The Ideal Number of Weight Training Sets for Middle-Aged Men

Whether you're headed toward middle age or you're already there, you've probably heard the warnings that as you age, you're losing several pounds of muscle -- and replacing it with fat -- every year. To combat that problem as well as build bone mass and improve your overall physique, incorporate strength training into your regular routine. Before you get overwhelmed by the thought of adding more activity to your daily life, understand that you won't have to weight train as often as you might think.

  1. General Guidelines

    • Whether you're 18 or 48, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends the same basic guidelines for strength training: do weight-bearing exercises at least two days a week. The exercises should incorporate all the major muscle groups, including the arms, shoulders, chest, abdominals, legs, hips and back. That's seven groups of muscles, but remember that you can also do compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups. For example, a shoulder press exercise will work the deltoids of the shoulders as well as the triceps of the arms and the trapezius muscles of the back.

    Sets and Repetitions

    • The number of sets and repetitions you need to complete to successfully maintain muscle isn't as many as you may think. The Mayo Clinic and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both recommend just a single set of 12 to 15 repetitions for each exercise you're doing. The key is that you can't just lift weights of any size, however. Pick a weight that is heavy enough to tire your muscles toward the end of the set, so that your muscles feel fatigued and it's difficult to finish the last few repetitions. This approach requires that you to add weight as you get stronger. Plan to lift about 5 to 10 percent more weight every week to few weeks. Resist the urge to lift too much weight to keep up with the other strongmen in the gym; this may lead to serious injury.

    Rest

    • While the general guidelines seem to point toward a twice-weekly strength training routine, listen to your body. If you're feeling fatigued, irritable or demotivated as you continue your routine over time, it could be a sign that you're overtraining and that your body needs more rest. When that's the case, take a week or two off, and then start back on a once-weekly routine. A 2007 study published in the "British Journal of Sports Medicine" found that older adults got just as much benefit from doing strength-training sessions once a week as they did doing the sessions twice a week. Another way to do it: Break your sessions into upper-body and lower-body sessions and do each of them one or two days a week.

    Ideal Sets

    • In short, the "ideal" number of sets you should be doing is the number that works for you, your body and your schedule. The right routine for you allows you to build muscle while avoiding fatigue and injury. As you age, injuries and illness may be tougher to overcome. Also keep in mind that the recommendations from the CDC and others are intended for healthy adults. If you're currently sedentary or you have health issues, talk to your doctor about the frequency and nature of exercise that will work for you.