Straight sets VS. Pyramid Sets

[Doomsday]

which gives the best results for muscle/mass bulding?

Im going to start a "rep cycle"
week 1:12 reps
week 2: 10 reps
week 3: 8 reps
week 4 ; 6 reps

is this a good idea?

[swanso5]

straight sets performed in agonist/antagonist pairings

[Packard]

I like pyramids both within a workout and as a cycle. But you need to drop down from the peak and start over or you will quickly over-train.

[Doomsday]

what do u mean by : you need to drop down from the peak and start over or you will quickly

[Doomsday]

How do you work every set???
for example
if im doing Pyramid: 12,10,8,6
Or if im doing straight sets: 8,8,8
how should I work every set??

[swanso5]

pyramids don't really make sense

why do 30 reps before you do a max set of 4? if aiming for a max set of 4 then why not just do warm up sets of 4 until you get to your working set? also you end up only doing 1 set at your heaviest wt...the more sets you can do at your heaviets wt the better, you need volume to grow muscle

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[Packard]

To pyramid a workout cycle you might do this:

Week 1
1 set Bench Press 135 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 155 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 185 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 205 pounds 10 reps

Week 2
1 set Bench Press 135 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 155 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 185 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 215 pounds 10 reps

Week 3
1 set Bench Press 135 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 155 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 185 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 225 pounds 10 reps

Week 4
1 set Bench Press 135 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 155 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 185 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 235 pounds 10 reps

Week 5 (New cycle)
1 set Bench Press 135 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 155 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 185 pounds 10 reps
1 set Bench Press 210 pounds 10 reps


Note when you start the new cycle you are starting 5 pounds heavier than the original cycle. But this will feel light because your most recent workout was with a 25 pound heavier weight.

You keep pyramiding up until you are not able to complete the final workout of the pyramid. In that case you simply repeat the pyramid at the same weight.

This allows your body to recover fully from the heaviest workouts and puts you in a positive mind set as you approach your heaviest workouts because the lighter pyramids will feel pretty easy.

If you go up 5 pounds per cycle (and you are able to keep that up) you will add 60 pounds to your bench over the course of a year. In 10 years you will have added 600 pounds. But of course you will stall out at some point and you will have to repeat pyramids before you make additional increases.

As for pyramiding training within a workout the advantage is minimal. I like to work initial sets for 10 reps as I feel it warms me up better than the shorter sets. I reduce the reps on the way up to conserve strength for the heaviest lifts. But if you prefer you can do just the first 2 sets for 10 reps (to warm up) and then drop to a smaller number of reps for the balance of the workout. I would add one light set at the end of the workout for 10 reps working especially carefully to maintain form. This will condition you to work with good form for your workouts.

[Doomsday]

great info thanx