Training article
Reading A Programme: Sets, Reps, Supersets And Rest
What every line in a programme means, and what to do between sets
General information about training and eating, not personal advice. It is not medical or dietary advice and it cannot account for your circumstances. If you are pregnant, have a medical condition, take medication, or have a history of disordered eating, talk to a GP or a registered dietitian before changing how you eat or train.
Every line in the programmes here is written the same way: the lift, a dash, then what to do. Once you can read one line you can read all of them, and on the Log the What does this mean? link under each line explains it where you meet it. This is the whole key in one place.
How to read a line
| Written | What it means |
|---|---|
| Squat — 3 × 5 | Three sets of five reps. |
| Walking Lunge — 3 × 12 per leg | Twelve reps on each leg, in every set. |
| Plank — 3 × 30–45s | Three holds of thirty to forty-five seconds. Log the seconds, not reps. |
| Pull-Ups — 4 × AMRAP | As many reps as you can do with good form, four times. |
| Deadlift — 1 top set of 5 | Work up through lighter sets, then one heavy set of five. |
| Squat — 4 × 3–5 @ RPE 8 | Four sets of three to five reps, at a weight that leaves about two reps in the tank. |
| Superset: Barbell Curl / Tricep Pushdown — 3 × 12 | Twelve curls, then straight into twelve pushdowns, then rest. The pair counts as one set. |
A range, like 3–5 or 30–45s, is room to move, not a target to hit the top of. Stay inside it with good form. When you reach the top of the range on every set, that is the sign to add a little weight next time — the progressive overload article above explains why.
Rest between sets. The American College of Sports Medicine's position stand on resistance training suggests around two to three minutes between sets of the big lifts that move several joints — squats, presses, deadlifts, rows — and about one to two minutes for smaller single-joint lifts like curls and raises. Treat that as a starting point, not a rule: heavier sets need longer, and a set started before you have your breath back is a set done badly. The rest timer on the Log counts up, not down, so it shows how long it has been and sets you no target.
Why the order matters. Each day puts its biggest lift first, while you are fresh, and the smaller ones after it; the same position stand recommends big lifts before small ones and lifts that move several joints before lifts that move one. Keep that order if you can. If the rack or machine you need is taken, Swap for today on the Log puts a lift from the same group in its place for that session, so you do not have to reshuffle the whole day.
Supersets save time: two lifts for different muscles back to back, then one rest. They suit smaller lifts like curls and pushdowns, where one muscle rests while the other works. They do not suit two heavy lifts, which is why the programmes here only pair small ones.