Amount of reps needed when lifting weights/working out?

Question

I am going to start working out 30-45 mins a day 4x a week, and I need to know how many reps is really needed.

Push ups? How many?

Sit ups/crunches? (there are same thing right?)

Bench pressing? How many reps and how much weight?

Curls? How many and how much weight?

Squats??? Should i do these if so how?

Heavy bag? How long should i beat down on it?

15 feet pacers back n forth? How many?


PLZZZ I need these anwsers. I dont want to over work or under work.


thanks, El

First guy anwerd question horribly... =-(

I dont think u where talking to me but im 14, im not in the best shape but I can you know go hard for a while. Im really just looking to maybe tighten up or lose some of my keg, bulk up the arms and the legs.


How about benching 30 pounds? 10 reps 5 sets?

and for curls 15 pounds a arm 10 reps 5 sets each arm?

Answer 1

It really depends what your goals are. If you're trying to gain mass, then go for 4-6 reps with heavy weights. If you are going for a lean figure go for 8-12 reps for each exercise. 3 sets for each exercise and 3-4 exercises for each muscle group.

Answer 2

I go 3 days in a row, then take 1 day break, then 3 days, then 1 day break and so on. That way your metabolism is always firing and you can eat a lot and not gain weight. First thing is don't push it to hard right away because you muscles are not use to intense training yet so go real light and a lot of reps for a couple weeks, then if you want to pick it up go for it. If you go out and try to get huge in one day you will get that lactic acid in your arms and won't be able to move for a week. The rule is generally if you want to get big, then you go really heavy and a few reps, if your looking for tone then more reps lighter weight, but realistically you should be doing it both ways. Focus your energy on one part of the body for a particular day. Like one day is for chest, the next arms, the next back and shoulders, the next is legs and so forth, always mix in the cardio also. 20 minutes cardio is a good start and try to do some core strengthening every other day, thats the hard part. Don't underestimate diet either, thats my problem, I work out 2 hours a day but eat whatever I want so I never really get in great shape. Increase weight by 5%percent every few weeks if you can, the more weight resistence the more calories burned. Intensity is the most important thing when lifting. Buy a fitness mag, I do all the time. Use proper form also.

Answer 3

Weight and reps depends on if you are lifting for muscle and bulk or speed and power. Heavier weight and fewer reps (6-8 reps) for muscle; light to medium weight and higher reps (12-14 reps) for speed and power. To figure how much weight take each weight lifting exercise and the weight you can lift once or twice somewhat comfortably and if you are lifting for power then you will want to work out with 80% of that weight that you can and do 6-8 reps and four or five sets. For speed and power 60-65% of that weight and 12-14 reps and four or five sets will do it.

Crunches are not the same as situps. Curnches put less strain on your lower back if done correctly and work more on your abdominals than sit ups.

Squats are an exercise that can cause a lot of problems so some people do them less than other exercises or do them using a seated leg press machine to avoid the lower back problems that squats can cause or agravate or don't do them at all.

Heavy bag workouts can be workouts all in themselves but if you are trying to fit this all into 45 minutes then do three two minute rounds with a 45 second rest in between and as you get more endurance make the rounds three minutes.

Answer 4

Okay dude, the first thing is start but start smart. What kind of shape are you in now? What is your age? What are you wanting to achieve?
If you have not been working out or have never done more than what they have you do in school and you tried doing everything that you have listed you wouldn't get out of bed for a day or two. And forget doing it a second time.
Best answer is go to fitness guru and let them work with you. It can be weight lifter, martial arts, health store owners, sports shops ...
Next best answer.
Push ups -- start with 10 in 2 sets. Wait 1min between each set. Do this 3 times per week with 1 day between. This lets you muscles recoup.
Sit ups -- Same as push ups.
Squats -- With hands on your hips and feet shoulder width apart squat till knees about 90 degrees. Back straight. Do the same as push ups.
Then walk about 20 min. or about 1mile 5 days a week.
When you can do these 4 excersizes comfortably increase 1 extra set. If you are walking 1 mile increase your pace or walk a little farther.
Again, when comfortably go up 5 counts in your sets and increase pace and/or distance.
This will allow you to build up and have the chance to stay with it. Try to do it at the same time. That will help you maintain consistansy.
Do not use any weights if you have not done it before. To many people hurt themselves. Sometimes it requires a Doctor to get well. Get a trainer and not somebody on line. You will thank yourself in the long run.
Good luck.

Answer 5

Well it depends on what you want to do exactly.
For muscle tone (And not necessarily brute strength): Low weight, and high reps.
For example:
Pushups: This depends on you. I would say work until failure, but pushups can help with tone and strength. I'd say start with 30, and progress every other day with a few more (Between 2-20 more pushups)
Sit ups/crunches: You should really mix it up.
They aren't the same thing either.
When you do situps, you go all the way up. They work your hip area more than they work abs. Crunches are about halfway up, and they work the abs more.
As for mixing it up:
30 crunches
30 bicycle kicks
30 leg lifts
30 ab pikes
60 side crunches (30 on each side [Literally on your side to work on the "V" area])
That should keep you toned. The mix of ab exercises really mess with those muscles.
The weight depends on what you can do:
If you can do bicep curls with 80 lbs, but you want tone: Cut the weight in 1/2, and do quadruple the amount the reps you would usually (Ex: If you can do 10 with 80 lbs, do 40 with 40 lbs). The same things go with all the other weight training you wish to do.

As for squats:
If you want strength: Go for the heavy weights. Try to work up to being able to squat at least your body weight.
Since you posted this in the Martial Arts area: You can also work on bodyweight squats. You just have to squat down with your feet shoulder width apart. After you can do about 250, Go for the one-legged squat (AKA the "Pistol). It's one the best leg workouts in existence.
Heavy Bag: I recommend starting with 1/2 of an average boxing match:
6 rounds, 3 minutes each. 1 1/2 minute rest between rounds doing various attacks (Depending on what fighting discipline you do).
Then progress to 12 rounds.

I don't know what you mean by feet pacers... Sorry.
Good luck.

Answer 6

Best thing to do when working out is start light and then move in a progressive weight increase. Do the exercise at least 10 times, then increase a little at a time, do not try and strain yourself trying to lift something that is too heavy. If you get to a weight that you can't do at least 10 times stop and do that until it becomes natuaral then repeat the process again. I didnt do this when I first worked out, and I was feeling the pain for 4 days.

Answer 7

1- you should be asking this on the fitness board.

2- you need to decide what your excercise goals are.

Are you looking to just get fit or lose weight or to bulk up and build muscle without interest in getting "cut"?

Or a combination of the two.

You really need to be specific about your goals first.

Generally "slimming down" is best done with a higher focus on cardio excercises. Do lots of HIIT (high intensity interval training) and lift weights to build lean muscle (as opposed to bulk) and do circuit training.

Watch what you eat. You should learn about sports nutritiion and nutrition in general to help you with either "getting cut" or bulking up.

the excercises you mentioned in that routine are not very complete. Of them, squats are indespensible and without a doubt the most important excercise you mentioned (unless the heavy bag is part of a martial arts technique workout).

For bulking up you generally want to do more weight with less reps, never more than 8 reps and gear yourself towards around 5 and 3 then 2 (I personally don't like to do "maxes" as there is a natural tendancy to cheat the weight up on the first one and it sacrifices control).

If your goal is to get slim or build definition you don't want to ever do less than 8 reps but should be aiming for your workouts to be around 10-12 reps of a weight you can comfortably handle for the entire set.

You should switch excercises that you do every month or two also.

There is MUCH more to it than this, but this is a few points for a brief overview.

Answer 8

It depends on the style of musculature you want. If you want to be Bruce Lee, you'll need low weight, high reps. (an example would be bench pressing 50 lbs, in 4 or 5 sets of 40) If you want to be Arnold Schwarzeneger, you want to do high weights, low reps. (An example would be 200 lbs in 3 sets of 8) I used the Bench Press as an example, but you'll want to do weight exercises that work all your muscle groups. (bicep, triceps, abs, back, lower back, chest, front of legs, back of legs)

Answer 9

hey! thanks alot for the answers, i was going to ask a similar question. i sparr alot and i was looking to build lean muscle, not bulky. so low weight and alot of reps