How do you count reps and sets?

A rep is one full pass through the movement, from the starting position back to the starting position. A set is a group of reps done in a row before you rest. Count reps inside the set, then add one to your set count when you rack the weight or stop.

How are reps counted?

One rep is counted when you finish the movement and return to where you started. Counting the rep at the top, at the bottom or on the way back is a choice; what matters is using the same point every set.

How do you count reps when working out?

Pick one counting point, count each rep the moment you reach it, and write the number down right after the set. If you can't count in your head, say the numbers out loud or tap a counter once per rep.

Do partial reps count?

That's up to your own rule. A simple one is to count only the reps where you reach the range you set for yourself, and to keep a separate count for the short ones so you can see both.

How do you count reps on exercises done one side at a time?

Decide before you start. Some people count a rep as one on each side, others count each side separately. Either works if you use the same rule every session and write it next to the exercise.

Can an app count my reps for me?

Not Tally Counter. It doesn't use sensors, the camera or the microphone, so every rep is a tap from you.

How to Count Reps: Rules, Sets and a Tap Counter

One rep is one full pass through the movement: you start in the starting position, do the movement, and come back to where you started. Count it once, at the same point every time, and add the next number only when you get there again. A set is the group of reps you do before you rest.

That covers the basic case. The tricky cases are the edges: a half rep, a movement done on one side at a time, a long set. The sections below turn each of those into a rule you decide once, so you aren't deciding mid-set.

Pick one counting point

You can count a rep when you reach the top, when you reach the bottom or when you get back to the start. None of these is the official one for every exercise. What helps is choosing one and sticking to it, because a number only means something if every rep was counted the same way.

A practical choice is the moment you return to the starting position, since that matches the definition of a finished rep.

Rules for the edges

Write these down once, then stop thinking about them during the set.

Situation	A rule you can use
Full range	Count the rep when you finish the movement and return to the start.
Partial or short rep	Don't count it in the main number. If you want to see it, give it its own count.
One side at a time	Choose: one rep means one on each side, or each side is counted separately. Note which on the exercise.
Rep you're unsure about	Leave it out and keep going. Fewer counted reps beats a number you can't trust.
Pause or stop mid-rep	Resume the same rep. Don't start a new one.

These are counting conventions for your own log, not standards from a governing body. The point is that today's 10 means the same thing as last week's 10.

Counting out loud vs tapping

Counting out loud keeps your hands free and makes you commit to each number. The catch is that you have to keep the number in your head, and a loud room or a long set makes it easy to skip one.

Tapping moves the counting out of your head. You press once per rep, and the number on screen is the count, so you aren't holding it in memory. It needs a free hand, so it suits movements where you can keep a phone within reach.

Neither is better by rule. You can also do both: count out loud and tap at the same time, then check that the two numbers match when the set ends.

Tracking sets with a tap counter

This is how to do it in Tally Counter, using named counters. Counting is free with unlimited counters.

Open the Counters list and tap New Counter (or Create Counter if the list is empty).
Name it after the exercise. The field's placeholder is "e.g. Push-ups". Tap Create.
Make a second counter for your set count, for example "Push-up sets".
Open the exercise counter and tap the large + button once per rep. Each tap gives haptic feedback, which you can switch off in Settings.
If you tap by mistake, press − to take one back. It never goes below zero.
When the set ends, read the number and write it down or note it. Then tap the reset button; the app asks "Reset this counter to 0?" before it clears anything.
Open the sets counter and tap + once. Go back to the exercise counter and start the next set.

The Today badge inside a counter shows that counter's net change for the day, where + adds one and − subtracts one. Resetting a counter doesn't change the Today badge, so after a few sets it still shows that day's net total of taps for the exercise.

Tally Counter doesn't count for you, and it has no custom step, goal or reminder. Every counter goes up and down by one. That keeps it simple for reps, but if you want it to detect movement, it won't.

A simple example

Say you're doing push-ups and your rule is to count a rep when you return to the top. You make "Push-ups" and "Push-up sets". In the first set you tap + for each rep and stop at 12, then you write down 12, reset, and tap + on the sets counter. The second set ends at 10; you do the same. At the end you have two numbers on paper and a sets counter that reads 2.

If you'd rather keep several exercises running at once, Counter App With Multiple Counters shows how to name and organize them. For the basics of the app itself, see Tally Counter and what a tally counter is.

How to count reps