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gocubbies
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Joined: 17 Nov 2003
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 Posted: 11/24/03 - 19:08 Post subject: how many sets for a beginner??
Last week I started going to the gym; I've never really worked with weights before in my life and I'm 31.
Question: how many sets are necessary for a beginner? Is it true for beginners that one set is as effective as 2-3? I've seen in various places that studies lately have suggested that.
If that's true, for how many weeks can I get by with just one set? When should I add a 2nd or third?
thanks
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sonnylax
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Posted: 11/24/03 - 19:28 Post subject:
I just started weight lifting for the first time ever back in September. (I'm turning 33 later this week.) Although it was painful, I started with 3 sets of 12. I went very low weight and have gradually pushed my weight and reps up. Some excercises, I do 3 x 15 or 3 x 20. But most of the time it's still 3 x 12. From what I've read, you want to try and time your muscle exhaustion to the very end of that final, 3rd set.
The first two weight training sessions were the most painful things I think I had ever experienced, but after a few sessions your body adapts quite nicely. Stick with it (2 - 3 times a week) and you will see some results in around 6 weeks. Make sure you bump up your protein intake and definitely shoot for a liquid protein shake within 1.5 hours of a workout.
Good luck!
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TriBob
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Posted: 11/25/03 - 08:56 Post subject:
If you are new to the gym, they should offer a free intro to the weight room. They will go over proper form. This is very important so you don't get injured later.
Ease into it. When first starting, I would not go to failure. You will be sore enough the next day. Go for 2 sets of 12-20 with light weights (about 50% of what you think you could lift max one time). I prefer free weights because they bring in secondary and stabilizer muscles.
For a good program for endurance athletes that starts you off easy. It may seem too easy at first; but, trust the program. Check out Weight training This will bring you through the correct phases so you are ready for race season next year.
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gocubbies
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Posted: 11/25/03 - 10:55 Post subject: thanks
Thanks for the tips. I checked out the trinewbie workout, but it would involve a time committment that I don't think I could keep up with. I'm planning to follow this one from Mark Allen at Outside Magazine.
http://outside.away.com/magazine/0297/9702festr.html
It suggests going with 3 sets from the beginning, and I've read about studies that suggest that 1 set is usually as effective as 2-3.
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TriBob
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Posted: 11/25/03 - 11:28 Post subject: Re: thanks
| gocubbies wrote: | Thanks for the tips. I checked out the trinewbie workout, but it would involve a time committment that I don't think I could keep up with. I'm planning to follow this one from Mark Allen at Outside Magazine.
http://outside.away.com/magazine/0297/9702festr.html
It suggests going with 3 sets from the beginning, and I've read about studies that suggest that 1 set is usually as effective as 2-3. |
Looks good. It follows the same periodization principles.
1 set is OK if you are time crunched. If your are looking for athletic improvements go for 2 or 3 sets.
See: http://healthfitness.com.au/research/weights/one-set-training.html
A study conducted at the University of Florida looked at three groups, mean age of 37 (+/-7) in which one performed one set, the other 3 sets, with the last performing no exercise. Those performing exercises, done so three days per week for a period of 25 weeks. It was discovered that circulating Insulin Growth Factor1 (IGF-1 increased by 20% and equally in both groups. However strength increases were not equal but were significantly greater in the 3 set group compared to the one set. This will once again fuel the fire of the optimal number of set wars between experts.
REFERENCE: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001 Apr;33(4):648-53.
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sonnylax
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Posted: 11/25/03 - 19:16 Post subject: Re: thanks
| gocubbies wrote: | http://outside.away.com/magazine/0297/9702festr.html
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Thanks for linking this... Good stuff.
TriBob: When (if) my knee gets a clean bill of health next week, I'm probably going to start the TriNewbies intermediate training plan in Dec/Jan time frame. You shared that link before with me and it looks very comprehensive. I plan to get a clipboard and start tracking my results each weight training sessions.
Do any of you use a weight training log which details weights/reps for individual excercises?
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gocubbies
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Posted: 11/25/03 - 19:27 Post subject: on the other hand....
Here's an article by Wayne Westcott, PhD, the guy who I believe writes the weight training stuff for Men's Health. It suggests that one set is pretty darn close in effectiveness to two or three sets.
http://www.naturalstrength.com/research/detail.asp?ArticleID=208
"During the 1990s a similar study comparing single-set and multiple-set training was conducted at the University of Florida (Starkey et al., 1994). The researchers compared gains in leg strength for 38 subjects performing one or three sets of knee-extension and knee-flexion exercises, over a 14-week training period. Both the single-set group and the multiple-set group made similar strength gains. Specifically, the one-set trainees increased their leg strength (average knee- extension and knee-flexion) by 14.5 percent, whereas the three-set trainees increased their leg strength by 15.5 percent.
Because there were no significant differences between the two training protocols, the researchers concluded that one set and three sets of strength exercise are equally effective for increasing leg strength."
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purple hayes
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Posted: 11/25/03 - 19:52 Post subject: Re: thanks
| sonnylax wrote: | | Do any of you use a weight training log which details weights/reps for individual excercises? |
I use paper. It's low-tech, but it's easy to carry around at the gym.
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If I were pressed for time, I'd only do one set. It's easier to get maximum intensity in one set than it is to spread it out over three. Plus, by only doing one set, you give yourself more time to hit all the major muscle groups and not ignore anything.
That being said, I'm a big advocate of doing 3 sets.
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Cappy
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Posted: 11/25/03 - 19:57 Post subject:
I made my own log on Excel, made a bunch of copies and put it into a binder. My gym was in the basement. I tried to do an Excel program, and also downloaded some Palm software, but I found the paper method was the easiet
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