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If you are talking as in doing a final set after a 2 minute rest with low weight I say it ranks up there with cable crossovers->No point. But, I am a believer in doing a dropset after the heaviest last set you do as long as you still keep it heavy. IMO of course...

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A ten minute carido session is good to get the heart rate and core body temp up. I ride my bike to the gym, and it's kinda hilly, so I use that as my cardio warm up.

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I agree drop sets are very effective. What i was talking about would go something like this. (my chest workout from last night)

Incline barbell (warm up) then 3 working sets
wieghted dips, 3 working sets
flat db press, 3 working sets
incline db fly, 1 slow set through full range of motion with low wieght 12-15 reps.

I feel like my chest fills up after that last set, the muscles are streched, and then i'm ready for my back workout. then again i stretch between every set, so i guess it just an extension of that.

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Hey bro,

I was just reading this thread and it got me to thinking about something;

If your theory is correct, than wouldn't it mean that running the rack is useless? I think it's also called "stripping". I do this about once a month, where I'll do dumbell curls starting with 85's (after a nice warm-up) and then just decrease weight in one huge set until I want to puke. I'll go right down to 5lbs if my body can take it. Like I said, I only do this once a month, but I read in one of Arnold's BB books that it was a really good way to shock new growth. Even though it kills, and it's all I'll do for my biceps that day, I have found it really does help shock new growth. Too taxing to do more than once a month though.

Couldn't your theory on not decreasing weight on sets (aka the second part of the pyramid) sort of apply to this, making it null and void?


Please advise,


Raven

The warmup portion of the thread was taken from the Max-OT program, as were some of the other suggestions.

According to that program, muscle overload, not muscle fatigue, is the key component to growth. The idea is to do just a few heavy sets (2 or 3) (after the warmup posted at the beginning of the thread).

Muscle memory is also a key. So what i get out of it is that your muscles will remember the last set it does. So if it remembers overload, it will be ready for the next heavy sets you inflinct on them. But if it remembers being fatigued (which is really what you're doing when you "run the rack"), it will not be as much benefit the next time.

Go to www.ast.ss.com and "sign up" for the Max-OT program. All you have to do is provide your e-mail and they'll activate your access.

It seems like a sensible program, and I'm just starting it this week, although not to a tee. I'm not going 5 days on and two off; circumstances dictate that I do 3-1-2-1.

If I ever get less lazy, I'll start a journal here.

Thanks bro,

It's interesting stuff, and I've incorporated some of it in to my workout program, but I think I'll probably still "run the rack" once a month anyway. Maybe it's good to have that variation in my routine and that's why I get new growth from it. Interesting anyway.

I'm definately going to sign up for the program. Thanks for the link.

Raven

That's completely different from what I was explaining. It's called "running the rack" and it's a good method. That has nothing to do with warming up. I took the warmup Max-OT advised because it works with any any situation...Aside from fox sets, running the rack, 21's, ect. You don't have to use the program to utillize the warmup. Alot of people still do reps like 12,10,8,6. I definately don't, but some people do. Usually their first 2 sets for 12 and 8 are waaay too easy, due to them wanting to safely do the 12 and 8 or warming up with 1 or 2 sets. This warmup if done correctly will alow that person to fail at that 11th or 12th rep, same as the 10th, 8th, ect. It just helps you lift more weight and get more out of your workout. Try to disprove it, (you can't) Try it and see it's the most effective. You'll easily go up 10-20 pounds on your first set. :cool:

BTW, Max-OT is a good program but keep in mind that it only works one type of muscle fiber and has a limited amount of hypertrophy. If you try and increase the weights too fast you'll fry your cns and it'll be counterproductive.

The warm-up example above was great, but how about for other exercises? I did some quick calculations and here's what I come up with: (% is the percent of your "heavy weight" for the exercise)

Set Type Reps %
1 w-u 12 50
2 w-u 10 50
3 w-u 6 67
4 accl 3 80
5 accl 1 ~90
6-8 work 4-6 105

Just in case parts of this thread were used for a sticky, I thought it would be beneficial to come up with a "universal" chart.

Does that apply to only bench or for all other exercises like curls and other stuff?