Rules of the Rep
In my 30 years of physical therapy, one of the most frequently asked questions is how many reps, or repetitions, should I do? And I've got the answer.
First of all, you should perform two to three sets of any given exercise to fatigue in order to get optimal strengthening. Rather than going by a count, a certain number of reps, you should work your muscle until it is giving you a signal that it has tired. Performing a certain number of repetitions may not offer as much challenge as is needed to produce a strengthening response, or it may present too much challenge and could lead to strain. Going by fatigue as your indicator for the number of reps you should do, takes into account how your body is feeling at THAT particular moment. Have you just performed a bodyweight exercise that pre-fatigued the muscle? Are you fighting off a virus and your immune system is BUSY healing you that day making you fatigue more quickly?
The rule goes like this: If the number of reps you are able to perform before your muscle fatigues are under eight repetitions, lower the weight or resistance. If the number of reps you are able to perform before your muscle fatigues are over 15, increase the weight or resistance. This way you progress your weight appropriately and over time increased strength happens!
Also, keep in mind the timeframe for strengthening: you can get some neurologic strength improvements within the first couple of weeks. For instance, an increase of muscle fibers being recruited because your brain “reconnects” with more fibers contributing to more weight being able to be moved. Actual muscle hypertrophy, or growth, happens more slowly, over six to eight weeks. Then, with steady progression of resistance, your muscles continue to become larger.
And always, always, always stay HYDRATED! I believe most injuries occur due to dehydration. Dehydration puts all of your tissues at a disadvantage and can place too much strain on the muscle tissue itself or on the neighboring joints and lead to injury! You won't necessarily feel thirsty right away and so you won’t feel the need to drink perhaps until it’s too late. We always need to hydrate before we need it! So it’s best to keep sipping frequently from your water bottle, especially before, during and after workouts. This is KEY for injury prevention! Keep in mind that it is rather difficult for us to drink too much water but it CAN happen and it’s fatal!