The BFS Rotational Set-Rep System

One of the easiest ways a coach or athlete can improve his weight program is with sets and reps. We have maintained for decades that varying or changing routines is of critical importance. It is vital to understand that no one set-rep program will produce an optimum result. If an athlete does 3 sets of 10 reps, day after day, week after week plateaus will surely be the result. The athlete will become physically and mentally stale. The interest and motivational level will drop considerably especially with high school athletes. The same can be said for 5 sets of 5 reps, one set of 12 reps, 4 sets of 8, and etc.

Doing the same thing day in and day out, simply does not produce the best results. It is even important to do different lifts on different days. Monday should not be exactly like Wednesday and Friday. To stay fresh mentally, to look forward with eagerness to the next workout, to be excited workout after workout, to stay highly motivated for months at a time and to make great gains for extensive periods oftime CAREFULLY PLANNED FREQUENT CHANGE IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST! Our BFS Set Rep System offers this carefully planned frequent change and it has now been proven after years of constant use. We do two different Core lifts on our Monday, Wednesday and Friday workout day.

On Monday we do Box Squats and Towel Benches. On Wednesday Power Cleans and Dead Lifts, Step-ups or Lunges are done. Finally, on Friday Parallel Squats and Benches are done to complete the week. After the Core Lifts, then Auxiliary exercises are selected as time and energy permits. Auxiliary exercise selection is also based on how each lift will help an athlete or team WIN. Again, Auxiliary exercises should vary from day to day. Typical Auxiliary Athletic exercises are dips, curls, leg extensions, leg curls, shoulder shrugs, lat pulls, wrist curls etc. Since a one rep maximum on these lifts is of little motivational importance, we recommend 2 sets of 10 reps as a general guideline.

If a coach said that he wanted to do 3 sets of 10 or one hard set of 8 to 12 reps, we would say "Fine that's OK for auxiliaries." For overall development around 10 reps is generally superior to one rep anyway. You may wish to change your set-rep system from week to week on auxiliaries, as we do on our corelifts. For example: 2 x la, 1 x 8-12, 3 x 10, 2 x 25 would be a great variation. However, the core lifts demand greater attention, a range between one and ten and a rotation of sets and reps from week to week within those ranges. Here's how we do it:

The BFS Rotational Set-Rep System WEEK I: 3 x 3 after Warm-ups. This is an easy week. On the last set, do 3 or more: An All-Out Effort! WEEK II: 5 x 5 or if you only have 45 minutes of class time cut it down to 3 x 5. 5 x 5 is extremely difficult. It is brutal. On the last set, it's 5 or more. Again, an All-Out Effort! WEEK III: 5-4-3-2-1 or if time is a problem 5-3-1. This is of medium difficulty. On the last set, do one or more. If you use our BFS Set-Rep Logs, you try to break as many rep records as possible on any last set. WEEK IV: Concentrate on the upper reps (6-8-10).

If you are on our system, put on enough weight to break your six rep record and then bust your fanny and get at least 6 or more reps hopefully 10. Then, if you have any juice left, break some more rep records in the 1 to 5 range. WEEK V etc.: Start over. Do more than Week I and try to break some more rep records.

IMPORTANT NEW BFS IDEAS!! can also assist a coach in making sure everyone records their lifts and understands the BFS system. 5. Don't Record Don't Pass: Some students or athletes are lazy in recording their lifts. Many schools have solved this problem by not passing students who don't record every workout. 6. New Twists: Remember on the last set; an All-Out Effort is required. Do the required number of reps plus as many more as you can get. Also, if you are short on time it's OK to do 3 x 5 instead of 5 x 5 or 5-3-1 instead of 5-4-3-2-1. 7. Computerized Programs: Everyone we've seen has problems. They just can't adjust on the spot to the athlete's strength level on any given day.

A computer, thus far, has not been able to draw out the ultimate intensity in an athlete like our BFS log books. But Wait! It may be possible. We are working on a way which may be ready in 6 months. Stay tuned.

1. Ring the Bell: To stimulate greater intensity, one coach had a bell secured to each station. When an athlete was attempting to break a set and/or rep record the spotters rang the bell: Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding! The other athletes at the other stations don't have to stop and come over but it does add something special to the atmosphere of that particular set. 2. The United Fund Thermometer: Snyder High School in Texas set a team goal last December to break 16,000 records between their 100 football players before the next season. As records were broken the United Fund Thermometer rose towards the goal. The weakest player could contribute to the team goal as much as the strongest.

The team goal was achieved by May first. They went nuts! 3. Teacher's Aides: A number of schools use student aides to help with the recording process in the BFS Set-Rep Log Books. 4. Off-Season Captains: Using athletes as off-season captains can develop leadership and responsibility. They Information about the BFS Set-Rep System is found on the next two pages. Success ofthis system has been really overwhelming. 27 THE BFS SET-REP SYSTEM YOUR ULTIMATE MOTIVATORI * Brand New 1985-86 Edition Available Now!! * Contains New Intensity Section! * Contains Agility and Speed Charts! * Contains Nutrition Section! * Better Than Ever! Same Price!!

The Set-Rep Log was created to help your athletes make super progress. Every athlete needs a Set- Rep Log to record their workouts and records. It's 81/2 x 11, durable, attractive and fully illustrated. Each Set- Rep Log contains workout schedules for one year! The Set-Rep System is highly complex yet it is presented in a straight-forward easy-to understand manner.

ORGANIZES EVERY WORKOUT! Finally' A set-rep system which organizes every set and every rep for your athlete's career. Your athlete now has a specific challenge with every set, every rep and every workout. Absolutely no more worrying about how much weight to put on the bar ever again. Athletes thrive on the competitive nature of the BFS system.

THE ULTIMATE MOTIVATION! The BFS system has been tested thoroughly the last three years. Simply stated: Athletes break at least 8 personal records per week! Week after week; month after month; 400 per year' Breaking records is the ultimate motivational factor in building great confidence' The unique BFS system creates spectacular results! A motivated, confident team is a winner in the arena of competition.

NO PLATEAUS! All other systems reach plateaus. Some quickly and some after 3 or 4 months. However, all will reach that frustrating point where progress seems impossible and things sometimes go from bad to worse. Poor systems like one set of 12-15 reps or 3 sets of 10 reps reach this point very quickly, but even complex cycle systems eventually reach a plateau. The new BFS Set-Rep System will keep your athletes progressing month after month. The key is keeping track of personal records. This is why every athlete should have his own Set-Rep-Log. Since each athlete in your program needs a Set-RepLog. the following discounts will help on larger orders.

COST: One: $4.00 2-9: $3.00 Each 10-25: $2.50 Each Over 25: $2.25 Each CUSTOM SET-REP LOG BOOK $2.70 Each (100 Minimum) Include Your School Logo and School Culors or Just BFS, P.O. BOX 20612, SLC, Dr 84120

From BFS Magazine — November/December 1985. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).