Reps, Sets, and the Beach-Ready Physique: Cutting Through the Noise

When it comes to program design, getting the most optimal reps and sets can quite literally make or break your results. And let’s be honest—there’s a ton of noise out there. Opinions fly around like dumbbells in a crowded gym. But this week, we’re here to cut through the confusion.

Today, I’m dialing in on the physique development side of things—specifically for those of you who just want to look and feel a little more confident this summer, whether it’s by the pool, on the beach, or rocking that tank top at the BBQ.

First off—no one has the “perfect” answer for everyone. It’s not about the magic number of sets or the one rep scheme to rule them all. What works for your friend might not work for you, and what worked for you last year might not hit the same this time around.

Here’s what we do know, backed by research:

📌 Muscle can be built with as few as 5 reps per set or as many as 30—as long as you're training close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2015). That means stopping a set when you’ve only got 1–2 reps left in the tank (called “reps in reserve”).

📌 Anything under 5 reps? Great for building strength, but not ideal for hypertrophy.

📌 More than 30 reps? You’re mostly building endurance—not that full, dense look we’re after for physique development.

What matters most is EFFORT and intention. You want to challenge the muscle, not just go through the motions. The set should feel hard. Like really hard—especially in those final few reps.

And don’t sleep on the eccentric stretch (that’s the lowering phase of a lift). Research shows that emphasizing the eccentric part of the rep can drive serious muscle growth by creating more mechanical tension on the fibers (Wackerhage et al., 2019).

One last thing before you go rearranging your workout plan...

🔥 There is no such thing as “toning.” That’s a marketing buzzword. If you want to look more defined, it means building muscle and lowering body fat. Period. You can't tone what isn’t there.

So whether you’re running 3x10 or playing with some 4x15 sets, or even 5x5, the key is training smart, staying consistent, and pushing with purpose.

Next time, we’ll dive into how to set up your week for power and sports performance, but for now—keep chasing that confident version of you.

Coach Greg Nagaye MS, CSCS

IFBB Pro