Weight Training With Higher Reps

There's no one "right" way to stay fit, and that includes lifting weights. There are different weights to lift (barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, etc.), machines and free weights (and hybrids), different sets/reps schemes, tempos (time it takes to raise and lower a weight), rest periods, and many more variables.

Sensei Hutch of Seven Tigers Martial Arts has been training with weights (machines and free weights) for many years. Recently, I had a discussion with him about his weight training methods. His commentary is paraphrased below.

Sensei Hutch:

My present workout is about staying healthy, to enjoy the feeling of health. I know the alternative from missing many workouts and feeling weak and infirm.

I do my best to lift weights four days per week, and no fewer than three days. I split my workouts by muscle groups that work together as follows (with some example exercises):

• Chest and triceps (push): bench press, decline bench press, triceps extensions, dips.
• Back and biceps (pull): lat pull-downs, wide pull-ups, various curls.
• Legs and shoulders: Smith machine squats, leg press, face pulls, Arnold press.

For chest and back, I'll generally do 9 sets starting with 25 reps and working down to 8 reps. For arms (biceps and triceps), it's usually 7 sets working down from 20 reps to 10 reps. For legs, I do very high reps per set: 30-4o. I like using lighter weights with higher reps as they feel less stressful on my joints.

I prefer using machines as I feel they are safer, more controlled movements. However, I use free weights (barbell/dumbbells) for some exercises, primarily single-joint movements like curls.

I change my program every six weeks or so to keep it fresh and I enjoy changing it. Occasionally, I like to do a personal "challenge" routine, such as a shock of high reps, crazy high. How crazy? Let's look at a little routine I put together after watching a strength competition between various disciplines of exercise.

In the youtube show "Strength Wars" they had an episode with bodybuilder vs. powerlifter with a series of strength events (bench press, chin-ups, and dips). The first event called for many reps (20) which although the powerlifter was stronger, his stamina was less than the bodybuilder. Later the bodybuilder spoke of training super high reps (as in 100 reps) at one weight.

With a measure of excitement and my new plan in mind, I walked into the gym to try this 100 rep bench day. I picked a weight for the exercise and started doing 100 reps with a 15-20 seconds rest between sets. The result: a hard-hitting cardio-like massive pump workout. Now that's not for every workout but the high rep day is fun and really makes me feel that "good" type of sore the next day or two. It's not for everybody, but I enjoy feeling the burn and spicing up a day at the gym.

Sensei Hutch operates Seven Tigers Martial Arts in Cheektowaga, NY.