How Many Sets Should I Do in the Gym?

This Article is Part 2 in the Series 'What's That?' Fitness Terms Explained.

What Is a Set?
Good question. Lots of people who make it to the gym find themselves unsure of how many reps, exercises, and weights to use. Let's talk about SETS here.


A 'SET' is the total number of reps of one specific exercise you do before stopping or pausing. If you do a Bicep Curl 10 times, rest, then repeat, you performed 2 'SETS' of 10reps.
So how many sets should you do? Let's answer that question 4 ways:


See some exercises free at iBodyFit.com. View some here.


#1 Beginner.
If you are a beginner, just stick with one or two sets for each exercise you perform. With one or two sets, you'll get a great workout, burn some calories, and fee accomplished. At the same time, you won't overtrain your muscles.

#2 High Caloric Burn Workout:
For a high caloric burn workout, two or more sets with high reps (15+) is suggested. Keep the pace up and the weights (resistance) light, because you'll be pushing yourself in this workout style.

#3 Muscle Toning:
To get your muscles toned, pumped and shaped, simply perform 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps.
This set and rep range will train various fibers in your muscles to yield those hot body results! Be sure to choose a weight that keeps your reps in the 8-12 range.

#4 Strength:
Strictly looking for strength? You'll need to do 5 sets of just 1-6 reps. You'll need a couple years of training experience behind you before you attempt this plan. Be careful and always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program, especially this heavy lifting program.


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Next Week's Tip:
How many exercises should I be doing in the gym??

Check back next week!