Straight sets, Pyramid sets, or Reverse Pyramid sets?

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bdommyb
bdommyb Posts: 13 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello guys! As the title would suggest, I would like to know which one is best in your opinion. I want to know if straight sets do work (I always assume that, since it is straight sets, you will just hit a plateau).
I hate doing pyramid sets because I get fatigued once I reach my max weights.
As for reverse pyramid, I have not tried it out yet, but I can see it as something that might work. I'm currently under a caloric deficit, so which one is ideal for me?
And also, what weight do you recommend me (for straight sets) to do? Max or somewhere in between?
Thanks for helping!

Replies

  • jacklfc88
    jacklfc88 Posts: 247 Member
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    All 3 are good in their own right. It's good to mix it up. My current routine has a mixture of supersets, drop sets, pyramids, rest pause and straight sets. Your body adapts to anything eventually, so mixing up your routine is essential.
  • TrailBlazinMN
    TrailBlazinMN Posts: 209 Member
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    There is no best. Seriously, you will find guys from beginners to pro bodybuilders who will have different answers. Some say you have to lift heavy, others say they have been injured by lifting heavy and can only avoid injury by lifting moderate weight.

    For me, I like all my sets to have power behind them. I also am not a big fan of being fatigued once I get to a heavy weight. Look at gymnasts. They don't train to failure yet they have amazing bodies.

    If I were you, I would find what you like. That is what is going to work best. Don't stick with the same intensities and/or rep range. Try taking moderate weight and doing 3-5 quick reps for 10-15 sets and avoid failure completely. Next training session, maybe do 20-50 reps for 3 sets that is super light and really get a pump.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I think it depends on the exercise and the person (we all have different goals.) I generally stick with what my program says and then for accessory exercises I might change up my rep scheme from time to time.

    The weight you lift is going to be dependent on how many reps you are doing. You shouldn't be lifting the same weight for 5 reps as you do for 10 reps, in other words. My suggestion is to pick an establish program and follow it. Here are a few to consider:
    • Stronglifts 5x5
    • Starting Strength
    • Ice Cream Fitness
    • 5/3/1 Beginner
  • Thorbjornn
    Thorbjornn Posts: 329 Member
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    The best one is the one that works for you and that you like, clichéd as that sounds. I pyramid on my first exercise as a warm up, then I do straight sets of 6-10 reps, 3-4 sets. I agree about mixing it up. You can get into a physical and mental rut doing only one thing.
  • colors_fade
    colors_fade Posts: 464 Member
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    I started with StrongLifts 5x5. Flat sets. Fine for beginner; got a lot out of it.

    Now I do something that is more of a ladder/ramp (not a pyramid; there is no back side like the old Nebraska squat routine, which like others above pointed out, I don't like feeling over-tired after the big lifts).

    Example deadlift session: 225x5, 275x5, 315x5, 365x5, 405x1

    Squats I do something like this: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 265x3, 315x1

    I like ending my sets with one big lift. If it comes off really easy, I usually try for a PR after that. I feel like I get a lot of value in the 1-rep lifts; I feel like my body needs those lifts to get used to the bigger weight. This kind of lifting is really motivating to me (due to frequent PR attempts; usually one per week), and the work is good. I feel sufficiently worked-over after these sorts of sets. And I like the ramp-up nature of the sets. There's a bit of warmup to each of these with the early sets, and then later the real work.

    Sometimes, I've done squats, for example, like this: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 230x5, 235x5, 240x5, 265x3

    So it's a little bit of a warm-up lifting, and then a small ramp-up that is more like 5x5, but each set getting a couple more pounds. I don't do these sorts of sets all the time, but on days I do them, they feel pretty draining.

  • bdommyb
    bdommyb Posts: 13 Member
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    The stronglifts 5x5 seems pretty enjoyable to do, and would definitely help me in the long run! Thanks! However, I'm in a cutting phase and stronglifts 5x5 requires you to add weight per workout. Will this affect me in anyway? Because I would think it only works with bulking or am I mistaken?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    bdommyb wrote: »
    The stronglifts 5x5 seems pretty enjoyable to do, and would definitely help me in the long run! Thanks! However, I'm in a cutting phase and stronglifts 5x5 requires you to add weight per workout. Will this affect me in anyway? Because I would think it only works with bulking or am I mistaken?

    A lot of people use it while cutting. After a certain point you might find progress to be slow but if you are a beginner or relatively new lifter I would think you would be fine. I haven't run that program but if you search the forums using SL5x5 or Stronglifts as your keyword you will find a lot more about it.
  • bdommyb
    bdommyb Posts: 13 Member
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    Okay, I will try to do more research on it! Thanks for all the help guys! :)
  • Ironmaiden4life
    Ironmaiden4life Posts: 422 Member
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    Training variables are tools. You use the right tool for the job.
  • colors_fade
    colors_fade Posts: 464 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    bdommyb wrote: »
    The stronglifts 5x5 seems pretty enjoyable to do, and would definitely help me in the long run! Thanks! However, I'm in a cutting phase and stronglifts 5x5 requires you to add weight per workout. Will this affect me in anyway? Because I would think it only works with bulking or am I mistaken?

    A lot of people use it while cutting. After a certain point you might find progress to be slow but if you are a beginner or relatively new lifter I would think you would be fine. I haven't run that program but if you search the forums using SL5x5 or Stronglifts as your keyword you will find a lot more about it.

    Well, here's the other thing to consider: at some point in time you're going to reach a limit. This is just a fact of basic biology, science and physics. No human can lift an infinite amount of weight, and the people who can lift the most are usually bigger/stronger. So at some point in time, you're going to max out.

    And that's perfectly normal and okay.

    Once you max out on StrongLifts, you can do the recommended deloading/reloading phases to see if you can make any progress that way. Or you can just keep lifting your max and realize that you're doing your muscles a favor trying to preserve them while cutting.

    Also, when you max out, if your max weights are sufficient enough, you can move to other programs like Madcow. But the important thing to remember is that regardless of what program you do, you're going to reach a limit on your abilities while cutting.

    People have to work really hard, and have adequate caloric intake (surplus), to build muscle with any sort of consistency. You're cutting; so it's not like you're going to keep going up on weight indefinitely.

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