I need help ladies! I am currently doing one set on cybex weight lifting equipment. I want to increase my sets - do I keep my weight constant or does it change with each set?
Doesn't matter - I increase the weights every set. My first set is generally a warm up set, with a weight I can do for, say, 12-15 reps depending on body part, then I bring it up usually in 5 to 10 pound intervals (again depending on bodypart).
Here's what Krista Scott Dixon says at her Stumptous website (check the links in the Basics sticky at the top of the LWL forum - GOOD stuff in there!):
Quote:
the basics of a routine
Well, now, you're all excited and ready to go to the gym. But where do you start? There's no point in stumbling around the gym with no particular plan in mind. If you don't have a focus it's easy to get bored and give up. The solution? A routine. Here's how to put one together.
sets and reps
Sets and reps are the building blocks of your routine. A rep (repetition) is one complete execution of an exercise. So, for example, one rep of a bench press would be the full up-and-down. A rep is more than pushing the weight up (known as the positive or concentric portion of the rep); the down part (the negative or eccentric portion) is also important. Thus to successfully complete a rep you must also release the weight in a slow, controlled fashion, not just drop it when you're done pushing it off your body. A rep should also move through the full range of your muscle's motion. In the case of the bench press, this means pushing the weight up till your arms are straight (but never lock your joints!), then lowering it down as low as it will go (try to avoid crushing yourself here).
Remember to breathe. This sounds like pretty stupid advice, but there can be the temptation to hold your breath while completing a rep. It's not a problem for most people to temporarily hold their breath, but folks with high blood pressure should be careful. The best way to do it is to breathe in before the rep, hold the breath momentarily during the eccentric and the most difficult part of the concentric, then let it out at the finish of the concentric. Breathing out as you initiate the concentric can cause your body to reflexively relax, which is something you don't want at the bottom of a squat. You can also breathe between reps if you need to. This is particularly important when doing oxygen-sucking exercises such as squats. Pause, take a breath or two, then get ready for the next rep.
Beginners should use slow, controlled movements. Do not jerk or bounce the weight as this can lead to injury in an inexperienced trainee. A set is composed of reps performed until the lifter chooses to pause and rest. A set can be anywhere from 1 rep to 15 reps or more.
How do you know when to stop? Well, there are a few methods.
Working to failure. Failure is when you are struggling like a madwoman just... to... move... the... weight... another... inch... uggghhh... can't do it.
Using a prescribed rep range. This generally involves planning out the workout in advance, and aiming to complete a predetermined number of reps per set. The goal here is usually to complete the desired number of reps in good form. The set may stop short of total failure, and the trainee may feel that there are more "reps left in the tank". The majority of elite strength trainers, such as competing powerlifters and Olympic lifters, train this way. You do not have to train to failure to make progress. More on planning out reps here.
Cheating sets, breathing sets, forced reps, etc. This is what some folks do when they get to the failure point. They may have a spotter assist them with the load, so that they're still pushing weight but it's lighter. Or, they may be performing something like the 20-rep squat routine, which is done using a weight heavier than one can use for 20 reps, and pausing with teh bar on your back in between reps. These techniques are not ideal for the beginning lifter, although the 20-rep squat program can be done after some familiarity with squatting has been gained (if you're interested in the 20-rep program, head over to Ironmind, go to their book section, and check out "Super Squats" by Randall Strossen). Overuse of forced/cheating reps can also lead to a false sense of strength. I see a lot of guys who claim they can bench press, say, 200 lbs. What benching 200 lbs. actually means to them is that they bench 100 lbs. while their spotter rows the other 100 lbs. worth off of them, while yelling, "It's all you, man!" Or it means they take 200 lbs. through a tiny range of motion.
A basic beginner's routine generally consists of something approximating 3 sets per exercise with 10-12 reps per set, though you can start with doing only 1 set per exercise for the first few weeks. Between sets you rest for 1 to 3 minutes, until you feel ready to tackle that thing again. You'll want longer rests between sets of more complex exercises such as squats and deadlifts. When you are starting out and figuring out what weights are good for you, you'll have to go through some trial and error to find the correct weight. Aim for a weight that you can do for around 10-12 reps in good form. The 10-12 rep recommendation is based on the principle that beginners should use slightly lower weight for the first several months, in order to allow their connective tissue time to adapt to the loading. A weight which someone can use for 12 reps is usually a good weight to begin with. However, beginners who are learning complex movements can also opt to use fewer reps per set, so that weaker muscles don't fatigue too early. For example, it is common in beginners for the torso musculature to be weak. If the trainee tries to perform long sets of squats, the torso may not have the endurance to hold up. She may feel some discomfort in her lower back. So, instead of doing 3 sets of 12 to start with, a beginner might do 5 sets of 5, with the same weight she'd use for the 12-rep set, and perhaps slightly shorter rest intervals. Once the last reps of the last set are a piece of cake, move the weight up.
Another word you hear used with regard to sets and reps is tempo. Tempo refers to the speed at which you execute your reps. So, for example, a tempo of 2-1-3-1 would mean that the positive segment of the rep is two seconds, the pause at the top is 1 second, the negative part is 3 seconds, and you pause for 1 second at the bottom. By slowing the tempo, you can make a rep more challenging. OK, I know you have a lot to think about already, being a beginner and all, so you don't have to worry about counting out the speed of your reps perfectly. Just think slow and controlled for now. A slow, controlled rep allows you to learn the movement and be sure that you are executing it correctly. However, it is a myth that explosively performed reps are dangerous. Yes, they can be dangerous for someone who is inexperienced. But there is a place in a training program for a quickly performed rep.
putting it all together
So, what does all of this stuff look like when you assemble it? Well, probably something like this:
1. Warm up, 3-5 minutes of light cardio
2. Warm up, gentle range-of-motion movements
3. Warm up sets of desired exercise
4. Work sets of desired exercises, moving from more difficult compound exercises to simpler isolation exercises
5. More active stretching if desired
6. More extensive cardio if desired
7. Passive stretching if desired
Thank you! I checked out your photos - you are a total inspiration. Seeing so many successes in LWL - I know I can reach my goal and I am doing it the right way. I can visualize my healthy body and I have the drive to make it happen with healthy eating, cardio, and especially weights.
question on reps - need help
