Number Of Reps & Sets For Weight Lifting

If you're a healthy adult between the ages of 18 and 64, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends the inclusion of a strength-training program that addresses all of your body's major muscle groups twice a week. Beyond this basic weightlifting recommendation, determining how many reps and sets you do of each weightlifting exercise in your program depends on your schedule, your current level of fitness and your overall weight-training goals.

Basic Fitness

If you're a beginner weightlifter, start your program slowly. Choose eight to 10 strength-training exercises that together work all of the body's major muscle groups, including legs, stomach, back, arms, shoulders and chest. Perform eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise per session. For best results, you should experience difficulty performing the final rep of each set. As of 2007, the American College of Sports Medicine considers one set of each exercise sufficient for basic fitness requirements.

Endurance

Muscular endurance refers to your body's ability to repeatedly perform a sub-maximal motion. Endurance sports like distance running, walking, swimming and bicycling work your muscular endurance, as does endurance-oriented weightlifting. To train for endurance, lift weights that are 70 percent or less of your maximum single-rep ability.

For example, if you can lift 10 lbs. just one time, then this would be your maximum single-rep ability. Lifting 70 percent of that would mean that your target weight would be 7 lbs. Perform three sets of 12 to 20 reps at this level, increasing the weight after you can perform all three sets of 20 with the same weight, explains the FireFit Program.

Bodybuilding

If you want to increase your muscle size through weightlifting -- known as hypertrophy -- you should perform between six and 12 reps per set at 70 to 85 percent of your maximum single-rep lift for each exercise, as explained by bodybuilder Tom Venuto in "The Build Muscle and Gain Weight Fast Guide." Perform three to six sets of each weightlifting exercise per session for the greatest gains in muscle size.

Power and Strength

Training muscles for maximum strength and power does not result in the same gains in muscle size as hypertrophy training. Strength and power training refer to your ability to perform one maximal motion (power) or a few maximal motions (strength) at or near your body's single-rep maximum weight. Perform three sets of one to six reps at 75 to 85 percent or more of your single-rep max to train your power and strength.

Time Frame

Start any new weightlifting program slowly, no matter what your ultimate goals are. Warm up thoroughly prior to lifting weights. This includes a 5- or 10-minute light aerobic workout as well as a set or two of lifting lighter weights to warm up specific muscle groups if you're training for hypertrophy, strength or power. Rest each muscle group a minimum of one day between training sessions, allowing all training-related soreness to dissipate before training those muscles again.