Weight Training With Single Sets & High Repetitions
If you're practicing proper technique, then maybe you don't need be doing as many sets as you think. For decades, many personal trainers have argued that weight training using high repetitions in a single set is the best way to gain muscle and lose fat. Not all experts agree, however.
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Advantages of Single Sets
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According to Peak Performance Online, a single set of 12 repetitions can be just as effective in gaining muscle as three sets if you select the right weight. In addition, working out using single sets saves time, since it takes approximately a third of the time using single sets than it does using a three-set workout.
Disadvantages of Single Sets
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MedicineNet says that in the long term, weight lifters who employ the single-set technique will be more likely to plateau (when training stops showing results) than multiple-set trainers. In addition, multiple-set trainers have shown greater muscle endurance than single-set trainers in studies.
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High Repetitions
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The Mayo Clinic asserts that in order to utilize single-set training effectively, you need to select the right weight, which is the one that causes tiredness after 12 to 15 repetitions. If you can do more than this (which is considered a moderate amount of repetitions), you probably aren't lifting enough to stimulate muscle growth. The website Critical Bench encourages light or moderate weight lifted in high repetition for the purpose of increased circulation, which is meant to supplement a regular weight-lifting routine.
The Bottom Line
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To prevent muscles from adapting to your weight lifting program, which will help avoid the undesirable plateau, use both single-set weight training and multiple-set weight training. Serious weight trainers will only use single-set routines to complement a multiple-set routine. A single-set, high repetition weight regimen is most beneficial if you're looking for cardiovascular improvement and endurance rather than strength improvement.
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References
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