Training

Why 50-Reps?

The target rep zone in Power Racing is 50 reps for Bench Press and Deadlifts. We often get asked why we selected the 50-rep, multiple-set format. It’s a great question and something we evolved to. There are three foundational reasons that led to the 50-rep test.

 

Balancing the time spent between strength and endurance

The spirit of Power Racing is complete fitness, a blending of endurance and strength. The Power 5k and the Power Triathlon are the signature events of Power racing. Let’s start with the Power 5k. Our goal was for the power events to account for roughly 50% of the event time and the run to account for the other 50%. The typical athlete completes a 5k in 20-40 minutes. With the three lifting events we knew we wanted each event to land around 10 minutes per event. We then started testing different weights and rep ranges. The outcome of the testing was three competition levels: Standard, Advanced, and Elite along with the 50-rep rep target.

 

Safe and Effective

A second goal for Power Racing was heavy but safe. 1 and 2 rep max efforts are the definition of powerlifting but for recreational lifters they often result in poor form and can lead to injury. We were also looking to have the working muscles under tension for a longer period of time than standard powerlifting events. These drivers led us to a target working weight that would put the athlete in a rep zone of 5-12 reps in each set. This rep range is a test of strength and power, and over multiple sets creates extreme muscle hypertrophy which leads to muscle toning and overall physique improvement.   

 

Training that makes us feel good and live well

We train like we race. We noticed that as we started training to improve our Power Racing times we naturally gravitated to workouts that mimicked the race - moderately heavy weight, low rep ranges, short rest periods and a high number of sets. The urgency of racing combined with the intensity of the load over 50 reps created elevated heart rates, shortness of breath, and hypertrophy. This is a what we were looking for - total fitness. Stronger heart, stronger lungs, stronger muscles, and a longer life.

 

Learn more about Power Racing at GoPowerRacing.com.