how many sets?

[rolinhgh]

I have just started a mass cycle I was wondering how many sets I should do per body part and if i should go to failure on each excercise.

Heres my routine so for chest 15 sets shoulders 10 sets
back 10 sets rear delts 6 sets
biceps 10 sets triceps 10 sets

legs 12 sets

My routine follows chests and biceps, day1
day2 legs and calves
day3 back and rear delts w/ traps
day4 shoulders and biceps


Is this to many sets per body part or should I leave it like this I would post my workout but I have such a wide variance.

 

[Legion Kreinak]

I'd say to tone down on the sets, personally. I would never exceed 6.

 

[Greek Freak]

Try and keep your workouts to no more than 12 sets and 45 mins if you can. Never go over an hour and no matter how fast your training you dont wanna do more than 15 sets especially when going to failure.

 

[coolcolj]

Use the total reps as a guide not sets.

for example, you could 5x5, or 8x3, or 3x8.

 

[Legion Kreinak]

So your saying the basic number of reps should be between 24-26? Wouldn't that only be for bulk, since to work the failure on such a small number of reps you'd need a heavier weight? I'd say 40 is adequate for toning and non-bulking.

 

[coolcolj]

No such thing as toning or bulk. Eiether a muscle grows or it doesn't

Off course there are different types of msucle growth. Some people like me grow very well on low reps, because we have a high number of fast twitch fibres. Whereas most people have average amount and generally reps in the 6-12 range work better.

Basicly what you want to do is alternate periods of low sets and high reps with periods of high sets and low reps. This is how you grow fast. Change it up every 3-4 weeks

There is no difference in muscle growth for me, I've grown on low reps (under 5) and reps in the 6-10 range

If you do low reps, do lots of sets to make up the volume, and you will find you get just as good a growth, plus you get stronger much faster.

 

[Legion Kreinak]

You get stronger faster, but don't you also get more bulk? Cuz if you can sort ahelp me here, I wanna get minimal bulk but still alot of strength. If I do heavier weights I would think I'd bulk alot more and, well, my girlfriend nor I don't like bulk -_- for example, Haz's pic, that's perfect, he ain't bulky, that's exactly what I want.

 

[coolcolj]

Well I have put on 15 lbs since 2 months ago, and I don't look bulky. It takes a long time to get bulky!

bulky look is from genetics and fat, get lean and you will not look bulky anymore, given your genetics off course.

 

[Legion Kreinak]

It takes a long time, but my question really lies in HOW you get there. I still haven't really gotten a straight anwser from anyone yet (perhaps because I'm so annoying =P) but still, I was told high weight, low reps will lead to hypertrophy, and alot of it COMPARED TO (yes, I know you're gonna get bigger either way, but compared to remember) lower weight with higher reps which will more slowly build the muscle but will instead target the slow-twitch fibers (which have to endure exercise for sustained periods of time, and they can do this because the minimal amount of lactic acid they produce) and more slowly build your muscles in size, but give you "endurance" because your body would be trained to last for longer periods, rather than short explosive/stressful periods lifting heavier weights. Am I getting through to anyone?

 

[coolcolj]

Well you can weither make the muscle bigger by enlarging the contractile proteins (low reps and heavy weights or lighter explosive weights) or making it bigger by increasing the "goo" of the muscle ( higher reps, and lighter weights)

The later is what I call fake muscle - big muscle that is weak

But it isn't as cut and dried as that, there is some overlap between the two. Generally speaking, training like a bodybuilder will give you more "goo" than training like a powerlifter, athlete or Olympic lifter.

 

[Legion Kreinak]

So you're saying high reps and lower weight makes the muscles increase in size MORE than doing low reps and heavy weights? That doesn't at all sound right...

 

[coolcolj]

I didn't say that

I said both increase the msucle size, but by different means, and targeting different types of fibre types within the muscle.
The CNS is more involved with heavier weights, especially if you acclerate the weight.

As I said there is overlap between the 2 methods. And every person is different. You'll just have to experiemnt, but never forget the CNS!

 

[Legion Kreinak]

CNS?

 

[coolcolj]

central nervous system

 

[louden_swain]

I believe in only performing 2 intense sets for all upperbody exercises. The first 2 sets are warmups with light weights. As for legs, they are comprised of thick muscles, so high weights and volume is what I stick with here. We are talking 4 to 5 sets per exercise.

 

[teen1216]

they are comprised of thick muscles

Legion, what is your reasoning that leg muscles are denser and would thus have more mass when massed on a balance than say the forearms or the triceps? (I assume you are not referring to the size of them in measurements when you say "thick") Not trying to argue, just wondering how you came to this conclusion.

 

[Legion Kreinak]

o_o Uhhh... yeah...

That was louden's post. ^^;