In response o the above, I would say that exercising to the point of failure is not necessary. However, in order to gain strength and muscle endurance, it is critical to challenge yourself. If you know what it takes to challenge yourself and your muscles (i.e., what you need to do to feel some soreness later), great. But many don’t have a good sense of what it takes, especially when working with lighter weights.

When training with low weights in particular, training to failure (until you can’t do any more reps) is an easy way to ensure you are challenging yourself.

You build and strengthen muscle by doing exercises that take their muscles to the failure point, i.e., to the point where you can do no more reps. You can accomplish that with high weight and low reps, or lower weight with high reps. High weight and low reps takes the least amount of time, but it also tends to produce the most visible changes (increases) in muscle mass, which may or may not be desirable. You can get a great workout with lower weights and high reps, and you’ll never look anything like a bodybuilder.

I do an arm workout three times a week, and have 5 or 6 exercises I do. I do ten reps, then move on to the next exercise, and cycle through the whole thing three times. During the third set, I struggle a little on reps 7-10 for one of the exercises, and can feel my muscles working, but it doesn't pain me to carry or pick things up by a half hour later. Within two months of starting this I could see muscle definition. I use 5 lb weights, for whatever that's worth.

Anonymous wrote:I don't do the same number of reps for all exercises.

My workouts tend to start with a big lift (deadlift, squat, bench press- and those are typically lower rep 4-8

next 1-2 exercises are usually on the 8-10 rep range.

Finishing exercises things like bicep curls, tricep extensions are usually in the 12-15 rep range.

This makes sense to me - the paces I was put through seemed to make no sense!
He had me switch weights and equipment but it just seemed beyond haphazard and disorganized.

I don't do the same number of reps for all exercises.

My workouts tend to start with a big lift (deadlift, squat, bench press- and those are typically lower rep 4-8

next 1-2 exercises are usually on the 8-10 rep range.

Finishing exercises things like bicep curls, tricep extensions are usually in the 12-15 rep range.

Sounds like he has you doing low weight, high rep.

You could ask to try high weight, low rep.

Regardless of which method, you want to be pushed to fatigue. If you can do them all, it’s not too many reps and the weight is too lights.

Nothing wrong with soreness.

I was gifted some personal training sessions, and am admittedly in no way an expert on exercise. For those who are: is it normal to do 20-35 reps per set of standing dumbbell exercises? He did this for everything from bicep curls to reverse lunges. (separately, he also lost count multiple times of what I was doing). I am way more sore after the session but also just wonder if for me, since I knew he fudged counts, this trainer is a dud and I should move on? Or is many reps a good way to get fitter?