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Single Sets Do the Job - single set workouts

American Fitness, May, 2001

According to study findings published in the ACSM journal, single-set workouts yield similar benefits to three-set regimen.

Resistance training (including weightlifting) is a popular and recommended form of exercise to increase strength, improve overall health and decrease risk of musculoskeletal injury. It involves lifting or moving a weight a certain number of times (repetitions or reps) and should involve the major muscles of the legs, chest, back, shoulders, abdomen and arms. Repetitions are frequently combined into sets, and multiple sets of repetitions have traditionally been recommended for weight training. Although ACSM and the United States Surgeon General recommend a single set of eight to 12 repetitions three or more times a week for general health and fitness, single-set reps have been generally thought of as being for beginners only.

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The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recently published a study in its official monthly journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise[R], that may give time-conscious recreational weightlifters the boost they need to stay with their exercise program. The study asked if increasing the volume of weight training with multiple sets would result in greater improvements in body composition, muscular strength and endurance among long-term experienced adult recreational weightlifters. To this end, the researchers designed a protocol to compare the effects of one set of a nine-exercise circuit to those of three sets of the same circuit.

The team of researchers, led by Christopher J. Hass of the University of Florida, recruited volunteers from a local fitness center, stipulating that they be healthy recreational weightlifters with at least one year of experience. "We knew that exercise enthusiasts often drop out of their weightlifting program because it takes too much time," said Hass. "We wanted to focus on one aspect of a training regimen and see if recreational weightlifters could get the same or similar conditioning results in a shorter time period."

Forty-nine healthy men and women, between the ages of 20 and 50, were selected for the study. They were asked to maintain their current level of physical activity (recreational and cardiovascular) for the duration of the study and were assigned to one of two training groups. Both groups did the same nine exercises: leg extension, leg curl, pullover, arm cross, chest press, lateral raise, overhead press, bicep curl and tricep extension (either one set or three sets of eight to 12 reps to momentary muscular exhaustion).

After 13 weeks, the investigators measured changes in muscle strength and endurance, as well as key measures of body composition in both groups. Forty-two of the 49 subjects completed the study (the seven who didn't were all from the three-set group). The results of this study support the idea that both approaches to weight training are effective in improving muscular strength and endurance. Both groups improved in all measures taken over the 13-week period. The people in the group assigned to do the multiple-set regimen tended to improve an average of 2 percent more than the group assigned to the single-set regimen, but both groups showed similar improvements in body composition measures. This included a reduction in body fat percentage and an increase in lean body mass.

The data collected supports the hypothesis that both groups would experience substantial and similar improvements in body composition, muscle strength and endurance. It also shows that additional sets do not significantly improve those measurements, at least not within the 13 weeks covered by this study. Although not statistically different, there was a tendency for the multiple-set group to have greater improvements in muscle endurance, lending support to a dose-response effect of weight training.

Most importantly, the results show that single-set regimens remain an effective option for improving muscular fitness in long-term recreational weightlifters. This is important for those who desire the muscular fitness benefits associated with a well-rounded physical fitness program but may not have the time to devote to multiple-set programs.

The researchers were quick to point out that they measured only three factors that improve with strength training. Other factors such as disease resistance, bone mass and improvements in metabolism, all of which have been reported as positive results of resistance training, were not addressed. "Weight training should be an important component of any fitness regimen," said Hass. "Obviously, [a] resistance training program should be tailored to meet each individual's goals, but a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be dependent on a rigid high-volume regimen. Our subjects showed enough improvement that the everyday exerciser should be encouraged."

About ACSM

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 18,000 members throughout the United States and the world are dedicated to promoting and integrating scientific research, education, practical applications of sports medicine and exercise science to maintain and enhance physical performance, fitness, health and quality of life.

Single Sets Do the Job - single set workouts

American Fitness, May, 2001

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