Pyramid up or down

[muscelove]

This is something I have always wondered and have analyzed both methods.

Pyramiding down: After a good warm up pile your max weight on and rep it out. You are fresh and therefore able to do a weight you normally wouldnt be able to do if you were pyramiding up. Then your next set withthe weight dropped a little is also pushed to the max about 8-12 reps becasue your preexhausted. Contines for 1 or 2 more sets until you are struggling to get 8 reps of a light wieght. You have now sucessfully pushed every set to failure.

Pyramiding up: Warm up and increase the weight after every set. Your final set will not be as heavy as it would be if you were pyramiding down but you get exhausted this way too. Also its the way most pros train. Atleast thats what I have read.

Personally I switch it up almost every workout.

 

[muscelove]

Does anyone care to respond? Im curious others methods

 

[anotherbutters]

If you pyramid down, you're going straight from light (say less than 50%) warmup sets to your top weight without preparing yourself for it, which is bound to lead to injury at some point.

If you pyramid up, you will get to know if you're having a bit of an off day before you get to the top set. If pyramiding up leaves you spent before the top set, spread the sets out a bit and start from a lower weight.

I wouldn't have thought there'd be much difference in the weight you could use anyway, and getting a few extra pounds one day just because you pyramid down is largely irrelevant. The important thing is that the weight is going up over time, whether that's weekly if you can get away with it or somthing like monthly if you have to periodize your workouts.

 

[*MissFit*]

Drop sets r the bomb

 

[King Cobra]

I always pyramid up rather quickly, reach a peak weight, then pyramid down quite gradually.

 

[thelion2005]

If you pyramid down, you're going straight from light (say less than 50%) warmup sets to your top weight without preparing yourself for it, which is bound to lead to injury at some point.

If you pyramid up, you will get to know if you're having a bit of an off day before you get to the top set. If pyramiding up leaves you spent before the top set, spread the sets out a bit and start from a lower weight.

I wouldn't have thought there'd be much difference in the weight you could use anyway, and getting a few extra pounds one day just because you pyramid down is largely irrelevant. The important thing is that the weight is going up over time, whether that's weekly if you can get away with it or somthing like monthly if you have to periodize your workouts.

Smart reply. Starting with max is sure injury coming.

I have done an interesting mix with good results.
Here is an example for the good 'ol bench:
Set 1: Stripped bar for 25 slow reps.
Set 2: 145 x 8 reps
Set 3: 180 x 6 reps
Set 4: 315 x 2 (max)
Set 5 - 8 : strip off 20 at a time doing 2 reps with rest being only the time to pull off the weight

 

[glover]

I have found Pyramid down is most effective for me. I have not had any injury from doing it that way. You simply warm up prior to starting. A good warm up is sufficient. You will find that the heavier weight at more reps will stimulate more muscle.

I used to pyramid up after changing to pyramid down my bench went up around 50lbs. everything else went up as well. Became stronger added more muscle. In fact now I do fewer sets. I guesss you could say I am doing a routine like HIT that Mentzer made popular. Works good for me. Just do your warm up.

I do A warmupp like thelioin2005, I do not consider the above a pyramid up. Except I don't go as low as two reps. I would go to 265 on set 4 for 6 or 7, then maybe 235 or 225 for as many as possible. Anyone else do something like this after years of pyramiding up?

 

[muscelove]

I have found Pyramid down is most effective for me. I have not had any injury from doing it that way. You simply warm up prior to starting. A good warm up is sufficient. You will find that the heavier weight at more reps will stimulate more muscle.

I agree with stimulating more muscle because the weight is heavier. I too have worked out this way with no injuries from it. I do switch it up to the other way aswell.