WEEK NINETY-FIVE :: What Is The Best Pyramid Workout?

[the_fake_webmaster]

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* Note: How can I win? Answer all questions in the order that they are asked.

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TOPIC: What Is The Best Pyramid Workout?

For the week of: 7/31-8/05
Sunday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Doing sets with the same weight every week cannot only get boring, but can actually lead to a plateau. A pyramid type of training can be perfect for huge muscle growth.

What is the best pyramid workout? Be specific.

What are some of the advantages of a pyramid workout?

What are some of the disadvantages?

Who would benefit the most from a pyramid workout?

BONUS QUESTION: Do you use a pyramid workout or incorporate pyramid
training ideas into your workout? How so?

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

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The best response will get $75 in credit, and second place will get $50 in credit to use in our online store and will have their workout posted on our main site for the world to see!

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Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com

[AKaramargin]

What is the best pyramid workout?
There's no such thing as the "best pyramid workout", it is all trial and error. Sometimes something that didn't work for you 3 months ago will work a lot better now due to the fact that your muscles have adapted to the type of training you have consistently performed. Changing the reps/weights going up the "pyramid" will all lead to changes your body must become adapt to. The more changes it endures, the faster it will grow. I love high volume type of pyramid workouts, but the more volume means the more calories you need to consume! With a workout like this there's no such thing as overtraining, just undernutrition. Just make sure to treat even the lightest sets as if they're your heaviest. Muscle stimulation is what helps us grow. A lot of people deal with percentages and what not to guess like what 50% of their max is and lift that. Who knows their max if they're constantly trying to grow!? I just make sure that every set is not to complete failure only the LAST 1-2 work sets per exercise. This is important so you do not overload your central nervous system. Now here is an example of a great pyramid/high volume workout(If you are a beginner, I would recommend cutting back 1-2 sets on each exercise, maybe even cut out an exercise or two) - One week I may do something like this for Chest/Tricep workout:

Workout A (Aimed for Gains in strength/mass)
Rest between sets (30 seconds on warm-ups, 1-3 minutes on work sets)
Rep Cadence (Down 2 up 1, Explosive positive, Controlled Negative, NO Rest top/bottom. I like to feel as if my body is a piston. Fast reps = greater force needed at the bottom of an exercise to explode upwards = greater stimulation)
Flat Barbell Bench:
Reps x Weight -
20 x 45 (bar)
10 x 115(warmup)
8 x 135(warmup)
6 x 155
4 x 185
2 x 205

Incline Barbell Bench:
Reps x Weight -
10 x 135
8 x 155
6 x 185

Decline Barbell Bench:
Reps x Weight -
10 x 135
8 x 155
6 x 185

Close Grip Barbell Bench:
Reps x Weight -
15 x 95
12 x 115
10-8 x 135
8-6 x 145

Hammer Strength Dips:
Reps x Weight -
10 x Two 45s & two 25s(not including machines weight)
8 x Four 45s
6 x Six 45s

Overhead Tricep Extension:
Reps x Weight -
10 x 45
8 x 55
6 x 75

Tricep Kickbacks w/ DBs:
Reps x Weight -
15 x 20s
12 x 25s
12 x 30s
12 x 40s


Workout B (Aimed for Mass/Recuperation of Tendons due to Heavy Weight)
Rest between sets (30 seconds on warm-ups, 1-3 minutes on work sets)
Rep Cadence (Down 2 up 1, Explosive positive, Controlled Negative, NO Rest top/bottom. I like to feel as if my body is a piston. Fast reps = greater force needed at the bottom of an exercise to explode upwards = greater stimulation)
Flat Dumbell Bench:
Reps x Weight -
20 x 25s
15 x 40s
12 x 55s
10 x 70s
8-10 x 75s

Incline Dumbell Bench:
Reps x Weight -
15 x 45s
12 x 55s
8-10 x 70s

Decline Dumbell Bench:
Reps x Weight -
15 x 45s
12 x 55s
8-10 x 70s

One arm Overhead Tricep Dumbell Extensions:
Reps x Weight -
15 x 15
15 x 20
12 x 30

Skullcrushers/Close Bench Superset:
Reps x Weight -
15(15) x 45
12(12) x 50
12(12) x 60

Tricep Pushdowns:
Reps x Weight -
15 x 35
12 x 55
12 x 60
10 x 75

(Occaisionally I will tac on another set to the exercises with only three sets, sometimes maybe a fourth exercise after my bench routines.)

So basically, its important to incorporate both higher reps, and lower reps for the maximal gains. You stimulate a large amount of muscle fibers; thats exactly what we want, stimulation. The wonderful principals of pyramid training, a staple to ANY bodybuilder's routine.

What are some of the advantages of a pyramid workout?
You can combine the positive factors of higher reps vs. lower reps and get the best of both worlds! Strength, mass, endurance, you name it. Pyramid training is without a doubt an advantageous way of training if you love gaining strength/mass.

What are some of the disadvantages?
In my opinion, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Doing 5 sets of heavy ass deadlifts with the same exact weight will not only leave your body prone to tearing a muscle, it will also be extremely bad for your joints. Lighter weights help build a deep pump in order to give your muscles the important nutrients, and that pump, they need to lift them heavy ass weights. The only REAL disadvantage of pyramid training is the time it takes. But if you're serious about gaining those bulging muscles, you're gonna make the time.

Who would benefit the most from a pyramid workout?
People who want to stack on some size/strength, love getting a great pump, or people who have hit a plateau. Just about everybody. Whether your a powerlifter, bodybuilder, whatever, you can work some pyramid techniques and principals into your routine and get GREAT results.

BONUS QUESTION: Do you use a pyramid workout or incorporate pyramid
training ideas into your workout? How so?
For just about every single exercise I do I will do some sort of pyramid style training. For example, on my lower back day, I will pyramid:
Deadlifts:
Reps x Weight -
10 x 135
8 x 185
6 x 225
4 x 275
1-2 x 315

And then go to bent over rows and pyramid up
Reps x Weight -
15 x 95
12 x 135
12 x 185
8-10 x 225

And so on..

Enjoy making some extreme gains and happy lifting!

- Alex

[BOLT.]

You're body gets bigger as a result of getting stronger. Your body gets stronger as a result to thinking it has to in order to adapt to it's surrounding. That's the basis of bodybuilding and strength training. You continue to give it more reason to want to grow by giving it more and more stress (adding weight).

There's lots of things that can cause this adaptation. The most obvious one being lifting a maximal amount of weight for a specified number of reps for a specified number of sets. For example, I could do 3x5 of squat with a set weight and attempt to increase to 3x5 for a weight 5lb higher than the previous weight.

But there's another way to do it called pyramid sets. All praymid sets are is a serious of sets but more and more intensity are added to each set.

One famous way is the 5x5, 35% 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% of your target 5 rep max. The advantage of this is you are getting a warmup from the first sets, but also workload is being built up during those sets even though they are not extremely intense. So as I get stronger my weight I use for all 5 sets will grow too.

Another way is to do simply a set number of reps with a maximal weight but doing less and less reps each set, therefore allowing an increase of weight between sets. For example, 8 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps would be an example of a 3-set pyramid scheme.

One great program encouraging pyramid sets is a basic Monday - Arms, Shoulders, Tuesday - Legs, Thursday - Chest, Back.

You would pick one main lift each week where you'll do 5x5 for it. Then the accessory movements will decrease is reps slightly.

Monday - Arm, Shoulders

Overhead Press - 5x5 (35%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%)
Bicep Curls - 3x10, 8, 6
Skull Crushers - 3x12, 8, 6
Front Raises - 2x10

Tuesday - Legs

Squat - 5x5 (35%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%)
Deadlift - 3x10, 6, 3
Leg Extensions or Leg Press - 3x15, 12, 10

Thursday - Chest, Back

Bench Press or Dips - 5x5 (35%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%)
Barbell Rows - 4x12, 10, 8, 6
DB Bench - 3x12, 10, 8
Behind the Neck Pull-ups - 2 sets for max reps (Can add weight)

Well there you have it. Pyramiding isn't a very complicated concept, it's just one way to structure your sets.

I personally have done many workouts that have pyramid rep schemes in them. They truly can help a lot in getting the body warm for more intense sets while still giving the systematic stress the body needs to grow.

Mark

[BOLT.]

Today is last day if there are only two entries do we both get a prize?

[eagles56]

Sorry bolt but I'm gonna have to take this one :P

[BOLT.]

Sorry bolt but I'm gonna have to take this one :P

Ah cant read it cuz microsoft is messed up on my computer post a text version!

[BigTruckGuy3500]

What is the best pyramid workout?

I believe the best pyramid workout is when specifically formulated to the goals that you have in mind, but incorporates a broad range of training philosophies.

For example, if mass is your goal, then your pyramid should be centered around a mass building range of repetitions. However, often times the reason you are looking into a pyramid is because you have plateaued, in which case you need to spice things up with some variety. Your muscles have adapted to a specif type of load, intensity, and frequency, and in order to break through that plateau you need to through them a curve ball. By changing your weight and number of repetitions you do just that.

Pyramid routines are organized around starting low, either in weight or repetitions, and increasing to a point and then stepping back down. Most people interested in gaining mass believe in doing this via increasing the weight used. I believe in dropping the weight and working on repetitions instead.

That being said, an example shift to a pyramid routine might look like the following:

Normal Bodybuilding Chest routine:
Flat Bench 4 x 6-8
Incline Bench 4 x 6-8
Cable Flys 3 x 8-10

Pyramid version:
Flat bench 5 x 10,12,14, 12, 10
Incline Bench 5 x 8,10,12, 10, 8
Cable Flys 4 x 10,12,14, 12

If you noticed, you're doing more sets and quite a few more repetitions, so dropping your weight will be necessary.

Another approach that I like to use for my back is with pull ups and other calisthenics. I make it into a circuit and can accomplish quick a bit relatively fast.

The pyramid is centered around pull ups, but includes push ups, abdominal of your choice, and dips. You start at 1 pull up and proceed to 10 and then back down, and in between you do the following number of each exercise:
# of Pullups x # Exercise
# Pullups x 3 pushups
# pullups x 5 sit ups
# pullups x 2 dips

And that is a relatively total upper body workout that can help throw your upper body muscles completely into the dark as far as what they are expecting because resting time in between these sets is minimal to none, and it involves angles, weights, and repetitions that your body isn't used to.

What are some of the advantages of a pyramid workout?
Aside from surprising your muscles by doing something completely new as with any pyramid workout that you're not used to, dropping the weight and working on increased repetitions, your muscles learn how to become more efficient by increasing ribosomes, mitochondria, and other cell organelles in order to accomplish more work over a prolonged time. This leads to cells getting a little fuller, and as a result you may experience a little more muscle density, or the feeling of having denser muscle. Mass gains are highly unlikely though.

Pyramid workouts also serve as an ideal warm up, workout, and cool down all in one. It simplifies having to worry about whether or not your muscles are adequately warmed up because if you do it my way, your muscles aren't lifting huge amounts of weight either. They are lifting less weight than normal, so completely warmed up muscles aren't necessary in the beginning. And by the time you do get to the challenging part of lifting more repetitions, your muscles are warm and have a good flow of blood and oxygen.

What are some of the disadvantages?
Some disadvantages to a pyramid based on endurance include low potential for mass building during your pyramid phase. Although this disadvantage is minimal to the gains you'll make after you are done pyramiding. Also, you are not going to be able to build much strength during this period and will probably just be able to hang on to the stats that you held before beginning the pyramid. Since it is very difficult to make appreciable gains in strength and endurance at the same time, it would probably be better to just accept one method whole heartedly for a short period of time than dabble about in both.

Who would benefit the most from a pyramid workout?
The people who would probably benefit the most from endurance workouts include endurance athletes and anyone that has been stuck in a rut in any sort of training. I wouldn't recommend it for competitive power lifters however, as even a short period of time doing low weight and high repetitions may be detrimental to their long term goals. For the most part any military personnel, endurance athletes, or bodybuilders stuck in a plateau can see the most benefits from incorporating a pyramid schemed routine somehow into their workout at least a few times.

BONUS QUESTION: Do you use a pyramid workout or incorporate pyramid training ideas into your workout? How so?

I do use a pyramid workout in most everything I do, whether it be bodybuilding, running, or training for a PT test.

For most of the year I focus my training around endurance as I am involved in a lot of activities that require it. I do the above mentioned pullup routine combined with calisthenics for most of my upper body while working on endurance.

When I'm trying to pack on a little bit of muscle, I switch routines to a heavier pyramid and start using weights similar to how I mentioned above for my chest workout example.

While running I do a weekly pyramid most of the time. One day I will do a long slow run, then two days later a fast paced run for a moderate amount of distance. And on my third day of running for the week I will do a slightly relaxed form of HIIT that allows me to work on sprinting for a relatively long period of time.

[Veeshmack]

can't believe i had a 14 hour car ride, and completely forgot to type this up on my laptop :S

[eagles56]

can't believe i had a 14 hour car ride, and completely forgot to type this up on my laptop :S

ouch. I know what it's like to forget about entering

[BOLT.]

Well who won? I'm low on funds and cant afford no protein right now so I've got my fingers crossed.

[Veeshmack]

Well who won? I'm low on funds and cant afford no protein right now so I've got my fingers crossed.

lol, that wont be announced for a few weeks still

[eagles56]

Well who won? I'm low on funds and cant afford no protein right now so I've got my fingers crossed.

get a job?

[FreeMasonry]

I think pyramid is good but not better than any workouts Impotant thing is what exactly your mind believe in.so,you should decide which program is most useful for you.