Do you any of you guys use pyramid sets when you bench or squat? I've been using a pyramid on both and have seen decent results...wondering what other workouts i could diverisfy with to build strength...
|
|
Results 1 to 13 of 13
Thread: Bench Pyramids
-
07-03-2007, 10:50 AM #1Registered User
- Join Date: Jun 2007
- Location: Minnesota, United States
- Age: 43
- Posts: 472
- Rep Power: 207
Bench Pyramids
-
07-03-2007, 10:59 AM #2Trying to be strong
- Join Date: May 2007
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Age: 38
- Posts: 3,268
- Rep Power: 8951
If you are looking to gain some strength you have to lift in the lower rep range.
Somethin like 3 sets of 3 with around 85-90% or some doubles above 90%, or some singles in the 95% area. All these will help you build strength, but I wouldn't suggest only doing these every week because its easy to get burnt out when you are always lifting close to your max.
-
07-03-2007, 11:13 AM #3Registered User
- Join Date: Dec 2003
- Location: Ks
- Posts: 1,243
- Rep Power: 273
All your doing is wearing yourself out for your heavy sets, warm up and then hit the heaviest weight you can for the reps you want.Originally Posted by lucasrd
-
07-03-2007, 11:20 AM #4Registered User
- Join Date: Jun 2007
- Location: Minnesota, United States
- Age: 43
- Posts: 472
- Rep Power: 207
Here is the pyramid I use...based on a % of 1RM I'm currently on the 350 bench pyramid..
54% x 10
64% x 8
71% x 6
85% x 4
88% x 3
91% x 2
95% x 1
71% - until failure
If I throw in some doubles or singles like you suggest, how many sets? 3 or 4?
-
-
07-03-2007, 11:21 AM #5
yes i use pyramids all the time and i was able to get up to 315 doing it. it warms you up well for the heavier stuff and prevents injury because you gradually get used to going heavier. if you are constantly doing sets of 4 and lower be prepared for shoulder pain. i am just sayin
-
07-03-2007, 11:33 AM #6Go Niners!!!
- Join Date: Jan 2006
- Location: United States
- Age: 42
- Posts: 3,573
- Rep Power: 49266
Good question. In fact I use a pyramid about 1/2 the time for both bench and squats. There's a really good article, which the link is of course on my home comp (at work right now) that illustrates a reverse pyramid. I've received really good results from it too. Instead of going UP in weights such as 135x10, 185x8, 225x6, 275x4 you do a quick/easy warm up set to get going such as 135x10 then just jump right into the heavy set such as 275x5 and you'll get an extra rep or 2 out of it this way, thus increasing your strength and shocking your muscles with a different workout. Then continue down from the heavy to light but go to failure each set.Originally Posted by lucasrd
I'll try to find that article for you because there were some other good ones on the site.I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.
- Vince Lombardi
A boy comes to me with a spark of interest and it becomes a flame. I feed the flame and it becomes a fire. I feed the fire and it becomes a roaring blaze.
- Cus D'Amato
-
07-03-2007, 11:57 AM #7Trying to be strong
- Join Date: May 2007
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Age: 38
- Posts: 3,268
- Rep Power: 8951
Given that you are already doing 88% for a set of 3.
with a 350 max I'd say try something like 320 for 3 sets of 3.
or maybe do 5-6 singles with 340 or 4 doubles with 330. something like that will help you get used to handling heavier weight and it will be a different experience for you so you may get some very nice gains off of it.Team Super Awesome!
There is no such thing as 'strong enough'
PL:565/385/716
If hard work pays off then easy work is worthless.
Take a look at what I did, now imagine what I'm about to do
-
07-03-2007, 11:59 AM #8glute ham raise FTW!!
- Join Date: Feb 2007
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Age: 44
- Posts: 2,064
- Rep Power: 372
i'd be interested in that article...
i do pyramid work a lot... as in i increase the weight and decrease the reps...
i do this not only on compound movements, but on isolations as well (i.e. tri/bi/hamstring,etc.)
cant always do it, but helps get over plateaus....SCIVATION XTEND...... 8-10 scoops a-day make the fibras happy!!!!!!
check my bodyspace blog.....
learn how to squat right SQUAT RX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq8CWv8UPAI&mode=related&search=
-
-
07-03-2007, 12:35 PM #9Go Niners!!!
- Join Date: Jan 2006
- Location: United States
- Age: 42
- Posts: 3,573
- Rep Power: 49266
No doubt! Would you mind doing me a big favor then? Send me a PM asking for the reverse pyr article and I'll make sure to look for it when I get home.Originally Posted by vegasdsm
I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.
- Vince Lombardi
A boy comes to me with a spark of interest and it becomes a flame. I feed the flame and it becomes a fire. I feed the fire and it becomes a roaring blaze.
- Cus D'Amato
-
07-03-2007, 02:11 PM #10glute ham raise FTW!!
- Join Date: Feb 2007
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Age: 44
- Posts: 2,064
- Rep Power: 372
PM sent
SCIVATION XTEND...... 8-10 scoops a-day make the fibras happy!!!!!!
check my bodyspace blog.....
learn how to squat right SQUAT RX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq8CWv8UPAI&mode=related&search=
-
07-03-2007, 02:30 PM #11Go Niners!!!
- Join Date: Jan 2006
- Location: United States
- Age: 42
- Posts: 3,573
- Rep Power: 49266
I did a search on my comp and couldn't find it so I'm gonna look some more. Here is a coule of articles I found about it but they aren't nearly as good. The one I had was excellent. I'll keep looking.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/randy2.htm
http://www.fitness.com/fitness_exercise/v1045373139.phpI firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.
- Vince Lombardi
A boy comes to me with a spark of interest and it becomes a flame. I feed the flame and it becomes a fire. I feed the fire and it becomes a roaring blaze.
- Cus D'Amato
-
07-03-2007, 04:08 PM #12Registered User
- Join Date: Oct 2005
- Age: 56
- Posts: 15,956
- Rep Power: 10708
the other basic approach is just to warm up and then do several sets with the same weight. thats more of a "5x5" approach but u dont have to do 5x5. Could do 4x6. 3x5. whatever
Another cool approach can be to warm up, then do 2 heavy sets, then the 3rd set drop it 10% and rep it out
for instance, maybe this for you, after warm up and working up in weight
2 x 5-6 @ 295-305
1x6-8 @ 265-275
pyramids have a lot of "wasted" work..but it does help build up strength thru volume. So the other alternative is to do less sets but more intense, like the setup I suggested.
Both approaches are good.
If you use the same weight for 4-5 sets then obviously you arent going to failure or close to failure on the first couple sets"Humility comes before honor"
-
-
07-03-2007, 04:26 PM #13Registered User
- Join Date: Aug 2006
- Age: 45
- Posts: 0
- Rep Power: 0
i use the power matrix it seems to be working good for me my bench went from 385 to 455 on it.
Bookmarks