Okay, so my weight-lifting program is progressing nicely, but I wonder if there’s a conventional wisdom to increasing the numbers of sets I do, reps I do, and the weights I use. What I’ve been doing is to increase each of them, one at a time: let’s say at some point I do 10 sets of 15 bench-presses of a 70 pound barbell. So after doing that, and establishing that it’s fairly difficult for me yet completely safe, I’ll increase to 12 sets of 15 at 70 pounds, then a few weeks later 12 sets of 15 at 75 pounds, then a few weeks after that 12 sets of 20 at 75, and so on. But lately I’ve noticed that my workout is taking a hell of a lot of time so I’ve been thinking of just increasing the weight, and possibly even decreasing the sets and the reps. Is there any conventional wisdom on this I’m unaware of? Is there a rule of thumb speaking to how much weight to add at a time, or number of sets or reps that’s recommended for an incremental increase?
Just to be clear, and to forestall the inevitable query into whether I’m lifting weights to look good, to lose weight, to build muscle mass, etc: I do it to stay in shape generally, as a form of exercise that’s convenient to do at home while watching TV. IOW I have no profound philosophy or goals, apart from exercise being vaguely beneficial. If you want to persuade me that it’s NOT beneficial, or that I need a more specific goal, I have to tell you I’m not very interested in your answer. If my regimen is too vague for you to formulate a useful answer, then please don’t bother formulating one at all, thanks.
In general, reps in the 6-10 range are for building mass and strength. Go below that to 4 or less and you build strength with little or no mass gain. Go much above 12 and you 're getting into stamina and endurance with some to little mass gain. More than 20 and it’s all endurance.
As you found out, increasing reps and sets lead to longer and longer workouts.
Since your goal is just staying in shape, stick to 3-5 sets in a rep range that meets your goals (as above) and just increase weight.
Don’t know what kind of weights you are using, but consider getting a set of kettle bells. They let you vary difficulty by changing the exercise rather than adding or subtracting weight. They have an excellent effect on the body as whole with their large motions, that plays nicely into your goal of just getting some exercise because exercise is good.
12 sets??!! No wonder you are there all day. That is an insane number of sets. If you can do that many sets, I suspect you are using a weight that is too easy for you. Do 3 or 4 sets, and shoot for a weight that allows you to JUST be able to do 8-10 reps, before you can’t do any more.
That’s a huge number of sets. There’s been a study posted on here frequently before which concluded the optimum amount of sets, reps and weights for different goals; unfortunately I can’t find it now to cite for you.
But the gist of it is this: the optimum number of sets for each exercise is 3 to 5, and it’s best to do two exercises for each muscle group in each workout. So if you’re working your chest, that means do 5 sets of bench press and 5 sets of dumbbell flys (for instance). Then do two back exercises. Etc.
The best way to do any workout in terms of reps and weights, for getting the best results, is to switch it up and cycle between different amounts. Pick a number of reps you want to do, and then try and use whatever weight will get you to “muscle failure” at the end of the last set. Citing directly from the study:
[ul]
[li]If you’re training to increase strength, do between 1-12 reps, but focusing on the 1-6 rep range (so, heavy weights). [/li]
[li]If you’re training to increase muscle mass, do between 1-12 reps, focusing on the 8-12 rep range.[/li]
[li]If you’re training to increase endurance and muscle tone, do between 8-15 reps, focusing on the 12-15 rep range.[/ul][/li]
In terms of rest breaks between sets:
[ul]
[li]If you’re training to increase strength, have a rest period of 3-5 minutes between each set (ie. a long rest).[/li]
[li]If you’re training to increase muscle mass, have a rest period of 1-2 minutes between each set.[/li]
[*]If you’re training to increase endurance and muscle tone, have a rest period of between 30 seconds to a minute between each set.[/ul]
I have two suggestions, one of which repeats some of the above.
First, you are doing too many sets and reps. Three to five sets is enough, and if you can do 12 reps you should increase the weight. You should select a weight that has you going to momentary muscular failure on the last rep (i.e., you can’t complete another rep in proper form).
Second, I suggest either ramping or pyramiding your sets. That is, increase the weight for each set, or increase it for a couple of sets then decrease it again as your muscles get tired.
To be clear, though, what you are doing isn’t harmful in any way. It’s just not a conventional weight training program. I think you’ll find that you will plateau quickly with that program and not get much additional benefit after a point. If you are interested in general fitness you might want to try a completely different program, like a full-body fitness program (CrossFit is an example of what I mean but I don’t know if that particular one is good or not).
Kettlebells have their advantages, but like conventional weights, the idea is to move to a larger kettlebell as you get stronger. If you just switch exercises, you will be changing the targeted muscles, and not increasing strength in a particular area of the body.
Lots of different conventional wisdoms. The most typical ones are the ones already posted: variations about 2 to 3 sets with weights that you can complete with control to 8 to 12 reps. As you can get over 12 increase the weight to the point that you can only complete 8 with control again.
There is also very good research for the periodization (varying the amount of repetitions and of weights) and in particular undulating periodization (pdf)
The core concept of the CrossFits, PSX90s, and others is a riff of that theme: variety, keep mixing it up. Lots of different sorts of exercises with a focus on intensity. CrossFit’s core is Olympic style lifts (whole body compound lifts), gymnastic moves, and high intensity interval cardio including jumping rope, the rowing machine, and sprints. PSX90 is similar with more calisthenics and some yoga in the mix. But the key bit they share between themselves and with many others is that there is a lot of variety thrown in, hitting a variety of muscles in a variety of ways from a variety of angles.
More advanced exercises put the muscle groups at greater mechanical disadvantage and combine movements. For the OP’s goals a single pair of bells would be sufficient. Gym rats and muscleheads tend to forget that not everybody who ever picks up a weight wants to be an Olympic athlete.
Thanks, guys. It’s obvious to me that I’m doing too many reps at too light a weight, though I’m glad I’ve been able to establish that what I’m working with is within my capacity. I guess I need to go out and buy a few more weights, but I gotta tell you–the 70 pounds I’ve been doing 10 reps of 15 with? They’re pretty fucking heavy for me. Lifting them from the “at rest” position is pretty hard, and I can’t imagine that I can lift a whole lot more even a few times. But I’ll give it a shot and see if I’m exaggerating the difficulty.
The advice I got from several sources was 3 reps of 10 to 15. You should fail to complete about at 10 to 15 by the third rep if you are trying to increase your strength. Once you can complete this easily, move up in weight.
But, as mentioned above - what are you looking for - Muscle size, strength, or stamina…
This drives me nuts. pseudotriton ruber ruber is doing 10 sets that consist of 15 repetitions, or reps. That’s a really easy piece of terminology, and there’s no reason to mess it up.
If you’re doing barbell bench press I’d suggest you really need to start using a rack - either buying one or using the one at a gym. It’s very unusual to do barbell bench press without a rack. To do so you’d have to have to start power cleaning the bar off the floor and then lying yourself down on the bench with it, which I assume you’re doing at present, and as you say it quickly gets very difficult and potentially risky as well as you raise the weight to the levels you need it at. There’s a lot of good exercises that you can do with the barbell without ever needing a rack, but bench press isn’t one of them.
Thanks for that video. I am using a rack, but of course working in my home, I have no spotter, and it’s damned hard getting the thing off the rack at first sometimes. It is heavy, and maybe it’s not safe using a heavier weight without a spotter. Of course, it feels even heavier at the end of a set, and it’s all I can manage to get it back on the rack without a spotter. But the lady who lives in the next apartment is in her 80s, so she wouldn’t be very effective if I asked her to spot me.
OK. I agree it can be hard getting it off the rack and you do usually have to stop the sets slightly short if you don’t have a spotter. Having said that if you’re doing 12 sets of 20 reps with the 75 pounds, I’m sure you can put significantly more weight on there without having any major worries about getting it off the rack or failing. 20 reps per set is a huge amount in itself, let alone if you’re doing 12 sets of it; you must be very comfortable with that weight, even if it might not feel like it.
Bench pressing solo without spotter racks or safety pins is dangerous business. Sometimes, on a challenging rep, the arms just lose it mid-way up, and the bar comes promptly down on the trainee’s chest, or, worse, throat. People get killed this way.
As I train at home, alone, I’ve worked around this by using either heavy dumbbells for bench pressing (these can be thrown away from the body if the need arises), doing pushups with my feet and hands elevated while donning a backpack filled with weight plates, or by dipping between the backs of two chairs, with a weight belt for additional resistance. My chest and shoulder area is the most-developed part of my body according to my friends, so many safe and effective alternatives can clearly be substituted for the bench press.
Well, if I stop posting suddenly, just assume I guillotined myself with a barbell. Nice to have known y’all.
Those were some good suggestions for how to compensate for the dangers of unspotted bench-pressing. I have dumbbells, and could put the weights from the barbell onto them. I’ve been looking for some extra weights for a while, in the local Pennysaver, but no one’s selling around here.
OK–progress report. In the last week, I’ve bought some extra weights (Craigslist) and I’ve discovered that my rack can be set up so that the bar is touching my chest, meaning that I now DON’T need to lift the bar even an inch with my hands alone.
Lying flat on the floor, I can “bench” press safely now, I think, and I upped the weight to 90 lbs. Did four sets, 15 reps each, tonight, plus a few warmups with 30 lb. dumbbells first.