A trainer and a few fitness magazines are saying that 30 repetitions are the way to go when working out, instead of doing 2 -3 sets of 8-12 each.

The way this works is;

Put on a weight, continue to do reps until you cannot anymore and then squeeze out 1 - 2 more.

Next time, same deal, keep pushin them out. Once you reach #30, increase the weight.

The theory is that you'll be working out endurance a long with strength... anybody ever try this?

I might start it today or tomorrow to see how it feels.

If you can complete 30 reps you are not going to maximize your strength increases. You will primarily be working endurance.
Try doing that with squats. I have done workouts that mix up the set/rep parameters during the week. On the endurance day the set/rep scheme was 2x24. I could barely complete a ridiculously low weight for reps. Give it a whirl. Vomit. Then come back and tell us how it went.

Quoted: A trainer and a few fitness magazines are saying that 30 repetitions are the way to go when working out, snippy

Are possibly the trainer and the mag sponsored by the same person? I HATE reading mags because every damn one is sponsored by some asshole hawking their own products. /rant off.
All it sounds like they're doing is one big drop set for a workout, and that's crap if you want any kind of strength. It's okay at the very end of a workout if you're trying for a pump, but that's about all you're going to get. Every blue moon, I'll do high rep sets to change things up, but not on a steady basis.
I'll stay at Holiday Inn Express tonight and give you a more informed opinion tomorrow.

Quoted: Quoted: A trainer and a few fitness magazines are saying that 30 repetitions are the way to go when working out, snippy Are possibly the trainer and the mag sponsored by the same person? I HATE reading mags because every damn one is sponsored by some asshole hawking their own products. /rant off. All it sounds like they're doing is one big drop set for a workout, and that's crap if you want any kind of strength. It's okay at the very end of a workout if you're trying for a pump, but that's about all you're going to get. Every blue moon, I'll do high rep sets to change things up, but not on a steady basis. I'll stay at Holiday Inn Express tonight and give you a more informed opinion tomorrow.

The trainer works at a fitness center run by a hospital.

The trainer didn't mention the magazine, I just saw it said by more than one person.

For the purpose of the academy, 90% + of the training we would be doing is endurance (pushups, situps, running etc.). So maybe this might be a decent work out to try.

Quoted: For the purpose of the academy, 90% + of the training we would be doing is endurance (pushups, situps, running etc.). So maybe this might be a decent work out to try.

Try it then, just don't let bad form on the last couple reps injure you.

Quoted: Quoted: For the purpose of the academy, 90% + of the training we would be doing is endurance (pushups, situps, running etc.). So maybe this might be a decent work out to try. Try it then, just don't let bad form on the last couple reps injure you.

Will do.

Thanks!

I did a workout last winter that was similar to what you are talking about.  It was one of those total body workouts.  You would do the similar lifts but on day 1,3, and 5. On day 1 you did heavy weights, and only do 15 reps, with 3 min. rest between sets.  On day 2 you would do some sort of cardio.  Day 3 would be moderate weights for 30 reps, with 90 sec. rest between sets.  Day 4 was more cardio, and day 5 was light weights for 50 reps, with 60 sec. rest between sets.  For me, the really hard day was day 5.  Day 5 was leg press, chin-ups, and overhead press.  It used to kick my ass.