Tip Use the 40 Reps Method for Growth Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Use the 40 Reps Method for Growth Stop thinking in sets Instead think about load and total reps You' ll get better results Here' s how by Chris Shugart January 16, 2016August 25, 2022 Tags Tips, Training To keep making progress in the gym, you must keep challenging your body. The problem is, many lifters only have two methods in their toolbox to do this: adding more weight to the bar or changing exercises. There's a time and place for both, but there are other tools available too, like the 40 Reps Method. The 40 Reps Method When most people think of sets and reps, their fallback scheme is 3 sets of 10 reps (3x10). Here's something different that will break you out of a training rut: forget about the number of sets. Instead, think about hitting a certain amount of total reps for the exercise. A good number to shoot for is 40 reps. So your goal is to accumulate 40 reps for a particular exercise. The number of sets is (almost) meaningless. The secret is in choosing the weight you use on the exercise. Load the bar or machine with a weight you can lift for 8 reps – your 8 rep max. That's the load you'll use for the whole exercise. Note: This is the point where many OCD lifters ask about percentage of 1RM. I don't think it's necessary to do that much math every workout. Look, it's easy. If you can get over 8 reps on the first set, it's too light. If you can't get 8 reps on the first set, it's too heavy. You'll figure it out. With your load selected, you'll now shoot for 40 total reps for the exercise, regardless of how many sets it takes. You won't even try to count sets, only reps. As you fatigue, you won't be able to get the same number of reps per round, and that's fine because we're only concerned with total reps. Here's an example: Exercise: Biceps Curl Reps: 40 total Load: 8RM Sets: Doesn't matter Rest: 45 seconds between sets Set 1: 8 reps Set 2: 8 reps Set 3: 6 reps Set 4: 5 reps Set 5: 4 reps Set 6: 4 reps Set 7: 3 reps Set 8: 2 reps Total reps: 40 Compare that to 3x10. You've completed more reps using a heavier weight while at the same time increasing work capacity. Not bad. Remember, you're only resting 45 seconds between sets and you're starting with your 8RM, so every set will be taken to failure. If you can get 8 reps on every set, then you either started too light and sandbagged the first few sets, or you rested way longer than 45 seconds between sets. Also, remember that the above is just an example. You may be able to finish off all 40 reps in 6 or 7 sets. Or it could take you 10 sets where you're down to doing singles at the end. It all works as long as you're following the load and rest guidelines. Set your rep goal for the exercise at 20. To choose your weight, load up the bar with your 4RM. Rest for only 30 seconds between sets. It might look like this: Set 1: 4 reps Set 2: 3 reps Set 3: 3 reps Set 4: 2 reps Set 5: 2 reps Set 6: 1 rep Set 7: 1 rep Set 8: 1 rep Set 9: 1 rep Set 10: 1 rep Set 11: 1 rep Total reps: 20 This method is the core workout of our Velocity Diet program. You can download the free ebook here which contains a full training program. Chad Waterbury popularized this method here on T Nation. See the related links below for all the details as well as some other variations. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Metabolic Conditioning For Monsters Are you big? Are you tall? Are you both? Then drop the conditioning workouts designed for little guys. Here are some better workouts for you. Metabolic Conditioning, Metcon, Sprinting, Training Lee Boyce September 21 Training Tip How to Do a Real Push-Up Most people, including coaches, are doing their push-ups incorrectly. (That's how they can get so many reps.) Here's how to do them right. Exercise Coaching, Tips Joel Seedman, PhD January 13 Training Tip A Better Hip Flexor Stretch Got tight hip flexors? Here's the stretch you've never tried before... but should. Mobility, Tips, Training Travis Hansen April 26 Training London Calling A lot of Americans think that the muscle building world begins and ends at the shores and boundaries of North America. Call it snobbish; call it provincial; call it whatever you want; just make sure you call it incorrect. Training TC Luoma May 15