100 raps: hw the hundreds system can shake up routine for a leaner, firmer body - experimenting with high-repetition training

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, June, 2002 by Carrie Curtis

Not everyone who steps foot in a gym realizes the benefits of varying the intensity of her workout. Those of you who train heavy some days and light on others are already a step ahead. If changing up your workouts is already the norm for you, you may be ready to try taking high-repetition training to the extreme -- we're talking 50-100 reps per set.

Ultra-high-repetition training isn't meant for everybody and certainly shouldn't be done all the time, but it just might be what you're looking for to help you mix up a stale workout regimen and slim down your body, especially your hips and things. This highly demanding technique will definitely force you to push your body to the limit to complete the extra 10, 20, even 50-plus repetitions required by this slamming workout.

Ready for a challenge? Here are the logistics: You do a single high-rep set of 50-100 reps per exercise, doing 2-4 different exercises depending on the muscle group. Since we figure you know how to do your math, you're probably saying, 'Four hundred reps for one bodypart -- that sounds insane!" No, we haven't flipped out; you won't be pumping out 400 reps at the weight you use to perform just a few dozen. Instead, for these high-rep workouts you'll need to drop the resistance you'd typically use for 12 reps by a whopping 60%-80%.

If you're a beginner who doesn't know proper form or if you don't exercise regularly, this advanced technique isn't for you. Because of its intensity, it requires a bit of gym expertise and a high level of fitness. But if you're in shape and have willpower of steel, read on to find out how to get a bum that's probably more intense than anything you've ever experienced.

why it works (differently)

For the most part, women don't train for maximal size -- or as some might say, "We don't want bulging muscles." Yet this might be the case if you've been doing conventional high-weight, low-rep training for a long period. The ultra-high-rep method, in contrast, could help you slim down.

Sherri McMillan, MS, the 1998 IDEA International Personal Trainer of the Year, explains that the ultra-high-rep training method stimulates more slow-twitch (aerobic) muscle fibers than fast-twitch (anaerobic) fibers. Fast-twitch fibers are the ones that build up more size in response to fairly heavy resistance training. With low resistance and high reps, on the other hand, "You'll build more stamina and endurance in the muscle." McMillan adds that ultrahigh-rep training won't help you gain much strength or do much to improve muscle density But that might not be such a bad thing if you're more interested in improving endurance and sporting leaner, tighter muscles.

When done correctly, ultra-high-rep training can be great for very active women who want improved stamina to perform other activities like running and swimming and who prefer a leaner physique. Two competitive fitness athletes, Timea Majorova and Km Lyons, use this technique in different ways but with similar results. Check out their ideas on how to incorporate ultra-high-rep training into your fitness regimen to heighten your muscle endurance and develop a lean, streamlined look

TIMEA MAJOROVA: get slim fast

Timea, who consistently earns the highest scores in the physique rounds at fitness contests, uses the ultra-high-rep method occasionally in her off-season or when she needs to lean down for a photo shoot. "You can't use these workouts for very long because you could be overtraining," she insists. In fact, she uses them no more than three times a week, and only for 1-2 months. After that she returns to her normal training routine using heavier weights and low to medium reps to build muscle.

"Doing very high-repetition work kind of beats your muscle," she explains. "You don't build the muscle, but you are going to make it leaner and help burn fat." She warns that the first 30-40 reps aren't going to feel like much, but after that, watch out! "I like this intense workout because it's almost like a second cardio session."

For legs, Timea uses the technique with lunges; she'll even do 4-5 sets of 100 reps each. "This is one of the hardest exercises, but I see the results. Lunges are really one of the best exercises for butt and for beautiful, shapely legs." She also likes squats using just her bodyweight, doing three sets of 100 reps each. For back she does pull-downs with light weight.

Timea says 100-rep sets are okay to use for the back and legs, because they're the biggest muscle groups, but her maximum reps for biceps, triceps or shoulders are 40-50 per set because they're very small muscle groups that can be easily overtrained. For biceps, she uses very light dumbbells or just a bar with no plates attached. Machines are also a good choice, she says, because they allow you to focus on pushing just the weight and not on keeping picture-perfect form.

The best way to ensure a safe environment is to ask a training partner or personal trainer to help you maintain proper form and balance. "The first 30, 40, 50 reps are pretty easy if you've chosen the right weight," Timea notes. "But then you need to have a spotting partner who can help you with motivation and with counting, and when you get really tired, she can even spot you.