- With Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
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Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Dr. Edward Laskowski is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, including subspecialty certification in sports medicine, and is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. He is co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and a professor at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
He has been on the staff of Mayo Clinic since 1990 and specializes in sports medicine, fitness, strength training and stability training. He works with a multidisciplinary team of physical medicine, rehabilitation and orthopedic specialists, physical therapists, and sports psychologists.
Dr. Laskowski is an elite-level skier and an avid hiker, cyclist and climber. He approaches sports medicine from the perspective of a physician and an athlete.
In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed Dr. Laskowski to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and he has received a Distinguished Service Award from the Department of Health and Human Services for his contribution to the Council.
Dr. Laskowski was a member of the medical staff of the Olympic Polyclinic at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and has provided medical coverage for the Chicago Marathon. He serves as a consulting physician to the National Hockey League Players' Association and is a featured lecturer at the American College of Sports Medicine's Team Physician Course.
Dr. Laskowski, a Cary, Ill., native, has contributed to Mayo Clinic's CD-ROM on sports, health and fitness, a website guide to self-care, and hundreds of Mayo Clinic articles and booklets in print and online. He is a contributing editor to the "Mayo Clinic Fitness for EveryBody" book, and he has presented lectures throughout the world on health, fitness and sports medicine topics. His teaching expertise has been recognized by his election to the Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame at Mayo Clinic.
"There are many myths and misconceptions about exercise and fitness in general, and also many traditions that don't stand up to scientific scrutiny," he says. "My goal is to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information on sports medicine and fitness topics in a way that you can practically incorporate into your life."
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Question
Strength training sets: How many for best results?
What's better for strength training — one set or multiple sets?
Answer
from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
For most people, there's little evidence to support the superiority of multiset strength training. In fact, a single set of 12 repetitions with the proper weight can build strength as effectively as can multiple sets of the same exercise. Simply use a weight that tires your muscles at 12 repetitions. As you get stronger, gradually increase the amount of weight. To help ensure continued progress in your strength training program, make your strength training workouts progressively more difficult. It also helps to vary the type of exercise you do for each muscle group.
There's a caveat, though, if you hope to increase muscle mass significantly — during bodybuilding, for example, or to enhance performance in certain sports. In these cases, adding additional strength training sets may be beneficial.
- Wilmore JH, et al. Principles of exercise training. Wilmore JH, et al. Physiology of Sport and Exercise. 4th ed. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2008:186.
- Carpinelli RN, et al. Strength training: Single versus multiple sets. Sports Medicine. 1998;26:73.
- Carpinelli RN, et al. A critical analysis of the ACSM position stand on resistance training: Insufficient evidence to support recommended training protocols. Journal of Exercise Physiology-online. 2004:7:1. http://www.asep.org/files/OttoV4.pdf. Accessed March 24, 2010.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 24, 2010.
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