Before we begin breaking down different exercise routines, I need to define a few terms for you that will be used in these explanations.

Repetition - sometimes abbreviated as a “rep”, a repetition counts how many times a specific movement is performed consecutively before completing a set. If you were doing a squat, one repetition would be the complete movement that starts from standing to lowering your hips past your knee level, then returning back to the standing position. These will be a unit of measurement we use to calculate total training volume over the course of your workouts.

• When viewing a workout log that reads something like 3x12, these numbers are indicating that three (3) sets are performed, for twelve (12) repetitions.

• You may come across something termed a “half-rep” or “quarter-repetition” which is simply indicating that only half or one quarter of the movement was performed due to exhaustion or improper form.

Set - a set is the group of repetitions performed consecutively for each specific exercise before taking a break. Therefore, if you were to do one full squat repetition 10 times before stopping to take a break, you have completed one (1) set of ten (10) repetitions. Typically, multiple sets are performed for a single exercise to accomplish a certain amount of volume for each muscle group.

• As shown above, a workout log showing a 3x12 format for something like squats, would indicate that three sets are to be performed for that exercise before moving onto the next machine or muscle group.

Volume - the total amount of weight lifted over the course of a training session. This is calculated by taking the weight (in lbs or kg), and multiplying it by the number of repetitions and sets for any given exercise. Squatting 100lbs in one set for ten reps would equate to 1,000lbs of volume (100lbs x 1 set x 10 reps). These numbers are used to understand how much stress is being put upon a particular muscle group and how increasing or decreasing that stress effects it’s growth.

• Typically, the higher the amount of repetitions per exercise, the lower the total weight will have to be per set. For example, if you bench 100lbs for 10 reps to get 1,000lbs of volume before muscle exhaustion, you may be able to lift more weight, but at a lower rep scheme to accomplish the same volume of work. Such as 200lbs for 5 reps to get 1,000lbs of volume. This ratio does not always work in practice but it helps to understand how both high repetition and low repetition exercises can be beneficial if they are reaching similar levels of muscle breakdown.

Progressive Overload - the act of increase the load (volume) of work upon each muscle group over time. This can be accomplished by increasing any of the three volume factors such as the weight of an exercise, the amount of sets, or the amount of repetitions. Therefore adding simply 1 repetition to a 100lb exercise can increase total volume by 100lbs per set. Or, adding 10lbs to a 10 repetition exercise can increase total volume by 100lbs per set. The benefits of this will be explained in more detail below.

Compound Exercise - a movement that utilizes multiple muscle groups using two or more joints at the same time. An example of this would be a bench press vs. a dumbbell fly. A bench press works both pectoral muscles in the same movement, while also using your triceps and shoulders to push the weight. While a dumbbell fly isolates one pectoral muscle at a time (one weight per hand) with greater stress upon only the chest rather than other muscle groups.

Isolation Exercise - a movement that works a singular muscle group at a time. An example of this would be a bicep curl. The bicep curl is specifically focused upon isolating the bicep muscle, unlike a chin-up which works the bicep but also uses the back to complete the motion (compound).