Weight Training - How Many Reps Per Set?

By: Marcus Liberty

So, you want to lift weights but have no clue how many repetitions to do? Many people don't have a clue what repetition range they should stay in when weightlifting. The range depends on what your goal is. Do you want to get stronger, bigger, or leaner? Below are 3 repetition ranges explained.

If you are interested in gaining strength, doing 1-5 reps per set is what you want to target. To properly stay within 5 reps you have to be lifting heavy enough that you cannot lift the weight more than five times. Staying in this range will help you build strength. The adaptation made is more in building strength than mass when you lift a weight 1-5 times. So, if you have more of an interest in building strength and power rather than mass, this is the range you want to mainly focus on.

Bodybuilders, football players, or anyone that wants to develop big muscles would want to lift in the 6-12 repetition range. When you lift a weight within this range you will still build strength, however, the main advantage of 6-12 reps is how it stimulates muscle growth. Once you find that you are strong enough to lift a weight more than 12 times, you should increase the weight so that you maximize muscle growth.

Women or anyone else that doesn't want to pack on extra muscle mass, but wants to take part in the benefits of weightlifting, build lean muscles, or focus on improving muscular endurance, will want to do 13-20+ reps each set that they do. Lifting a high volume of reps has the added benefit of increasing the mitochondria count in muscle, and the number of capillaries in muscle. This means that after some time of doing high rep weightlifting, you experience improved blood flow through your muscles, and an increased capacity for energy storage in your muscles.

In summary, the amount of reps you do depends entirely on what your goals are. If you want to build as little muscle as possible, do 13-20+, if you want to build huge muscles, do 6-12, and if you want to primarily improve your strength, do 1-5 reps.

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 31 August 2011 01:58

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Workout for Cyclist - A Weight Training Workout to Get Back in Shape

by Ricky Jackson

No workout for cyclist would be complete with weight training. You will get many benefits from regular weight training. Don't worry about becoming too big or "muscle bound." It takes a lot of work and dedication to get big and muscular. Besides you are cycling a lot and burning up a ton of calories. No need to worry about getting big.

You need to be training for strength and not for size anyway. Your overall goal from training with weights is to get stronger, especially in your legs. The increased power is what will help you increase your speed enabling you to finish much higher in your races.

Some of the other benefits you will get from regular weight training are stronger bones. Your tendons and ligaments will also get stronger. This makes them more resistant to injury. You resting heart rate will decrease and you will need less oxygen to do the same amount of work. Your anabolic system will get more efficient meaning you can sprint for longer periods at a higher work level. These are just a few of the benefits you will see.

I'm sure you are asking yourself what kind of weight training workout for cyclist is best for you. There are three ways you can workout. You can use machines, dumbbells, or barbells. Machines are great for beginners, but I recommend using them only until you are comfortable with weights in your hands. You will get the real benefits from dumbbells and barbells.

You should do a total body workout at least two times a week, three times is better. Pick eight to ten exercises that target your whole body. A workout for cyclist is not complete without several leg exercises. You should do each exercise for three sets of 12 repetitions.

For a sample workout you could use dumbbells and do the following in this order.

* Squats
* Chest Press
* Triceps Curls
* Lunges
* Shoulder Press
* Biceps Curls
* Step Ups
* One Arm Rows
* Lateral Raises
* Calf Raises

That is a complete weight training workout for cyclist. If you have never weight trained before, start of slowly with light weights. Gradually increase the weight each week. After six to eight weeks change the exercise you do.

Give this a try and let me know how you do on your next race. Weights are only a part of a workout for cyclist. In order to be in your best shape on race day, you need a complete workout program.

With complete training plans developed by pro cyclists, you don't have to worry about a coach just telling you text book theory. This complete training system includes 8 week beginner workouts, 13 week traditional workouts, and rapid result workouts for when you need maximum results in minimum time. Click here to get immediate access to the best workout for cyclist.

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Some reasons why Body Weight Training is right for YOU!

by David Nordmark

If you want to get stronger while at the same time increasing your strength and flexibility a program of body weight training just might be for you. When most people start an exercise program they rarely consider bodyweight exercises as a form of training. This is a mistake. Done correctly bodyweight training can get you fit faster than any other method out there. Think of the animals in nature. Do they run on treadmills or lift weights? Of course not. They only exercise with what nature provided for them. Yet any animal you can think of is ten times healthier than any human being. Below are some reasons why bodyweight exercises are a superior form of training and why you should consider doing them.

They'll build unreal strength - Again, think of the animals in the wild. None of them lift weights, but all posses animal strength that most weightlifters can only dram off. A gorilla, for example, is anywhere from six to twenty times as strong as a man. Another example are gymnasts. They only train with bodyweight exercises, yet they are ungodly strong. Have you ever seen a gymnast perform an iron cross? This is real strength. You just can't build this kind of strength with weights.

They'll improve your confidence - When someone performs body weight training exercises on a regular basis they become more comfortable in their own skin. This often manifests itself in a quiet self-confidence that others can pick up on.

Benefits both Men AND Women - Body weight training is NATURAL training. It works our bodies in a way that nature and evolution designed it for. This means that when men exercise this way they tend to become more MANLY in appearance. Broader shoulders, bigger muscles, etc. Woman on the other hand will become more womanly. Their muscles will become sleeker and more defined. They'll get a "Fit n Sexy" look that most women (and men) find desirable. Both genders will get stronger while dramatically increasing their agility and endurance. Doesn't this sound good?

Body Weight Training burns fat like nobodies business - This one should be obvious. Working muscles burn fat. The more muscles an exercise works, the more fat you'll burn. This is why bodyweight exercises are such effective fat burners. You're never isolating muscle groups. Often your working ALL of your muscles at once.

Become stronger in neglected areas of the body - For example most people rarely exercise their necks whichever exercise program they are on. This is a mistake because, as they say, a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. Your head is quite heavy and you need a strong neck to support it. If your neck is weak it can lead to a variety of complications including headaches and migraines. What's more as you age your head will tend to come forward on a weak neck. When this happens it will pull your shoulders forward and will create a stooped posture. To most people this is a sign of aging. It's not. It's a sign of a chronically weak neck. A strong neck is also important in preventing injury. When Christopher Reeve fell on his neck he was a paraplegic to the day he died. It is certainly possible that if he had a strong neck he might have avoided this fate.

Great for travelers - When most people are on vacation, the last thing they want to do is to track down a gym. With bodyweight exercises you don't need to. You are the gym!

For these reasons I believe that some form of bodyweight training is the best form of exercise that you can do. Of course the only way you'll know for sure is to try it yourself. If you do I don't think you'll regret it.

David Nordmark is a Vancouver based fitness consultant as well as the owner and operator of Animal-Kingdom-Workouts.com, a fitness site with a unique twist. For more information on isometric exercises, yoga and body weight training check out his website.

Article Source: Some reasons why Body Weight Training is right for YOU!

Last Updated on Thursday, 03 November 2011 00:55

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