Does anybody else lift from Heavy to Light?

[JimRussel]

You a programmer, Cratos?

Naw, but I know what that means lol.

 

[tdluxon]

We're talking about drop sets, which you would indeed find in Muscle&Fitness because they're largely used in bodybuilding:

"What are drop sets?
Drop sets are essentially a technique where you perform an exercise and then drop (reduce) the weight and continue for more reps until you reach failure. Called the "multi-poundage system", this method was discovered in 1947 by Henry Atkins, who was the editor of Body Culture magazine."

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/gain-greater-mass-drop-sets

In my opinion there's no real downside to using them, especially for hypertrophy.

I thought drop sets aren't you not really taking a break between when you drop the weight and start the lower weight?

Like you do the heavier weight, drop it lower, then start then start the light weight right away, no break between

 

[JimRussel]

I thought drop sets aren't you not really taking a break between when you drop the weight and start the lower weight?

Like you do the heavier weight, drop it lower, then start then start the light weight right away, no break between

You are correct. This is the typical definition of a drop set.

Awesome for epic pumps.

 

[Hotora86]

If you can do 6 reps with it, it's not heavy lol.

6 max. I don't want to fuck up my wrist and my shoulder again, OK?
Either way, I don't think it's wise to do your one-rep MAX on the 1st set, eh?

 

[Chad R. Thundercock]

Naw, but I know what that means lol.

Well, you never cease to amaze me, Jim.

 

[Chad R. Thundercock]

6 max. I don't want to fuck up my wrist and my shoulder again, OK?
Either way, I don't think it's wise to do your one-rep MAX on the 1st set, eh?

Who in their right mind would do a one-rep max as their first set? You've got to warm up to it.

 

[Hotora86]

Who in their right mind would do a one-rep max as their first set? You've got to warm up to it.

It was a rhetorical question.

 

[TheLuckiest]

Warmup sets should be a few reps each, not a full set of 10, except for the first (or first few) set of very light weight. Its better to do a few warmup sets to make sure your joints are ok before the work sets.

This. Warm up sets, then working sets.

Since we're talking about bench, I like to do a warm up of 1-5 reps with moderate weight jumps, working up to "working sets".

For example:
Set
1) 135 x 5
2) 185x3
3) 225x3
4) 245x2
5) 265x1

I did this as a warmup to 3 "working sets" of 5 reps last week.

Should you be prefatigued before you hit your working sets? Maybe a little, but you can have a good warm up routine without ruining your strength or endurance. Generally speaking, I don't believe it is safe to do a simple warm up of 135 then jump straight to 90-100% of your 1RM (in this example, literally doubling the weight).

Chad Wesley Smith said something about warming up and how, especially for people just getting into power lifting, warm up sets are a great way to get the volume in without wearing yourself out before you get to the heavier lifts.

And like the post I quoted states, it's also kind of a check list for your mind and body and preparing to exert yourself. You may not feel a pain at 135 that you would at 245, and that pain may cause you to drop the weight on your neck at 285.

 

[BassAckwards]

i used to do 5/3/1 boring but big. basically your first sets (5/3/1) are heavy, then 5 sets of 10 of 50% or less. it was murder, especially on leg days but i got strong and pretty swole from that routine