Bodytalk
By Stephenie Karony
Friday, May 3, 1996
ANSWER:"Contraindicated" means that an exercise is inadvisable, and is not appropriate for anyone under any circumstance.
Dubbing an exercise "contraindicated" is an extreme reaction to a risk of injury. Many exercise specialists prefer to view exercise on a continuum of safety and risk. Instead of writing an exercise off as contraindicated, we evaluate it in any one case by balancing its benefits and effectiveness versus its safety risks. That way, coaches and trainers can evaluate the exerciser's fitness level, independent risk factors, and exercise goals. When an exercise is not labeled as "good" or "bad," the exercise program can be adapted, and individual exercises can be modified when necessary, to better fit the profile of the person doing the exercise.
A: That depends on your level of fitness and your goals. Most weightlifting programs use at least three sets of each exercise. However, one-set training - performing just one set of each weightlifting exercise - can be used beneficially by beginners, elderly persons, those exercising for health reasons only, people with very little time or inclination to exercise, and those who hate to exercise and want it over with fast.
Please note that even with one-set training, you can and should do two or three exercises for each different muscle group. Otherwise, your workouts will be awfully short and not very effective.
For untrained exercisers, performing one set of an exercise builds muscle and increases strength just as effectively as multi-set training, for awhile. (Gradually, the benefits will diminish and you'll need to challenge your muscles more in order to progress.) One-set workouts are also good for people who are already conditioned and only want to maintain their current level of fitness.
One-set training definitely has its place in the fitness arena. Many people who start out with one-set training discover the benefits of weightlifting and graduate to progressive resistance training.
If you have the time and the will, three sets is best. But if you are more likely to exercise using one-set training, then by all means, do it. Bottom line - any exercise is better by far than no exercise at all.