strength, do no more than one set to failure per exercise.

How many sets should I do to gain muscle?

In order to get bigger and stronger, you must ensure your muscles work harder than they are used to. Generally, between 6-12 reps for 3-6 sets will help to build overall muscle size.

How many sets is too much?

He took a deeper look into the previous meta-analysis I mentioned and found that limit to be roughly 10 sets per muscle group. So for example, on your chest day, performing over 10 hard sets dedicated to your chest will likely just begin to provide diminishing returns and start to impair your recovery.

What is the best rep range for muscle growth?

The best rep range for building muscle

Numerous research studies show that high-volume resistance training is the best method for building muscle. According to the American Council on Exercise, the eight to 15 rep range holds the most muscle-building potential.

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.

How many sets is considered overtraining?

Another common mistake of overtraining is hitting the biceps with too many sets, you could walk into almost any gym and find someone doing 20 odd sets on their biceps being under the incorrect impression that ‘more is better’.
Recommended Sets Per Week for Each Muscle Group.

Is 30 sets for chest too much?

Be sure to keep your weekly training volume (the total of your working sets) for chest between 12-16 total reps. If you find out you are performing more than 20 sets per week, there is a very good chance you are doing TOO much and are actually diminishing your bodies ability to build new muscle mass.

How many total sets should you do per workout?

You should be aiming for 10-20 sets per muscle group per week split into two sessions. This will keep you fresh, avoiding potential over-training and should give you better gains. Aim for each workout to consist of 15-25 sets total but with less than 10 sets for a specific muscle group on one day.

Is 4 sets of 12 reps good?

Sets of anywhere from 4–40 reps will stimulate muscle growth quite well, but most research shows that doing 6–20 reps per set is the most efficient way to build muscle. Bodybuilders often use the middle of that range, favouring 8–12 reps per set.

Is volume killing your gains?

To these guys too much training volume is literally killing your gains! High-intensity bodybuilders believe that you have to push yourself really, really hard on a smaller number of sets for optimal results. High-intensity bodybuilders usually only perform 1-10 sets per week for each body part.

Do legs respond better to higher reps?

Use Higher Reps

The rule of thumb for gaining size is to use a rep range of 8-12. With legs, however, I always found – and research backs me up – that higher reps produce the biggest gains. I experienced great results with squats, lunges, leg presses and leg extensions when doing sets of 15-20 reps.