need advice on sets/reps

[mariusz09]

I have just finished up a long stint of strength training and really want to get back to lifting heavy to bulk up. Only problem is not quite sure what the best way to proceed is in terms of sets and reps. You hear/read some guys say do 3 sets some say 4 sets per exercise. Then in terms of reps some say use the same weight and decrease you reps each set ex. set of 10, set of 8 , set of 6. Then some say to pyramid up in weight while keeping the same number of reps, and some say pyramid up in weight while decreasing the number of reps each set ex. set1- weight for 10 reps, 2nd set more weight for 8 reps, 3rd set more weight for 6 reps. Then you hear some guys say pyramid up in weight but then drop down for the last set and do it until failure. Has anyone had decent success with any of these or have any suggestions of different routines? Any advice is welcome, thanks for the help.

 

[maturemuscle]

You will get many different recommendations and that is because we all respond differently to the training. Personally I respond best to heavy weight and low reps. I don't do a lot reps on my warm ups either, I feel like I am wasting energy that can be used on the work sets. I pyramid up in weight and down in reps until I am performing 3-5 reps with my working weight. Flat bench is the exercise where I keep the reps the lowest, 1-3 reps depending on how heavy I go. Squats, rows, rack pulls, shoulder work and inclines I do sets of 5. The only exercises that I may do as many as eight reps is arm exercises. I don't like to spend much time on arms since they get so much work during the compounds.
This is the result of years of trial and error and this works the best for me. My goal is to keep getting bigger and stronger.

 

[mariusz09]

me too

Yeah that is actually my goal as well, I want to increase in size as much as I can and although I don't mind putting hours in at the gym, love it in fact, I hate the idea of wasting time such as doing exercises that don't do much good for what I want. Your routine sounds ideal I think i will give it a try and let you know how it works for me. Thanks for the help I appreciate it

 

[fredlabrute]

Yep everybody respond differrently to trainig and you gotta find what works for you but here's a rep scheme that did wonder for me after months of plateaus. Make a 3 or four day split program.Your program will be separated in 3 phases.A first one in which you'll work on power ,focusing on explosive movements like jump squats,bench,cleans with series of 2 to 4 reps with 4 min rest in between.For each exercices,the firsts set will be speed reps at 50 percent max and the lasts will be superheavy near your max rep.
The second phase or week will be for hypertrophy and building muscles.Probably close of what you're doing right now, 10-12 reps set on all moves with 2 min rest between these.Try to choose basic movements with free weights,like dbll and bbll press,curls,rows and stuff like that.
For the third week or phase, prepare yourself for a shock!!!This phase focus on aerobic and oxydative stress. You'll be doing 25 to 30 reps set with under 30 sec rest in between.You can choose more isolation moves for this one and it'll improve tour endurance, cardio and make you sweat like if you're in a sauna.
With a program like this one i have made steady progress and i'm now boosting a 350 lbs bench, a 550 lbs squat and deadlift the natural way.Give it a try and after a month or two would like to hear some feedback from you!!!
Good training!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rockhardly]

Yep everybody respond differrently to trainig and you gotta find what works for you but here's a rep scheme that did wonder for me after months of plateaus. Make a 3 or four day split program.Your program will be separated in 3 phases.A first one in which you'll work on power ,focusing on explosive movements like jump squats,bench,cleans with series of 2 to 4 reps with 4 min rest in between.For each exercices,the firsts set will be speed reps at 50 percent max and the lasts will be superheavy near your max rep.
The second phase or week will be for hypertrophy and building muscles.Probably close of what you're doing right now, 10-12 reps set on all moves with 2 min rest between these.Try to choose basic movements with free weights,like dbll and bbll press,curls,rows and stuff like that.
For the third week or phase, prepare yourself for a shock!!!This phase focus on aerobic and oxydative stress. You'll be doing 25 to 30 reps set with under 30 sec rest in between.You can choose more isolation moves for this one and it'll improve tour endurance, cardio and make you sweat like if you're in a sauna.
With a program like this one i have made steady progress and i'm now boosting a 350 lbs bench, a 550 lbs squat and deadlift the natural way.Give it a try and after a month or two would like to hear some feedback from you!!!
Good training!!!!!!!!!!!

Coulda just said try p/rr/s by gopro.

 

[fredlabrute]

It's rather a modified version of the energy continuum program in muscle and fitness.P/rr/s doesn't recommand doing higher rep set than around 15 mr.

 

[mariusz09]

Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it

 

[maturemuscle]

By the way, I was stuck on bench press for quite a while. An average bench for me was 3-4 reps with 315. One day I was doing inclines after flat and could not get one rep with 275 and it really bothered me. I made inclines my priority chest exercise and in a matter of about 6 weeks I was doing 3 sets of 5 with 275. When I went back to flat I found out that I could get 6 reps with 315! Now I switch inclines and flat bench around as my priority chest exercise and I can get as many as 8 reps with 315 and 3 with 385 and a single with 405. Just goes to show you that you never know what can happen when you shake things up.

 

[karen141406]

advise

I have just finished up a long stint of strength training and really want to get back to lifting heavy to bulk up. Only problem is not quite sure what the best way to proceed is in terms of sets and reps. You hear/read some guys say do 3 sets some say 4 sets per exercise. Then in terms of reps some say use the same weight and decrease you reps each set ex. set of 10, set of 8 , set of 6. Then some say to pyramid up in weight while keeping the same number of reps, and some say pyramid up in weight while decreasing the number of reps each set ex. set1- weight for 10 reps, 2nd set more weight for 8 reps, 3rd set more weight for 6 reps. Then you hear some guys say pyramid up in weight but then drop down for the last set and do it until failure. Has anyone had decent success with any of these or have any suggestions of different routines? Any advice is welcome, thanks for the help.

Hello everyone, i need advise on how to get cut up faster and on how many reps and sets i need to be doing or what type of routines i should be doing any suggestions?

 

[Perdido]

Hello everyone, i need advise on how to get cut up faster and on how many reps and sets i need to be doing or what type of routines i should be doing any suggestions?

Getting "cut up" involves diet. check the link in my signature on getting started.

 

[mariusz09]

getting cut

I agree it is in large part diet. as far as the workout goes a good friend of mine poses semi-pro for body building and I tried his workout and it worked extremely well for me. Do 2 muscle groups a day with push pull- ex. Bi's/shoulders, tri's/verticle back, Chest/horizontal back, then legs on their own. You do light weight and do 4 exercises per muscle group with 4 sets per exercise. Do your 1st set to 50 reps, then a set of 30, then another set of 30, then finish with a set of 50. Again you will need to use low weight but you will feel the burn and the pump. If you are used to training with heavier weight prepare yourself because you will pretty much have to leave you ego at the door. But within a couple weeks you will find you can already increase the amount of weight you are using. This is a 10 week program combined with 6 small,high protein low sugar low carb meals spread out evenly throughout the day which gets your metabolism pumping. You want to spike your metabolism so you will also need good cardio but change it up. Do cardio before you lift on some days, on others do it at the end or even in between the muscle groups that way your metabolism spikes at different times. As I said It takes a little getting used to at first but once you getinto it you really start to see results. Worked great for me. Increase core strength and muscular firmness. I used NO-Xplode with it, some people also include a fat burnwer of some kind-hydroxycut hardcore or something but I didn't and it worked well for me. I recommend this to alot of people.

 

[karen141406]

thanks

 

[fredlabrute]

In order to cut you have to make your training more of an aerobic workout which means less rest between sets. Circuit training can be effectice at that, all the other methods like supersets,giantsets and stuff that makes you lift more iron in shorter time.

 

[Phineas]

In order to cut you have to make your training more of an aerobic workout which means less rest between sets. Circuit training can be effectice at that, all the other methods like supersets,giantsets and stuff that makes you lift more iron in shorter time.

Keep in mind you should be lifting at low volume and high intensity -- in the sense of submaximal loads (not getting out of breath). The idea is to give your muscles the adequate stimulus to keep their mass, not to develop endurance.