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Good News for Weight Lifters
Brian W. Findley, M.Ed., CSCS
Is Once Really Enough?
There is good news for recreational weight lifters from the American College of Sports Medicine. A study conducted at the University of Florida concluded that performing one set of 8-12 repetitions was just as advantageous as performing multiple sets. Improvements in muscular strength, muscular endurance and body composition were not significantly different between a group performing one set and a group performing multiple sets in those who lifted 3 times per week. This has important implications for time-conscious participants and another example of "more not necessarily being better." Principle investigator Christopher J. Haas explained, "We knew that exercise enthusiasts often drop out of their weight lifting program because it takes too much time." These results demonstrate an efficacious lifting program need not be time-consuming and because of that, people may stick to their program longer. Improving over all health, increasing strength, decreasing the risk of injury and delaying the onset of frailty associated with aging are identified as the benefits of this type of training.
