Tall

RC = Rotator Cuff

If you are doing 5x5 then same weight per set, increase the weight each week during your overload phase.

3x8-12 should be the same weight, unless you are doing H.I.T. in which case is X build up sets and then 1 working set to muscular (NOT cns) failure with drops as required.

Getting back to you - just vary flat bench and flat db bench each week, aiming for progress during your overload phase.

Ask on the board about periodisation if you're not sure what an overload phase is.

Also even if my advice seems sound - just pick one source to get your advice from for the time being.

Con

Rotator Cuff, make sure you do exercises for internal and external rotator cuffs or you will like me have bad shoulder problems. I had them for two years due to heavy benching and no RC work, now i do RC work and i very rarely do flat benching and my shoulders are stronger and bigger than ever

Stop complicating sh#t mate, basic routine, NO FORCED REPS or as you call them assisted reps absalutely not needed at your level.
Stop looking for a magic routine and DO SOME WORK!

nathanlowe

Ahhh right that sounds great. Thanks alot.

Im going to mix my training up alot.

one week maybe 5 x 5 using one weight, then maybe something were i increase the weight etc.

Just going to keep my body guessing instead of sticking with the same thing.

nathanlowe

[quote=Con;501328]Rotator Cuff, make sure you do exercises for internal and external rotator cuffs or you will like me have bad shoulder problems. I had them for two years due to heavy benching and no RC work, now i do RC work and i very rarely do flat benching and my shoulders are stronger and bigger than ever

Stop complicating sh#t mate, basic routine, NO FORCED REPS or as you call them assisted reps absalutely not needed at your level.
Stop looking for a magic routine and DO SOME WORK![/quote]

Not looking for a magic routine. Im sorted with which exersises are good for me.

Just still wondering about keeping the weight the same, increasing it or decreasing it, that was my question.
I dropped the forced reps out of my chest routine the other day.

Just did a heavy set x 2 instead of 1 heavy set then the forced rep set. Chest is killing me after that session.

Tall

No. No. NO NO NO.

Stick to one thing. 5x5 or 3x8-10. The key thing at this stage Nathan is for you to track progress and see what works for you.

5x5 = Size/Strength Hybrid.
3x8-10 = Classic Hypertrophy.

From memory you play rugby? In which case stick to 5x5

davetherave

alright pal

are you basing your training around the rugby or do you not play anymore?

if you are then maybe this needs to be looked at as well?

Tall

Good post.

Nathan - Con didn't build a back the size of a small island from 'mixing it up' every week...

nathanlowe

Ahhh right i was under the impression that it was good to mix it up.

Im playing rugby still yes. Would like some size added on and increased strength.

So 5 x 5 - Stick with one weight.

Say 20kg 5 x 5 week 1
22.5kg , 5,5,5,4,4 week 2
22.5kg, 5,5,5,5,5 week 3
25kg .....

Do it like that ?

Im going to do that on chest, back, shoulders,,,,,do classic hypertrophy on biceps and triceps. High volume on legs.

davetherave

to be honest mate if you are fitting your routine round reugby and primarily strength

direct bicep work is not needed, neither are isolations such as shrugs, calf raises, etc

my three day routine is a bit all over the place but you need to be looking at

squats
deadlifts
benching
power cleans
plus other other strength type exercises

imo fit the days around these exercises as well
rows
pull ups or chin ups
overhead press

i personally would do up or down pyramids on a 5x5 basis, sticking on the same poundage for 5 reps will not do a great deal imo

so
set 1 60kg
set 2 70kg
set 3 75kg
set 4 80 kg

or reverse it, obviously if you can leap that much in poundages and still get 5 reps youre not working hard enough

nathanlowe

Thanks for your reply. Its more a combination of improved strength from the rugby, ie from things like bench, deads, squats, rows, etc but also some size gained, which should come from overloading.

I dont do things like shrugs, calf raises. And only 2 exersises on biceps and 2 on triceps. So its not as if im doing masses of isolation.

Can i just ask what the benefit of doing 60kg x 5, 70kg x 5, when you could maybe do 75kg 5 x 5.

For example on my bench i could manage 52.5kg 5 x 5 or maybe 55kg 5 x 5. I dont see what the advantage would be with me doing

40kg x 5
45kg x 5
50kg x 5
52.5kg x 5
55kg x 5

when i could just do 55kg 5 x 5. Then up it to 56kg, and do that until i get it 5 x 5, and then go to 57.

davetherave

fair do's this was an assumption mate, (i ditched these when i changed my routine round)

im just suggesting that as another suggestion alongside the ones already suggested by other members, it's always good to have 5 cards instead of four

now i have some figures i can expand a bit,

if you can do 52.5kg for 5x5 then this is ok however the next week would you add 2kg on and do 54.5kg for 5x5?

if you can do 52.5 assuming with 100% bang on form, some random numbers may look like

48kg
51kg
53kg
54kg

not great leaps inbetweens sets but you would warm your chest, triceps, back,etc up on the first two sets then smash the 52.5kg with a 54

the next week you may start on 53kg and go

53
54
56
58

so in the space of two weeks you have added 4.5kg on

i can sucessfully say that this is the worst description ever of up pyraminds, for that i apologise

nathanlowe

It makes complete sense.

I was just wondering thats all.

thanks for your help.

recc

hi sorry to hijack nathan but read something i had not heard of before. what is the difference, in terms of training, of muscular and CNS failure?

recc

wats the difference between cns and muscular failure? sorry for hijack

recc

oops! double post... thought it hadnt worked...