Strength Training Capacity: An Individualized Guide to How Many Sets

By Mark Sherwood

Most people understand that weight training workouts provide an effective way to get stronger, but they may be confused about whether their workouts should be long, short, or somewhere in between. This matter does not have to be a mystery. Finding your own workload capacity is the key. Once you learn how to do this, you can individualize the number of sets that you do to match your own workload capacity.

The subject of how many sets to perform is initially addressed in the book “Strength Training Thresholds,” however, it is discussed in greater detail in “Strength Training Capacity.” Diagnosing the right amount of sets for your workload capacity will insure that you don’t short circuit your efforts by under-training or over-training, instead, you will maximize your strength training efforts.

In addition to the basic information on how to find your workload capacity, this book will show you:

How elite power lifters perform extensive amounts of warm up sets without compromising their strength for their heaviest set(s).

The number one mistake that inexperienced lifters make when pyramiding their way up to successively heavier sets.

How much rest between sets is needed to maximize your workload capacity.

Three ways to increase your sets and reps without exceeding your total workload capacity.

How to diagnose the correct number of sets when changing to different exercises and different amounts of weight within a workout.

When you understand the concepts in this book, it will enable you to train with the precision necessary for optimum results.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark Sherwood
• Release date: May 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311788955

Mark Sherwood

Mark's books stem from his background as a physical education instructor, a fitness instructor, a classroom teacher in Christian education, and a degree in Biblical Theology. It is his desire to encourage people in their physical and spiritual development through his books and writing. In addition to his books, his writing can be found on his blogs including:www.precisionpointtraining.com,www.spiritbodysong.comsports and fitness parables.comhighfrequencytrainingmst.com.

Book preview

Strength Training Capacity

An Individualized Guide for How Many Sets

By Mark Sherwood

Copyright 2016 Mark Sherwood

Smashwords Edition

The author and publisher of the information in this book are not responsible in any manner for physical harm or damages that may occur in response to following the instructions presented in this material. As with any exercise program, a doctor’s approval should be obtained before engaging in exercise.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Finding Your Workload Capacity

Chapter 2 Maximum Number of Strong Reps

Chapter 3 Rest Between Sets for Maximum Workload Capacity

Chapter 4 Workload Capacity When Changing Weight and Exercises

Chapter 5 The Secret to Pyramiding Your Sets Effectively

Chapter 6 A Common Mistake To Avoid

Chapter 7 Powerlifting and Extended Warm up Sets

Chapter 8 The Two Phase Warm up

Chapter 9 Mini Sets

Chapter 10 Additional Light Sets

Chapter 11 Put it Into Practice

About the Author

Additional Resources

Introduction

How many sets should you do when you work out with weights? From my earliest experience with weight training, there were vast differences in the amount of sets that top lifters and bodybuilders were using. In my day, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Serge Nubret, and Robby Robinson dominated the bodybuilding scene. Within the sport of powerlifting, perhaps the biggest name was Bill Kazmaier. He had monstrous size and immense strength to go with it. All of these guys used high volume training. It was nothing for them to do twenty sets for a single muscle group in a workout. At the other extreme were Mike and Ray Mentzer. Both of them were bodybuilders who were known for their exceptional size and enormous strength. One of the chief characteristics of the Mentzer’s training was that they only did a few sets for each muscle group. They often proclaimed that most people trained way too much and would do much better by doing only one to three sets for a