Weight Lifting sets

KDar1988
KDar1988 Posts: 648 Member
edited December 1 in Fitness and Exercise
I try to search the boards before I ask. Curious...does it matter if while lifting weights if you (as example) do biceps, 8 reps, rest and repeat until your sets are done. Or do you do a circuit?
I do a circuit but last night saw someone doing shoulder presses, he'd sit for a minute or 2, then do another before moving on to something else.

Any benefit of doing it one way or the other or doesn't it matter?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Mystical64
    Mystical64 Posts: 108 Member
    When I do it by myself I do a rep then rest a little then keep going until they are done. But when I work with my trainer, there is 2 other gals with us and we rotate. So we are doing a different rep each time. Not sure what is the best but I have seen it both ways.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Typically speaking, you can go heavier if you are doing a set, resting, then repeating...

    On the other hand, working in a circuit will typically take less time.

    As far as any potential benefits, it depends on your goals.

    As for myself, I keep all of my main (compound - squat, bench, deadlift, OHP) lifts separate - where I do a set, rest, do another set... And I superset my assistance lifts - usually isolation, but not always - if I can.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    I usually cycle through the major muscle groups - a set of legs, a set of pushing, a set of pulling, then legs again, etc. Saves time, plus each muscle group gets a long rest. But i'll do multiple sets in a row for exercises that are a hassle to set up (deadlifts, for example). :+1:
  • ag27404
    ag27404 Posts: 47 Member
    For my heavy lifts (squat, deadlift, bench), I focus on that life only. They are fully body so a rest after each set can be warranted (if you are going heavy). I tend to do my accessory lifts as circuits to get done more quickly.
  • Jams009
    Jams009 Posts: 345 Member
    Doing a circuit like that is called a superset, it lets you work out more intensely because you do more in a shorter time.

    Resting between sets lets you work that particular exercise harder because you can fully recover between each set.
  • ShodanPrime
    ShodanPrime Posts: 226 Member
    KDar1988 wrote: »
    I try to search the boards before I ask. Curious...does it matter if while lifting weights if you (as example) do biceps, 8 reps, rest and repeat until your sets are done. Or do you do a circuit?
    I do a circuit but last night saw someone doing shoulder presses, he'd sit for a minute or 2, then do another before moving on to something else.

    Any benefit of doing it one way or the other or doesn't it matter?

    Thanks!

    Do full body, keep the reps per set around 5 to 8, and save the bicep curls for the bros going to the beach.
  • ShodanPrime
    ShodanPrime Posts: 226 Member
    ag27404 wrote: »
    For my heavy lifts (squat, deadlift, bench), I focus on that life only. They are fully body so a rest after each set can be warranted (if you are going heavy). I tend to do my accessory lifts as circuits to get done more quickly.

    You might find a benefit from chin ups in between sets of squats and bench.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It depends on what you're doing and what you're trying to accomplish. Someone who is lifting, say 90% of their 1RM on squats isn't generally going to superset or circuit that because they're going to need the rest between sets to make sure they're able to get the weight up through all of their reps and sets. It's not unusual for people to rest between sets on their primary lifts and to do circuits or supersets with their accessory work. I do my arm stuff at the end of my workouts (when I have time) and usually do these in a circuit...like I'll do 1x8 skull crushers to 1x12 tricep cable extension to 1x10 dips and then short rest and repeat the circuit for my sets.

    In general, the higher the % of your 1 RM you are working with, the more rest you need between sets in order to hit all of your reps and sets...and again, this is generally for your primary compound work.
  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 648 Member
    Thanks everyone! Very helpful. Right now I feel like the goal should be to retain muscle from losing weight and build strength with some toning in there too. I don't want saggy arms when I finish losing this last 50-60lbs! They are looking good at the moment after losing 100...but I've been doing some sort of weight lifting for a while. If the weight room is full of guys (like it was last night) I do the machines (still self-conscious about lifting weights in front of guys).
  • kuftae
    kuftae Posts: 299 Member
    Jams009 wrote: »
    Doing a circuit like that is called a superset, it lets you work out more intensely because you do more in a shorter time.

    Resting between sets lets you work that particular exercise harder because you can fully recover between each set.

    Yes. There are two types of supersets-- (1) Doing two or more exercises that work the same muscle group in a sequence (2) Doing two or more exercises that hit different muscle groups in a sequence.

    The first type has some training benefits and is commonly used in hypertrophy/ bodybuilding routines to increase damage to muscle fibers. The 2nd type is simply to save time.
  • kuftae
    kuftae Posts: 299 Member
    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    KDar1988 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! Very helpful. Right now I feel like the goal should be to retain muscle from losing weight and build strength with some toning in there too. I don't want saggy arms when I finish losing this last 50-60lbs! They are looking good at the moment after losing 100...but I've been doing some sort of weight lifting for a while. If the weight room is full of guys (like it was last night) I do the machines (still self-conscious about lifting weights in front of guys).

    You know what guys (and more seasoned women lifters) think of you when you lift free weights?

    That you're awesome. Seriously. They're not comparing your weights to their own. They're just glad to see more people learning how much fun free weights are.

    yea, nobody gives a crap about what you're doing. We're just there to get swole, like you are.
  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 648 Member
    kuftae wrote: »
    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    KDar1988 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! Very helpful. Right now I feel like the goal should be to retain muscle from losing weight and build strength with some toning in there too. I don't want saggy arms when I finish losing this last 50-60lbs! They are looking good at the moment after losing 100...but I've been doing some sort of weight lifting for a while. If the weight room is full of guys (like it was last night) I do the machines (still self-conscious about lifting weights in front of guys).

    You know what guys (and more seasoned women lifters) think of you when you lift free weights?

    That you're awesome. Seriously. They're not comparing your weights to their own. They're just glad to see more people learning how much fun free weights are.

    yea, nobody gives a crap about what you're doing. We're just there to get swole, like you are.

    LOL...I had to look up what swole meant!!
    Thanks :smile: I'm trying to build up the confidence.
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