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Couple of Weights Questions.

  • 21-08-2007 2:28pm
    #1
    Gumbyman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 272 ✭✭


    Hi guys. I have a couple of Qs regarding my weights that hopefully you can help me with. Apologies if these are silly questions. Thanks!

    First off, what are reps and sets? Am I right in thinking that a rep is one (for eg lifting the dumbells once) and that a set is a number of these?

    How many reps should be in a set? At the mo I do 12 reps and increase the weight in whatever exercise I'm doing until 12 reps is just about doable. Is this ok?

    I have read posts here saying that people do, say, 4 sets of 8 reps of (whatever). Is it best to do a number of sets one after another (allowing a break - how long?) or is it best to rotate the sets (ie one set of exercise X then one of Y and Z then back to X again)?

    In a session should you be increasing the weights to make the sets harder as you go along or decreasing?

    Thanks guys! All help appreciated.

    Gumby.


Comments

  • #2
    rubadub
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,386 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    To grow muscles it is recommended to be in the 8-12 rep range. Your definitions of rep & set are right. Some atheletes would prefer to be strong while not having too much muscle, so they will train in different ranges, some want endurance, some want bursts of strength. A sprinter is muscley to have massive power to burst around, a marathon runner does not want to be lugging around un-needed muscle.

    If you are trying to lose weight then growing and maintaining big muscles uses up a lot of calories, and it looks better than just being a skinny whippet, also when on a calorie deficit you can lose muscle along with fat so weights prevent this.

    www.exrx.net is a great site about weight training.

    I will sometimes lower weights as I go on, usually I just lower the reps at the same weight, I lift as much as I can manage, so the first I aim for 12 reps, the next might be 10-11, the next 8-10reps. This way I am always within the 8-12 reps, and I do not have the hassle of changing weights.


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