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How Many Reps?

Asked in the IOL email group: What is the difference between doing reps of 12, 10, 8, 6 verses 3 sets of 10-12 vs 3 sets of 6. Is there a reason for each of these?

People use different rep patterns for a variety of reasons, often simply to ward off boredom or to change the workout's challenge in a time of high
stress outside the gym. In fact, those are the two main reasons I switch between routines.

I wouldn't be surprised to discover a large segment of our group hasn't ever changed rep numbers, given what I've seen in the gym over the years.
Many people are shown a routine, see initial progress so they know their training is working, and never look for more from their workouts. That's fine; I'm happy they're training regularly. Still, I know they -- and you, if you're one of the IOL members reading who's never been shown the value of changing rep patterns -- would get so much more from their training if they switched up every month or two.

People often use the same weight load, not understanding they need to push themselves farther in order to produce greater gains. Some of you may not have known this -- you may never have known to try increasing the weight stack while decreasing the number of reps. If you see this in yourself, I encourage you to drop the pin a couple of plates and drop the reps from twelve to eight and see how it feels. It's a thrill!

If a person has a particular training goal, be it training for a specific sport, bodybuilding (competition or otherwise), powerlifting, Oympic
lifting, whatever, this will contribute to the rep-count decision. In fact, many will tell you it determines the precise reps needed, but I personally disagree with that since I believe there's a benefit for all of us to be found in all the rep patterns. I also think for training longetivity
purposes a person would do well to practice rep variety since changing the workouts will build interest and increase the chances of sticking with this forever.

Remember a year or so ago when someone issued a Reeves-style 100-rep challenge? It was a blast for those who went for it. Participating in a
challenge like that nearly always lifts up my training during the following weeks, and a jazzed-up training flow is where it's at for me.

Generally speaking, rep sequences used for building strength are lower, from five or six reps moving down to singles; building muscle size moves up the rep ladder from six to twelve or fifteen, depending partially on the exercise; endurance training rep ranges go higher, from twenty or thirty to a hundred or more. There's also rep speed that can be factored into the mix, which changes the demand made per rep, something to consider at another time.

You may have noticed Dave uses the 12, 10, 8, 6 pattern a lot. His purpose is partially to increase the demand on the muscle fibers, using both fast
and slow-twitch, but also for the emotional thrill found in using heavier weights than he could if he were to stick with the higher-rep sets.

Bill Keyes uses a 5x5 pattern to increase strength, but he only holds there for a few weeks before switching to a 5x8 routine to allow the joints time
to recover from the physical stress of the lower-rep, higher-weight workouts. There's also a mental stress issue: Constantly striving for more weight using the same rep regime will wear on a person, whereas switching to a similar routine -- although the three additional reps make this quite different -- will increase the strength level when the trainer moves back to the 5x5 for a new run on strength.

When I'm ripping busy at work and have little time and even less attention, I'll often move to a 10x10 superset routine. I use this specifically to
decrease the workout time, and know that I'll get a massive endorphin-filled pump to set me up for the rest of the workday and all I have to do is count to ten twice. No thinking necessary, but I don't last too long on this routine.

The most common numbers, three sets of twelve, is the most boring mentally, in my opinion, and I use it only rarely. Actually, that one I use pretty
much never -- the fourth set is the most beneficial set and I can't imagine skipping that. Folks, if you're using a three-set program, bump it up to
four and BAM! you'll see a new jump in progress.

Another piece to this puzzle is the rest interval, the amount of time between sets. Bodybuilders should, in most cases, use less rest in order to
demand more from their aerobic system, which, after an initial period of misery, will help them get better conditioned and stay lean year round.
Powerlifters, on the other hand, will want to rest longer -- several minutes -- between sets to maximize their strength gains by letting the
lactic acid purge and the ATP replenish. Yet they may choose to train faster a couple periods during the year to keep their conditioning high, so there, too, each person needs to determine their own goals as well as physical and mental strengths and weaknesses.

The longer one is involved in weight training, the more likely they are to train instinctively, moving from one program to another about the time
boredom begins to move in. Newer trainees and competitive athletes would do better to set up a plan, using a goal, a training log and a periodization plan to achieve it.

Oh, boy. It's so simple, yet there's some much to it should one want to delve a little deeper. Anyone up for a hundred-repper?

Laree

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