Q | What are reps, sets, supersets, circuits, and intervals — and when do you use them?
A | If you’re new to lifting weights, it might seem like you need to learn a whole new language just to get started in the gym. Jeff Rosga, NASM-CPT, senior director of Life Time Academy in Chanhassen, Minn., explains these common workout terms.
| Term | Definition | Example |
| Rep | Short for repetition. The number of times you perform an exercise. | Perform 15 reps of squats. |
| Set | A group of reps performed of one exercise prior to resting (also referred to as a round). | Perform three sets of goblet squats, eight reps per set. |
| Superset | Two different exercises performed in back-to-back sets with no rest. | Front squats paired with pushups. |
| Circuit | Two or more exercises repeated for an amount of time or number of reps, performed in sets as a series, usually with minimal rest between each set. | For time: 40 seconds each of rows, lunges, pushups, and deadlifts, repeated three times with no rest between exercises and 60 seconds rest between sets. For reps: 10 reps each of squat press, single-arm dumbbell incline press, and plank with alternating arm reaches with 30 seconds of rest between each exercise and 90 seconds of rest between sets. |
| Intervals | A combination of short, high-intensity bursts of exercise and lower-intensity recovery phases, repeated in one workout session. Different work-to-rest ratios help achieve different training and fitness goals. | The Tabata Protocol: Six to 8 maximum-effort 20-second intervals each followed by 10 seconds of rest, for a workout totaling three to four minutes. |
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