What's the difference?

[keco52]

Will someone explain to me the difference between more sets/less reps...less sets/more reps.

ex: 3 sets of 8 or 2 sets of 12

I know...but I want someone to explain why.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Its best to do less reps and more sets when you are trying to build muscle

less sets and more reps for endurance.

2 set of 12 isnt alot of reps though. For building up bigger muscles you might do sets of 12 reps.

They say that somewhere between 6 and 8 reps per set is best for building muscle.

 

[keco52]

2 set of 12 isnt alot of reps though. For building up bigger muscles you might do sets of 12 reps.

I know I was just trying to give an example with equal number.

 

[Bobby Sands]

sorry i didnt phrase that part right. If you are trying to build up some of the bigger muscles in your body such as your quads, you might do sets of 12 reps.

I presume you just want to tone up and not build up muscle (at least i hope so )? Then you probably should take a light weight and do alot of reps.

 

[keco52]

yea...I don't want to build muscle on the top. My arms get bulky even if I do light weights. I'm trying to build hamstrings now.

 

[Bobby Sands]

i hate if you turned into one of those bodybuilder women :X

 

[keco52]

lolol dont worry I'm far from a bodybuilder.

 

[S O F I]

if your fitness center/gym is anything respectable, the personal trainers there should be able to answer those questions for you

 

[keco52]

I don't go to a gym anymore. The one I was going to was full of douches...they just opened a new one close to my house tho.

I have a friend/personal trainer but I hate asking him questions. Sometimes he's helpful and other times he just dismisses my questions and says "You don't wanna do that" and I end up getting in fights with him. He tells me to put my hands on my head when I'm out of breath but I catch my breath better when I bend over (I KNOW this is wrong but it works better for me)....we can argue ALL damn day about this. So yea...I'd rather ask Bobby Sands :cheesy:

 

[Bobby Sands]

yea, i will be your personal trainer :horny:

yea every trainer says put your hands on your head and walk around to catch your breath

btw, im no expert on this but i know some stuff. No one else really post here anymore it seems.

 

[S O F I]

I don't go to a gym anymore. The one I was going to was full of douches...they just opened a new one close to my house tho.

I have a friend/personal trainer but I hate asking him questions. Sometimes he's helpful and other times he just dismisses my questions and says "You don't wanna do that" and I end up getting in fights with him. He tells me to put my hands on my head when I'm out of breath but I catch my breath better when I bend over (I KNOW this is wrong but it works better for me)....we can argue ALL damn day about this. So yea...I'd rather ask Bobby Sands :cheesy:

okey dokey

 

[Shahin]

Low reps with heavy weight is the best way to build strength, while high reps with low weight is better for endurance. If you're trying to build muscle ("tone up") I'd recommend you do moderate reps (ex 4x8) with moderate weight (you should struggle with the last reps). BTW I don't think that you should lift light weight if you wanna gain muscle even if you just wanna "tone up". Going a bit heavier will show results much faster.

 

[keco52]

^What would you consider moderate weight? Just enough weight that I can only do 8 reps and no more? The thing is...I really hate doing more sets/less reps bc I'm impatient and it seems like it takes longer. Is it really going to make THAT much difference in the end?

 

[The.Menace]

First of all, what was said in this thread is right. Less reps are for building muscles. And it makes a big difference. But what is a low amount of reps? It's everything below 15 or 20 actually! It doesn't make too much of a difference if you do 8 or 12 reps, both is a low number and aims for building muscles. In fact you should change your reps and sets anyway, so there is no best number. If you want to build up muscles, you'll do 8 reps once and maybe 12 or 15 the other day while changing the numbers of sets,time of rest, weights. But all that this is still for building up muscles - if you go to your limit, of course.

And so, since you don't wanna do that, I'd change the routine anyway and aim for maybe 25 reps per set (or even a lil more), maybe 2 sets per exercise. Maybe you could do a cycle training - do about 8 or 10 exercises for different bodyparts in one run without too much rest..... after you finished, take a rest and go for a second run and then your done. You shouldn't feel like your wasting time then.

 

[keco52]

And so, since you don't wanna do that, I'd change the routine anyway and aim for maybe 25 reps per set (or even a lil more), maybe 2 sets per exercise. Maybe you could do a cycle training - do about 8 or 10 exercises for different bodyparts in one run without too much rest..... after you finished, take a rest and go for a second run and then your done. You shouldn't feel like your wasting time then.

That sounds better bc that's what I'm doing now anyway. So I'm just gonna keep doing what I've been doing?

 

[Bobby Sands]

Just be careful that you dont turn yourself into this ok:

 

[keco52]

I can't see pix at work but don't worry I don't have enough discipline to become a body builder. and I can't NOT eat like a cow so I'm good.

I used to be able to flex my hamstrings and now I can't :unsure: they're gone?...and it bugs me.

 

[Bobby Sands]

lol

my hamstring is injured at the moment

 

[keco52]

^what'd you do?

my shoulder is injured...I think I have a pinched nerve or something. I made a post about it a long time ago. It still bothers me constantly. My pinky and ring finger fall asleep all the time.

 

[Bobby Sands]

playing sports. i strained it. that was nearly too weeks ago. i havent rested it properly. im going to now though. The thing is, it feels as if im under pressure to play on with it even though i cant sprint.

you should get that looked at.