| Weight lifting programs vary, and you will find some | | | | osteoporosis and other bone degenerative diseases. |
| people performing one set, and others doing up to | | | | It is also a good amount to keep an exerciser's |
| six. So where do you fall in this commonly confusing | | | | interest without too much boring repetition, and long |
| question? | | | | drawn out lifting sessions. |
| One Set: | | | | Four or More: |
| A fitness program with only one set is suitable for | | | | If you are lifting four or more sets you are probably |
| two groups of people. The first is absolute beginners. | | | | an avid, long time weight lifter, or have some serious |
| If you have never weight lifted before, one set | | | | muscle, or power building goals. I would not |
| gives the muscles a chance to "wake up" and will | | | | recommend this many sets, unless you absolutely |
| allow you to screen for injuries, and practice form | | | | know what you doing. If you are an intermediate |
| while using lighter weights and performing more reps. | | | | exerciser, wishing to accelerate muscle building goals, |
| The other group is circuit trainers. Moving quickly | | | | hire a personal trainer to improve your form, and |
| through a series of exercises gets the heart pumping. | | | | spot your lifting. Multiple sets are time consuming. I |
| This technique is suitable for beginners to | | | | recommend a slit training routine. Working a few |
| intermediates looking to lose weight or improve their | | | | muscles a day is much better than spending two |
| endurance. | | | | hours lifting weights. After an hour, you will not be |
| Two to Three Sets: | | | | lifting to your full potential, and will be wasting |
| New intermediates (have been lifting weights for 1 | | | | valuable energy anyway. |
| year), or exercisers who used to exercise regularly | | | | Most people are in the 1-3 set range and this is more |
| but have not in a while should have 2-3 sets in their | | | | than ideal for the majority of goals I come across. As |
| program. This amount of sets will pump blood in to | | | | long as you lift until fatigue (or until form gets sloppy) |
| the muscles, to stimulate growth and improvements | | | | you are stimulating change and improvements. |
| to strength. It will also reduce the risk of | | | | |