What are SETS? | Warm up Sets, Working Sets, Straight Sets

What’s up guys, and welcome back to ‘Training Basics’, where I cover all of the essential information you need to know to succeed on your lifting journey. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced lifter, this series will help you build muscle more efficiently and make quicker progress in the gym in order to reach all of your fitness goals! So sit back, strap up, and pay attention, because today’s episode will tell you everything you need to know about sets!

0:00 Intro

0:30 What are Sets?

A set is the act of performing multiple reps in succession before a period of rest. So for example, if you pick up a barbell and do 8 reps of bicep curls all in a row without resting, those 8 reps would make up 1 set of bicep curls.

0:48 2 Types of Sets

All sets fall into 1 of 2 groups: warm up sets or working sets. A warm up set is any set performed with the sole purpose of warming you up, whereas a working set is any set afterwards meant to build muscle. Warm up sets are typically done with lighter weight, lower reps, and far away from failure. Working sets are typically done with heavier weight, higher reps, and very close to failure.

1:37 Training Volume

Because warm up sets are low intensity and far away from failure, they do not generate much fatigue or have a large impact on recovery. Thus, they do not count towards your weekly volume. Working sets on the other hand do elicit muscle growth, will generate fatigue, and need to be counted towards your weekly volume.

2:56 Straight Sets

A straight set is when you do all of your reps with the same weight without taking any breaks in between, then resting when you’re done.

3:57 Fatigue

As you perform more challenging sets, your muscles build up more fatigue, and the more fatigue present in a muscle, the less force its fibers can produce. In other words, if you’re actually training hard, it’s only natural for your performance to decline. Think of it this way, if you did all 3 sets of bench press with the same weight and took all 3 of them to failure, would you be able to do the same amount of reps each time? Probably not, right?

Even if you rested 3-5 minutes between sets, utilized perfect technique, and made sure you were dialed in each time, it would be extremely difficult to match your performance 3 separate times in a row. So when you do perform an exercise for multiple sets with the same weight, expect your reps to go down or at least become more challenging than they were in your previous set.

5:10 Top/Back-off Sets

This method of training is where you incorporate 2 different weights at 2 different rep ranges, both for the same exercise. The set you do first with your heaviest weight is called your top set, and the set(s) you do afterwards with a lighter weight are called back-off sets.

6:15 Tips & Tricks

Number 1: Always do your top set first, after your necessary warm up sets. Your muscles build up fatigue throughout your session, and it’s just counterintuitive to try and increase the weight as your muscles get weaker.

Number 2: Make sure that your top set and back off set are performed in a different rep range. The main benefit of utilizing this method of training is taking advantage of hypertrophy’s principle of variation. And if you drop the weight just to do the same number of reps, you’re not really reaping that benefit.

That doesn’t necessarily make it worse, it just kinda defeats the purpose of a back off set. So, regardless of what weight and reps you use on your sets, as long as all of them are intense and taken close to failure, you will build muscle.

Number 3: Always utilize proper technique and tempo on both your top set and your back off sets. Top sets are not an excuse to go balls to the wall disregarding form entirely, and back off sets aren’t meant to be a walk in the park just for a quick pump. Both need to be close to failure, and require a consistent tempo, full range of motion, and adequate rest in between.

8:32 Key Takeaways

For the majority of people, this is what should make up 95% of your training routine. That’s because doing an exercise for any number of reps close to failure, then immediately resting afterwards, allows you to generate the most muscle hypertrophy for the least amount of accumulated fatigue.

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About Me: I'm a college student with a passion for fitness hoping to make it my career. I started training in early 2019 and have devoted a big portion of my life to it ever since. Now, with the help of this amazing community I've been blessed to be a part of, I will try my best to give back the information I've learned for those hoping to embark on a journey of their own.

Make sure to leave a like if you enjoyed, comment what you want to see next, and subscribe for more! #Gym #Sets #Workout

[MaxEuceda]

For anyone looking to build muscle, you need to have a solid understanding on sets and how to perform them. So, if you have any additional questions, let me know! 👇

Also, EVERYTHING on the Myprotein website is 52% off with code "MAXE' until the 14th!

[elioteddahi]

Honestly this series is helping me a lot to understand and use training knowledge to the maximum. Thanks Max.

[LIONFOX]

Straight to the point and very informative, ur really good at explaining. Keep it up Max.

[volatility]

I'm really thankful for you taking your time to go over the basics. It really is important to have strong fundamentals

[liamadamsedits]

You should make a video on how people can train the smartest way on a time crunch. A lot of people can't train for an hour or more like you do, so wondering what some of your tips would be to have a shorter but equally effective workout?

[ericpark]

Bro honestly this is great information. I've always been confused of how to properly use the weights in my reps but now it's clear to me. Keep up the good work brother!

[dominicodonnell]

As someone who is new to working out and just learning the basics these sre extremely helpful thank for the advice

[Ryan-uokp]

happy that he's actually producing high quality information that is actually useful and not spewing out bs on the internet just for likes and views, amazing job.

[kingvuga]

You are awesome man! Makes me feel relieved to know there are valid methods I can follow to make sure I actually build muscle.

[PaultheG]

Max, you’ve really informed me for months with info I never thought I’d find. Really is applicable and optimal and thank you so much for your dedicated efforts! Also, the mullets looking fresh

[keranlemmens]

Please make a vid of instensity techniques etc. Your videos helped me so much progressing over these months

[jasonchen]

I appreciate all the time and work you put into formatting and editing to make the material easy to understand and remember. Thank you!

[coolgainz]

I’m glad that you mention a new word called back off sets but when it comes to your top set/ heavier set it’s ok that you’re form is neglecting after a couple reps cause that shows that since the velocity of the concentric movement is constantly slowing down, you’re muscles worked hard enough and gets enough fatigue, I’m only 18 yrs old but I’m still learning a lot from you 💯

[fate]

I love you so much man
I’ve been going to the gym for only a month now and your videos have been my main source of information and helped me with most of the questions i had!
Thank you so much for making these videos ❤

[Mr._POV_]

Thank you sir, I can see a lot of work was put to make this video, I've started gym 2 months ago, now I can use this to perfect my workout. 👍👍

[bengam]

Thank you very much. Incredibly helpful and I will most definitely refer a friend to your training basics series whenever they feel lost in the complex world of weightlifting. The way you narrow everything down in an easy to understand format is great, and you are highly underrated. Keep up the excellent work, Max.

[luizaluz]

I fucking love the organization, break down of elements and notes throughout the video 👏🥵 you're so dedicated to everything you do man, keep up the great work!

[sgoel]

Really well planned series! Keep up the great work man! I remember watching your older videos from your basement, you have grown so much 🦾

[lucascoutinho]

i am a brazilian and i found the treasure that i need. Thank you so much😁

[I_Kaisnow_I]

this is going to be a epic serie. Thanks for the time and dedication that takes doing it.