So I kept reading, than! Set 1: 30 lbs x 12 repetitions. Set 1 bar: 210 . 3-5. My lifting partner thinks I'm an idiot for having trained like this for the last couple years, because he equates reverse pyramid training . Set 3/4: 50% of max. The warm-up for reverse pyramid training can be divided into two levels: - Mobility Warm-Up - Warm-Up Sets The Mobility Warm-Up should be done before every workout, regardless of whether you are doing Reverse Pyramid Training, Classic Pyramid Training, 55 or any other training system, especially for workouts that start with basic exercises. Usually it only takes me 1 warm up set on other lifts after the sumo. So yes, if time is limited and you can't be in the gym more than thrice a week, you must make every set count. Basically, you pick an exercise, warm up, perform one set to positive muscle failure, rest for 3-5 minutes, subtract 10% from the working weight, repeat the effort, again rest for 3-5 . General warm-up: 8-10 minutes walking on the treadmill or on the bike, just to get some blood flow; then do 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching, followed by bench press. Set 1 bar: 2x10 Set 2 bar: 95x6 Set 3 bar: 135x6 Once those warm-up sets are out of the way, you do your first work set. In this way, all the applicable muscle fibers are fired up and ready to go. Bench Press: 3 sets total, starting with 6-8 reps, then 10-8 reps, then 10-12 reps, reducing 10% of the weight between sets. 60 lbs x 10 reps 70 lbs x 8 reps 80 lbs x 6 reps 70 lbs x 8 reps 60 lbs x 10 reps . Reverse Pyramid Training is one of the most effective strength training approaches out there. Your warm up sets are 5/3/1* at below 80% of your first working set of 4-6. You get in the gym. The step pyramid technique makes you finish low even though reps are higher. Show Printable Version; . Ex: chest day . Since you will be doing your heaviest set first you need to be warmed up, otherwise injury will be inevitable. . E.g. For strength training (designed for a predetermined amount of weight an individual wants to lift by a predetermined time or for sports like football), use a rep range of 4, 6, 8. Reverse-Pyramid For Size And Strength. This is the "classic" way of . If your goal is increased mass and strength, this might be THE technique you've been looking for. . This is where I recommend the 5/3/1 build-up protocol. For those two reasons, you may want to do a final pump-out set of 12 to 15 reps after your pyramid apex set. Here's an example of what a reverse pyramid set protocol might look like. Set 1: 90% of max. Double Wave Pyramid . You will be training five days a week, and Thursday and Sunday will be the off days. Thoughts On Reverse Pyramid Training; Page 1 of 2 1 2 Last. Alternatively for some exercises you could start at a higher range, say 8-10 and keep adding 2.5% to the top set each week until your reps drop to say 3-5 then start out at the higher range again. It also has the benefit of being a minimalist way of training, typically involving just three full-body workouts per week, with each of those workouts lasting less than an hour. Let's say you lift 100 pounds for a total of 8 reps in that first set. Here is a generic warm-up that would work well for reverse pyramid training if your top set is 250 on the bench press. Reverse pyramid training is a style of training where the trainee puts their heaviest set first, then 'pyramids down' to a lighter weight, usually with more reps for the latter sets. You then hit a particular body part with the heaviest weight you can handle to positive failure (in your given rep range). Warm-up sets in this method are usually brief and won't take away much of your energy and efforts. Reverse pyramid training, on the other hand, involves starting at your heaviest for the first set, usually at a lower number of reps. After that first heavy set, you pyramid downwards by gradually reducing the amount of weight and increasing the number of reps for set 2, set 3, etc. Finally, do your first exercise for 15 to 20 reps with very light resistance. The basic concept is that after a few warm up sets you start with your heaviest set first whilst your still fresh, you then perform 2 more sets decreasing the . Reverse pyramid training is not used on the Lower body because it has much higher risk for injury because of the loads typically being moved. Warm up Before Your Heavy Set This is VERY important. Typically bench press, shoulder press, pull-ups, and dips are all they use with this technique. The backside of a pyramid or reverse ladder is a great way to cool down from high-intensity workouts. The main difference between reverse pyramid and traditional pyramid training is that here you're NOT training like an idiot. Take a 2-3 minute break, reduce the weight a little, and do the same again. One of the most common questions I get regularly when working with clients is should I train low volume and heavy weight or high volume and light weight? For weight training (designed for maintaining lean body mass and losing fat weight) use a rep range of 10, 12, 14. Reverse Pyramid Training breaks the chains of plateaus resulting from the conventional Pyramid Training structure of many workout routines, where while. 225 lbs x 5. Or even 105 x 6-8, 100 x 6-8, 100 x 6-8. An exercise done in a RPT fashion might look like this: Warm-up sets Rest 1-2 minutes Set 2: 80% of max. every 3 or 4 workouts warm up good at least 2 sets of very light weight..then pile it on for a heavey set of 4or 5 reps..then add more weight try to squeeze 2 heavey reps..then go for the big one..next bench day return to your regular pyramid . Pyramid training is one of many approaches to building strength and lean body mass. 4. Indeed, studies show RPT to be more time-efficient than 5 x 5 and suggests superior results 5. Warm-ups. How you drop down is so individual as to how you handle multiple sets. Advanced trainees, on the other hand, should increase the number of their sets. Here's an example to take advantage of the reverse pyramid in any of your training weeks. A reverse pyramid session involves starting with a rep at a certain time or distance, then decreasing the time/distance of each successive rep until a minimum (i.e. 3. RPT does. This is usually about 1-2 minutes at the start and 2-4 by the end; but this all depends on how "pumped" I am, diet, etc. You should listen to your body, but not let it totally dictate the entire session. Warm-Up RPT is an intense style of training, which means adequate warm-up is required prior to performing your first exercises. Reverse Pyramid Training is a popular way for intermediates to break through plateaus and continue gaining muscle size and strength. Reverse pyramid training is the brainchild of Swedish powerlifter Martin Berkhan. . Tailored and proper dynamic warm-up with weights < or = 60% of max; Dumbbell Chest Press, 3 Sets, 6-10 Repetitions; First Set, 80 Lbs, 6 Repetitions; Zachary Mang, Ph.D.,is a post-doctoral research associate for the Wellness Program at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.His research interests include resistance training for hypertrophy, oxidative adaptations to resistance training, and using resistance training as a frontline defense to prevent chronic disease.. Jason Beam, Ph.D.,is an adjunct faculty member for the School of Fitness . Set 2: 40 lbs x 10 repetitions. Cooldowns. (after your very first . Set 3: 50 lbs x 8 repetitions. The idea is to start with a heavy weight for low reps e.g. With straight pyramids, using lighter weights at the beginning increases blood flow to your muscles and get your muscles prepped for lifting. Triangle Pyramid Training - Combines both standard and reverse pyramid training. 3. The goal of the warm up is to prepare your muscle fibers and your mind for what lies ahead. Empty bar 1x5-8. Reverse Pyramid Training RPT: Pros There are two areas in which RPT excels. Thread Tools. By the end of your third triset, your shoulders will be blown up like balloons. How to do Reverse Pyramid Training 1. How To Do Reverse Pyramid Training Instead of going to the gym on your next workout with the idea of winging it by doing 3 sets of 10 reps only to find that you actually end up doing: 1 set of 10 reps @ 135 lbs (warmup) 1 set of 10 reps @ 185 lbs 1 set of 8 reps @ 205 lbs (oops, too heavy) 1 set of 7 reps @ 185 lbs (too tired now) In scenario #2, they probably could have gone a little heavier for set 1. The goal of the warm-up is to prepare the nervous system as well as your mind for the heavy set without causing unnecessary fatigue. We will typically do a 1 to 10 warm-up pyramid of push-ups or squats, with 25-yard jogs and dynamic stretches in between sets during the travel section. Set 2 bar: 956 Barbell row: the same protocol as above. Pyramid training is a slower, more steady form of training resulting in changes to intensity and repetitions throughout your entire workout. Long answer: So I start with sumo dead lift so it has the longest warm up, due to my job sometimes having me sit/stand for 8 hours. Commonly, a reverse pyramid routine consists of three bodyweight pyramid sets with repetition range of 6 - 12. You warm up. Above you can see that you start the weight relatively low, increase the weight for the middle sets, and then decrease the weight for your last "quality" sets. You should be pushing yourself with every single rep! . The numbers above are percentages of the top weight I will be doing, which is usually in the 6-8 rep range, not percentages of my max. Alternately, you can combine pyramids and reverse pyramids, as in our sample routine, to rotate between a heavy apex set for one exercise and a light final set for the next. Warming Up With Reverse Pyramid Training Before getting started on your heaviest set, it is essential that you warm up the particular movement pattern first. This will help build strength while flushing the muscle with . By adjusting the length of reps and recoveries a variety . First off, you'd do several warm-up sets, using a relatively light weight. Reverse pyramid training is the most sensible way to go about training. 3J's Nutrition | Diet and fitness consulting to get you to the next level. Pyramid training involves a slow, steady increase (or decrease) in intensity or repetitions. Reverse Pyramid Training (RPT) is a style of training where you perform your heaviest set first when you're completely fresh and then pyramid down to a lighter weight usually with more reps for the latter sets. Splitting things up into five days allows us to hit the individual muscles with sufficient volume during . The first is time efficiency. To increase fat burning feature while maintaining muscle mass, increase your rep range to 10, 12, and 14. Warmup - 8-10 reps @ 200lb Set 1 - 4 reps @ 400lb Set 2 - 5 reps @ 380lb Set 3 - 6 reps @ 360lb Remember, the amount you shed is totally up to you. Follow this up with some dynamic stretching. . A better approach would have been: 105 x 6-8, 100 x 6-8, 95 x 6-8. Therefore, you don't have the luxury of leaving 2 or 3 reps in reserve as you would with straight sets. The way I like to start off my warm-up is with 5 minutes on a treadmill (if I'm in a colder country), followed by 6-8 minutes general warm-up focusing on shoulders and glutes. Instead, 3-5 warm up sets are used to prepare the central nervous system and joints for heavy lifting. This is where Reverse Pyramid Training is different and will see you starting your HEAVIEST weights on your first set (after a very light warmup). Here is a generic warm-up that would work well for reverse pyramid training if your top set is 250 on the bench press. Instead of staying with the same weight, you should 'reverse pyramid' the weight down. Once you're done, reduce the weight by 10%. However having been reading about reverse pyramid training and Paul Bossi's experiences it has got me thinking that I would like to use this method in place of my 3 weeks rep work, the plan would be after a warm up one top set of 3-5 reps, drop the weight by around 10% try for 5-7 reps, drop a final 10% and try for 7-9 reps. Here is what a typical set would look like. The question is reasonable because that has been the gold. First complete 3 warm up sets of 3-6 reps of 40, 50 and 60% percent of your working weight before proceeding to the reverse pyramid training. Each successive set of the same exercise will be a little lighter. Instead of starting with a light weight for high reps, you start with your heaviest weight for lower reps. For example: 6 reps with 80kg 8 reps with 70kg 10 reps with 60kg 12 reps with 50kg Reverse pyramid training is another alternative to straight sets, one that is far more effective. Just seems like an interesting way to train the core movements. the tip of the upside-down pyramid) is reached. Example warm-up for 225 lbs bench press x 5 reps: 135lbs x 5 reps (60% of 225 lbs) Rest 1 minute. 170lbs x 3 (75% of 225 lbs) Rest 1 minute. Always Have A Goal Rep Target/ Range. I personally didn't like the Reverse Pyramid Training (RPT) style in the beginning. Perform 1-2 sets of the first working set at a light resistance, combined with some dynamic to prepare. Martin has his own site at leangains.com. It is best suited to big compound training movements that work a lot of the body's musculature, like a squat, deadlift, bench press, and chin-up. . Reps don't have to be exactly as follows but they should include a range where both strength and muscle gains are possible. Warm up for five to 10 minutes before starting your first reverse pyramid set. Here's how Mike's style of reverse pyramid training looks like: You start off with 2 "Power Sets"- These two sets are meant to be very heavy.About 90-95% of your 1 Rep Max (1RM)- All sets are in the 2-3 rep range- This should be a compound lift (Deadlifts for example). You're starting with your heaviest weight and then working down to your lightest weight, which makes MUCH more sense than traditional pyramid sets where you do the opposite. This will prepare your nervous system and get blood flow to working muscles, leading to improved performance. Everybody can benefit from the Reverse Pyramid system. Without warming up, you are setting yourself up for an increased chance of injury. (I'll be tracking my own results over coming months and reporting back on my own experiences). Reverse pyramid training works in a somewhat backward method. General warm-up: 8"10 minutes walking on the treadmill or on the bike, just to get some blood flow; then do 5"10 minutes of dynamic stretching, followed by bench press. Reverse Pyramid Training (RPT) will side step all of these issues above and prove more effective than any training method you have ever done before. It's a strategy athletes and bodybuilders use to build upper and lower body strength. Jump to page: Results 1 to 10 of 11 Thread: Thoughts On Reverse Pyramid Training. Reverse Pyramid Training - Decrease weight, increase reps. 2-3 x warm up sets 90 lbs x 4 reps 80 lbs x 6 reps 70 lbs x 8 reps 60 lbs x 10 reps . An alternative to Traditional Pyramid technique, Reverse Pyramid Training method involves using the heaviest weight in the first set and then by each set further, decrease the weights and increase the rep range. 2. The idea is to milk more out of each set by training close to failure (as you're only doing 3 sets in total). The article says that reverse pyramid training is better! Moreover, you can mix and match reps and weight like this, which is probably the easiest and most sequenced way to perform pyramid sets. General warm-up Bar x 10 40-50% x 8 65-75% x 4 Maybe 85% x 1 if I feel like it will give me a mental focus and feel for the big weight. An alternative method to the pyramid seen above is what is known as the "reverse pyramid." The difference here is that the warm-ups are very brief, but will effectively gear your mind and body for the heavier weights to come - without tiring you out or producing large amounts of lactic acid. Warm-up set 1- 20kg x 8 reps.Warm-up set 2- 28kg x 4 reps. Warm-up set 3- 36kg x2 reps. Then your first and heaviest work set would be 40kg x 6- 8 reps. 2.