Ask the Trainer

Publication: Las Vegas Athletic Club Magazine
Fall 2007

1. I started lifting on my 40th birthday, so I'm not a beginner, but if I want to maintain my strength and size - I'm 42 yrs. old 5'10" &  190 lbs. - how many sets and reps should I be doing?

Answer: That’s an excellent question that many people don’t take the time to address but really should in order to maximize their results. The first issue at hand is selecting the proper repetition range that you should be working in. When determining the number of repetitions to use it is primarily dependant upon three factors (1) The exercise that you are performing (2) The muscle group being trained and (3) The speed of the repetitions being performed. Exercises that require a large amount of muscle groups and coordination (Olympic/ explosive lifts such as the snatch, cling and jerk, power cleans, etc.) are most beneficial when keeping the reps at five or less. Keep in mind that 55% to 60% of these sets performed by olympic lifters consist of only two reps 1. For your sake it would probably be best to avoid these lifts except for special circumstances. The muscle groups determine reps because some are primarily fast twitch, others are primarily slow, and the rest are mixed. The fiber type also varies from person to person but there some generalities that can be made about the muscle groups regardless of the person. The postural muscles (inner core muscles, calves, quadriceps, and shoulders) generally possess a larger majority of slow twitch fibers, the flight or fight muscles (rectus abdominus, hamstrings, triceps) possess more fast twitch fibers and the others (chest, back, biceps) are primarily mixed 2. With that being said assuming each rep takes 5 seconds ( 3 seconds to lower the weight and 2 seconds to lift the weight), which is an ideal tempo for most exercises in order to induce both muscle growth and strength gain, the best rep range for strength and muscle growth is 5 to 12 reps per set. For faster twitch individuals it is best to work at the lower end of the range and endurance oriented, slow twitch individuals will most likely see better results working at the higher end of the range. But just make sure to take into consideration which muscles are being trained as well. Now the good news is that the amount of reps is usually the more difficult factor to determine, the sets are simply rep dependant. The simple rule of thumb is that the less reps you are doing the more sets you need in order to promote muscle growth and the higher the reps the lower the amount of sets are necessary. For 5 to 6 reps one should perform 4 to 5 work sets per exercise and for 11 to 12 reps 2 to 3 work sets are best. When taking all that into consideration also remember the optimal amount of work sets per workout is 24 to 30 sets total and it shouldn’t take any longer than 45 to 55 minutes for your workout to be completed after the warm-up is done 3. After that you’re just wasting your time and effort unless you’re heading to the cardio/ stretching area or the juice bar!

1. Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M. Science and Practice of Strength Training. Human Kinetics.
p. 96-97 (1995).
2. Bompa, Tudor O. Phd. Serious Strength Training, Second Ed. Human Kinetics.
p. 6-7 (2003).
3. Poliquin, Charles. Modern Trends in Strength Training. Poliquin Publishing. P.24-25
(2001).

2. Rebecca, 34, 5'6" & 186 lbs. I'm getting married this summer (Aug. 18th) and I want to look GREAT (135 lbs. would be perfect). I can workout 5 times a week. What do I need to do?

Answer: Congratulations Rebecca, this is a wonderful occasion and one that should provide you with plenty of motivation to accomplish your goal. The most beneficial step you could take would be to hire a well-qualified trainer to assist you with your journey. If that’s not possible then we’ll do our best here. There are three main components that are needed in order to accomplish your goal. The first being a well-balanced, low calorie nutrition plan that is centered around eating small snacks four to six times throughout the day. The snacks should always include a lean protein source(chicken or turkey breast, fish, lean red meats, egg whites, fat free or low fat cottage cheese, and protein shakes) and some fibrous carbohydrates (low carb bread, all bran, oatmeal, high fiber granola, citrus fruits, and berries) with your morning and after workout snack and healthy fats (fish oil, walnuts, pecans, almonds, flax oil) with your evening snacks. You should also try to eat four to six servings of vegetables as well to help with keeping you full and satisfied. Just remember that in order to lose weight you must be taking in less calories than your body is burning on a daily basis 1. The second component is a solid resistance training program used to build muscle and therefore boost your metabolism. Circuit training (performing three to five exercises consecutively in a series, working each of the major muscle groups of the body with minimal rest between sets) will give you the most efficient and effective workout possible. You’d want to perform about two circuits per session with your workout lasting around forty-five to fifty minutes once the warm-up is completed 2. The final component, which should be used only to compliment your diet and resistance training efforts, is your cardiovascular training. When doing cardiovascular training the most effective type is interval training. This simply means you’ll alternate between high intensity periods with your heart rate reaching about eighty to ninety percent of your maximum and sustaining that intensity for about sixty seconds or so. Then back the intensity down to about fifty percent of the high intensity level for two and a half to three minutes in order to let your body recover before going back to the high intensity level. Start this pattern after a five minute warm-up and sustain it for twenty minutes or so before a five minute cool down and you’ll be done. If your body starts to adapt to this it’s time to change the amount of time you’re cardio per week, the type of cardio you’re doing, or the intensity you’re working at. When you put these three components together properly the synergistic effect should have you well on your way to looking your very best come August 18th!

1. Hatfield, Frederick C. Phd. Fitness, The Complete Guide. International Sports
Sciences Assoc. p. 9.7-9.21 (2001).
2. Poliquin, Charles. The Poliquin Principles. Dayton Publications and Writers Group.
p. 21 (1997).