# Debate: How many sets?



## Spongy (Jan 15, 2013)

What do you all think is an appropriate number of sets to properly smoke a muscle group?  I personally believe you can do it in 12-14 sets, including warmups, with maybe 6-8 of those being actual working sets.  Maybe a drop set at the end of last set of workout.  This assumes you follow a traditional 5 day split keeping reps between 8-12.  What do you all think?


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## DF (Jan 15, 2013)

I usually do 14-16 working sets plus warm up on large muscle groups.  However, I'm an old bastard & make sure the muscle is good & warm before I do a working set.


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## LeanHerm (Jan 15, 2013)

I just normally go till the muscle group hurts. Lol. Not to much but just enough.


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## Spongy (Jan 15, 2013)

Gotta get my bro manny in here.  He's kind of like our local cashout...MANNY, GTF IN HERE!


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## PillarofBalance (Jan 15, 2013)

You could get Manny in here except he can't post because you locked the thread... I'm not unlocking it this time.


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## PillarofBalance (Jan 15, 2013)

Ok fine I'll reopen it x-


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## LeanHerm (Jan 15, 2013)

Too late lol


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## grind4it (Jan 15, 2013)

IMO, If you can go more than 12 sets your not lifting enough weight or doing enough reps.


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## Hockeyplaya18 (Jan 15, 2013)

12-14 range is what I have been using with the 10+ rep's (Get to 10 atleast then stop counting, rep out till it dont work no more!)


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## SystM (Jan 15, 2013)

What's up boys

Personally I think a few things come into play when, as per spongy "smoking" a muscle group...  It's all relative to what you have been doing

Progressive increases in volume are my favorite way of boosting the intensity of a workout
I.e. increasing sets each welch systematically and every fourth week of training take 4 days off still hitting chest back legs in a 5/3/1 fashion

I would firmly agree that I am around 12-15 sets would suffice but for one who has been used to training higher volume I would recommend a higher intensity lower volume higher frequency 

Spongy and others. What amount of reps are you doing per set?

Training programs with high set volume and low reps can brutally awesome


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## 63Vette (Jan 15, 2013)

I like 3 or 4 sets and usually have about  four or five exercises so that puts me between  12-20 for an average of 16- and that is more than a lot of the guys...especially the younger ones do I think.

That being said I think it depends on a LOT of factors.... it is different for me if I am cutting/bulking. 

It also depends on the muscle group. I can smoke my biceps in four sets each of three exercises. My back I usually have about five or even sometimes six (depending on if shrugs are with shoulders or back that rotation).

I do know this- MIX IT UP. Muscle confusion is where strength gains come from IMO.

Good thread brother-

Much Respect,
Vette


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## dk8594 (Jan 15, 2013)

The least number possible while still being able to increase my reps from workout to workout (currently 4)


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## PFM (Jan 15, 2013)

Franco Columbu said: never work the muscle past "the pump". Straight Bro Science that will stop even a pure bred idiot from over-training.

Allot of talk about gear, stacks, diet, reps and weight, duration and intensity. For me it's all about taking the muscle to complete failure, if you can can do this for 9 sets, eat, rest and recover properly......the muscle has no option other then to survive and grow.

Listen to your body.


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## PFM (Jan 15, 2013)

63Vette said:


> I like 3 or 4 sets and usually have about  four or five exercises so that puts me between  12-20 for an average of 16- and that is more than a lot of the guys...especially the younger ones do I think.
> 
> That being said I think it depends on a LOT of factors.... it is different for me if I am cutting/bulking.
> 
> ...



Vette Excellent!


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## PFM (Jan 15, 2013)

Hockeyplaya18 said:


> 12-14 range is what I have been using with the 10+ rep's (Get to 10 atleast then stop counting, rep out till it dont work no more!)



"rep out until it don't work no more"....................THAT is The Shit!


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## AlphaD (Jan 15, 2013)

63Vette said:


> It also depends on the muscle group. I can smoke my biceps in four sets each of three exercises. My back I usually have about five or even sometimes six (depending on if shrugs are with shoulders or back that rotation).
> 
> I do know this- MIX IT UP. Muscle confusion is where strength gains come from IMO.



^^^^ This above.  I have tried so many different approaches through the years.  Just being caught up in following different rep/set approaches.  Ultimately leading me to my own body's philosophy, being each muscle group needs a different approach.  And Muscle confusion as well as mind to muscle connection are my keys to growth.  TRAIN TO GET BETTER, NOT TO GET IT DONE....


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## grind4it (Jan 15, 2013)

My trainer has me in the high rep range. Believe it or not he has me doing a few moves that are light weight and 100 reps. I'm currently doing several moves that are 4 sets of 25 reps. The most brutal thing he has me doing is a straight bar bicep curl 6 seconds up and six seconds down 2 sets 25 reps. I know you're going to think I'm a pussy but I just moved up to the 25lbs bar. Last week when I finished arms I literally had to ask a guy in the locker room to help me take my shirt off.....as gay as that sounds.


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## SystM (Jan 15, 2013)

63Vette said:


> I like 3 or 4 sets and usually have about  four or five exercises so that puts me between  12-20 for an average of 16- and that is more than a lot of the guys...especially the younger ones do I think.
> 
> That being said I think it depends on a LOT of factors.... it is different for me if I am cutting/bulking.
> 
> ...



Ya I do 1 movement for delts and throw it in after chest

I agree that o nbviously a bigger muscle group is going to need more work. You can rash your back and still have gas left in most cases


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## ken Sass (Jan 15, 2013)

the olden days we used to do 12-14 for major groups and about half that for support groups (bies, tries, ) and would bomb abs with high reps, and calfs, more often. mike and vette remember the 80's lol


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## gymrat827 (Jan 15, 2013)

10-15 sets depending on weight and what you consider a warm up set.  

i.e.... i do a warm up with like 135...two sets... than 155 2 sets, than i go past 200.  So hard to say.


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## SystM (Jan 16, 2013)

What is your guys stance on warm up sets... Long and deliberate or just get straight into it?

Thoughts?


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## Cashout (Jan 17, 2013)

PFM said:


> Franco Columbu said: never work the muscle past "the pump". Straight Bro Science that will stop even a pure bred idiot from over-training.
> 
> Allot of talk about gear, stacks, diet, reps and weight, duration and intensity. For me it's all about taking the muscle to complete failure, if you can can do this for 9 sets, eat, rest and recover properly......the muscle has no option other then to survive and grow.
> 
> *Listen to your body*.



That is the answer right there in black and white!

The problem for most guys is that *they don't know how to actually listen to their own body* because they've spent all their training years progrmming their respective minds to count things like reps and sets and rest time and weight. So they have developed habitual routines that mentally they accept as "correct" when in fact they are typically only repeating the same exercise in perpetual futility.


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## Kohler (Apr 20, 2013)

reply removed. Please delete.


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