I have been doing a version of 5x5 for a bit now, I had a friend recommend doing pyramids instead.
She described it like this.
"You will do 10-14 sets for an exercise, for example 6 sets going up in weight then 6 sets back down. You want to start with a weight that you can do at least 20 reps with but exhaust before 40 reps. The heaviest weight set should be at a weight you can do only 1-3 reps with. Then do the same weights on the way back down. For example, shoulder press with weights 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15. All sets should be done to failure."
I have been doing 3 days a week with bench press, overhead press and bent over rows all three days, deadlift on monday, curls on wednesday, and squats on friday but when I asked her what her routine was she said
"I do 2 upper body days and 2 lower body days. Upper body, one day of a row exercise for pull, and a bench press exercise for push (one week flat, one week incline, etc.). On the other upper body day I do a lat exercise for pull and a shoulder press exercise for push. I do that split because it works the muscles in the same plane for that day. Legs I focus on hamstrings one day and quads the other.
I alternate upper and lower body days to give more rest. So this week I will do legs Mon and Fri, upper body Wed and Sun to work around my schedule. Had things to do Tues, Thurs, Sat this week so each week is a slight adjustment. But I always alternate between upper and lower and will never do 4 straight days."
she goes to a full gym so she is doing some lifts that I can do with just a weight bench.
What do you guys think of this and if you think pyramids would be better than 5x5 how would you adjust my current routine?
Or should I just stick with what has been working so far?
She described it like this.
"You will do 10-14 sets for an exercise, for example 6 sets going up in weight then 6 sets back down. You want to start with a weight that you can do at least 20 reps with but exhaust before 40 reps. The heaviest weight set should be at a weight you can do only 1-3 reps with. Then do the same weights on the way back down. For example, shoulder press with weights 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15. All sets should be done to failure."
I have been doing 3 days a week with bench press, overhead press and bent over rows all three days, deadlift on monday, curls on wednesday, and squats on friday but when I asked her what her routine was she said
"I do 2 upper body days and 2 lower body days. Upper body, one day of a row exercise for pull, and a bench press exercise for push (one week flat, one week incline, etc.). On the other upper body day I do a lat exercise for pull and a shoulder press exercise for push. I do that split because it works the muscles in the same plane for that day. Legs I focus on hamstrings one day and quads the other.
I alternate upper and lower body days to give more rest. So this week I will do legs Mon and Fri, upper body Wed and Sun to work around my schedule. Had things to do Tues, Thurs, Sat this week so each week is a slight adjustment. But I always alternate between upper and lower and will never do 4 straight days."
she goes to a full gym so she is doing some lifts that I can do with just a weight bench.
What do you guys think of this and if you think pyramids would be better than 5x5 how would you adjust my current routine?
Or should I just stick with what has been working so far?
