Tip of the Week: I find that most people who are looking to get into shape, as opposed to extremely muscular, don't go high enough in their rep count.

Bodybuilders tend to keep their sets in the 6-12 rep range because this has been shown to be the most effective for maximizing size and strength. There are plenty of benefits to increasing the number of reps you perform per set, however.

For one, higher reps means an elevated heart rate for a longer time, which is the goal of cardio training. In addition, higher rep training increases muscular endurance, or the amount of time a muscle can work before fatiguing. Finally, when you use higher reps you also use lower weights, by necessity. This lowers the risk of injury.

I recommend rep ranges of 12 to 16 for arms, chest and shoulders, and 16 to 20 for legs and back, for anyone looking for a blend of development and endurance.

Q: I'm a 22-year-old guy who loves bodybuilding. I discovered it while rehabbing my knee when I played football in college.

Now, I know that the squat is supposed to be the king of exercises, and I love the way they make my thighs grow. But my knee can be sore for days after a leg workout. Is there any way I can build my legs without squatting?

A: First let me say that yours is not an uncommon complaint. For a variety of reasons, many people aren't capable of performing certain exercises, whether it's due to their body mechanics or, as in your case, a prior injury.

What you need to do today — yesterday, really — is stop squatting! I always tell people to never, ever do an exercise that is hurting their joints. Muscle soreness after a workout is to be expected. Joint soreness is not.

While squats are indeed one of the very best overall exercises you can perform, they're by no means the only good mass-building movements for the thighs. In fact, a number of pro bodybuilders these days don't even squat, so effective are other exercises and so taxing are squats.

Leg presses, hack squats and walking lunges are all excellent substitutes for the squat, if performed correctly.

I suggest alternating two of each per workout so that you give your knees a variety of movement to help prevent repetitive stress disorder.

Let me know if eliminating squats from your routine lessens the pain in your knees.

Q: As a woman on the other side of 50, I'm interested in becoming more physically active as a way of getting back into shape, but I'm concerned about the possibility of injury. My doctor said I have minor osteoporosis, so my bones may be brittle. Is weight-bearing exercise OK for me?

A: There's a bit of irony to your particular situation, I'm afraid. Because you have osteoporosis you do have to take extra care when lifting weights, or performing any other type of physical activity. However, by exercising, particularly progressive resistance exercising, you will help strengthen your bones, not to mention your muscles.

Research has shown that bone density can be increased significantly from regular weigh-bearing exercise, so I highly recommend that you either buy yourself a good home gym set or join a gym ASAP.

As far as what kinds of exercises you can perform, I recommend sticking with the basics in the beginning and starting off light — then, as your strength improves, slowly moving the weight up. Consider starting with a routine that's a circuit of squats, dead lifts, bent-over rows, seated military presses and flat bench presses. Use dumbbells for all of these exercises, as they allow you freedom of movement not possible with a barbell.

Do one set of 12 reps of each, rest 30 seconds, then move on to the next. When you've completed one cycle, rest for two minutes, then start the cycle over. Do three complete cycles before doing two sets of 12 reps of crunches followed by two sets of lying kick-outs.

Perform this workout three times per week, slowly building the weight you use. After four weeks of this routine, you should be ready to move up to something more detail-oriented.

The most important thing to remember is that you have the power to change your health and your body, so long as you're willing to put in a little work and have patience.

Joe Weider is the co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders, creator of the Mr. Olympia and Ms. Olympia bodybuilding contests, and publisher of numerous fitness magazines. To find out more about Joe Weider, write to him and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

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