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More important than the number of repetitions performed is the amount of time amuscle is placed under load and at what intensity. Once you begin the first rep ofan exercise start a watch and stop it when you finish the last rep. The time elapsedis time under load.Through the years we have experimented with many different set/rep combinationsand have obtained the best results when eight to twelve reps are performed whilestrictly adhering to our five Texans “Rep Rules.”It is important for our players to recruit every available muscle fiber if maximumstrength gains are to be developed and injury prevention is a priority. Performingsomewhere between eight and twelve reps accomplishes this in the most timeefficient and safest manner possible.Sgt. Caruso, please remember that all rep ranges work if, adequate overload isprovided. However, during the season our players have very little time or energy towaste in the weight room. Total body strength is a priority for our Texans and theintent of every exercise performed must be to maintain near maximum strengthlevels. Gearing an in-season workout for a one maximum repetition will notaccomplish this.I wish you and all of the soldiers in your platoon and company the best of luck. Stayhealthy, train hard, and come home safe. Thank you again for serving our country.I am a twenty-six year old amateur football player. Many “traditional”programs encourage sets of one to six reps for most multi-joint exerciseslike the bench press and squat. I would like to hear why you prefer higherrep ranges in training your players?Kalle KarppinenHelsinki, FinlandYour question is similar to the one above and one that I am asked frequently.Remember, more important than the number of reps you perform is how youperform each individual rep and how you complete each set.I have already mentioned that multiple sets are necessary when the rep range islow. You cannot expect to generate maximum gains in strength if only one set of onerep is performed. Multiple sets must be performed to activate and gradually fatiguemore muscle fibers when only a few reps are performed. Due to the accumulativeeffect each additional set brings more muscle fibers into play. We can accomplishthis simply by increasing the number of reps.Our goal is to perform as little exercise as possible yet produce the absolute bestgains in strength. We have learned through experience that keeping the rep rangebetween eight and twelve reps best improves our player’s strength, but it also has amajor impact on their short-term endurance.I do not know what takes place within the muscle, but there appears to be significantmetabolic changes with a higher rep range (eight to twelve reps) that do not occurwith heavy weight low rep schemes. These metabolic changes allow an athlete to
perform more work at a higher level of intensity and also help them to recoverquicker.Performing a few heavy reps will increase strength but will have less impact on aplayer’s short-term endurance which is necessary for a football player and lessimportant for a weight lifter or shot putter.If low rep schemes are the best way to build strength for a football player then allexercises (neck, shoulders, back, arms, etc.) should be performed in this manner,not just a few. This would be impractical and impossible for our players.I am a volunteer coach here in Brandon and had the pleasure of watchingone of your team practices in previous years. I would appreciate it verymuch if you could provide some information regarding stretching exercisesand flexibility in order to prevent injuries.C. TaylorBrandon, ManitobaCanadaStretching is a low intensity exercise designed to increase range of motion. Keep inmind each stretch is performed in a static and controlled manner. The number ofmuscle fibers involved is limited to the specific plane being stretched.Eventually the range of motion of all involved muscle fibers will be determined by theactivities performed on the field at game speed. We cannot recreate the violentforces and excessive range of motion caused by an athlete stopping, twisting,turning, and running at full speed. Our most flexible players will experience unduemuscle soreness when they begin practicing at full speed.Stretching is not a warm-up. For an activity to be considered a warm-up you mustincrease core tissue temperature enough to break a sweat. Core temperature isunaffected by stretching.There is a time and place to stretch if an increase in flexibility is the desired effect.There is very little research that supports an increase in flexibility will prevent aninjury.Dr. Bob O’Connor, from Olso, Norway, published an article in the January, 2003,Coach & Athletic Director, titled “Stretching the Truth: It Is No Bargain.”O’Connor states, “At various times in our history, we have believed that the world isflat, diseases are caused by evil spirits, and warm-up stretching prevents injuriesand enhances performance. All of these premises are wrong, although the scientificliterature is just beginning to question the validity of stretching as a warm-up.”In the April 27, 2004 New York Times, Lorraine Kreahling published an article titledNew Thoughts About When Not to Stretch. Kreahling reported about a major studyconducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study reviewed sixdecades of research to evaluate the impact stretching had on injury prevention. Itwas determined that stretching does little to prevent injury during exercise.
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Texans strength and conditioning coach Dan Riley writes his ...

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