What does training 10 by 10 give? How many approaches and repetitions to do depending on the goals of the training. other factors related to intensity

Training method "10 sets of 10 reps" has been used in bodybuilding for years to overcome plateaus and gain lean muscle mass. The method has been used with great success by famous bodybuilders from the past, such as Vince Gironda, as well as Dave Draper and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Even today, many elite trainers, such as Charles Poliquin, are proponents of this technique and use it to Olympic athletes when they need rapid increase pure muscle mass. I myself have been convinced more than once of the effectiveness of this method. He never stopped producing great results.

The 10 sets of 10 reps workout has been time-tested and proven to be the best for increasing muscle mass through exhaustion. muscle fibers. To succeed in this technique, you need to choose the right exercises and weight. Rest between sets should last no more than a minute., otherwise all efforts will be simply useless.

The goal of the program is to use the same weight for all 10 sets, and perform 10 reps on each set.. You will notice that as fatigue sets in, the sets become increasingly difficult. You may not be able to complete all 10 sets of 10 reps. If this is the case, then start reducing the weight as soon as you do a set of less than ten reps. Once you've completed all 10 sets and all 10 reps of each, it's time to increase the weight.

How many exercises should you use in a 10 sets of 10 reps program? Is there a need to use other exercises if you have done 1 exercise using the “10 sets of 10 repetitions” method? It is worth including a second exercise for large muscle groups, but it should be more of an isolation exercise, and be performed with 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Training program “10 sets of 10 reps”

WORKOUT #1 - LEGS

Superset

  • Barbell squats 10 sets of 10 reps (no rest)
  • Leg curls 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset

  • Leg extension 3 sets of 10-12 reps (no rest)
  • Deadlift on straight legs 3 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Standing calf raises 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Barbell rows to the chin 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Bent-over dumbbell flyes 3 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset

  • Barbell curls 10 sets of 10 reps (no rest)
  • Dips 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

NOTE: When starting a superset, you perform 10 reps on the first exercise, then immediately, without rest, perform 10 reps on the second exercise. Now rest for 1 minute. This counts as 1 approach. Once you complete all 10 sets, move on to the next superset.

  • WORKOUT #1 - Monday and Thursday
  • WORKOUT #2 - Tuesday and Friday
  • WORKOUT #3 - Wednesday and Saturday

However, this training frequency is best suited for endomorphs, people with slow metabolisms and a faster recovery process.

Mesomorphs (people who naturally have lean muscle mass and a low percentage subcutaneous fat) should be done this program in the following way:

  • WORKOUT #1 - day 1
  • Rest - day 2
  • WORKOUT #2 - day 3
  • Rest - day 4
  • WORKOUT #3 - day 5
  • start the cycle again with WORKOUT #1 - day 6

In this sequence, each muscle group is pumped once every 5 days. This program also provides good recovery for those of you who work or study a lot and cannot afford to be in the gym 6 days a week.

For ectomorphs and hard gainers (people with fast metabolisms who have difficulty gaining muscle mass), it is best to train every other day. If it is not possible to train on weekends, then you should stick to the classic 3-day option - training on even or odd days of the week.

When to change

Once you've completed each workout 6 times, it's time to make some changes. Namely: start using more heavy weights and fewer sets. The “5 sets of 5 reps” program is perfect.

Remember to extract maximum benefit from this program, you must eat well! Training provides the spark for muscle growth, while food provides us with the raw materials needed to achieve results. The most interesting and useful materials with fundamental information about nutrition:

Rest and recovery

remember, that muscle mass grows only when you rest, and not when you are in the gym. So make sure you get your 8 hours or at least 7 hours of sleep and make up for the lost hours by sleeping in on the weekends. By ignoring your rest needs, you condemn yourself to chronically low energy levels and contribute to a hormonal environment that increases the hormone cortisol (breaks down muscle) and decreases testosterone (produces muscle).

For more information on how much sleep you need, what steps to take to ensure a good night's sleep, and sleep-related illnesses, take a look at the following articles:

If you are ready to change your training routine, give this program a chance and as long as your nutrition, supplements and rest are in order, it will not let you down and will give you what you are looking for.

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How many repetitions should you do to increase muscle mass? Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Head of the Department of Theoretical and Methodological Foundations physical culture and sports of the Russian State University of Physical Education L.P. Matveev in his textbook “Theory and Methods of Physical Culture” (“Physical Culture and Sport”, 1991) answers this question as follows: “... from 5–6 to 8–10 repetitions until failure , which corresponds to a burden of approximately 70–80% of the individual maximum.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his famous three-volume Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding (Physical Education and Sports, 1993), co-written with Bill Dobbins, names the following numbers: 8–12 repetitions for the upper body and 12–15 for the legs, “ and perform each approach “to failure” - until the muscles become unable to do at least one more repetition.”
Joe Weider in his work “Bodybuilding. Fundamental Course" ("Wider Sports-SU", 1993) writes: "Research has shown that to increase muscle volume it is necessary to perform at least 6 and no more than 15 repetitions per set. If you do less than 6 repetitions, you develop strength, and if you do more than 15, then muscle endurance. Beginning bodybuilders should practice 8-12 reps for 1-3 sets.” We are told approximately the same numbers in numerous fitness training courses, only slightly increasing the lower limit. Usually up to 8 repetitions.
What does practice tell us? I worked as a trainer in a fitness club for more than 10 years. And practice shows that there is a certain category of people who categorically refuse to grow by performing the specified number of repetitions, despite enthusiasm and full compliance with all accompanying recommendations, such as proper rest between workouts, increased protein content in the diet, additional fortification, etc. Others progress, but only from a certain number of reps in that range. And the range is large. 6 reps and 15 is a huge difference, and it takes too long to empirically find the optimal number of reps.
But in fact, everything is not so complicated if we remember that all people have a strictly individual muscle composition.
Muscle fibers can be classified according to two main criteria. The first is by the activity of the ATPase enzyme and, accordingly, by the speed of muscle contraction - into fast and slow muscle fibers. The activity of this enzyme is inherited and cannot be trained.
The second classification is based on the number of mitochondria in the muscle fiber. Let me remind you that mitochondria are cellular organelles in which glucose, and to be very precise - pyruvate - a product of incomplete breakdown of glucose, is broken down into carbon dioxide and water, releasing ATP, necessary for muscle contraction, and without acidifying the muscle. Outside the mitochondria in muscles, pyruvate can also be broken down into ATP, but this produces lactic acid, which acidifies the muscle and contributes to its fatigue.
Based on this feature, muscle fibers are divided into 3 groups:
1. Oxidative muscle fibers. The mass of mitochondria in them is so great that a significant increase in it during training process no longer happens.
2. Intermediate muscle fibers. In them, the mass of mitochondria is significantly reduced, and lactic acid accumulates in the muscle during work, but quite slowly, and they tire much more slowly than glycolytic ones.
3. Glycolytic muscle fibers. They have a very small number of mitochondria. Therefore, anaerobic glycolysis with the accumulation of lactic acid predominates in them, which is why they got their name. (Anaerobic glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose without oxygen into lactic acid and ATP; aerobic glycolysis, or oxidation, is the breakdown of glucose in mitochondria with the participation of oxygen into carbon dioxide, water and ATP.)
In people who do not exercise, usually fast fibers are glycolytic and intermediate, and slow fibers are oxidative. However, when proper training To increase endurance, intermediate and part of the glycolytic fibers can be made oxidative, and then they, without losing strength, will stop getting tired. It should be noted that there is no sharp transition of fibers from one group to another. It is smooth, both in terms of an increase in ATPase activity and an increase in the number of mitochondria in the muscles, so the division of muscle fibers into 2 and 3 groups is quite arbitrary. If necessary, it would be possible to further increase the number of groups, but modern science this is considered inappropriate, since this classification satisfies all the questions of representatives of all scientific fields.
Another important term you need to know to understand this process is motor unit. The muscle contracts under the influence of a nerve impulse, which is electrical in nature. Each motor unit (MU) includes a motor neuron, an axon, and a set of muscle fibers. The amount of MU in a person remains unchanged throughout life.
Motor units have their own excitability threshold. If the nerve impulse sent by the brain is less than this threshold, the MU is passive. If the nerve impulse has a threshold value for this MU or exceeds it, the muscle fibers contract. Low-threshold motor units have small motor neurons, a thin axon, and hundreds of innervated slow muscle fibers. High-threshold motor units have large motor neurons, thick axons, and thousands of innervated fast muscle fibers. In our daily life we ​​work mainly slow fibers and they do a great job with it. The muscles do not become acidic; in the mitochondria, energy substrates are broken down into carbon dioxide and water without forming lactic acid, and the muscles function throughout the whole day without getting tired. Fast-twitch fibers are activated only if significant muscle effort or acceleration is required. And with such a load, we immediately feel muscle acidification, shortness of breath and rapidly developing fatigue.
That's basically all you need to know. In order to force muscle fiber to grow, we must acidify it so that structural changes occur in the myofibrils, as a result of which, after completion of the load, the mechanism of hyperplasia will be launched.
So, the certain category of people I described, who refuse to grow while performing the specified repetition range in the approach, have extremely few glycolytic and intermediate MVs. And they cannot acidify their oxidative fibers with either 6 or 15 repetitions. The muscle works, but is not trained. Mitochondria “eat up” all the lactic acid, and no structural formations occur in the muscle. To acidify oxidative MFs and force them to grow, a special operating mode is required - static-dynamic, without muscle relaxation. This mode of muscle work was developed at the Institute of Sports by Professor V.N. Seluyanov. In this case, tense muscle fibers compress the blood vessels and block the access of oxygen with the blood to the mitochondria. And we can acidify this category of fibers with a run time of 30-60 seconds. Bodybuilders who need maximum hypertrophy of all muscle fibers have empirically reached this mode of work - a mode of limited amplitude at constant muscle tension, and they use it successfully, although not everyone understands the mechanism of its operation.
Well, as for the number of muscle repetitions, the rep range we identified from 6 to 15 affects glycolytic and intermediate MVs. How could the luminaries of Russian science miss the situation with muscle composition? Yes, they simply did not have such a goal. Research in sports has been conducted on the development of strength. Increased muscle mass was noted as a side effect, although it was carefully recorded. And what is most important, and what everyone forgets, is that the studies were mainly carried out on weightlifters and throwers, far from mass discharges, and athletes of the master of sports level. As a result of natural selection, athletes who have mainly fast muscle fibers in their composition reached this level. That is, the sample of subjects was extremely incorrect.
So, we have figured out the training of individuals who have predominantly oxidative fibers in their muscle composition. How many repetitions do athletes who have mainly glycolytic and intermediate fibers in their composition need to do? Everything is simple here. If glycolytic ones predominate, then the number of repetitions in the approach should tend to the lower limit. These athletes have a huge number of high-threshold motor units, and when working with a projectile weighing less than 6 rep maxes, they simply will not be able to fully utilize them. Conversely, athletes who have a predominant number of intermediate fibers should strive for the upper limit of the number of repetitions, that is, 15. So for everyone, you can find your own optimal number of repetitions. Naturally, to achieve maximum effect you need to work out all your fibers. But the bulk of your training time is those that prevail in you.
How can you practically determine muscle composition? A very good test was proposed at one of the forums by athlete, coach and endocrinologist Mikhail Klestov. An exercise is taken to test a specific muscle group, such as the bench press to test the pecs and triceps, and the maximum weight per 1RM is determined. In the next workout, the subject is asked to perform the maximum number of repetitions with a weight equal to 80% of this value. If the number of repetitions is from 4 to 7, then glycolytic fibers predominate in the composition of this group; if from 7 to 12, then intermediate fibers; more than 13 – oxidative fibers. It is advisable to test several muscle groups, since the ratio of fibers in different muscles may be different. Modern research has shown that the muscle groups of the upper body always have a greater number of fast-twitch fibers than the muscles of the legs (bravo, Arnold!). The ratio of the proportions of muscle fiber types in other groups is very individual. For example, I had a young man training with me, pectoral muscles and whose triceps responded maximally to 6 repetitions per set, and latissimus muscles and biceps – by 10.
So search and try. Test your muscles for composition, select the required number of repetitions per approach, and the result will surprise you! Training, if it is based on knowledge of the biochemical processes occurring in the muscles, always gives a positive result!

The intensity of your workout is usually determined by the weight you use in the exercise and how light or heavy it is for you.

The lighter the weight for you, the lower the intensity. The heavier, the higher. But most importantly, intensity can usually be judged by the number of repetitions performed in one approach.

Reps are movements in which you lift a weight from point A to point B in one set of an exercise. The lighter the weight, the more repetitions you can do. The heavier the weight, the fewer repetitions you will be able to do.

It's obvious, I understand. But as you can see, more often than not, repetition and intensity go hand in hand. And this means that:

  • The more repetitions, the lower the intensity of the workout;
  • The fewer repetitions, the higher the intensity of the workout.

This is important to us because one intensity level will serve a particular purpose better than another (due to factors such as time under tension, muscle fiber recruitment, etc.).

And that brings us to one thing important issue: What workout intensity is best for your goals?

Or, in other words, how many reps should you do in one set? specific exercise? Let's find out.

Ideal Rep Ranges for Various Strength Training Goals

Here are the most commonly used rep ranges and their focus:

So as you can see:

  • Fewer reps(high intensity) ideal for increasing strength;
  • More reps(low intensity) ideal for development muscular endurance;
  • Average number of repetitions(moderate intensity) ideal for gaining muscle mass and improving appearance bodies.

The key word I'm using here is " perfect" Just because I didn't mention strength when I talked about 10-12 reps doesn't mean you can never increase it by working in that range. It's not like that at all.

In fact, each range presented is capable of developing some degree of strength, muscle, and endurance. However, our job is to select the ideal range for your specific purpose because only he will give best result.

Are you wondering why I didn't give an ideal range for "toning", "defining", "fat burning" or something similar? Answer: because metabolic training- this is a topic for a separate discussion, and in fact there are no such concepts.

The theory that high rep ranges lead to tone, definition, definition, etc. - complete nonsense. I cover this topic in more detail in my article on muscle tone.

The main takeaway is that, in terms of training intensity, all of these goals are achieved when training in ranges that target muscle development (see table above). These ranges are ideal for these purposes.

When it comes to training intensity and determining the number of repetitions to do per set, there are widely accepted recommendations based on scientific evidence and practical results.

  • increase in strength, then you need to train primarily in the low rep range ( 1-8 per set) and therefore with higher intensity;
  • If your main goal is gaining muscle mass(or improving body appearance), then you should train primarily in the moderate rep range ( 5-12 per set) and therefore at moderate intensity;
  • If your main goal is increasing muscle endurance, then you need to train in a high rep range ( 12-20 per approach) and therefore with less intensity.

2 Other Factors Related to Intensity

Before we finish talking about intensity, let's touch on 2 things that are directly affected by rep range. Here they are:

  • Determination of working weight

Once you determine the number of repetitions you intend to perform for an exercise, you will need to determine how heavy the weight to lift will be. I explain how to do this here: How Much Weight to Use for Each Exercise?

  • Training to muscle failure

Another topic directly related to training intensity is training to failure (the point at which you are no longer able to perform another repetition). The question is, is it necessary to train up to this point or should you end the set earlier? I review it here: Should You Train to Muscular Failure?

Now that you know what number of repetitions per set is ideal for your goals, you need to figure out how many TOTAL repetitions, sets and exercises you need to do in each workout and for what muscle groups. Let's define it.

"Volume strength training– the number of approaches, repetitions and exercises that must be performed.”

Based on materials:

www.aworkoutroutine.com/weight-training-intensity/

We increase “pure” muscle mass using the training method “10 Sets of 10 Reps”

This method has been used in bodybuilding for years to overcome plateaus and gain “clean” muscle mass. The method has been used with great success by famous bodybuilders from the past such as Vince Gironda, as well as Dave Draper and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Even today, many elite trainers, such as Charles Poliquin, are proponents of this method and use it on Olympic athletes when they need a quick increase in "lean" muscle mass. I myself have been convinced more than once of the effectiveness of this method. He never stopped producing great results.

The 10 Sets of 10 Reps method has been tested by time and proven to be the best method in increasing muscle mass by exhausting muscle fibers. To succeed in this technique, you need to choose the right exercises and weight. The rest between sets should last no more than a minute, otherwise the technique will simply be useless. The goal of the program is to use the same weight for all 10 sets and perform 10 reps on each set. You will notice that as fatigue sets in, the sets become increasingly difficult. You may not be able to complete all 10 sets of 10 reps. If this is the case, then start reducing the weight as soon as you do a set of less than ten reps. Once you've completed all 10 sets and all 10 reps of each, it's time to increase the weight.

How many exercises should you use in the 10 Sets of 10 Reps program?

Is there a need to use other exercises if you have done 1 exercise using the “10 Sets of 10 Reps” method? I always like to include a second exercise for larger muscle groups, but it is more of an isolation exercise and I do it for 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

NOTE: When starting a superset, you perform 10 reps on the first exercise, then immediately, without rest, perform 10 reps on the second exercise. Now rest for 1 minute. This counts as 1 approach.

WORKOUT #1 - LEGS

Superset:
Barbell squats 10 sets of 10 reps (no rest)
Leg curls 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Leg extension 3 sets of 10-12 reps (no rest)
Deadlift on straight legs 3 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Standing calf raises 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

WORKOUT #2 - CHEST/BACK/ABS

Superset:
Barbell press incline bench 10 sets of 10 reps (no rest)
Pull-ups 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Lying dumbbell flyes 3 sets of 10-12 reps (no rest)
Lower block rows 3 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Hanging Leg Raises 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

WORKOUT #3 - SHOULDERS/BICEPS/TRICEPS

Barbell rows to the chin 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Bent-over dumbbell flyes 3 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Barbell curls 10 sets of 10 reps (no rest)
Dips 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Training Frequency

I recommend training each muscle group 2 times a week. Therefore, WORKOUT #1 should be performed on Monday and Thursday, WORKOUT #2 on Tuesday and Friday, WORKOUT #3 on Wednesday and Saturday. However, this training frequency is best suited for endomorphs, people with slow metabolisms and a faster recovery process.

Mesomorphs (people who naturally have lean muscle mass and a low percentage of subcutaneous fat) should follow this program as follows:

Day 1 - WORKOUT #1, Day 2 - rest, Day 3 - WORKOUT #2, Day 4 - rest, Day 5 - WORKOUT #3, Day 6 - start the cycle again with WORKOUT #1. In this sequence, each muscle group is pumped once every 5 days. This program also provides good recovery for those of you who work or study a lot and cannot afford to be in the gym 6 days a week.

For ectomorphs, or hardgainers (people with fast metabolisms who have difficulty gaining muscle mass), it is best to train every other day. If it is not possible to exercise on the weekend, then you should do WORKOUT #1 on Monday, WORKOUT #2 on Wednesday, PROGRAM #3 on Friday.

When to change

Once you've completed each workout 6 times, it's time to make some changes. Namely: start using heavier weights and fewer sets. A good program would be one that uses 5 sets of 5 reps with a variety of compound exercises.

Nutrition Tips

Remember, to get the most out of this program, you must eat well! Training provides the spark for muscle growth, while food provides the raw materials needed to reap the benefits. For more information on which diet is best to follow, please take a look at my article Building Muscle.

Rest and Recovery

Remember that muscle mass only grows when you rest, not when you're in the gym. So make sure you get your 8 hours or at least 7 hours of sleep and make up for the lost hours by sleeping in on the weekends. By ignoring your rest needs, you condemn yourself to chronically low energy levels and contribute to a hormonal environment that increases the hormone cortisol (breaks down muscle) and decreases testosterone (produces muscle).

For more information on how much sleep you need, what steps to take to ensure a good night's sleep, and sleep-related illnesses, take a look at my following articles:
Sleep Cycle
Find out what the 4 phases of the sleep cycle are and how much sleep on average you should sleep each night for maximum results.

4 Rules for Ensuring a Good Night's Sleep
Learn about 4 principles you can follow to ensure good sleep.

8 Diseases caused by sleep disorders
Find out about 8 diseases that are caused by sleep disorders.

Conclusion

If you are ready to change your training routine, give this program a chance and as long as your nutrition, supplements and rest are in order, it will not let you down and will give you what you are looking for.

; take it heavy weight and perform few repetitions - you work on volume. But it's not that simple...

  • 1 to 5 reps- lower range that develops physical strength(heavy weight).
  • 6 to 12 reps- the middle range, which is mainly associated with an increase in muscle volume (any weight).
  • 12 to 15+ reps- any exercise repeated over 12 times develops strength endurance(medium and light weight).

Low reps + high weight. Strength Development

Not a large number of repetitions in one approach with heavy weight develops strength. The results of a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research show:

If you want to develop strength, your method is low reps + high weight.

Another study strength training weightlifters showed that not only our muscles, but also the central nervous system, that is, muscle memory, are responsible for opportunity. Trainer Greg Nuckols believes that lower reps combined with heavier weights help our nervous system remember how to most effectively use your muscles to lift weights.

If you're using your maximum weight or 90% of it, do one to three reps per set. Reducing weight allows you to increase the number of repetitions: at 50–60% of maximum weight It is recommended to do up to 10–12 repetitions.

Pauses between approaches should be from two to six minutes to restore reserves. Optimal quantity repetitions in one approach - from six to 12.

Lots of reps + light weight. Development of strength endurance

High repetitions without or using light weights increase your endurance.

Occurs due to many factors, including mechanical tissue damage, mechanical stress and metabolic stress. So you can also increase muscle volume with light weights, but for this you will have to do very, very, very many repetitions. In fact, it is much easier to lift more weight and not push yourself to the point of exhaustion.

By performing high repetitions with light weights, you develop strength endurance.

For example, when working with a weight that is 25% of the maximum, 47 to 120 repetitions are performed.

Is it any wonder now that those who switch from group classes fitness in Gym, are not able to immediately take on a lot of weight, and those who train in the gym with heavy weights cannot withstand the number of approaches that they usually perform in group training, even with a weight that is three to four times less than usual.

But in any case, regardless of the weight and number of repetitions, if you want to achieve, you will have to work at full strength.

Ideal training option

To maintain balance, many trainers design a program that includes training to develop maximum strength and training to develop endurance.

Example 1. Linear

  • Day 1:
  • Day 2:
  • Day 3:

Example 2. Cyclic

  • Week 1: 10–12 reps per set.
  • Week 2: 6–8 reps per set.
  • Week 3: 2–4 reps per set.
  • Week 4: 10–12 reps with increased weight per set.

If you want to take it to the next level, you need to increase the weight, the number of sets, or both, but you need to do it correctly. It is advisable to consult with a trainer!

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