1. [Home](https://www.workoutsmart.com/) 2. [Ask Dan](https://www.workoutsmart.com/ask-dan) 3. [Weight Training](https://www.workoutsmart.com/ask-dan/weight-training) Weight Training # I am interested in losing bodyfat (especially around my thighs and butt). I have often… The question I am interested in losing bodyfat (especially around my thighs and butt). I have often read that during weightlifting, I should do "high reps". Can you tell me just what range is considered to be "high reps" and how many sets should be done. Dan's answer Dan Wirth, MA, CSCS Higher reps are generally categorized as anything in the 12 rep range or higher. The only magic with higher reps is that they generally create more of a caloric burning effect simply because of the sheer amount of work it takes to do all those reps. Here is another example. If the typical person in a gym never did more than 6 reps in their program, but they were disciplined enough to stay on a strict diet, they would be very lean. On the other hand, if this same person always did 15 reps or more in their program, but they ate pizza and drank beer all the time they would be totally fat\! So you see, it's not necessarily what kind of reps you are doing. You always have to see the big picture\! Higher reps just help you to burn more calories during the actual workout itself. Also, you can't really target certain areas of your body to lose fat, like your hips or your butt. You can however, create a better, more toned appearance in these areas by doing squats, lunges, step ups etc. These exercises won't speed up the rate of fat loss in these areas but by developing muscle tone in this area they will look better\! Dan designed the periodization models the Wave Engine runs. See how the Wave Engine turns his programming rules into your workouts. [How the Wave Engine works](https://www.workoutsmart.com/wave-engine) ## More in Weight Training - [Should all sets end at failure. With some of the exercises listed in my program the weight is way to low for that many reps. For example, the toe press is listed at 35lbs for 12 reps, but i can do 12 reps with 140lbs. I was just curious](https://www.workoutsmart.com/ask-dan/weight-training/should-all-sets-end-at/576) - [After I gave my weight and strength info. I noticed your program designed for me for the Body Mass a medium weiight -high repetition style workout. For example, my maximum bench is around 360 and I do 5 or so reps with 315,but your bench routine calls for me to do around 15 reps with 200,180,etc. Will this help me build mass? Perhaps it will. Since I can gain decent muscle mass with medium-heavy weight in the 8-12 rep range but then I plateua out on the size gains.But my strength does keep increasing. So will the higher reps and lower weight instead produce better muscle size and density? But will I loose strength,doing it this way. Such as on my bench press. Sometime I notice I loose strength when I try high rep routines here and there. What is the happy medium? Especially since I do need to loose the fat at the same time. I have been doing aerobics after my workouts,not excessively,which have been working, but again my size gains are stahled. Again perhaps this is another reason for yourhugher rep's lower weight routine for me. But again will it still allow for strength and size and fat loss simulatneously?](https://www.workoutsmart.com/ask-dan/weight-training/after-i-gave-my-weight/337) - [I recently picked the 4 day advanced power and strength program. I was to do the workout monday thru thursday. Then I changed the days to mon,wed,fri, and sat. I noticed that now my workout has changed. On tuesday of the first week I remember having bench, incline bench, and dumbell bench. When I lood at my workout now it only shows bench for that same day. Is there a reason my workout changed. The other workout seemed harder, and that's what I liked. How can I get my old workout back. please help.](https://www.workoutsmart.com/ask-dan/weight-training/i-recently-picked-the-4/1390) - [How important is doing the exact weight? I have a multi station and the plates are 10LB each, which makes it impossible to do 5 LB increments. so I just use the same weight for each of the sets. Is that OK? Also, some of my body parts are never sore while others ones are sore for a couple of days. Does this mean that I am not working certain parts hard enough (even though they are exhausted during the workout) or am I not using enough weight or am I doing to much with the parts that are sore. I am the kind of person who feels that no pain is maybe not really a gain.](https://www.workoutsmart.com/ask-dan/weight-training/how-important-is-doing-the/123) - [Sorry to bother you again (there was a misunderstanding with the last email), but what i was asking is weither you think it's better to do the regular workouts with chest, shoulders, triceps one day, back and biceps anothor. Or is it better to workout every second day and do you back with triceps and your chest and shoulders with biceps. I felt that i have more arm strength with the latter way because my tri's and bi's aren't tired out from doing exercises where they are the secondary muscles. p.s. Your programs work like magic. They almost force you to workout properly even if you don't know what you're doing. I've got a dozen of my friends using your program now and they dig it too. thanks for your time](https://www.workoutsmart.com/ask-dan/weight-training/sorry-to-bother-you-again/1581) ## Train on the programs Dan writes. [Start 14 days free](https://www.workoutsmart.com/signup)