How many sets are you suppose to do while working out?

[Anonymous]

I got my reps down pack and I've done a lot of research for this whole thing. I'm trying to get bigger thighs and glutes. I alreasy got me a workout plan and the reps down pack (including weights) its just the sets. I've heard that one set is literally goung to get you the same results as if you did three sets. Then i heard three sets is perfect. Then people keep saying two sets. How many sets do i nees?

[BertMacklinFBI]

there's a difference in what you're talking about. programs like strong lift make you do less sets so that you can gain strength without getting sloppy. the more reps and sets you do the more sloppy your form becomes and the less you benefit from the workout but that all depends if you can handle it or not. 3 is basic. some people do 4. but only doing like 1 set of squats isn't going to get you far unless you're doing 7 other workouts that target your thighs and glutes.

i personally do 4 sets for most workouts.

[Asker]

Im not doing just squats. I have 8 excercises in total from dead lifts to mountainclimbers. So do i only need to do one? And im pretty sure i won't make it to four sets just yet

[BertMacklinFBI]

i think you should alternate your workouts. for example, when i do 4 sets i don't do 10 reps per set. per my 1 rep max, i will do 40%-50%-60% of my 1rm for week 1 at 10 reps per set. week 2 i will do 55%-65%-70% of my 1rm 6 reps per set. week 3 65%-75%-80% of 1rm at 5 reps per set. week 4 70%-80%-90% of 1rm at 4 reps per set. then a new month, go back to low percentages and 10 reps per set. every 2-3 months increase your 1rm by 5%-10%. this is good for building strength, which is building muscle, and it does it effectively because it tricks your muscles.

[SamuelB]

Usually 3 is kind of the minimum. I don't know anyone that would do more than 5 though.

[Seduciary]

Want bigger glutes and thighs, just concentrate on basic movements like the squat (and variations of the squat) and leg press. For muscle hypertrophy aka size, I would keep the reps slightly high in the 12-15 range. Doing lower reps is designed more for strength, but does very little in terms of building muscle size, which is why you see so many modestly-built powerlifters out-lifting big buffed bodybuilders. As far as the number of sets go, the standard protocol for intermediate trainers is 3 sets of 3 different leg exercises.

Example:

Set 1 - 3 sets of regular back squats for 12-15 reps
Set 2 - 3 sets of incline leg presses for 15-20 reps
Set 3 - 3 sets of leg curls

[Asker]

I already have my workout planned so i can not changed the excercises. There are eight all together. My question is... isn't the higher the reps (all together) = a smaller butt/thighs? shouldn't i keep the reps in 8-12 and low sets and lift heavy?

[Seduciary]

"shouldn't i keep the reps in 8-12 and low sets and lift heavy?"

From my experience from doing powerlifting, doing less than 10 reps will build strength, but do nothing for muscle size, which is what you're trying to accomplish. Some of the biggest IFBB pros like Jay Cutler do reps in the 12-15 range. Also, more reps are genreally required in leg training than upper body training. 8-12 is good for benching, while 12 and more is ideal for squats. Here's a quote from the Gaspari Nutrition website:

"Real bodybuilders do want to use ‘heavy’ weights, but ONLY if they can be used for a rep range that stimulates muscle growth (8-12 is a good staple for upper body, 10-20 for legs), and ONLY if they can use good enough form to feel the target muscle doing the work."

[truthbeknown]

I circuit train. I usually do 15 reps of each, and I do three complete rounds of each circuit, so that is three sets. I feel have a good pump and a good workout without over doing it. How you feel the next day is a good indication of how good your workout was. Ideally you should have slight soreness or tightness in the muscles you worked on from the day before. If your muscles hurt, or you can't perform regular activities then you over did it. Same goes for if you feel nothing the next day you didn't go hard enough. Everyone is different. I increase my weight with each set. You don't have to, you can keep the same weight. Also the number of reps per set makes a big difference. If you do too many reps per set then you simply burn yourself out too quickly. I think three or four sets is pretty common.

[kheserthorpe]

For hypertrophy you probably want to hit something like 50-80 reps total per body part. So if you are doing a main exercise and a supplemental exercise, and doing 3 sets of 10-12, that would be perfect. If you're only doing one exercise, you might want more sets. That's for mass gaining, if your goal is strength, it would be fewer.

[Asker]

What if in total i do 240 reps? Is that too much and more for strength training then mass gaining?

[kheserthorpe]

That would be more endurance training, if we are talking about 240 reps on one body part.

Note that these all overlap, but that many reps emphasizes endurance first. If you're doing 240 hoping for size gains, you should probably be going heavier and be dying by 100.

If you're talking about different body parts, it's almost irrelevant. You could be doing size work on your legs and endurance work on your arms the same day.

[Asker]

So i need to stick to 50-80 reps for muscle gain?

[kheserthorpe]

The problem isn't that the extra reps are bad.

The problem is that you're probably lifting too light.

[Asker]

No my weights that i am using is heavy. Im not worried about the weights. Im just worried about the reps/ sets. If i do 8 excercises with 8-12 reps and 3 sets wouldn't it make my butt/thighs smaller?

[kheserthorpe]

You're missing the point of less reps.

When people say less, they mean you should be using enough weight that you're incapable of more.

[ScruffyNerfHerder]

4 sets, 8-10 reps, 2 minute rest interval between sets, time under tension about 30-60 seconds per set. The amount of weight you choose should be what causes you to reach failure between 8-10 reps (failure meaning you can no longer use perfect form in that particular set), so don't use light weights that you could do 30 reps in one shot with but only do 8 reps--use heavy weights that you can only do 8-10 before you have to stop.

[ScruffyNerfHerder]

Also, size isn't just about the exercise you do--it's largely about nutrition. You can really strong and not get larger at all if you aren't consuming enough calories.

Good rule of thumb: take your BMR, and consume 200 calories more per day than that number to add lean mass over time (you'll need to be patient, adding muscle mass is a long-term thing).

[ScruffyNerfHerder]

If you are generally lifting heavy weights, you may need to consume even more calories per day than what I just mentioned, I don't know what kind of routine you are running. If you can, speaking to a nutritionist and a personal trainer may help you get your ideal daily calorie intake.

[Words_and_Wisdom]

I do one set of 6 for each limb. I go to a machine and set the highest resistance I can push with both limbs, but I let go with one of them and slowly let it back in for 10 seconds. If I can't do it for more than 10 seconds I decrease the resistance. If longer than 10 seconds increase it.

It's quite intense.

[MakeitOrDieTrying]

3. Who the hell said that one set is literally going to get you the same results? I mean think about it. You can only do so many reps in a set before you're tired. There's no way someone will be doing 25 reps of HEAVY weights in a row, it's spread through sets so they can get rest.

[AdamThomas]

Depends on your experience. For size you need volume, so I'd say 3-5 sets of 10, one set won't be enough. Squats and straight leg deadlifts?

[Asker]

I range my reps from 8-12 and yes squats, dead lifts, and 6 more excercises

[RaCeRKiD5]

typically i do 3 sets of everything.