Reps (Repetitions)
Also known as: Repetitions, Rep Count
One complete movement cycle of an exercise — one squat down and up, one press up and down. Reps are the atomic unit of training volume.
Formula
No formula — reps are prescribed (e.g. "8 reps") or logged. We normalize prescriptions: ranges "10-12" become the midpoint (11), per-side "10/side" becomes 20 total.Example
"3 sets of 10-12 reps" is normalized to 3 x 11 = 33 planned reps. If you log 3 x 12, actual volume is 36 reps (+9%).
How Afitpilot Uses This
Reps feed into volume (sets x reps) and tonnage (sets x reps x weight). We parse prescriptions carefully: integer, range (midpoint), per-side (x2), and filter out time-based, AMRAP, and EMOM values. If we can't parse a rep prescription to a number, it's excluded from planned totals but actual logged reps still count.
Rep ranges — what they actually mean
| Who / Context | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 reps | Maximal strength | Heavy load, long rest, neural adaptations |
| 6-12 reps | Hypertrophy | But muscle grows across ALL ranges near failure |
| 12-20+ reps | Muscular endurance | Also builds muscle equally when effort is matched |
| Active aging (60+) | 12-15 reps preferred | Same growth as low-rep; less joint stress |
Known Limitations
- •Partial reps, forced reps, and cheat reps are counted the same as full ROM reps. Range of motion quality is not captured.
- •The midpoint normalization for ranges is a convenient approximation but not always representative of athlete intent or behavior.
What We're Improving
Science Context
Rep ranges loosely map to training adaptations: 1-5 for maximal strength, 6-12 for hypertrophy, 12-20+ for muscular endurance. These ranges have significant overlap and individual variation, and the notion of strict "rep range zones" is increasingly viewed as an oversimplification in modern exercise science.