One of the inquiries I get regularly from customers goes something like this:
“Hey Geoff, I’m trying XXXXX and I just hit 4 million reps in my latest workout. Is that decent?
I read on the forum that some guys are doing 8 gajillion reps and I just want to know how I compare…”
Now obviously, I’m overstating on the rep count, but you get my drift, right?
And that’s because typically (but sometimes), I recommend reps and sets, but NOT total workloads.
I let the workout duration be the governor of the amount of work completed, like half an hour for example.
So you may see “sets of 5,” or “ladders of 1,2,3,” or something kind of similar.
In other copyright, I rarely program “5x5.”
The reason I do this is to accommodate for individual differences.
Differences in:
Strength levels
Training age and background
Past injuries
Endurance capacity
They all contribute to “how many reps is best” for YOU.
I have a background in Olympic Weightlifting and have generally poor “endurance.”
So, if you checked out the number of Clean + Press sets I performed doing a program like ‘THE GIANT,’ they’d be relatively low - maybe as low as forty reps in a half-hour session, depending on the size of the KBs I was using.
Other guys post numbers like a hundred reps of Clean + strong Presses in 30 minutes.
To me, that’s mind-blowing. But good for them!
So the only way you’ll know what’s “good” is to do three things:
1- Determine your RM for the specific program.
2- Run your first training session and log the total number of sets and reps in your training log.
3- Repeat #2 every training session and observe the increase of total reps.
“Good” is when you see those total reps increase over the course of time - a month… 6 weeks… 8 weeks… program length.
And that’s because you’re only competing against yourself - no one else.
But if you are looking for something - something to measure your strength against - why not use my “STRONG ENOUGH” Standards?
“How do you know if you’re ‘strong enough’?”
Simple.
Hit these targets:
First, Double Clean + Press w/ 2x32kg for 10 sets of 5 in 20 minutes.
Second, Double Front Squat w/ 2x32kg for 10 sets of 5 in 20 minutes.
Third, Single KB Snatch w/ 32kg for 100 reps in 10 minutes.
Can’t hit them yet?
Feel impossible?
Think they're unattainable?
Excellent!
Now you have targets to aim at.
Simply break them down into smaller units and then hit those targets.
1- Use 2x16kg for the C+P and Front Squat, and 16kg for the Snatch.
2- Use 2x20kg for the C+P and Front Squat, and 20kg for the Snatch.
3- Use 2x24kg for the C+P and Front Squat, and 24kg for the Snatch.
Finally, Use 2x28kg for the C+P and Front Squat, and 28kg for the Snatch.
And as you focus on becoming “STRONG ENOUGH” you will *magically* -
[+] Lose fat and strip fat off your waist
[+] Become more muscular and notice stronger arms
[+] Boost your endurance so climbing the stairs and playing with your kiddos is no longer a chore
[+] Enhance your energy levels so your energy never crashes in the afternoon
[+] Reverse your diseases so you reduce or eliminate medication use
And be proud of yourself once again.
Stay Healthy,
Geoff Neupert