I always hear guys say, “I do sets of 10” and girls say, “I do sets of 20.” It’s a stereotype just like the one about girls shying away heavy weight to avoid “bulking up.”

Here’s a very basic breakdown of how to determine your workout rep plan:

• Higher reps will tone/define your muscle
• Lower reps will increase strength
• Sets of 10 will maintain your muscle
• Do the most weight you can according to the number of reps where you can do about 10-20%, of the total reps extra, but nothing more than that. (If you can do more, it’s too light) 

EXAMPLES:

I plan to increase my strength gains. Here’s what I do.
Cycle from

• 5sets of 5reps (5x5); 
• 5set of 3 (5x3); and 
• 4sets, 1 set of 8reps, 2sets of 6reps and 1 last set of 4reps (4x8/6/6/4)
  
  
• NOTE: Remember to adjust weights accordingly.

I want to tighten of my muscles. Here’s what I do.

• 4sets of 12-15reps (4x12-15);
• “Burnouts” after all my LOW REP sets are done with a weight I can hit 12-15 times
  
  NOTE: “Burning out” means to do as many reps as you can until your muscles fail.

I want to maintain my muscle. Here’s what I do.

• 2set of 10reps (2x10)
  
  NOTE: Due to the low amount of sets, you can do an exercise 2-3 times a week without rest.

MAIN POINT
-Men and women benefit from both low and high rep workouts. It’s all about what shape and what functionality you want your body to achieve. Don’t focus too much on what magazine or website articles tell you in their “celeb” workout plans. As long as you can look at your body and see what needs work, pick and choose the associated exercises and apply these simple rep rules. Otherwise you’re just wasting your time doing someone else’s workout.

FINAL NOTE: Remember to eat well and make sure you understand what each exercise targets. Use the concept of reps/sets and modify it for your body. Sometimes it’s just genetics!

 Any questions?