Gains

[Brandon Pattison]

What's the difference?
1 set of 50
Or
5 sets of 10

 

[Poser]

Endurance for one.

Depending on weight and intensity, it could potentially be the difference between an anaerobic and aerobic work out. There could also be a consideration for the amount of time you rest between those 10 reps. If you do 10 reps at high intensity and rested, say, 60 seconds or less between the sets you could just as easily create an endurance aspect to the workout. The thing with doing 50 straight reps is that its going to limit the amount of weight you can do where a short break of even 30-40 seconds would allow just enough muscle recovery to keep pushing at volume. Both can be productive, just need to know what your goals are, both long term and for the individual workout.

 

[Brandon Pattison]

With limited time for PT at work and home, I have to make hay when the sun is shining. Goals? To be a badass in the mountains and in general. Well, more of a badass.

 

[Poser]

Problem with doing 50 reps outright, is, in order to do 50 reps, the weight will be light enough that its probably going to take you 20 reps to start feeling it. Now, if you were to sprint, say, 400 meters, then do, say, 20 burpees and then the 50 squat reps, you'd be benefiting from all 50 reps.

 

[djsmith46]

We'd have to set some ground rules to give you the very best answer. But in general, if the weight was the same, you would get virtually no training effect from the five sets of 10. The reason being the weight would have to be light enough to where you could perform 50 consecutive reps. So 5 sets of 10 with the same weight (with let's say 90-120 second rest) wouldn't wind you and wouldn't provide your body with any reason to adapt (intensity would be too low). Unless you were simply practicing form and working on mobility the one set of 50 would at least give you some sort of training effect.

If you changed the weights and rest times like others have said earlier then it completely changes the game. Just ask yourself what you want out of your workouts. If a bada** backcountry hunter is what you're looking for then working your way up to your best set of 10 (fifth set being close to your best set of 10) with 60 second rest for instance on a squat is going to have a nice combination of strength building as well as anaerobic effect. I wouldn't recommend doing any max intensity sets for beginners though. Benefit vs cost doesn't balance out. I know I'm new here but I do have a background in weight training.