- With Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
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Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Dr. Edward Laskowski is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. He is co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and a professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
He has been on the staff of Mayo Clinic since 1990 and specializes in sports medicine, fitness, strength training and stability training. He works with a multidisciplinary team of physical medicine, rehabilitation and orthopedic specialists, physical therapists and sports psychologists.
Dr. Laskowski is an elite-level skier and approaches sports medicine from the perspective of a physician and an athlete. In addition to skiing, he is an avid hiker, cyclist and climber.
In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed Dr. Laskowski to a two-year term on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
Dr. Laskowski was a member of the medical staff of the Olympic Polyclinic at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and was involved in medical coverage for the Chicago Marathon. He serves as a consulting physician to the National Hockey League Players' Association and is a featured lecturer at the American College of Sports Medicine's Team Physician Course.
Dr. Laskowski, a Cary, Ill., native, has contributed to Mayo Clinic's CD-ROM on sports, health and fitness, a Web site guide to self-care, and hundreds of Mayo Clinic articles and booklets in print and online. He is a contributing editor to Mayo Clinic's "Fitness for EveryBody" book.
"There are many myths and misconceptions about exercise and fitness in general, and also many traditions that don't stand up to scientific scrutiny," he says. "My goal is to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information on sports medicine and fitness topics in a way that you can practically incorporate into your life."
More answers
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Question
Strength training: How many sets for best results?
I recently read an article that said a single set of strength training exercises builds muscle as effectively as multiple sets do. Is this a new development? I've always heard that multiple sets are best.
Answer
from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
For most people, there's little evidence to support the superiority of multiset strength training. In fact, a single set of 12 repetitions with the proper weight can build strength as effectively as can multiple sets of the same exercise. Simply use a weight that tires your muscles at 12 repetitions. As you get stronger, gradually increase the amount of weight. To help ensure continued progress in your strength training program, make your strength training workouts progressively more difficult. It also helps to vary the type of exercise you perform for each muscle group.
If you're hoping to increase muscle mass significantly — during bodybuilding, for example, or to enhance your performance in certain sports — adding additional sets may be beneficial. Remember, however, for most people there's no need to spend extra time in the gym doing multiple sets of the same strength training exercises.
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