Personal Training Tips: How many reps should I be lifting?

If you were to take a look at every gym program ever written, whether it be by a qualified trainer or just your muscliest friend that you think must know plenty about training, you would find a very high percentage of them that say 10 reps per set. 10 reps per set for people wanting to get big! 10 reps per set for people wanting to get strong! 10 reps per set for people wanting to lose body fat! 10 reps for every goal imaginable!

So is it a perfect 10 for you?

SAID Principle

For each different goal we have in the gym, there are different training techniques that have been proven to be most effective in achieving results. It is impossible to reach specific goals with a generic program. There is a principle in Personal training called the SAID principle. This stands for “Specific adaptation to imposed demand”, which means that your body will make adaptations to any stresses you place upon it with your training, but in a very specific manner. For example, to make yourself strong on a flat bench press, you must perform flat bench presses. It has been shown that there is very little crossover even between an incline bench press, flat bench press and a decline bench press. Each movement must be specifically trained, in order to improve. The same is true when it comes to what rep range you train within. Different rep ranges and intensities, will incur very specific adaptations within the body. This is also commonly known as “specificity”.

What Rep ranges will achieve each goal?

Strength training – Strength is the maximum force that we can generate. When training for maximum strength is your primary goal, very heavy loads must be lifted and therefore the reps must be low.  For maximum strength gains we should be lifting between 1-5 repetitions per set with the maximum load that can be lifted for those reps. Generally this will be between 85-100% of your 1RM. Fatigue is also the enemy of strength development. If our muscles are tired, then we are unable to lift heavy enough to force our body to make adaptations and improve our strength. For this reason, rest breaks between sets should be between 3-5minutes.

Power Training – Power is our ability to produce maximal force, in a minimal time. It is our speed strength. Power is similar to strength training in that fatigue is the enemy of power development. If our muscles are tired then we are unable to lift large enough loads, in an explosive manner and therefore we cannot induce the body to progress. Rep ranges should be between 1-3 repetitions per set, with long rest breaks of 3-5 minutes, or to full recovery.

Hypertrophy training- Hypertrophy is the increase in size and growth of muscle fiber cells. If your ultimate goal is to gain bigger muscles, then the rep range you need to train in is 6-12 repetitions. It is with these repetitions that you will keep the working muscle under tension long enough to induce the body to increase each muscle fiber size. Rest times between sets should be between 45-90 seconds, which allows enough energy restoration to complete the required volume of training, but long enough for a full recovery. There are many different overload techniques that can be used to force the muscle under tension for longer periods, and I will address these in an article shortly. But for novice or intermediate weightlifters, sticking to these sets and reps will help the muscles grow.

Endurance Training – Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle to perform repeat efforts of force for extended periods. For muscular endurance goals, anywhere from 13-30 repetitions is where you should be. When you lift weights in these rep ranges, obviously the weights must decrease quite substantially to be able to lift the amount of reps required. It is for this reason that maximum strength will not be improved with this training, rather muscular endurance is enhanced.  Rest times between sets are generally anywhere from 15-45 seconds.

Strength                               1-5                         3+           3-5min                  85-100%

Power                                   1-3                         3+           3-5min                  85-100%

Hypertrophy                         6-12                       3+           45-90sec              70-85%

Remember when performing these programs that you must be pushing your body beyond its comfort zone. You should be working to failure, or very close to failure on each set. Our bodies will only make adjustments in size, strength, power and endurance when we force it to. Your body makes changes in these characteristics because we place a stress on it, that it feels it needs to adjust in order to be able to complete the task. If your body is comfortable, there is no reason for it to become bigger, better and stronger.

Work to your limits and beyond them, and train in a specific manner to your goals. If you are unsure of programming then see the Personal trainer at your gym. That is what they are there for after all!

Enjoy,

Drew