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5X5 or 3X8
- Thread starter danny1
- Start date
I remember reading that you want to keep your reps low, but maintain good form with fast movements as to minimize usage of your slow twitch muscles as your power is in your fast twitch muscles.
Something along those lines... I've noticed TREMENDOUS strength gains by doing this:
10, rest, 8, rest, 6, rest, 4 - done all under two minutes.
Use that formula if say your max reps of said weight was like 15-18 in one nonstop go. Obviously increase the numbers if you can do more, and decrease if you can't that much.
Concentrate on good form and it's harder than it appears for things like pull ups. It also dramatically cuts down your routine times, but maintains the same effectiveness. It's a routine designed around burning fat, and maximizing strength gains, not necessarily bulking...but you can get bigger doing it. It's what I've been doing, albeit with bodyweight exercises and have gained decently with my strength through the roof (relatively speaking). In a period of a month, I went from not being able to do 3 pullups, to being able to do about 80 various styles in a 30 minute time span.
Something along those lines... I've noticed TREMENDOUS strength gains by doing this:
10, rest, 8, rest, 6, rest, 4 - done all under two minutes.
Use that formula if say your max reps of said weight was like 15-18 in one nonstop go. Obviously increase the numbers if you can do more, and decrease if you can't that much.
Concentrate on good form and it's harder than it appears for things like pull ups. It also dramatically cuts down your routine times, but maintains the same effectiveness. It's a routine designed around burning fat, and maximizing strength gains, not necessarily bulking...but you can get bigger doing it. It's what I've been doing, albeit with bodyweight exercises and have gained decently with my strength through the roof (relatively speaking). In a period of a month, I went from not being able to do 3 pullups, to being able to do about 80 various styles in a 30 minute time span.
I agree with oicdn
Make sure your workout is very balanced. Do as much Pulling exercises as Pushing exercises. I increase my bench by 140lbs in two months by lifting heavy and pulling very heavy. Every time I increased my pulls I also increase my bench. Also don't be afraid to go heavier or taking weight off, sometimes I did a set of 4reps trying to do 5 and in the next set I did 6 with 10lbs less. At the end of the day is still 10 heavy reps, but the major reason why I was able to do this was because I stopped talking to people at the gym and started training hard following my rest times and getting lots of rest (I didn't train every day but I train my whole body 3 times a week).
Good luck.
Rick_CSCS
getbigmusclesincollege.com
"You are either training a body part once a week or training a whole body three times a week"
Make sure your workout is very balanced. Do as much Pulling exercises as Pushing exercises. I increase my bench by 140lbs in two months by lifting heavy and pulling very heavy. Every time I increased my pulls I also increase my bench. Also don't be afraid to go heavier or taking weight off, sometimes I did a set of 4reps trying to do 5 and in the next set I did 6 with 10lbs less. At the end of the day is still 10 heavy reps, but the major reason why I was able to do this was because I stopped talking to people at the gym and started training hard following my rest times and getting lots of rest (I didn't train every day but I train my whole body 3 times a week).
Good luck.
Rick_CSCS
getbigmusclesincollege.com
"You are either training a body part once a week or training a whole body three times a week"
yeah, low reps and fast concentric (the "lifting" portion of the exercise) action will lead to more fast twitch recruitment. However, it won't minimize slow twitch recruitment because of the size principle. In a contraction, slow twitch will be recruited first, and if more force is needed the fast twitch will be called into action while the slow twitch are still going.
Its kinda funny but I do the reverse of what you guys are saying. Here is what I essentially do, muscle confusion from week to week with different training style. What I mean is that I would do 5x5 one week, then 3x8 next, pymarid afterward, and try to 1 max rep followed by normal routine.
My version of pymarid needs a spoter (and a good confident one). Go 3 rep of 80% of your max, then decrease weight and go 5-6 rep, and decrease weight again and go 8-10; so its 3x5x10. For example, I bench 275 x 3, then lowered to 225 x 6, and then 135 x 10. Trust me by the time that you get to 135 lbs, you are exhausted and what I do is go wider grip to focus more on chest. After you d0 3x6x10, then rest for a bit and repeat if possible.
What I've also read from Muscle and Fitness but have not tried is to go 1x1x1x... 10times. Pretty much bench 80-85% of your max 1 times, rest, and then again until you can 10 sets of 1 rep each.
My version of pymarid needs a spoter (and a good confident one). Go 3 rep of 80% of your max, then decrease weight and go 5-6 rep, and decrease weight again and go 8-10; so its 3x5x10. For example, I bench 275 x 3, then lowered to 225 x 6, and then 135 x 10. Trust me by the time that you get to 135 lbs, you are exhausted and what I do is go wider grip to focus more on chest. After you d0 3x6x10, then rest for a bit and repeat if possible.
What I've also read from Muscle and Fitness but have not tried is to go 1x1x1x... 10times. Pretty much bench 80-85% of your max 1 times, rest, and then again until you can 10 sets of 1 rep each.
Everyone in this thread has a point. To add to what has been said.
5X5 is not better than 3X8. Just different. If you have been doing 3X8 a long time, 5X5 will probably give you better results. Of course so will pyramids and just about anything that is a little bit different.
Think about it like this. Your body will adapt to your workout in about 4 weeks. So if you keep doing the same thing you will get slower and slower results.
If you change things around every month or so (ie reps, exercises, rest periods, speed of lift) you will have better and more consistent results over the long term.
I like what Rick_CSCS had to say so I will post it again.
That will make a bigger difference than any number of different rep schemes.
5X5 is not better than 3X8. Just different. If you have been doing 3X8 a long time, 5X5 will probably give you better results. Of course so will pyramids and just about anything that is a little bit different.
Think about it like this. Your body will adapt to your workout in about 4 weeks. So if you keep doing the same thing you will get slower and slower results.
If you change things around every month or so (ie reps, exercises, rest periods, speed of lift) you will have better and more consistent results over the long term.
I like what Rick_CSCS had to say so I will post it again.
but the major reason why I was able to do this was because I stopped talking to people at the gym and started training hard
That will make a bigger difference than any number of different rep schemes.