Traditional strength training guidelines recommend 2-6 sets of <6 reps with a weight of 85% of 1RM or greater with rest periods spanning between 3-5 minutes. The amount of reps an athlete can perform with a given percentage of his or her 1RM varies based on training age and experience. However, the following table provides a reasonable estimation of what’s likely possible in most athletes;
| %1RM |
100% |
95% |
90% |
87% |
85% |
| Repetitions |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
According to the table, a prescription of 4 sets x 3 reps must be performed with 90% or less of the athletes 1RM for successful completion. In reality, the load will probably need to be between 85-87% to allow the athlete to perform the reps safely and without excessive fatigue toward the final sets. This traditional form of strength training is quite effective, particularly in novice and intermediate level athletes.
An alternative method of strength training that uses “Cluster Sets”, not often discussed in traditional text’s or published guidelines, may be a viable option for more advanced and experienced athletes looking to increase strength and power. Cluster sets differ from traditional sets in that a brief period of rest is taken between repetitions within a given set. If the program called for 4 sets of 3 reps on the bench press with 85% of 1RM in a cluster format, the athlete would perform each rep individually by re-racking the weight between reps and resting for a prescribed period of time (usually between 15-45 seconds).
A recent study published ahead of print in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance compared the maximum amount of reps the athletes could perform with a given load (4RM) in a traditional versus cluster format. Otero et al. (2013) had nine judo athletes perform two squat workouts with a 4RM weight. In the first workout, the athletes performed 3 sets of as many repetitions as possible with 3 minutes rest between sets. For the second workout, the athletes performed as many reps as possible with the 4RM load in a single set cluster format which involved approximately 45 seconds rest between reps. The results showed that not only did the cluster training enable the athletes to perform a greater number of maximum repetitions, cluster training also tended to show a higher mean propulsive velocity for each repetition. According to the authors, “a cluster set configuration allows for a higher number of repetitions and an improved sustainability of mechanical performance. Cluster training, unlike traditional training, was not affected by absolute load, suggesting an improvement of training volume with high absolute loads.”
The brief rest periods in cluster training would also allow for heavier loads to be used and/or sustained when matched for total volume. For example, 4 sets of 3 reps with 90% of 1RM is much more likely to be successfully completed in a cluster format compared to traditional sets. Furthermore, each repetition is treated as a “single”, allowing the athlete to concentrate on exercise technique which tends to deteriorate as the set progresses in traditional training. Incorporating cluster sets into your next strength cycle may provide a break in the monotony of traditional methods by adding some variety while generating some great results for your athletes.
Reference:
Iglesias-Soler, E., Carballeira, E., Sánchez-Otero, T., Mayo, X., & Fernández-Del-Olmo, M. (2013). Performance of Maximum Number of Repetitions With Cluster Set Configuration. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. Ahead of Print.
