Word Count: 613 Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 8:32 PM
Defining What Pyramided Sets Are
A word of caution is necessary before the exercises that are to be mentioned in this article can be adopted. Restrict yourself to five sets of these regimens. The reason for this restriction has to do with the fact that these are compound workouts that train a number of muscle groups simultaneously. Doing more than five reps may come with injurious repercussions assuming that you are already using heavy weights to do these routines. Experience also provides that when working the major muscles five sets are quite appropriate in as far as stimulating the growth of muscle.
At the start of the training you are using the five sets to take the muscles into fatigue. Bear in mind that all the muscle groups affected are being taken into fatigue (talk about a complete workout). For more advanced training positions you will find that it is necessary to reduce the number of sets required to three. This is so because each muscle group will have been trained in multiple exercises and that the minimum set level of five will be surpassed anyway.
A pyramided set is determined by the amount of weight that is used in the workout. Each of the five sets that you perform will be done using different weights. If the different weights are illustrated in the form of a chart, the shape of a pyramid will be formed. The following is a description of the details of what each of the components of the five sets should help you achieve:
Set One: This is the warm-up set but not strictly so because the actual warm-up will already have been done. This type of warm-up is just to keep the muscles aware that there is work to be done. The best choice of weight to use at this stage is one which is at about half the weight of the maximum you can achieve with one rep. perform 6-8 reps using this amount of weight.
Set Two: At this stage you should increase the amount of weight to about 60-65% of the maximum weight. At this level you should try and perform not less than six reps. The muscles should start to tell you that there is indeed work being done.
Set Three: Add the amount of weight to 75% of the maximum and try to make the same number of sets i.e. six of them. At this stage of the workout the muscles are fully supplied with blood and they are already in the muscle building rhythm. The first three sets will help you make a solid foundation and should you decide to stop at this point you will allow the muscles to rest and recuperate quickly thus muscle gain. Don't stop here; try to complete the six reps.
Set Four: Increase the amount of weights to 90% of the maximum and try to achieve four sets. If you can, try to do two more. You will find that you cannot do more than six reps and still maintain perfect form. This is the set that will inform your muscles that it is time to increase in size and strength.
Set Five: Reduce the amount of weight back to the 60-75% level and use this to take the muscles to failure. In case you can go beyond eight reps then your maximum was wrongly chosen. The correct number of reps that you cannot go past is six. This reinforces the observation made at set number four that the muscles really need to get bigger.
This is what we mean by the term "pyramided sets".
About the Author
Dane Fletcher is the world-wide authority on bodybuilding and steroids. He has coached countless athletes all over the world. To read more of his work, please visit either http://www.BodybuildingToday.com or http://www.SteroidsToday.com
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