Cut down sets..increase the intensity

Last year or so I've cut the sets I do in half...Chest last night...

3 x incline dumb press - 8 x100 lbs, 10 x 85, 12 x 70..with two negatives at the end..
2 x Cable crossovers
2 x Dips
2 x Machine dumbbell pullovers...

Today I feel as sore as ever.....Reason It's working which it is...is if you know it's a short workout psychologically you are not holding back and are intense on every set....

Heavy duty definitely works...I only do 6 sets for legs.....9 for back etc.........6 for bis. 6 for tris...

Certainly if you are stonewalling give it a go..you'll be surprised.

When you say higher intensity, do you mean as in the speed you are doing the reps?

Are you going with higher weights than you did before you cut the amount of sets in half?

I generally do 3 sets of each exercise, with about 4 or 5 exercises per muscle group (I do split workouts, chest one day, back/bicep another, etc) and throw in the odd drop set, and find this works pretty well in terms of being sore the next day or two!

No I always do the reps slow.....Intensity means feeling the power and pushing yourself to the extremes..

Alot easier in short sharp shocks..You have to find the speed that suits you..

to produce the best results

Know what you mean...last week I hadn't had chance to fit triceps in, so did them after a bicep workout, spent all of 15mins on them but boy were they aching the next day. That probably has a lot to do with the intensity of that short work out, I knew it was going to be short, so really pushed myself.

Short sharp shocks really push the body...

People think if they don't train for a length of time they won't grow..

Bull--- it's what you do not how much...

Usually superset pulldowns with extensions for triceps as close grip stuff doesn't sit well with my wrist problems.

Wrist problems? Mrs Truss not been fulfilling her duties?

When you say superset can you explain what you mean, not massively into the various terms for weight training. More a case of show up and just do what I feel is working for me, would be interested to know though.

Say you finish the leg press...you could go straight on to say the extension and rep some out..

Called a super set...two different exercises one after the other..

Thanks for clearing that up, Truss, seems like a good way to get a burn going!

Beats putting you hand on the barbecue that's for sure..

It depends doesn't it whether you're training just to get a 'burn' going or whether you're actually trying to go for some higher weights, I couldn't get to my max at Squat in 3 sets as your body needs to get accustomed to the higher weights ie 500lbs plus with maybe 4/5/6 sets leading up to it in order for you to minimize the risk of injury ie be warmed up and for your body to be used to the weight/pressure etc prior to maxing out.

No it doesn't....Can't tell by the burn whether you've had a good workout or not..

Fact is you can't have a long workout and keep the intensity high!!

Short sharp shocks and get out of there..

heavy duty by mike mentzer..look it up.

I can tell whether I've had a good work out by the goals I've set pre-workout and whether or not I've achieved them, I'm squatting 500lbs plus so I'm sorry Trussman66 the object of the idea is to complete each rep with good form focusing 100% on completing the rep 'really feeling the burn doesn't come into it' unless that is you can afford to because the weights your using are not really taxing you or unless that is your workouts focus on everything apart from the main compound movement for that muscle like your chest workout does. I suppose it depends on what you're training for, I train for strength, that's it, I want to get stronger and stronger, so doing loads fo reps at low, low weights is not doing it for me.

I like to feel the rep......Simple reason I'm into bodybuilding and not weight lifting......

I go very slow.....Weight doesn't impress me..no doubt your form is all over the place.

I went out of my way to say that I keep 'good form' in my last post, not everyone is comfortable going for the larger weights and that's fine, but all the top tier 'body builders' achieve their frames by doing incredible max weights on the bench/deadlift/squat in order to accumalate the required mass, there is no getting away from it. Arnold was deadlifting 800lbs plus and he's not up there with the modern heavy weights ie L.Haney/M.Cutler/R.Coleman/D.Yates these guys are/have been capable of super heavy weights, to get to anywhere near close to these frames you're talking about going really heavy. Trussman66 I'm not knocking what you're doing but I'd say for a fully mature man you're doing more fitness training than strength training, this is a 'weight lifting' forum so I'm expecting guys on here that respect that.

All the top body builders etc...

No they don't...

Look you don't know what you are talking about.....

Zane and Arnie didn't do single maxs...They did 8-12 reps I've read autobiographies..

Watch blood and guts by Dorian Yates.....6-8 reps.......

We all train heavy just not stupidly like you..

I don't know you but I don't like your attitude...


Go somewhere else if you are going to be so patronising...

Arnold wasn't DeadLifting 800lbs plus for 8 to 12 reps.

I've seen plenty of off season clips of Yates doing 1 and 2 rep max's.

I'm very sorry you're the one who has strapped knees I'm doing 500lbs plus without a lifting suit or wraps, just a belt, you've got a weak or damaged back as well so please don't get on to me about training stupidly.

I've been training for more than 20 years..

Have you seen Dorian..he can hardly walk these days..

It happens to us all...Arnold is arthritic as is Columbu.....

Just don't bother Son..

I think you're just hear to wind people up..you're the same on the boxing threads...

Get a life.

So now you're saying I'm correct which I am, that Dorian/Arnold/Columbu ... who by the way loved his feats of strength, did employ Power Lifting routines into off season work in order to generate the mass needed, yes Yates retired due to injuries the main ones being torn bicep and tricep, and Arnold is probably Arthritic so are quite a few other older people especially if they've done the things Arnold has done to his body, so what ....this is the price that some of the pro's pay for pushing so hard over the course of their careers the same goes for lots of other sports, very inconsistent in your discussion in that you can't follow a discussion through properly and you revert to getting upset as a result of being proved to be lacking in subject knowledge, hence the 'get a life' etc, etc....

Id never thought the weightlifting section would have a little kick off.
Erm, lets chill please guys.

I'm saying there isn't a bodybuilder that hasn't done squats and deads at some point.....

They are bodybuilding exercises as well..

They just did higher reps..

Why are you so argumentative...? behave yourself your attitude stinks..

Get off the juice if this is what it does to you.

I need my sleep, I've got some deadlifts/bent over rows to do tomorrow morning, err I do have a different point of view and I do feel that you ie trussman are very inconsistent however, I'm not on juice, we just happen to be in different camps at the moment, when I've achieved my goals as I've said I'll go back to boxing /running/lighter weights again, I do realise that I'm carrying too much weight really and everything is not perfect for me in that I've lost some flexibilty and speed, however I have my goals nevertheless.........so 550lb squat here I come.

Never been inconsistent..

O.K that's fine....we were discussing short reps and maxing out and you went off on one calling me stupid and going on about Arnie getting arthritic .....instead of you staying on subject, nevermind though clear your head of all this negative energy and congratulate me....I did a 525lb deadlift this morning, went straight up, real high intensity stuff, took over a minute to phyc up to it, a little nervous about whether it would move off the ground, but beautiful when I locked it out.....oh yes...went into the office today feeling good.

O.K Trussman we spent most of last night bouncing comments between each other and it got a little over the top so you know what I'm going to accept that in the main you remained on subject and that I was a little harsh at times.
Let's call it quits over the maxing out subject as I've said on a different thread you're obviously in a good place at the moment and more power to you.

You called me inconsistent without substantiating the claim...

I expect better...

You brag a lot don't you..??

Maybe the lady doth protest too much..

You went off subject....simple as that....I don't mind...it's justa little annoying when you're talking about maxing out and you're discussing this with someone who says in one comment Arnie didn't max out and didn't reps and then in a few comments later is using Arnie as an example of why maxing out is a bad thing.........oh dear......I know it was getting late but stay with it.......or maybe you make it up as you go along... alot of people do you know.

You busy going over your comments now Trussman and hoping you weren't talking total BS last night, trust me some not all of it was just that.

why would I check my comments for such a lightweight adversary........

Arnie didn't do 1 rep maxes....your taking me out of context son......In ten year old fashion.

O.K and I thought we were just killing time discussing a topic we've both got opinions on, I'm not here as an adversary for you and feel disappointed that you feel like that. You can't actually win an argument on a forum, one to one yes but not when there's the whole web between us, either one of us can choose to pick and choose which aspects of the others argument we want to comment on and can go silent when we should be eating our own words.

I know Arnie had 1 rep PB's he's quoted them enough times....

Truss....Some PB's for Arnie....

front squat 500
back squat 605 at 218 pounds bodyweight.
770-pound deadlift

want some more

Thanks....

Very good for a body builder and given that he was a pioneer and that the super heavy weights were still to come ie D.Yates etc. I'm a little suprised that Arnie's legs didn't have more mass given he had some great 1 rep max's at squat. Respect to the guy, I might have to readjust my squat target, mind you he was on juice.

Didn't Arnie start out as a powerlifter?

Hello by the way.

Used to pop 9 dianabols at a time according to some sources...

They all used to powerlift in them days because the weights they had were pretty basic...I still powerlift but single rep maxs because they cause you injury..

Ask guys like Dorian and he won't be able to tell you what he can bench because he was never interested....

but not single rep maxs......should read.

That's cool if it's your thing, but I'm saying Arnold was a competitive powerlifter therefore must've done single reps.

Maybe he was early on....but not once he was past 23 and bodybuilding for a living..

Truss, you know what, having had a good look into Arnie's stats etc as part of this discussion I have to say that he's right up there even going on todays heavy weights and that is amazing given the increases in sports 'technology' and that is something I'd overlooked, so fair play to you Truss I have a new respect for Arnie. Arnie's 770lb deadlift is only 30lbs off R.Colemans 800lb deadlift and Ronnie is considered by some to be the strongest bodybuilder of all time.

I use my single rep max's to impact all my sets, as in if I can increase my top range then I'm more able to do more and much more strict reps at lower weights so it's not all about racking up as much as possible although I do have my goals as stated.

Coleman has deadlifted 800 for reps so that's nort entirely true...

Highest I could find for Ronnie I'm afraid but you're probably right.