So, for the last couple of years (there have been breaks) I have tended to increase the weights of my lifts in a semi-structured manner, but I'm not sure it's optimal. An example would be, say squats: warmup set, then 4 sets of 4-6 at 300. When I first got to 300, I could barely get that 4th rep on the 4th set. When I was barely able to (in good form) get the 6th rep on the 4th set after a few weeks, I increased the weight to 305, and so on. The poundages steadily increase over time, but I wonder if I'm doing it too slowly. Is there an optimal percentage to increase the weight by and a better or quicker method than this?
Is there an optimal way to increase lifts?
- Thread starter shuvool
- Start date
halfwit
I like turtles.
This totally depends on what you're after. If you just want to get strong, a 5x5 routine with a really light warmup set can work wonders. When I was into strength training, I would work my way up to 80% of my 1RM for the last set and see if I could push it out to failure. I'm now more of a 4x12 or 4x10 guy and have no honest idea what my 1RM is anymore. But that's more for physique building, where concentration on form and feeling the "squeeze" of every rep is paramount.
The key thing to remember is that it's not a race. Make changes when you feel you're stalling and slowly work your way up. Rushing to the big poundages is a sure-fire way to find yourself with an injury. If you can't maintain proper form, you need to lower the weight until you can finish the set properly - you're doing yourself a disservice otherwise.
My .02c
The key thing to remember is that it's not a race. Make changes when you feel you're stalling and slowly work your way up. Rushing to the big poundages is a sure-fire way to find yourself with an injury. If you can't maintain proper form, you need to lower the weight until you can finish the set properly - you're doing yourself a disservice otherwise.
My .02c
Honestly, I thing strength is nice and all, and I wouldn't mind being stronger, but it's size I'm after. I know odds are slim to none that I have the genetics to ever attain the a physique that would be anywhere close to a pro, but I want to get as close to that as possible. I have a clear goal in mind of getting as big as possible. The current routine I use was put together for me a couple years back by a PT that I had hired, and coupled with a proper diet at the time, I had great results. Even people at work that I didn't know commented to me "damn, you're a big boy". I'm working to get back to that so I can continue on my way to getting as big as I can, but it's slow going and I was just hoping that I was doing something wrong that could be corrected
halfwit
I like turtles.
You can always try the 4x12 approach and see how that works for you. I'm personally doing one bodypart a day 5 days a week with weekends off. It's nice being in and out of the gym and still continuing to grow at a decent pace. I think the hardest part is being able to lower poundages and aim for that perfect form on each and every lift. Kai Greene has a very similar approach and I was happily surprised to see that on one of his videos as this is something I've been doing for some time with a measure of success. I don't think many of us will ever have the same physique as the pros - genetics are king in this game and that's why the pros are well, pros.
I'll give that 4x12 a try, I might have to change up my routine a little to match. The old routine was low and heavy on compound exercises except for bench and 2x12 for smaller groups split 3 days a week.
Old routine was
day 1
squats 4x4-6
leg curl 12-15 1st set 10 2nd set
bench 1x6-8, lower weight, 1x7-9 , lower weight, 1-8x12
chest support row (can't do now, new gym doesn't have this) 9-12 1st set 10-15 2nd set
db curl 9-12 1st set 10-12 2nd set
tricep pull downs 9-12 1st set 10-12 2nd set
seated calf raises 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
day 2
deadlifts 1x5 (warmup set light weights) 1x3, increase weight, 3x3, 4th set try to push to 5 reps
db shoulder press 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
cg bench 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
tricep pull downs 9-12 1st set 10-15 second set
db lateral 1x10-15
abs
day 3
dips 8-10 1st set 10-12 second set
seated cable row 9-12 1st set 10-15 second set
1 leg leg press 9-12 1st set 10-15 second set
barbell curl 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
standing calf raise (seated now, no standing machine at new gym) 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
I think I could probably keep all of the same lifts and just drop the weights far enough to be able to do 4x12 on everything, but would that work well on 3 days a week, or should I shuffle around some exercises to focus on single areas per day and go 4 or 5 times a week?
Thanks for the advice thus far, this is natural training, not ready to take the plunge yet, still need to get past where I was before my hiatus and come to a hard plateau. The thought nags in my mind sometimes, but it's not that I want to hit my natural potential first, it's that I'm scared that if I do go on the gear too early, I'll end up injuring myself going too far too fast and then I'll have another long break from the gym and take even longer to look the way I want. I figure about the time I've hit a solid plateau and changing shit up doesn't move me any further for a couple of months, my body will be strong enough to get stronger- or something like that
Old routine was
day 1
squats 4x4-6
leg curl 12-15 1st set 10 2nd set
bench 1x6-8, lower weight, 1x7-9 , lower weight, 1-8x12
chest support row (can't do now, new gym doesn't have this) 9-12 1st set 10-15 2nd set
db curl 9-12 1st set 10-12 2nd set
tricep pull downs 9-12 1st set 10-12 2nd set
seated calf raises 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
day 2
deadlifts 1x5 (warmup set light weights) 1x3, increase weight, 3x3, 4th set try to push to 5 reps
db shoulder press 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
cg bench 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
tricep pull downs 9-12 1st set 10-15 second set
db lateral 1x10-15
abs
day 3
dips 8-10 1st set 10-12 second set
seated cable row 9-12 1st set 10-15 second set
1 leg leg press 9-12 1st set 10-15 second set
barbell curl 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
standing calf raise (seated now, no standing machine at new gym) 9-12 1st set 10-12 second set
I think I could probably keep all of the same lifts and just drop the weights far enough to be able to do 4x12 on everything, but would that work well on 3 days a week, or should I shuffle around some exercises to focus on single areas per day and go 4 or 5 times a week?
Thanks for the advice thus far, this is natural training, not ready to take the plunge yet, still need to get past where I was before my hiatus and come to a hard plateau. The thought nags in my mind sometimes, but it's not that I want to hit my natural potential first, it's that I'm scared that if I do go on the gear too early, I'll end up injuring myself going too far too fast and then I'll have another long break from the gym and take even longer to look the way I want. I figure about the time I've hit a solid plateau and changing shit up doesn't move me any further for a couple of months, my body will be strong enough to get stronger- or something like that
bennelson57
New member
I have always increased weight by doing light warmup set 12-15 reps. then do max weight where the 10th rep is failure (so 10, 11 cant get up). then up the weight, do less reps. up the weight, up the weight. the last set is usually only one rep, if I even lift it at all, I might fail on the last set.
This is bro science: but I always like to end on the heaviest weight. For me to get stronger, I need to overload my muscles. I don't like "burn-out sets" (stripping the weight and doing a lot of reps on the last set); I feel like this is counter-intuitive.
So a normal strength gain set goes 12/8/6/2to4/ 1. Everyones body is different but me and the guys I train with have success with this. When i plateau I often do like halfwit said, the usual 3 or 4x 12 sets for a month or so, or just don't powerlift for a while and do some crossfit or bball for a couple weeks.
This is bro science: but I always like to end on the heaviest weight. For me to get stronger, I need to overload my muscles. I don't like "burn-out sets" (stripping the weight and doing a lot of reps on the last set); I feel like this is counter-intuitive.
So a normal strength gain set goes 12/8/6/2to4/ 1. Everyones body is different but me and the guys I train with have success with this. When i plateau I often do like halfwit said, the usual 3 or 4x 12 sets for a month or so, or just don't powerlift for a while and do some crossfit or bball for a couple weeks.
halfwit
I like turtles.
I used to run 3x a week, but have been doing a 5x a week with one body part a day. I'm really liking this approach as you can focus on that one body part and be out of the gym before you know it. I would also like to say that I do agree with bennelson57 in that everyone's body is different, and what stimulates growth for one fella may not do as well for the other. I think the biggest key to gaining muscle is consistency. Keep going at it and training, and you will grow.
