Power, Rep Range, Shock Tips

[gopro]

B/c there are so many people on this board that have shown interest in my P, RR, S program, I thought I'd give everyone a few tips to help you receive more benfits from the routine...

-With power week we are trying to lift heavy weights to stimulate high threshold muscle fibers. This is best done using compound exercises like bench presses, bent rows, squats, deadlifts, etc. Don't use isolation exercises this week.

-With power week try to lift explosively. Control the negative portion of each rep and then EXPLODE the weight to the top. It won't actually move very fast, but try as hard as you can!

-On power week you should rest a little longer between sets. We want as much ATP/CP recovery as possible between sets and that can take as long as 4-5 minutes. So, in between sets, take a seat and relax...just prepare your mind for the next set!

-Of all the weeks it is the power week in which you can add an extra set here of there if you feel you need it. Multiple sets of low reps are very good for mass gains.

More tips to come!

 

[Scotty the Body]

Tanks a bunch GP

 

[Max. Q]

AWESOME!! Thanks!! That helps plenty, now I can't wait for power week to come around again. Do ya think you could hurry with the rep week tips, I'm on that now..hehehe

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by Max. Q
AWESOME!! Thanks!! That helps plenty, now I can't wait for power week to come around again. Do ya think you could hurry with the rep week tips, I'm on that now..hehehe

I'll get to rep week tips by tuesday!

 

[Max. Q]

Originally posted by gopro
I'll get to rep week tips by tuesday!

...morning??.....hehehe I just don't want to be doing them wrong....

 

[lean_n_76er]

Thanks GP! Power week is next. On shock, and what a shock it is!

 

[Tank316]

sweet, thanks for the info.

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by Max. Q
...morning??.....hehehe I just don't want to be doing them wrong....

Got here as fast as I could for rep range week tips!

-Make sure to really stick to the different rep ranges, it is important! 6-8, 8-10, 10-12, 12-15 are all important! The different time under tension that each rep range provide will stimulate different muscle fibers. The more fibers you stimulate, the more potential growth!

-Don't be afraid to bump up the ranges from time to time. For example, on leg day I may go with 10-12, 12-15, and 15-25 (or more). This will provide an ocassional shock to your muslces that is over and above what they're used to.

-Change the rep cadence a bit from exercise to exercise to provide an even more unique stimulus. For example...

Chest:
-bench press...3 x 6-8 (3 second negative, pause, explosive positive)
-incline dumbell press...3 x 8-10 (rythmic reps...1 second negative, no pause, 1 second positive, no pause)
-flat flye...2 x 10-12 ("focused reps"...2 second negative, hold stretch for 2 seconds, 2 second positive, squeeze pecs for 2 seconds, repeat)

These different ways of doing your reps will cause growth simply b/c the stimulus is constantly changing and the muscles must try to adapt to deal with the different forms of stress!

-Rest between sets should be slightly less than power week. Say 2-3 minutes.

More tips to come!

 

[Scotty the Body]

Thanks again GP!

 

[tucker01]

Thanks GP!

I wish I had this Rep Range info yesterday! But it will help for the rest of the week!

 

[Max. Q]

THANKS GP!!

 

[Tank316]

Thank you sir!!!

 

[gopro]

Thanks to everyone that has replied! I'm glad you find this stuff helpful. I will be adding some shock week tips tomorrow!

Power, Rep Range, Shock = GROWTH!

 

[firestorm]

Originally posted by gopro
B/c there are so many people on this board that have shown interest in my P, RR, S program, I thought I'd give everyone a few tips to help you receive more benfits from the routine...

-With power week we are trying to lift heavy weights to stimulate high threshold muscle fibers. This is best done using compound exercises like bench presses, bent rows, squats, deadlifts, etc. Don't use isolation exercises this week.

-With power week try to lift explosively. Control the negative portion of each rep and then EXPLODE the weight to the top. It won't actually move very fast, but try as hard as you can!

-On power week you should rest a little longer between sets. We want as much ATP/CP recovery as possible between sets and that can take as long as 4-5 minutes. So, in between sets, take a seat and relax...just prepare your mind for the next set!

-Of all the weeks it is the power week in which you can add an extra set here of there if you feel you need it. Multiple sets of low reps are very good for mass gains.

More tips to come!

*************************
Oh great now you tell me you can add sets to the POWER sessions. I was craving more last chest day. Dag gum it!!! oh just wait till next P day!! I'm adding 3 extra sets to make up for the ones YOU cheated me out of last week.
hahahahaha

Fire

 

[lean_n_76er]

Re: Re: Power, Rep Range, Shock Tips

Originally posted by firestorm
*************************
Oh great now you tell me you can add sets to the POWER sessions. I was craving more last chest day. Dag gum it!!! oh just wait till next P day!! I'm adding 3 extra sets to make up for the ones YOU cheated me out of last week.
hahahahaha

Fire

Becareful what you wish for!

 

[firestorm]

Lean my man, I'm a glutten for punishment. Pain and I are friends.. very good friends. I'm used to doing a minumim of 4 working sets for each excercise for large muscle groups. It would not be odd for one of my workout to start off with:
Flat benches 1 x 20 x 135
1 x 12 x 225
1 x 10 x 255
1 x 08 x 275
1 x 06 x 315
1 x 04 x 335
1 x 01-02 x 365
Incline DB Bnch 4 x 4-8x progressive weight (no warmups)

Dips or
decline Barbell or DB Bench 4 x same as above

Incline flies 3 x 10-12 x 45 to 60
Flat flies 2 x 10 x 50 and 60

(the above is an old workout of mine) soo with all said, there isn't much GP can change to make things harder. He is helping me train smarter. The above is more then required expecially for a natural trainer like myself.

 

[Josh]

Gopro, thanks for the tips!

One question, are we to do every sets on all the exercises in all cycles to failure? In other words, should we choose the weights heavy enough for us to reach failure at every last reps?

- Josh

 

[firestorm]

yes you want to be in the rep ranges specified. 6 your low and 8 your high. If you get 10,, it's too light. if you get 4 it's too heavy.
Take for example your doing flat benches. your 1st set you get 8 reps with 185 and you really had to push to get that 8th. I'd now say,, on your second set to stay with that weight if your only taking breaks 1 to 1 1/2 mins long. Your second set with that weight you may only get 7 on last set you may barely get 6. This is an Ideal scenero.

If your only under those numbers by 1 rep then don't change it. by the time you get back to that workout (3 weeks later), you'll probably get those reps.

If your Over 2 or more,, say your getting 10 reps 9 then 8,, Raise the weight next set.

 

[gopro]

Re: Re: Power, Rep Range, Shock Tips

Originally posted by firestorm
*************************
Oh great now you tell me you can add sets to the POWER sessions. I was craving more last chest day. Dag gum it!!! oh just wait till next P day!! I'm adding 3 extra sets to make up for the ones YOU cheated me out of last week.
hahahahaha

Fire

I said a couple of sets...don't go nuts. Don't ever let overtraining rear its ugly head my friend. I NEVER EVER do more than 9 working sets for large bodyparts...most of the time I do only 7!

 

[Vale Tudo]

Hey thanks again GP, you are always helping me to step it up another notch

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by Josh
Gopro, thanks for the tips!

One question, are we to do every sets on all the exercises in all cycles to failure? In other words, should we choose the weights heavy enough for us to reach failure at every last reps?

- Josh

Fire gave you a great explanation on this question. I simply just want to add that ALL "WORKING" sets should be taken to failure within the specified rep range. Warmup sets do not count. For example...

Bench Press: power week
-warmup...135 x 6
-warmup...185 x 4
-working set...225 to failure (4-6 reps)
-working set...215 to failure (4-6 reps)
-working set...205 to failure (4- reps)

 

[Max. Q]

Originally posted by gopro
Bench Press: power week
-warmup...135 x 6
-warmup...185 x 4
-working set...225 to failure (4-6 reps)
-working set...215 to failure (4-6 reps)
-working set...205 to failure (4- reps)

How come the weight is going down? I thought on power week you'd want to increase the weight for each set, just making sure to stay within the rep ranges...??

 

[Scotty the Body]

Originally posted by Max. Q
How come the weight is going down?

Probably because he's going to failure at 4-6 reps and on the next set he wouldn't be able to hit 4-6 reps with the same weight, thus he drops the weight to achieve failure at the given reps.

 

[KarlW]

yup sounds right to me......
While muscles are fresh (after appropriate warmup of course) they can do their most work. Fire's explanation is great, staying in the rep range (4-6) or (6-8) or whatever really gets you thinking every time you workout. You are lifting a certain amount of weight at each set to achieve the desired purpose.

 

[Josh]

Okay, thanks for all the explanations. Really helpful.

- Josh

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by Max. Q
How come the weight is going down? I thought on power week you'd want to increase the weight for each set, just making sure to stay within the rep ranges...??

Hey Max...I threw out upward pyramiding years ago in favor of reverse pyramiding. I believe that pyramiding up is a waste of precious energy and that better results can be had going the other way. As long as you are properly warmup up, why not start your first work set with your highest weight when your ATP/CP is at its pinnacle! Here is the way two pyramids may look for the typical lifter...

PYRAMID UP: bench press

-135 x 10 (warmup)
-185 x 8 (warmup)
-set 1...225 x 6
-set 2...240 x 4
-set 3...255 x 1-2

*above sets to failure

PYRAMID DOWN: bench press

-135 x 6 (warmup)
-185 x 4 (warmup)
-225 x 2 (warmup)
-set 1...265 x 1-2
-set 2...250 x 4
-set 3...235 x 5-6

The second pyramid scheme will allow for greater loads and more strength/growth!

 

[gopro]

Ok my friends...time for some SHOCK WEEK TIPS!!!!

-Do not overdo it this week. You may be tempted to do more than 1-2 supersets and more than 1-2 dropsets, but don't! In fact, if you can, you aren't training hard enough!

-Most of the time, utilize pre-exhaust supersets. This means an isolation exercise followed by a compound exercise for the same bodypart (flat flyes followed by bench press as an example). This is a VERY effective way to train for hypertrophy! Ocassionally you can be utterly insane, and do double compound supersets like squats followed by leg press...or, "post activation" supersets like close grip bench press followed by tricep pushdown...this is the opposite of pre-exhaust. (I HAVE FOUND THE BEST RESULTS OCCUR WITH PRE-EXHAUST, HOWEVER, AND ONLY OCASSIONALLY STRAY FROM THEM).

-On the drop sets, do not do more than 2 weight decreases. In most cases, 1 drop is just fine. Make sure to use an exercise that is easy for you to drop the weight and immediately start repping again. The purpose of drop sets is to allow almost ZERO rest once the weight is lowered.

-On the isolation exercise portion of the PE superset, try to move the weight slowly and under control, exaggerating the stretch and squeeze. When you switch to the compound movement change gears and move more explosively...THIS DOES NOT MEAN CHEAT OR LOSE CONTROL. Form should be tight and strict at all times.

-Rest as long as needed between supersets. Catch your breath. Do not go into a superset with a cardiovascular deficit.

 

[lean_n_76er]

You da man! A little late though, this past week was shock! Thanks GP!

 

[Max. Q]

GP; I'll try pyramiding down on my next "power" cycle and thanks for the "shock" week tips.

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by lean_n_76er
You da man! A little late though, this past week was shock! Thanks GP!

Sorry my friend! Moving as fast as I can!