Ever wondered what the terms set, failure or reps meant when you stared at an exercise program with a blank expression drawn across your face? You need not to scratch your head anymore. Now you can sit back with your arms crossed and nod your head in acknowledgment as we explain what each term means and what they represent.

The Basics:

All workout logs center around a basic layout of Exercise, Sets, Reps and Rest. The exercise is listed first, then the number of sets and the number of reps in each set. Notes on rest period or the amount of weight to use may be added as well.
  • Basic Examples:

    Bench Press - 5x4, 45 secs
    Bench Press - 5 sets of 4 reps, 45 seconds rest
    These examples would be read as:
    "Perform 5 sets of Bench Press at 4 reps each. Rest for 45 seconds between each set."
    • Exercise - Each individual movement (e.g., a seated pulley row, barbell curl, or seated calf raise) that you perform in your bodybuilding workouts.
    • Set - Group of reps (lifting and lowering a weight) of an exercise after which you take a brief rest period. For example, if you complete 10 reps, set the weight down, complete eight more reps, set the weight down again, and repeat for six more reps, you have completed three sets of the exercise.
    • Repetition (rep) - The number of times you lift and lower a weight in one set of an exercise. For example, if you lift and lower a weight 10 times before setting the weight down, you have completed 10 "reps" in one set.
    • Rest Interval - Pause between sets of an exercise, which allows muscles to recover partially before beginning next set.


Advanced Workouts:


  • Superset Example:

    Superset:
    Bench Press - 5 sets of 4 reps
    Dumbbell Flyes - 5 sets of 4 reps
    • Super Set - Two exercises are performed consecutively without any rest.





  • Failure Example:

    Crunches - 5 sets to failure, 45 seconds rest
    • Failure - That point in an exercise at which you have so fully fatigued your working muscles that they can no longer complete an additional repetition of a movement with strict biomechanics. You should always take your post-warm-up sets at least to the point of momentary muscular failure, and frequently past that point.


  • 1 Rep Max Example:

    Squat - 5 sets of 1 rep max, 45 seconds rest
    • 1 Rep Max - The weight that allows a person to go to failure following just one rep.


  • Drop Sets Example:

    Deadlift - 5 drop sets of 5 reps
    • Drop Sets - Also known as strip sets, drop sets involve the immediate reduction of weight between sets with no rest. This will thoroughly burn out a muscle.





  • Rest-Pause Example:

    Deadlift - 5 sets of 5 reps, Rest-Pause
    • Rest-Pause - Do a set to failure. Rest for 5 to 10 seconds then do a few more reps with the same weight. Do this once or a few times depending on your energy levels and how far you wish to push. With this technique you can take a weight you can only do for a certain number of reps and increase that amount.



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  • Forced Reps Example:

    Bench Press - 5 sets to failure with Forced Reps, 45 seconds rest
    • Forced Reps - Forced reps are a frequently used method of extending a set past the point of failure to induce greater gains in muscle mass and quality. With forced reps, a training partner pulls upward on the bar just enough for you to grind out two or three reps past the failure threshold.





  • Negative Reps Example:

    Bench Press - 5 sets of 5 Negative Reps, 45 seconds rest
    • Negative Reps - One or two partners help you lift a weight up to 10-50% heavier than you would normally lift to finish point of movement. Then you slowly lower weight on your own.





  • Cheating Reps Example:

    Bench Press - 5 sets to failure with cheating reps, 45 seconds rest
    • Controlled Cheating - A method of pushing a muscle to keep working far past the point at which it would normally fail to continue contracting due to excessive fatigue buildup. In cheating you will use a controlled body swing, jerk, or otherwise poor exercise form once you have reached the failure point to take some of the pressure off the muscles and allow them to continue a set for two or three repetitions past failure.



  • Partial Reps Example:

    Bench Press - 5 sets of 5 partial reps, 45 seconds rest
    • Partial Reps - Performing an exercise without going through a complete range of motion either at the beginning or end of a rep.



  • Pyramids Example:

    Bench Press - Pyramid, 5 sets of 20,15,10,6,10 reps
    • Pyramids - Increasing the weight with each new set while decreasing the number of reps. The weight is then reduced and the reps increased.


  • Trisets Example:

    Triset:
    Bench Press - 5 sets of 4 reps
    Incline Dumbbell Press - 5 sets of 4 reps
    Dips - 5 sets of 4 reps
    • Trisets - Three exercises are performed consecutively without any rest.



  • Giant Sets Example:

    Giant Set:
    Bench Press - 5 sets of 4 reps
    Incline Dumbbell Press - 5 sets of 4 reps
    Dumbbell Flyes - 5 sets of 4 reps
    Dips - 5 sets of 4 reps
    • Giant Sets - Four or more exercises are performed consecutively without any rest.
      Note: Giant Sets are extremely intense. Great care should be taken when attempting to perform a giant set.


    • 21s - When performing 21s, 7 reps are performed in the lower half of the motion, then 7 reps are performed in the upper half, and the set is finshed with 7 complete reps.