How Many Sets for an Exercise?
Before you get your teeth into this article I would strongly advise that you read our post on Repetitions first. Even if you think you know it all it would be a good idea to remind yourself of the main points. You can read our post on Exercise Repetitions here.
So you have now understood how to choose the correct amount of repetitions for your desired goal, but how many times should you repeat them or how many sets should you do?
What are sets?
Sets are simply repetitions of repetitions. For example if you perform 12 reps of an exercise that is one set. If you then do 12 more reps that will be your second set. Not too complicated really (Could you repeat that? – Beeble).
How many sets should you perform per exercise?
This is where it can get confusing, the most popular answer to this question is usually three sets per exercise. Why? I have no idea, but like many exercise concepts in the past they stick until someone comes along with a group of scientists and proves it to be incorrect. Some people will train at five sets and others will just do the one but carry out many different exercises.
Here come the scientists
A group of scientists at the University of Florida took a group of participants with an average training experience of six years. They split the guinea pigs into two groups: one training with three sets and one training with just the one set per exercise. After 13 weeks the tests showed that the gains were equal between the two groups and thus in their eyes it proved that there is no need to complete more than one set. Well, it certainly seems that your training session could become a little shorter and easier.
Our thoughts
The day when you agree with the scientists after one experiment is a very sad day indeed. One experiment does not prove anything and from my experience in training it just doesn’t ring true. When I first heard this I changed my training and performed just one set per muscle group and I can confidently say the transformation was amazing. I lost a lot of strength and muscle size in a month and the workouts were just not challenging enough.
More scientists
Thankfully it seems that I am not the only one who doesn’t quite believe these results as now even more men and women in white coats have been studying the theory. These guys from Germany tested female strength trainers training twice a week for a total of 6 weeks. Their tests produced completely the opposite results to the first lot of scientists. For the women who trained one set there was little to no strength improvements whereas for the women who trained three sets there were strength improvements of around 6 to 10%.
More studies
There have been more experiments since and the growing agreement seems to be that three sets are better than one for strength gains and of course that makes me and a lot of other trainers happy because (as always) we could have told them that ages ago.
Are three sets better?
The problem with these experiments and much exercise advice is that it is all directed at Mr and Mrs Average and whilst I am sure they are nice people, they really don’t exist. What works for one person will not work for the next so in my honest opinion while these studies are “interesting” they don’t give a conclusive answer because they can’t.
What do we suggest
If I train for the rest of my life performing three sets per exercise I will see some good development during that time. I can change the exercises around and bring in new ones as much as I like. However if I were to regularly change the number of sets I do as well as the different exercises I will add real change to my body. The body can get use to performing three sets as can the mind and if you are always expecting three sets then you just are not challenging your body enough. So when you change your routine try 1 set all the way through to 5 sets.
1 set training
It doesn’t mean that you have to do less sets in total if you only do one set of each exercise. If you introduce more exercises then you can end up doing the same total amount of sets per workout as the three set people; it’s just that every set you will be challenging your body in a slightly different way.
Summary
You can get very good benefits from your training however many sets you perform as long as you follow some simple rules:
- Every set should be taken to muscle fatigue (maintaining perfect technique)
- Less sets shouldn’t mean less exercise
- The body craves variety so regularly change the number of sets you do
When you get into the science of training then perhaps your goals are very specific or maybe you are looking for the best way to get that all important advantage over fellow athletes. For the day-to-day trainer I would not worry too much about how many sets you do. As long as you give your body variety, perform every set to muscle fatigue and eat well you will see the changes you want.
Good luck with your training!
June 10th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
recently bought bodi-tek spring bar. what are the benefits,if any of using it?fred
June 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Hi Hugo,
Nice comprehensive post. rounding off yr earlier answers on the subject. One particular aspect on which I have found some folks who disagree is “Every set should be taken to muscle fatigue (maintaining perfect technique)”. Talking specifically of bodyweight ex, they say if set-1 is taken to the limit, then set-2 one will do fewer reps, and again fewer still on set-3, as this would be Pyramid training applied to bodywt ex. Their idea is that it is better to do 3 sets of an equal no of reps, with the first obviously not taking one to fatigue, the second nearer, and only the last all the way there. I suppose a fair comment would be that both ways will work, and one can try them alternately to introduce the variety you say is so necessary. Am I right?
June 11th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
The Body-Tek power bar is one of those products that really only benefits Body-Tek. This might sound a bit harsh but when you try and make one piece of equipment do all jobs they either do all the jobs badly or have no effect at all. If you take a look at the wall chart that comes with the product the model is bending it and moving it in all sorts of directions, which they claim work a certain part of the body but the limitations of the design mean that it all looks really awkward and I can’t really see it maximise your gains.
In my honest opinion never rely on a product that says it does everything. Probably not the news you wanted to hear, sorry
June 11th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I don’t know who you’re getting your information from but you will find in most industries there will be differing opinions. None more so than the fitness industry though and because of this you will find that everyone has a bit of advice to give you that probably contraindicates someone else’s advice. In this case it is absolute nonsense that having performed one set of a bodyweight exercise you can’t then repeat the same number of reps in the second set. If you give yourself antiquate rest then there is no need to reduce the reps. However that said the body weight exercises are slightly different in the sense that you can’t choose your weight therefore before you gain good strength you may have no other option than to perform them in a pyramid style of training.
June 19th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Very interesting info. I usually do 3 sets in my workout. We need to challenge our muscles to the limit in order to see positive result. One set might be a good starting point for beginners but it’s not for everyone (as the article says).