Any advice? - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

Ironball · 22-09-2004, 07:59 PM

Hello I am new here and am looking for some good advice please.

I have been training for a couple of years now and would like to improve my strength.

For Chest what would you recommend? I am not sure how many sets and reps I should be doing. Here is an example.

Flat bench 3 sets of 4-8 reps
Incline Bench 3 sets of 4-8 reps
Flat flyes 3sets 0f 6-10 reps

Do you guys think I am doing to many sets in order to gain strength and size?(mainly aiming for better strength at moment)

Biceps example

Chins 3 sets
dumbbell preacher 3 sets of 5-8 reps.
sometimes I swap one for barbell curls of 4-6 reps.

What do you guys think I should do? I get damn confused!:confused:

Oh yeah and I aint on the juice so please take that into account.

22-09-2004, 08:20 PM

if your after strength lower the rep range. otherwise your ok imo.

Biker · 22-09-2004, 08:36 PM

agree with Mr Titor, 5 x 5 would be the way forward IMHO.

5 sets of 5 reps, once you can to 5 reps in each set up the weight, I tend to do these with the first 2 sets being little more than a progressive warm up then use the same weight for the last 3 sets.

**robdog** · 22-09-2004, 09:12 PM

so on your first set you only do 5 reps even though its a warmup.

22-09-2004, 09:16 PM

yep. say you are going to do 5x5 with 100kg. you might w/u like this (note no cardio)

Barx15
Barx15
40x5*
60x5
80x5
90x3*
105x1
100x5x5

*optional.
*only use if you feel low/poorly motivated.

**robdog** · 22-09-2004, 09:51 PM

AH right thanks. You warm up then do 5 sets of 5 reps with max weight.

Say if you were training chest like this would you just do it for 1 excersise or for all the excersises you were doing for that bodypart. For instance i do flat bench, an incline pressing movment and flyes but surely if i did all those sets for each excersise it would be over training.

Mr T · 22-09-2004, 10:12 PM

its all in some routines i have seen but certainly not in them all, your choice mate...

22-09-2004, 10:49 PM

exactly. it depends on your limits, both physical (work capacity etc) and physcological (your training mentality).

i would not advocate 5x5 for any isolation though.

**hackskii** · 23-09-2004, 03:40 AM

I would drop the flys and do dips on tricep days.
Just me tho.
Strength usually comes with lower reps. This is good providing you are not new to lifting. Otherwise I would do reps to get your form down and help your connective tissue get stronger.

Dips will help your chest get stronger.
Pullups are advisable over pulldowns.

If you are going to do flys then get a massive stretch after you have worked chest. This will stretch out the fascia and increase range which will be beneficial to fullness in growth of the chest.

23-09-2004, 09:53 AM

great advice above

Biker · 23-09-2004, 01:50 PM

I do 5 x 5 differently

Say my max lift was 100kgs it would be like this

5 x 60kgs
5 x 80kgs
5 x 100kgs
4 x 100kgs
3 x 100kgs

once the last 2 sets reach 5 reps up the weight, I've done this with great sucess before and I've seen me adding 10+kgs on to my bench while on an 8 week cycle doing this, doesn't sound like much if you're a begginer but if you've been training for a long time 10kgs is nothing to be sniffed at

Much the same idea as James although a little different.

23-09-2004, 01:56 PM

slightly different, thats what i would call 3x5, but the principle is the same. progressive overload.

Ironball · 23-09-2004, 02:03 PM

Thanks for the replies so quickly.

Well I am only benching 175 pounds for 6 reps at the minute(thats why I want to improve)

I usually do a set of 175 for 6 reps which is to failure. I then will add 2 pounds(1 pound each side) and go for maximum reps again which will be 5. Then add 2 more and go again to momentary failure for probably 4 reps. Then next workout a week later I will try to increase the reps from my second set up to 6 and my 3rd set up to 5 , then I will try a new weight that I have not done before and aim for 4 or as many as possible.
Do you think then I should ditch this and just use the same weight for all of the sets? Do you guys go to failure from set 1? What I mean is that is the weight you use the most you can do for the 5 reps, then you rest and do it again and again for all 5 sets, or could you handle more on the first few sets.

If I did the 5x5 for the flat bench would I need to do any more in that workout for chest?

Do you guys recommend the 5x5 for all bodyparts?

Sorry about all the questions only I train alone and don't know any bodybuilders/strength trainers. I get confused if I read the mags because I think that the routines in them are mainly for guys who use the roids so I figure I will probably overtrain if I do them.

Biker · 23-09-2004, 02:20 PM

I would still do some incline presses even if only 2 sets.

I wouldn't recomend them for anything other than your main lifts, don't use them for arms etc.

Things like Bench, squat, OHP etc would be fine.

**hackskii** · 23-09-2004, 06:44 PM

It does look like some overtraining though.
Once I am properly warmed up then I do a failure workset. I really dont think that you are going to do much more after failure to get bigger or stronger. Usually after the failure workset I go to another exercise like Inclines. As Biker suggested I would do these for sure this will help with upper chest development. If after bench and inclines you just dont feel like you have trained enough then do a set of flys and stretch/squeeze the chest out. This will finish you off but you dont need to do them unless you just dont feel like you did enough.

22-09-2004, 07:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ironball Looking Freaky Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 810	Any advice? Hello I am new here and am looking for some good advice please. I have been training for a couple of years now and would like to improve my strength. For Chest what would you recommend? I am not sure how many sets and reps I should be doing. Here is an example. Flat bench 3 sets of 4-8 reps Incline Bench 3 sets of 4-8 reps Flat flyes 3sets 0f 6-10 reps Do you guys think I am doing to many sets in order to gain strength and size?(mainly aiming for better strength at moment) Biceps example Chins 3 sets dumbbell preacher 3 sets of 5-8 reps. sometimes I swap one for barbell curls of 4-6 reps. What do you guys think I should do? I get damn confused!:confused: Oh yeah and I aint on the juice so please take that into account.

23-09-2004, 03:40 AM	#9 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 24,900	I would drop the flys and do dips on tricep days. Just me tho. Strength usually comes with lower reps. This is good providing you are not new to lifting. Otherwise I would do reps to get your form down and help your connective tissue get stronger. Dips will help your chest get stronger. Pullups are advisable over pulldowns. If you are going to do flys then get a massive stretch after you have worked chest. This will stretch out the fascia and increase range which will be beneficial to fullness in growth of the chest. __________________ 35. A majority of mankind lives in the world without; few have found the world within, and yet it is the world within that makes the world without; it is therefore creative and everything which you find in your world without has been created by you in the world within. Master Key System Scott

23-09-2004, 06:44 PM	#15 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 24,900	It does look like some overtraining though. Once I am properly warmed up then I do a failure workset. I really dont think that you are going to do much more after failure to get bigger or stronger. Usually after the failure workset I go to another exercise like Inclines. As Biker suggested I would do these for sure this will help with upper chest development. If after bench and inclines you just dont feel like you have trained enough then do a set of flys and stretch/squeeze the chest out. This will finish you off but you dont need to do them unless you just dont feel like you did enough. __________________ 35. A majority of mankind lives in the world without; few have found the world within, and yet it is the world within that makes the world without; it is therefore creative and everything which you find in your world without has been created by you in the world within. Master Key System Scott

22-09-2004, 08:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
James.Titor Guest Posts: n/a	if your after strength lower the rep range. otherwise your ok imo.

22-09-2004, 08:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
Biker Part of the UK-M furniture... gathering dust in the corner :) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 3,802	agree with Mr Titor, 5 x 5 would be the way forward IMHO. 5 sets of 5 reps, once you can to 5 reps in each set up the weight, I tend to do these with the first 2 sets being little more than a progressive warm up then use the same weight for the last 3 sets.

22-09-2004, 09:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
robdog UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Home!! Posts: 5,885	so on your first set you only do 5 reps even though its a warmup.

22-09-2004, 09:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
James.Titor Guest Posts: n/a	yep. say you are going to do 5x5 with 100kg. you might w/u like this (note no cardio) Barx15 Barx15 40x5* 60x5 80x5 90x3* 105x1 100x5x5 optional. only use if you feel low/poorly motivated.

22-09-2004, 09:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
robdog UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Home!! Posts: 5,885	AH right thanks. You warm up then do 5 sets of 5 reps with max weight. Say if you were training chest like this would you just do it for 1 excersise or for all the excersises you were doing for that bodypart. For instance i do flat bench, an incline pressing movment and flyes but surely if i did all those sets for each excersise it would be over training.

22-09-2004, 10:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
Mr T Looking Freaky Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: N.Ireland Posts: 709	its all in some routines i have seen but certainly not in them all, your choice mate...

22-09-2004, 10:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
James.Titor Guest Posts: n/a	exactly. it depends on your limits, both physical (work capacity etc) and physcological (your training mentality). i would not advocate 5x5 for any isolation though.

23-09-2004, 09:53 AM	#10 (permalink)
James.Titor Guest Posts: n/a	great advice above

23-09-2004, 01:50 PM	#11 (permalink)
Biker Part of the UK-M furniture... gathering dust in the corner :) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 3,802	I do 5 x 5 differently Say my max lift was 100kgs it would be like this 5 x 60kgs 5 x 80kgs 5 x 100kgs 4 x 100kgs 3 x 100kgs once the last 2 sets reach 5 reps up the weight, I've done this with great sucess before and I've seen me adding 10+kgs on to my bench while on an 8 week cycle doing this, doesn't sound like much if you're a begginer but if you've been training for a long time 10kgs is nothing to be sniffed at Much the same idea as James although a little different.

23-09-2004, 01:56 PM	#12 (permalink)
James.Titor Guest Posts: n/a	slightly different, thats what i would call 3x5, but the principle is the same. progressive overload.

23-09-2004, 02:03 PM	#13 (permalink)
Ironball Looking Freaky Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 810	Thanks for the replies so quickly. Well I am only benching 175 pounds for 6 reps at the minute(thats why I want to improve) I usually do a set of 175 for 6 reps which is to failure. I then will add 2 pounds(1 pound each side) and go for maximum reps again which will be 5. Then add 2 more and go again to momentary failure for probably 4 reps. Then next workout a week later I will try to increase the reps from my second set up to 6 and my 3rd set up to 5 , then I will try a new weight that I have not done before and aim for 4 or as many as possible. Do you think then I should ditch this and just use the same weight for all of the sets? Do you guys go to failure from set 1? What I mean is that is the weight you use the most you can do for the 5 reps, then you rest and do it again and again for all 5 sets, or could you handle more on the first few sets. If I did the 5x5 for the flat bench would I need to do any more in that workout for chest? Do you guys recommend the 5x5 for all bodyparts? Sorry about all the questions only I train alone and don't know any bodybuilders/strength trainers. I get confused if I read the mags because I think that the routines in them are mainly for guys who use the roids so I figure I will probably overtrain if I do them.

23-09-2004, 02:20 PM	#14 (permalink)
Biker Part of the UK-M furniture... gathering dust in the corner :) Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 3,802	I would still do some incline presses even if only 2 sets. I wouldn't recomend them for anything other than your main lifts, don't use them for arms etc. Things like Bench, squat, OHP etc would be fine.