optimum number of sets/reps/movements when dieting?

[M.Tupper]

I'm on a long diet (7.5 months) trying to cut 65lbs and 25% bodyfat. So far pretty successful at 2lbs/week.

I tried split training but I feel I have more endurance and effort when doing only one body part per day except bis/tris which I do on one day. I will eventually do a split once i hit my short term goal.

Question is how many sets per body part is minimal/optimal when at a 1K calorie per day deficit? How much muscle stimulation is needed or adequate to maintain as much muscle. Assume I'm eating properly as well and protein @1g/lb of lbm.

right now I'm doing the following but the next 10 days or so I will have very limited time daily gym time and want to make that time count.

chest: 12-14 sets (8-9 sets comprise of press) 4 movements
back: same as back
tris: 12 sets, 3 exercises bis: 9 sets , 3 exercises
shoulders: 12 sets (8 sets pressing), 3 exercises (1 week rear delts, 1 week lateral)
legs: 20-24 sets (quads, hams and calves)

it takes me roughly 45 mins to lift each day except legs (75 mins also no cardio)

I figure I can get to the gym everyday but will only have 20-30 mins max to lift. What would be a good routine with such short time. I still want to do one body part per day.

[Fifty+]

I'm on a long diet (7.5 months) trying to cut 65lbs and 25% bodyfat. So far pretty successful at 2lbs/week.

I tried split training but I feel I have more endurance and effort when doing only one body part per day except bis/tris which I do on one day. I will eventually do a split once i hit my short term goal.

Question is how many sets per body part is minimal/optimal when at a 1K calorie per day deficit? How much muscle stimulation is needed or adequate to maintain as much muscle. Assume I'm eating properly as well and protein @1g/lb of lbm.

right now I'm doing the following but the next 10 days or so I will have very limited time daily gym time and want to make that time count.

chest: 12-14 sets (8-9 sets comprise of press) 4 movements
back: same as back
tris: 12 sets, 3 exercises bis: 9 sets , 3 exercises
shoulders: 12 sets (8 sets pressing), 3 exercises (1 week rear delts, 1 week lateral)
legs: 20-24 sets (quads, hams and calves)

it takes me roughly 45 mins to lift each day except legs (75 mins also no cardio)

I figure I can get to the gym everyday but will only have 20-30 mins max to lift. What would be a good routine with such short time. I still want to do one body part per day.

If you're going to work one body part per workout, what's the difference? How many combinations of curls, presses, rows etc. can you come up with? If your goal is to continue dropping weight, splits are far less affective then fullbody or Circuit Training.

[M.Tupper]

If you're going to work one body part per workout, what's the difference? How many combinations of curls, presses, rows etc. can you come up with? If your goal is to continue dropping weight, splits are far less affective then fullbody or Circuit Training.

It takes me at least 40-45 mins to perform what I think is the optimal amount of sets. For example, chest 12 -14 sets.

Would 8 sets of heavy presses, with moderate reps 6-10, 2 movements. Would that be enough stimulation for say chest? That's what I'm asking. How many sets is enough with how many reps?

I can make the gym everyday, I just can't spend the amount of time I usually have in there. A full body workout sounds good, but would I do this every other day? How frequent for full body workout in 20-30 mins and how many reps, to failure?

[Fifty+]

It takes me at least 40-45 mins to perform what I think is the optimal amount of sets. For example, chest 12 -14 sets.

Would 8 sets of heavy presses, with moderate reps 6-10, 2 movements. Would that be enough stimulation for say chest? That's what I'm asking. How many sets is enough with how many reps?

I can make the gym everyday, I just can't spend the amount of time I usually have in there. A full body workout sounds good, but would I do this every other day? How frequent for full body workout in 20-30 mins and how many reps, to failure?

There is no cookie cutter pattern when it comes to building muscle mass. What each and every one of us put into any set is determined by our own experience and intensity levels. It takes time and experimentation to find what works best. I will simply suggest that you try exercises, rep ranges and weight totals that you have not used in the past. Challange your lifts. Make your workouts consistantly harder. Simply telling you that performing 3 sets to failure in the 6-8 rep zone (or any amount of sets in any rep zone) will build muscle is foolish. What works for me may not work for yourself. Give it time and experiment.

[HughDp]

There is no cookie cutter pattern when it comes to building muscle mass. What each and every one of us put into any set is determined by our own experience and intensity levels. It takes time and experimentation to find what works best. I will simply suggest that you try exercises, rep ranges and weight totals that you have not used in the past. Challange your lifts. Make your workouts consistantly harder. Simply telling you that performing 3 sets to failure in the 6-8 rep zone (or any amount of sets in any rep zone) will build muscle is foolish. What works for me may not work for yourself. Give it time and experiment.

Totally agree with that. I think an individual's training intensity and genetic response means that person A could be doing a totally different routine to person B, yet both are making similar gains.

I usually try things for 8-12 weeks and see if they work.

[plmb1]

I'm on a long diet (7.5 months) trying to cut 65lbs and 25% bodyfat. So far pretty successful at 2lbs/week.

I tried split training but I feel I have more endurance and effort when doing only one body part per day except bis/tris which I do on one day. I will eventually do a split once i hit my short term goal.

Question is how many sets per body part is minimal/optimal when at a 1K calorie per day deficit? How much muscle stimulation is needed or adequate to maintain as much muscle. Assume I'm eating properly as well and protein @1g/lb of lbm.

right now I'm doing the following but the next 10 days or so I will have very limited time daily gym time and want to make that time count.

chest: 12-14 sets (8-9 sets comprise of press) 4 movements
back: same as back
tris: 12 sets, 3 exercises bis: 9 sets , 3 exercises
shoulders: 12 sets (8 sets pressing), 3 exercises (1 week rear delts, 1 week lateral)
legs: 20-24 sets (quads, hams and calves)

it takes me roughly 45 mins to lift each day except legs (75 mins also no cardio)

I figure I can get to the gym everyday but will only have 20-30 mins max to lift. What would be a good routine with such short time. I still want to do one body part per day.

Fifty hit it on the head about everyone being different and you having to find out for your self about how many set, reps, intensity..etc..

I was in a situation such as that several years ago and this is what I did...........

1st day in gym.....super sets of deads/incline bb bench
2nd day..............super sets of bb curls/and your choice of tri exercise
3th day...............super sets of military press/shrugs
4th day...............off
5th day...............wide stance back squats
6th day...............super sets of hypers/leg curls
7th day...............off

the next week I went with this:

1st day................super sets of pullups/flat bb bench
2nd day................super sets of bb curls/cable push downs
3rd day.................giant sets of military press/lat fly to side/shrugs
4th day.................off
5th day.................super sets of narrow stance front squats/leg ext
6th day.................super sets of sldl/leg curls
7th day.................off

after that.....this.......

1st day.................super sets of low cable rows/flat bench flyes
2nd day.................super sets of bb curls/nose breakers
3rd day..................giant sets of military press/front lat raise/shrugs
4th day..................off
5th day..................super set sissy squats/leg ext
6th day..................super set of sldl/leg curls
7th day..................off


then go back to the first week's routine....then to the second and then to the third again and so on untill your schedule allows you more time.....

I did that for about a month and a half because of my job. I usually spent around 35 minutes in gym. To do this you will have to be all business in the gym......you know what I mean.......get in, get to it and get out. I hope this helps or atleast gives you another way to look at it......