Brehs, school me on pyramid workouts

[Soundwave]

I'm trying to figure out what I want to do when I go back to work outs next week, and one of my roommates has been doing these pyramid workouts and is getting cut ... so how do these things work? Anyone tried it out? Gotten good results?

 

[AITheAnswerAI]

All workouts are capable of yielding results, so long as you work hard and stick with it. Be careful not to get caught up in all this gimmick shyt, just work hard consistently and you'll have results.

My advice:

1) Warm up thoroughly before lifting. That way you can jump right into it and give 100% effort. If you just start lifting cold then it feels like the muscles are about to tear and you have to wait a lot longer in between sets and the overall intensity of your workouts will decline. Most people in the gym do this, and if you notice, they aren't in very good shape.

2) Use a full range of motion while lifting. Don't let your ego make you increase the weight and sacrifice your range of motion. Make sure you're bringing those bars down all the way and up all the way. Your muscles will get a much better workout doing this.

3) Don't rest too long in between sets. This is similar to the first point, but I realize you're a heavier breh, so keeping those rest breaks shorter than 60 seconds will keep your heart rate up, the intensity up, and you'll become leaner because of it. Most people in the gym sit/stand around for minutes in between sets, but again you don't want to be like most people in the gym.

4) Cut out the junk food and replace as much of it as you can with: lean meats, vegetables grains, and water.

5) Stick with it. Most people quit within a few weeks of working out, but if you stick with it for a period of months or even years, you'll get alll kinds of gains.

good luck.

 

[unit321]

I'm trying to figure out what I want to do when I go back to work outs next week, and one of my roommates has been doing these pyramid workouts and is getting cut ... so how do these things work? Anyone tried it out? Gotten good results?

Pyramid workout is when for one exercise, for every set, you increase the weight and decrease the reps.
Example: bench press
135 lbs. x 10
155 lbs x 8
175 lbs x 6
195 lbs x 4

Reverse pyramid workout is for one exercise, for every set, you decrease the weight and increase the reps.
Example: bench press
195 lbs x 4
175 lbs x 6
155 lbs x 8
135 lbs. x 10

You don't do both in one workout. You can do one or the other.

 

[Soundwave]

All workouts are capable of yielding results, so long as you work hard and stick with it. Be careful not to get caught up in all this gimmick shyt, just work hard consistently and you'll have results.

My advice:

1) Warm up thoroughly before lifting. That way you can jump right into it and give 100% effort. If you just start lifting cold then it feels like the muscles are about to tear and you have to wait a lot longer in between sets and the overall intensity of your workouts will decline. Most people in the gym do this, and if you notice, they aren't in very good shape.

2) Use a full range of motion while lifting. Don't let your ego make you increase the weight and sacrifice your range of motion. Make sure you're bringing those bars down all the way and up all the way. Your muscles will get a much better workout doing this.

3) Don't rest too long in between sets. This is similar to the first point, but I realize you're a heavier breh, so keeping those rest breaks shorter than 60 seconds will keep your heart rate up, the intensity up, and you'll become leaner because of it. Most people in the gym sit/stand around for minutes in between sets, but again you don't want to be like most people in the gym.

4) Cut out the junk food and replace as much of it as you can with: lean meats, vegetables grains, and water.

5) Stick with it. Most people quit within a few weeks of working out, but if you stick with it for a period of months or even years, you'll get alll kinds of gains.

good luck.

I don't think we're on the same page, breh ... I was just taking a week break from lifting since I haven't taken a break since November, so I was looking to switch up the routine.

Pyramid workout is when for one exercise, for every set, you increase the weight and decrease the reps.
Example: bench press
135 lbs. x 10
155 lbs x 8
175 lbs x 6
195 lbs x 4

Reverse pyramid workout is for one exercise, for every set, you decrease the weight and increase the reps.
Example: bench press
195 lbs x 4
175 lbs x 6
155 lbs x 8
135 lbs. x 10

You don't do both in one workout. You can do one or the other.

So for someone who's trying this out for the first time, what should my starting weight be? I've been bulking for a while and I'm trying to do the reverse.

 

[unit321]

So for someone who's trying this out for the first time, what should my starting weight be? I've been bulking for a while and I'm trying to do the reverse.

Google one rep max and look at the chart. Based on your one rep max at bench or squat or whatever. Start with the weight at 10 reps. Then, move onto either the 9 or 8 rep max weight. I usually increment by 20 lbs.

 

[O.T.I.S.]

Pyramid workout is when for one exercise, for every set, you increase the weight and decrease the reps.
Example: bench press
135 lbs. x 10
155 lbs x 8
175 lbs x 6
195 lbs x 4

Reverse pyramid workout is for one exercise, for every set, you decrease the weight and increase the reps.
Example: bench press
195 lbs x 4
175 lbs x 6
155 lbs x 8
135 lbs. x 10

You don't do both in one workout. You can do one or the other.

I do both

It all depends on how you feel and what you want to do

 

[The ADD]

Pyramid workout is when for one exercise, for every set, you increase the weight and decrease the reps.
Example: bench press
135 lbs. x 10
155 lbs x 8
175 lbs x 6
195 lbs x 4

Reverse pyramid workout is for one exercise, for every set, you decrease the weight and increase the reps.
Example: bench press
195 lbs x 4
175 lbs x 6
155 lbs x 8
135 lbs. x 10

You don't do both in one workout. You can do one or the other.

Is one method more optimal than the other?

 

[Spliff]

Is one method more optimal than the other?

Reverse.

Ramp-up pyramid sets are bottom tier. Essentially a long, fatiguing warmup.

 

[unit321]

Is one method more optimal than the other?

No. You use either, but at different work outs. The final goal being able to increase your one-rep max or to increase your strength, e.g. how many times you can bench 225 lbs.

 

[The ADD]

Reverse.

Ramp-up pyramid sets are bottom tier. Essentially a long, fatiguing warmup.

Thanks

Used for front squats this morning working up/down from two reps at, 7 sets with 10 pound increments.

 

[Soundwave]

Tried it out for the first time yesterday

Started with 200 on the deadlifts and maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan, I felt like death doing them ...

Mind you, the last time I'd done over 200 on deadlifts was maybe back in 2012

This is the regimen I'm using:

http://www.fitocracy.com/knowledge/starting-guide-reverse-pyramid-training/

 

[Black Ball]

Pyramid workout is when for one exercise, for every set, you increase the weight and decrease the reps.
Example: bench press
135 lbs. x 10
155 lbs x 8
175 lbs x 6
195 lbs x 4

Reverse pyramid workout is for one exercise, for every set, you decrease the weight and increase the reps.
Example: bench press
195 lbs x 4
175 lbs x 6
155 lbs x 8
135 lbs. x 10

You don't do both in one workout. You can do one or the other.

I've done both for over a decade and beasted on both strength and endurance.

 

[unit321]

I've done both for over a decade and beasted on both strength and endurance.

Are you going low weight to high weight and then back down again? That's fine, but then it's not really a pyramid workout.

 

[Black Ball]

Are you going low weight to high weight and then back down again? That's fine, but then it's not really a pyramid workout.

Yeah that's exactly what I do. Going up feels difficult, but also like a good stretch and warmup. Coming down feels like I'm roided up

On the Bench.
Set 1 at 225 12 reps.
Set 9 at 225 20 reps.

 

[unit321]

Yeah that's exactly what I do. Going up feels difficult, but also like a good stretch and warmup. Coming down feels like I'm roided up

On the Bench.
Set 1 at 225 12 reps.
Set 9 at 225 20 reps.

You stay at 225 lbs for all sets?