Training

Best Fitness Plan for Over 40: Get Fit and Stay Healthy

Updated on January 12, 2022 by Brad Murphy

The best fitness plan for over 40s is one that has a variety of exercises and routines that will protect your joints and enhance your flexibility. It is important to change up your routine every two weeks or so, in order to keep challenging your body and avoid injuries. Here are some exercise routines that are appropriate for people over 40.

Best Fitness Plan for Over 40: Get Fit and Stay Healthy

First, make sure that you are doing some form of aerobic exercise at least three days a week. A great way to do this is take up an activity that you enjoy, such as swimming or tennis. You should also make time for strength training at least three days per week. Strength training will help keep your muscles toned and give you more energy throughout the day which can lead to better health overall.

Another important part of a good fitness plan for over 40 years old is to get enough quality sleep. This can be very difficult due to many factors, but it is important because not getting enough sleep may lead you to have chronic low-level inflammation which will affect your overall health and wellness.

Incorporate these tips into your daily routine so that you are able to live a healthier lifestyle and know how to get fit after 40.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

The majority of people over 40 lead busy life. That’s why a short but intense High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is so beneficial. It’s also great for your heart.

Before starting a fitness plan as tough as HITT you may need to look as supplementation. Some like Pre-Train from Crazy Nutrition contains all the necessary ingredients to improve the results of your workout.

HIIT workouts benefit people over 40 because they burn fat without losing muscle and increase metabolism. But the best thing about this workout is that it doesn’t take much time to complete! Try it at least three times per week and see how well your body responds to HIIT training.

Workouts should last only 20 to 30 minutes, but they have to be intense. High-intensity interval training is a cardio workout that consists of short bursts of high intensity followed by the low intensity periods. During these intervals you are exercising at 80% or more of your maximum heart rate. This type of training is one of the best ways to improve your aerobic capacity and body composition.

You can do HIIT with a bike, treadmill or on an elliptical machine. You will reach your maximum heart rate when you are sprinting in short bursts. This workout has many benefits for people over 40 because it’s very efficient – you don’t need much time to get a great workout. HIIT can also help you burn more fat because it raises your metabolic rate for hours after the workout is over.

If you are new to HIIT, start by doing just two or three short intervals and gradually add more as your fitness level improves. Always consult with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, especially if you haven’t been active for a long period of time.

Example of a HIIT workout:

Sprint for 30 seconds and then walk or jog slowly for one minute. Repeat the sprints and walking/jogging five times.
Increase your speed to a run during the sprints, but make sure you can still hold a conversation while exercising (this is very important). You should be able to speak in short sentences without gasping for air.
Cooldown with a five-minute walk or light jog.

Start by doing just two or three short intervals and gradually add more as your fitness level improves.

Yoga

Yoga is a great way to improve your overall health and well-being, especially if you are over 40. It can help with your flexibility, stress level and mental health. Try out different types of yoga until you find one that you enjoy and stick with it!

You don’t need any equipment to practice most type of youga, so it’s perfect for traveling. You can find classes at your local gym, community center or even online.

If you have never done yoga before, I suggest finding a beginner class to attend. It’s important to learn the poses correctly so you don’t injure yourself. You can also find wonderful yoga poses for beginners online.

Example of yoga workout for beginners:

Downward Dog: This pose is a great way to start your yoga practice. It helps to open up the chest and shoulders, while also stretching the hamstrings and calves.
Camel Pose: This pose is good for strengthening the back and spine. It also opens up the hips and chest.
Chair Pose: This pose is great for strengthening the legs and ankles. It also strengthens your core muscles, which is very important as you get older (plus it’s a nice way to show off those abs).
Three-Legged Downward Dog: This pose combines downward dog with chair pose. You will stretch your front body while at the same time strengthening your back and legs.
Standing Forward Bend: This pose is a great way to stretch out your hamstrings and back – it feels wonderful after all of the bending you do throughout the day!

Biking

Another great way to get in shape after 40 is to start biking. It’s a low-impact exercise that is perfect for people with joint pain because it doesn’t put stress on your joints like running does. Biking is also great for your mental health because it provides an escape from daily life and all of its stressors.

Finding a place to bike is easy – you can go biking in your local park or even on the streets if there’s not too much traffic. You can also purchase an exercise bike for at-home use, which gives you more time to enjoy this fantastic workout!

Example of cycling workout:

Start by warming up for five minutes.
Cycle at a moderate pace for 20 minutes.
Increase your speed to a fast pace and cycle for two minutes.
Slow down to a moderate pace and cycle for another three minutes.
Repeat the high speed/low speed cycling pattern four times.
Cooldown with a five-minute light jog or walk.

Swimming

Swimming is another great exercise to consider if you are over 40. It’s low impact, which makes it gentle on your joints, and it provides a cardiovascular workout that is beneficial for your heart health. Swimming can also help improve your flexibility and strength.

Swimming is also perfect for those of us that don’t like sweating at the gym. You can swim indoors or outdoors, and you don’t need any special equipment.

Finding a pool to swim in is easy – many towns and cities have public pools. You can also join a local swimming club.

Example of a swimming workout:

Swim for five minutes to warm up.
Swim laps at a medium pace for 20 minutes.
Two laps as fast as you can (this will be very challenging at first).
Swim two laps slowly to cool down.

Hiking/Walking

Going on a hike or taking a walk is another great way to get your heart rate up and burn some calories.

This is an especially good workout if you have joint pain because it doesn’t put stress on your joints like running does. Hiking is also an inexpensive way to get in shape if you don’t have access to a gym or swimming pool.

Finding places to hike and walk around town are easy – there are hiking trails everywhere! If the weather isn’t very nice where you live, try walking indoors at a local mall or park.

Example of a hiking/walking workout:

Start by walking for five minutes to warm up.
Walk briskly for 30 minutes.
Walk slowly for another five minutes to cool down.

Strength Training

As you get older, it’s more and more important to include strength training in your fitness routine. Strength training is important for building and maintaining muscle, which helps keep your metabolism revved up.

Supplementation is a very important factor – using a legal SARM like Ostarine can help your muscle gains no end..

As we age, the human body tends to lose muscle tone. Not only does strength training help prevent muscle loss, but it can also improve your posture and reduce the risk of injuries.

There are many ways to do strength training – you can go to a gym, use weights or resistance bands at home, or even use your own body weight as resistance.

Example of a strength training workout:

Start by warming up with five minutes of light cardio.
Do one set of 12 to 15 repetitions of a strength training exercise.
Rest for 30 seconds and then move on to the next exercise.
Finish with a five minute cool down period.
Strength Training Exercises include:
Pushups
Crunches
Squats
Lunges
Bench Press
Lat Pulldowns
Bicep Curls
Tricep Extensions

There are many other great exercises that you can add to your fitness routine, but these are a good place to start. Be sure to mix up your workouts so that you don’t get bored.

Remember that you don’t need to do all of these exercises in one workout – it’s fine to focus on just one or two at a time! Just be sure not to neglect any muscle groups. And most importantly, listen to your body and stop exercising if you feel pain or discomfort.

Many apps exist to guide you through your strength training fitness plan. My favorite one is the 7 minute workout app developed by the New York Times. There are also countless training videos on YouTube. I particularly like joining a 30 day challenge, for example, Yoga with Adriene.

Conclusion: What is the Best Fitness Plan for Over 40

The best fitness plan for over 40 is one that you will stick to! To achieve that, you must mix things up and find an activity or routine that you enjoy. This will help keep you motivated and coming back for more. It’s also important to focus on strength training and cardiovascular exercise. These two types of exercises will help improve your overall health and reduce your risk of chronic diseases.

Since your body is slowing down as you age, it’s also important to incorporate gentle stretching and yoga into your fitness routine. This will help lengthen and strengthen muscles and prevent injury. Also make sure to drink plenty of water during workouts; this will keep joints lubricated and improve movement throughout the day.

We hope that this article was helpful in providing you with a list of best fitness plan for over 40 years old . Remember to always consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine.

20 Quick Fitness Tips for 2022: Keep Fit Tips and Tricks

Updated on January 12, 2022 by Tina Clark

It’s 2022 and with it brings resolutions to get fit. This article will give you 20 quick fitness tips for 2022 so you can start on your way to a new healthier lifestyle!

Setting your Goals for the Year

Goals should be specific and realistic. If the goal is too vague, it will cause you to fall off track easily while achieving a more difficult than necessary task can become overwhelming very quickly.

For example stating “I am going to workout more” is not specific enough and will be hard to gauge. On the other side, setting the goal of working out 6x weekly seems overwhelming.

The happy medium is starting with 1 session every other day or even adding in some exercise during busy workdays where time allows. Age is also relative – there are special fitness plans for over 40’s.

Workout listening to music

An amazing training playlist can really set the tone for your workout. Choose slower songs for your warm-up, but use high energy tracks in order to really push through those last few reps!

Get New Gear

Evaluating your workout gear is a great way to start the new year. Maybe now’s the time that you should invest in some more appropriate clothing, sneakers for different types of weather or even upgrading what equipment can help make workouts easier such as gym flooring and free weights. Also, usually the month of January has the best sale of the year for workout equipment and fitness clothing.

Working out with friends

Having someone else to hold you accountable for your workouts can be a big help. You are more likely to skip that workout if it’s just you at the gym! Having someone by your side working towards similar goals will also push you further than ever before, so why not ask some of your friends or family members if they would like to begin working out with you in the new year?

Strength Training

Mna on workout machine varying exercises

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, tone up or build muscle strength; resistance training for women and men is the most effective way of achieving that goal. It has been proven time and again in research studies that having a regular strength-training regimen will not only improve your overall health but help you achieve your fitness goals faster than anything else out there.

Stay Consistent

One of the most important things in achieving your goals is consistency! It’s easy to get excited about beginning a new workout plan, but it takes time for muscles and bodies to adapt so you need to stick with it if you want results! Whether this means committing yourself every day or just twice per week, any amount of consistency will be beneficial.

Don’t Skip the Warm-Up!

Yes, you have a busy day ahead and know that your workout is going to wear you out even more, but skipping warm up sets or not taking enough time during your rest periods could lead to injury. It’s important to take the time in order to properly prepare your body for the rigorous workout ahead.

Keep it Simple

There are so many complicated routines out there, but sometimes simple is better! You don’t need to get wrapped up in fancy weight lifting techniques or cardio moves that you see on TV. Instead of getting caught up trying something new every time you go to the gym just stick with a simple routine and really focus on intensity.

Getting to the Gym

If you have a hard time getting motivated or just don’t have much free time, going for a walk outside in your neighborhood is an easy way to get some extra activity into your day! Even if it’s just 15 minutes of walking around before dinner every night, that’s still an extra 30 minutes of activity each week which is a great way to start working towards your goal.

Work on Improving your Posture

In order to get the best results from your workout, it’s important that you maintain a good posture. A bad postural habit can lead not only in less gains but also more injuries! Good Posture refers to being mindful of how we stand while working out and ensuring our spine remains in its natural curves which will help us achieve maximum effectiveness with each move.

Be Realistic

If you’ve never been to the gym before or maybe haven’t worked out in a while, don’t set yourself up for failure by attempting something too intense. It’s important to be realistic when it comes to setting goals and understanding your current abilities will help ensure that you stay healthy throughout this process! We recommend starting with a lower intensity workout and gradually building up as you progress. If you are trying to pack on muscle – using dedicated muscle building supplements like LigaBulk can really speed up your gains.

Drink Plenty of Water

It’s no secret that staying hydrated is key to a good health, especially when working out! Not only does water help keep our bodies functioning properly but it can also help us feel fuller throughout the day which will make sticking to your nutrition goals easier. Be sure to aim for around half your body weight in ounces of water each day and drink before, during and after you workout. One way to make sure you keep hydrated throughout the day is to keep a refillable bottle at all time. If you make it easy to drink, you will drink more.

Make Sure to Move Everyday

We know that it can be hard to find extra time in the day, but taking a quick walk or doing some household chores will help you get more movement into your daily routine. Even if this means waking up an hour earlier than usual and getting outside for a morning walk before work, any amount of movement is beneficial! It’s also important to remember to take breaks throughout the day to move around and stretch.

Don’t Forget to Stretch

We know that you’re probably pretty sore after this workout, but stretching out your muscles is crucial to letting them recover properly! Stretching also helps increase the range of motion in our joints which can help prevent injuries. When stretching hold each pose for about 20-30 seconds and make sure not to bounce during any stretch as it could lead to a muscle tear.

You can also try foam rolling to help reduce soreness and increase blood flow to the muscles! Just make sure not to roll directly over any tender spots or injuries as it could cause more pain in that area. Don’t forget, if you’re feeling very tired after your workout just take a short rest break before starting any stretches.

Try HIIT training

HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training is a great way to get in shape quickly. This involves quick, intense bursts of activity followed by short rest periods which helps increase our heart rate and burn more calories! You can also do HIIT training anywhere without any equipment at all so it’s easy to fit into your daily schedule no matter what.

Track your Progress

It can be really helpful to track your progress throughout this journey. Not only does it help keep you motivated but it also allows you to see how far you’ve come and what areas still need improvement. There are many different ways to track your progress, whether it’s through a fitness app, journal or simply taking pictures throughout your journey.

Take your workout outdoor

Spending more time outside can help you improve your mood and energy levels as well as provide a refreshing change of pace from the gym. Try doing some outdoor workouts, such as going for a hike or taking a yoga class in the park before work. Not only will this help look on our fitness journey but it also helps reduce stress so it’s a win-win!

Get Enough Sleep

This one is probably the most important, especially if you’re trying to get in shape. A lack of sleep can not only lead to fatigue and decreased energy levels but it can also make it harder for us to lose weight or maintain our current weight. Aim for at least eight hours of sleep each night and try to stick to a regular sleep schedule as much as possible.

Use Proper Form

This one is especially important when doing weighted exercises.Using proper form helps protect our joints from unnecessary stress and also ensures that we’re getting the most out of each exercise. When lifting weights, be sure to keep your core engaged, back straight and move slowly and deliberately. If you’re not sure how to do an exercise properly, be sure to ask a trainer at the gym for help.

Eat Enough Protein

In order to see results, it’s important that we’re providing our muscles with enough protein to rebuild and recover. Try eating about 0.36 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass each day to see results over time. Protein can be found in many different foods including eggs, beans and lentils as well as peanut butter, yogurt and nuts!

Try Natural Supplements

There used to be a time where diet supplements were frowned upon – not anymore. Some the best OTC diet supplements are completely natural and have clinical proof of efficacy. They are also not prone to cause side effects

Conclusion

We hope these 20 tips to start your fitness journey in 2022 help you become an healthier version of yourself. Since covid hit, trying to keep fit has been very hard. Access to gym has been restricted and mingling with a group of people has been virtually impossible. Just remember to take things one day at a time, focus on your own progress and don’t compare yourself to anyone else. We’re all different and that’s what makes this journey so unique!

Burn Fat Not Muscle – How to Burn Body Fat Without Losing Muscle

Updated on June 8, 2021 by Brad Murphy

Burn fat not muscle. If you are your cutting phase and worried about burning that hard earned muscle as well as the body fat this article is for you.

Losing fat and building muscle is a difficult task that many people struggle with. Often, when you are trying to lose weight, you will find yourself losing the muscle as well as the fat.

This leaves your body looking skinny and unhealthy rather than toned and fit. Thankfully, there is a way to burn fat without losing any of your hard-earned muscle!

In this article we are going to discuss how to build lean muscles while burning unwanted pounds of fat.

Combine Strength With Hypertrophy

With a cut you will be using Type II muscle fibers more often, and training them to do work when they are already fatigued. You need your body to be strong even though it’s getting smaller so that you can maintain as much strength as possible while in the process of losing weight.

This doesn’t mean just doing singles with light weights; this means organizing heavy lifts around different reps ranges such as sets of five or six at 85%+ on squats, bench press, deadlifts etc., then back off for ten minutes before going again.

The heavier loads recruit more fast-twitch (Type II) muscle fiber than lighter ones because each consecutive rep becomes progressively slower due to fatigue – which in turn requires greater tension time per contraction. That means more Type II muscle fiber recruitment and, consequently, greater hypertrophy response to your training stimulus.

To get the most out of these heavy sets with light weights you need to be in a moderate-to high intensity state where your heart rate is elevated but not maxed out (you know this because after about fifteen minutes at that level it will start dropping).

This neural drive allows for maximal force production as well as increased motor unit firing rates which are both beneficial for recruiting fast twitch fibers while preserving slow twitch ones – something called “residual tension.”

Your body needs strong muscles even when you’re losing weight so that its strength stays mostly intact during periods of calorie restriction or cutbacks on calories during activity such as Cross fit.

Weight Loss and Fat Loss – The Difference

First you need to understand the difference between fat loss and weight loss.

It’s not just about dropping pounds, it’s about changing body composition. To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you take in or expend. That is how the number on the scale goes down (just water weight really).

To lose fat and gain muscle, however, there needs to be a caloric deficit in addition to an increased amount of protein – approximately 0.75 grams per pound (.03g/kg) lost for three weeks at a time followed by two weeks maintenance level intake with regular exercise sessions as well

We all want that shredded six pack but let’s get one thing straight: There are no shortcuts! It takes hard work and dedication if you’re serious about losing abdominal fat while maintaining your lean mass so here are 4 great tips that will help you smash that six pack goal.

Eat protein at every meal. Aim for about 0.75 grams per pound (.03g/kg) lost for three weeks followed by two weeks maintenance level intake with regular exercise sessions as well
Strength train! This is the only way to build muscle and reduce fat in the abdominal area while fighting off age-related decline of muscles in your core region
Drink plenty of water and other natural fluids like coconut or almond milk on a daily basis because they’ll not only keep you hydrated but promote healthy digestion and bowel movements which can cause bloating
Avoid processed foods, alcohol, sugary beverages, sodas and smoking cigarettes as these are known contributors to weight.
Use fat burning supplements that target fat loss and preserve lean muscle mass.

Here are some tops to help burn fat while preserving lean muscle mass.

Slow Aerobic Cardio

Slow aerobic cardio is the best way to get lean, while maintaining muscle.

Aerobic workouts can be as simple and effective as a long walk outside in nature or rough terrain such as going uphill on a treadmill at an incline of 15 degrees for 45 minutes.

Also, if you’ve just finished off your heavy lifting session with squats, deadlifts, bench press etc., then hitting some assisted pull-ups (pull-ups performed with assistance from either bands or chains) would help maintain that strength by recruiting more Type II fibers – without exhausting them!

In general: Slow aerobic cardio is one of the most important components in any half/full marathon training plan; it helps maintain endurance levels during weight loss phases like running marathons.

Eat Lean Protein

If you want to burn fat and not lose muscle during a cutting phase, you should consume the optimal amount of protein.

First, it boosts your metabolic rate throughout the day because protein takes more energy to digest than carbohydrates or fat. Secondly, it keeps you full tup and so you are less likely to overeat

In order for this plan to work properly though, don’t eat too much lean meat like chicken breast as well as high-fat meats like bacon. Instead go with other sources such as fish (salmon), eggs whites and whey proteins that have low levels of saturated fats in them.

You can also cook up some beans so they provide enough fiber which will help keep things moving through your system without clogging arteries along the way

After Working Out Eat Carbohydrates

Help refuel your muscles and liver glycogen stores with the help of protein to maintain muscle mass.

I recommend foods like sweet potatoes, bro and digestion. All the more reason to start eating some of those greens!

Rice or pasta that are high in complex carbohydrates for an optimal post workout meal.

These carbs also have a higher glycemic index which means they will give you more energy! You’ll be feeling good and ready to go after eating these delicious carbs right after working out.

Make Sure You eat Vegetables

A great way to ensure you are just burning fat and not your hard earned muscle is to eat veggies.

Vegetables have a high water content, so they fill you up without adding much to your caloric intake.

Plus veggies are rich in vitamins and fiber which are great for gut health.

Eat Some Healthy Fat to Preserve Muscle and Burn Fat

It is important to eat some healthy fats daily as they are essential for preserving muscle and burning fat.

Eat more of the following healthy fats: seeds, nuts, avocados, olives, olive oil (healthy oils), flaxseed or chia seed meal.

Make Sure You Rest After Working Out

If you want to preserve lean muscle mass and just burn excess body fat recovery is vital. Your body will burn muscle for fuel if you do not give it the protein and carbohydrates it needs to recover.

Sleep deprivation can also lead to a decrease in your metabolism, which is counterproductive when dieting because weight loss relies on burning more calories than you consume.

Give yourself at least eight hours of sleep each night so that your body can properly recuperate.

If possible try adding an extra day off after every three workouts (for example, Monday-Wednesday-Friday).

This schedule allows for two days of recovery between each workout session instead of just one – giving muscles time to rebuild themselves stronger and better able to handle future workouts without as much risk for adverse effects like chronic fatigue or injury.

How Long Does it Take to Get Abs? The Answer is Not That Long

Updated on April 15, 2021 by Tina Clark

This article gives an answer to the question “how long does it take to get abs?” The answer is not that long – IF you do a few key things. Read on to find out.

How long does it take to get abs then? This is a question that has occupied many minds and the answer really depends on the type of abs you have.

If you are lucky and have six pack abs already and are not too big then you may not have to work for them. But if your abs are covered with belly fat then you will have to work at it. In this article I shall explain how long does it take to get abs.

Six Pack

If you want to have six-pack abs then you need to know how long it takes for a workout to give you results. This means that you will need to dedicate a decent amount of time each day to your workout.

The length of time you spend in the gym or at home can be different, but the average time is around thirty minutes per session. However if you are trying to cut your workout short then you will need to start with a shorter session at first and slowly increase the length of time as you progress. The key is to maintain the intensity of your workouts and to not stop.

In addition to working out at home the other way you can choose to go about it is by joining a gym. This is the easier way to go about getting your abs however it will also entail more money and time. You will need to join a gym that offers classes as well as equipment.

In some cases you may even need to rent some equipment and facilities. This can add up to a considerable amount of money that you may not have had available before you decided to join a gym.

Diet

The second option is to change your diet. If you do not eat healthy foods then you will not see much change anyway.

Changing your diet will be hard though so may take some time and patience. Your diet should include plenty of protein, complex carbohydrates and low fat foods. This is the best diet plan for how long you are going to be working on.

One factor that can affect your workout plan is how long you are going to be working out. How long do you think you can be working out before your stomach starts to grow again?

I am not sure about you but I find it very hard to continue to work out when my stomach is growing. It is much harder at home because you cannot have someone else there helping you. If you are able to have someone else help you with your workout then that is the best option.

The other option is to work longer in the gym or longer at home. If you can work at home longer then you will have more time to work on your diet. This is possible because you can do it at any time of the day or night. There are many people who are able to work longer at home and they are usually happier with their results.

Fitness

Another factor is your level of fitness. If you are not a serious fitness buff then your chances of achieving your long term goal will be smaller. You need to get fit and you need to do it consistently. If you are not committed to doing it then you will just be spinning your wheels. Your abs exercise plan needs to be solid and focused if you want to achieve success.

You need to start a diet and a work a program that focuses on diet and fitness. Then you need to set short term goals that you can work on each day until those goals are reached.

Once you reach one of your short term goals, you should work on a long term goal so that you can see results in your body. If you do all of this then you will find yourself with great abs and a great looking set of abs.

Load Variations for Accelerating Muscle Mass Growth

Updated on February 19, 2020 by Brad Murphy

Varying Weight / Load Selection For Muscle Mass Gains

The weights we lift in the gym – whether they are free weights, incorporated in machines, attached to cables, or any other type – are the fundamental aspect of resistance training.

A training program that alters the loads you are lifting is therefore a fairly reliable way of stimulating muscle growth from your efforts.

The basic tenet of load manipulation is to stimulate an anabolic response by changing the tension on the muscle fibres by manipulating the resistance.

You’re probably thinking any kind of resistance training involves manipulation of the load. A standard ascending pyramid increases the load with each set.

That’s correct, but pyramids are mostly designed around repetition ranges, as are any other examples of programs that focus more on the number of reps than the load.

Here you will see that the number of reps you can perform is synonymous with the load selection, and you could just as easily call heavy-light sets ‘low-rep-high-rep’ sets.

Regardless, the emphasis is on resistance and not reps. Perhaps the best example of this is the classic dropset.

Dropsets

These are reliably effective, and very simple to understand. Dropsets are also something you can throw into your normal training as well as making them the focus of your program for a short while.

A dropset is where you perform repetitions with a given weight until you reach muscle failure. When that happens, you immediately strip some weight off – about 25% – and start repping to failure again without a rest.

You can do 3 to 5 drops within a single set before taking a rest and then repeating the process for another couple of sets.

That would be the more focused method of doing it.

The other way is to finish each group of sets on each muscle group with a dropset, so that you would complete 2 sets as normal and then crank out a big dropset to finish off the muscles.

Big barbell exercises are tough to do this way because it takes a while to strip the weight, unless you have a spotter. You really want to make the weight change a fast movement to minimize the rest your muscles get.

The dumbbell rack is good as you can quickly select a lighter set of bells.

The best dropsets are probably on machines and cables though because you can just drop the pin a couple holes on the stack and start lifting again with virtually no break, which is the whole point really.

You can even do some mega dropsets where you just drop one plate at a time to thoroughly burn your muscles on that last set. If you work down from a high weight that can be something like an 8-10 drop dropset.

Dropsets allow you to work your muscles to failure multiple times in one set. In fact, it’s the only way that can be achieved without the help of a spotter.

The incrementally decreasing weight is basically a way of pushing the muscle beyond its self imposed failure limit.

It’s a similar effect to when a spotter helps you by taking more and more of the load as your set progresses but where you keep the actual weight constant. Those are called Forced Reps or Assisted Reps, and they can be of great use when you don’t want to pause to mess around with the plates on a bar.

The biochemical response to pushing the muscles past their threshold and continuing to reach failure with the lighter weights in such a brief space of time is the release of two of the most important anabolic hormones in the body: human growth hormone (HGH, or just GH) and IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1).

The more we stimulate the release of these hormones during the workout, the more potential muscle mass we can grow in the days following, especially during our sleeping hours when they come out again.

The initial spike from training with techniques like dropsets is key because it signals the level of hypertrophy response that is necessary as a result of the training stimulus.

I probably don’t have to tell you that growth hormone is one of the most popular physique enhancing drugs, as well as a phenomenal healing and recovery aid, when used in its illicit exogenous form.

Dropsets, however, will help you make more of your own, endogenous, growth hormone. And that’s always good for growing more muscle.

Diablos – Point to Point Pyramids

I call these diablos because the visualization of the method looks like those funky yoyo things you spin on a rope (which are actually called Diabolos, but whatever).

“Diablo” also works because these workouts are the brain child of Lucifer himself.

Remember pyramids? – if not, I explain them more deeply in the Reps Variations article. The short version is this:

Ascending Pyramids: this is where you select a heavier weight after each set. Generally speaking, less reps are performed with each passing set as well.

Descending Pyramids: here you would with the heavier weight and decrease the load per set. Reps tend to be increased, or at least performed to failure with each drop in weight.

As you can see, these pyramids are relevant from a repetition and load perspective. One tends to have an inversely proportional effect on the other.

I’ve also talked about Diamonds before, which are essentially two pyramids performed back to back. Diamonds are an ascending pyramid followed immediately by a descending pyramid.

The diamond shape is used because it looks like two pyramids/triangles base to base.

Diablos, on the other hand, are like two pyramids that are performed point-to-point. They are sets of incrementally decreasing followed by sets of increasing load, usually returning back to the original weight.

These can be used with most exercises, equipment and muscle groups but the most effective approach is to use them on the bigger compound lifts.

In a typical squat diablo, you would select a weight that you can perform 6, 8, 10 or 12 reps with. You would then perform those reps for the first set.

For the second set you would drop the weight enough to allow you to perform the same number of reps as you did in the first set.

The third set involves a similar drop, again so that you can carry out the same number of reps.

You could continue to a fourth set of decreasing load but if you’re new to these it’s probably best to start the back side of the diablo after 3 descending sets.

For the first ascending set, simply add load back on to the bar so it’s equal to the second set’s weight. You then lift that for as many reps as possible.

The last set’s load should be the same as the first set. You’ll probably struggle to do many reps with it but that’s kind of the point.

It would look something like this:

Set 1 – 315 lbs x 8
Set 2 – 300 lbs x 8
Set 3 – 275 lbs x 8
Set 4 – 300 lbs x 3
Set 5 – 315 lbs x 2

Obviously, the reps in the last sets are determined by your fatigue level, but the idea is that their low number compliments the higher rep sets in the first half.

For some people, these are particularly difficult, and they are not necessarily the most effective strategy for everybody, but they CAN trigger change if you are experiencing some stagnation in your training progress.

Running the Rack

This one’s fairly straight forward.

Most gyms have long racks of dumbbells these days and they usually include an expansive range of weights all the way up to 200 lbs in some cases.

Running the rack involves performing increasingly heavy sets of dumbbell exercises until you reach a weight you cannot lift.

The idea is to increase the load after each set only by the difference between the weight you just used and the next one on the rack. Dumbbell sets in gym tend to be in 5 lb increments, so you increase by that much.

It’s important not to sacrifice form as the weights get heavier and heavier. Once you reach a weight that you can just about complete a single rep with, then you have effectively run the rack.

The cool thing about this is that if you run the rack every once in a while, you should see the progress you have made in the meantime simply by making it further up the line of dumbbells.

To add extra muscle mass building depth to running the rack, you can descend back down the weights once you have reached that heavy single rep. You could do this in discrete sets or as a massive dropset.

If you do it as separate sets with rest intervals then you should descend by the same minimum increments as you ascended, i.e. 5 lbs in most cases.

If you perform the descent as a dropset then you will find better success if you skip a couple of weights each time – 10-15 lb increments should be fine for about 3 or 4 drops total. This will allow you to get more out of each set rather than reaching failure too quickly every time.

Running the Rack is best used on big mass building dumbbell exercises like presses and rows. It’s also pretty intense, especially if you are doing the dropset descent, so I wouldn’t use them more than once per muscle group.

It’s a good method for bringing up a muscle group that’s falling behind. A lot of people find success with shoulder pressing given that the shoulders are prone to lagging behind the larger groups that have more stabilizer and support muscles to assist.

The shoulders, however, are also quite susceptible to injury so it pays to make sure they are properly warmed up before hammering them with this or any other intensive program addition.

Breakdowns – Simple Triples

I discussed a method called Tri-set Pyramids in the rep variation article, which are sets where three distinct rep ranges are hit without taking a break. A typical example would be 5-10-20 sets where you start with a large lift for 5 reps and incrementally decrease the load and the number of recruited muscles with each increase in repetitions.

Breakdowns involve a similar decrease in load and similar repetition ranges but rather than completing it all in one set, the breakdown is done after each discrete set.

Also, the exercise remains the same for each of the breakdowns, rather than switching down to a more isolatetion-type movement.

While both the tri-set pyramid and breakdowns work to boost muscle growth potential by forcing your muscles to operate in distinct stress brackets – i.e. low, medium and high rep ranges – their execution is quite different.

Here’s an example of a simple triple breakdown:

Exercise: Barbell Rows

Set 1: 205 lbs x 5
Set 2: 165 lbs x 10
Set 3: 95 lbs x 30

These sets can be performed with the usual 2 to 3 minute rest.

The second set’s load selection is about 20% less than the first set. The 3rd set is around 50% of the first set’s load.

High reps from 25 to 30 are meant to challenge the slow-twitch fibres once the fast-twitch have been used in the first couple of sets. This can improve muscle size because most of your large muscle groups are about 50-50 slow-twitch to fast-twitch fibres.

By training both fibre types equally you should stimulate some simultaneous growth and thus increase mass more than single rep-range training.

The three ‘classic’ repetition ranges are involved here with suitable time spent on each exercise type to produce some new adaptation.

Closing Remarks on Load Variations

I think programs and sets that manipulate the load deserve some concluding remarks, because a lot of people find it difficult to lift lighter weight for the sake of progress.

It’s usually because of their ego, and a compulsion to lift as heavy as possible all of the time, often in the overly-hyped hypertrophy range.

The idea of lifting less to gain more might even make sense to some guys…until they get to the gym, and the voices in their heads start telling them they have to go big or go home.

It’s often what leads to people repeating the same 8-12 rep range forever trying to force progressive overload, when all they’re really doing is setting themselves up for stagnation.

I believe working outside your comfort zone contributes a lot to success.

It’s easy to bench big weight every other time you’re at the gym because it’s enjoyable. It might not be as appealing to do 30-rep sets with light weight after your first couple of heavy sets but it works well.

And if it works well then use it regardless of whether the guy or girl you are trying to impress just walked into your area while your grunting your way through a set of 135 on the bench.

If you let your ego do the lifting then you’re already half way to missing your goals. Anyone that matters shouldn’t care about the numbers you’re lifting. Manipulating your weight selections will help you lift more in the future anyway. That’s what consistent progress is all about.

I’ll leave you with a rather obvious word of warning: You need to have a good base of strength – especially core strength – to tackle the sets where you start heavy and pyramid down.

Warm-up sets are a given, but even those will not help you if your nervous system is just not experienced enough with heavier weight.

It should be implied that you are familiar and comfortable with the multi-joint compound lifts such as the deadlift, benchpress, shoulder press, military press and bench press, before you start fiddling with descending pyramids, diablos and so on.

A good benchmark to look out for is the point where you stop making leaps in progress from straight set training. If you’re tracking your progress with any accuracy, then you’ll know when that happens.

Rep Variations for Boosting Muscle Size Gains

Updated on January 12, 2022 by Brad Murphy

Muscle curls vary reps to boost muscle size

Increase Muscle Hypertrophy with Repetition Variations

These days, most coaches, bodybuilders and strength athletes will recommend that you train with different rep ranges to maximize growth and strength gains.

There was a time not too long ago when a large population of the gym community believed specific muscle strength and growth goals were achieved through the execution of specific repetition ranges.

Somewhere along the road, you’ve probably heard something similar to this:

1 to 5 reps builds strength
8 to 12 reps for hypertrophy
12+ reps for strength endurance

A lot of people have taken that literally and decided to live their gym life in the 12 rep range, because they “want mass gainz, bruh”.

Recommended Article: Legal Steroids – Bulking, Cutting and Strength Stacks. Hardcore BodyBuilding Supplements that will take your workout to the next level. Read more on legal steroids

Problem is, scientific research and real world practices are constantly evolving and finding the best way of doing things. Those repetition counts, it turns out, might not be so accurate…or important in terms of hypertrophy.

What’s more important is varying your rep ranges to stimulate greater adaptation and change within the muscle tissue.

Where absolute strength gains will probably always involve lifting heavy, hypertrophy seems to have a lot more to do with factors such as:

Metabolic stress
Time under tension
Anaerobic respiration
Range of motion

When you look at a modern, progressive bodybuilding program, you can definitely see a shift towards a new kind of training.

Periodization – Rep Variations for Boosting Muscle Size Gains

Periodized training programs are nothing new, but in the world of bodybuilding, they have taken a while to fully set in.

Amongst other things, some forms of periodization can involve the weekly changing of repetition ranges in order to stimulate maximum muscle growth and never let stagnation set in.

Some variants of periodization include:

Classic Linear
Reverse Linear
Undulating

Undulating periodization is one type of program that involves the weekly shifting of rep ranges, where you might stick with high (15+) reps for a week, then drop to a more power/strength range of 1 to 5 the following week, and so on.

You can even perform different rep ranges for different muscle groups within the same workout.

All of this is to say that the number of repetitions you do can be varied to enhance your results. The idea of rigidly adhering to old school methods is counterproductive, unless you adhere to the training program better if those methods are utilized.

Some people even mess with their repetitions from set to set, or within the sets themselves, and that’s the discussion I want to get to now.

Tri-Set Pyramids

Remember tri-sets from my article on manipulating set design?

Tri-sets are three exercises performed back to back with no rest. They are like a compound set in that the same muscle group is worked for all of it.

Mostly, people perform the same number of reps per exercise within the tri-set, so an example set would look something like this:

Dumbbell shoulder press x 8
Dumbbell lateral raise x 8
Dumbbell front raise x 8

With the tri-set pyramid you actually increase the number of reps each time you change the exercise.

This also means that you begin with heavier weight for the first exercise, and use lighter weight with each change – also known as a descending pyramid or reverse pyramid (because of descending weight).

A typical example would be 5-10-20, where you do 5 reps on the first exercise, 10 on the second and 20 on the last.

Many people perform a compound movement, such as bar and dumbbell presses (shoulder/bench), squats, deadlifts, pull-ups etc. followed by a couple of movements that involve less muscles each.

The third and final exercise is usually an isolation movement. As usual though, there are many different exercise choices you can make. The general idea is to treat it as a modified tri-set and use the same muscle group throughout. So, using a similar example to the one above:

Standing barbell shoulder (military) press x 5
Dumbbell seated ‘Y’ shoulder presses x 10
Cable lateral delt raise x 20

By doing the tri-set in this pyramid fashion, three repetition ranges are used in a single set. This means you hit those ranges that are classically associated with strength/power, hypertrophy and endurance strength.

Twenty Ones – 21s or Sevens – 7s

It doesn’t really matter what you call these, as long as you get the idea.

These sets change the range of motion of the muscle you are working every 7 repetitions.

The first seven reps are actually half reps, performed from beginning of the movement up to the halfway point
The second seven reps are also half reps but this time from the half-way point to the full contraction point of the muscle.
The last seven reps are whole reps, through the entire range of motion, from full extension to full contraction.

These are best done with single joint movements like arm and leg curls. Also, they are more effective if machines or cables are used to ensure constant tension through each group of seven reps.

Dumbbells are not as great because there is little resistance in the first half of the rep. During a bicep curl, for example, there is a lot less tension on the muscle in the first half of the rep when using dumbbells. Cables and machines apply equal tension even at full flexion.

The beauty of twenty-ones is that each part of the set benefits you in a slightly unique way.

The first half of the rep improves flexibility and stimulates muscle growth at full flexion, thereby increasing muscle size along the full length of the tissue.

The middle seven reps are in the range of motion where you are strongest, thus allowing you to put a lot more effort into forcing a maximum contraction.

The last seven reps should burn progressively stronger as you come to the last rep. Ideally, you would not be able to perform another with good form.

Those last repetitions, which are performed deeply in anaerobic respiration, will cause a strong pump and trigger anabolic processes for muscle hypertrophy.

Large multi-joint movements like the benchpress and squats don’t work as well with this because they use too many other supporting muscles that wouldn’t benefit from it. Those movements are better performed as complete range of motion repetitions nearly all of the time.

Twenty-ones increase the working muscle’s time under tension as well as pushing the full range of motion. You should take this into account and lengthen the recovery period for that particular muscle.

Every major muscle group can be trained with 21s, and you can even follow it as a program for a few weeks at a time, adding it as the first 3 or 4 sets of your workout or even the last ones to finish off a group.

The following examples are muscle group and exercise pairings that can be used to perform twenty-one style training.

Chest – Cable crossover, pec-deck and fly machine
Shoulders – Cable lateral/front/bent-over raises
Back – Lat pull downs, straight arm pull-down, cable row
Triceps – Cable push-downs, rope cable extensions
Biceps – Cable curls, rope cable curls
Quadriceps – Leg extensions, hack squat, leg press
Hamstrings – Leg curls

If you’re starting out with 21/7 sets then you might find you can only complete one in fullness at the beginning.

Don’t worry if this is the case; just complete the rest of your sets in straight-set fashion and go for adding another one the next time you hit that muscle group.

Muscle Fiber Types 1 and 2 - An Overview

100 Reps Training – Hundreds

The concept of Hundreds training sort of takes a massive dump on traditional approaches such as 3 sets of 12.

It’s pretty much what it looks like – 100 reps.

Thankfully, you do just one set per muscle group, but if you’re thinking that still sucks, then you’re only partly correct.

There are some benefits to throwing down some hundreds that aren’t readily available by any other means. So while it might not seem like your favourite thing to do, it might still be a good idea to incorporate it every now and then.

Hundreds training was once a well used strategy to break through plateaus. It can do this because the results have carry-over to your regular strength and hypertrophy training:

It trains slow-twitch muscle fibres as well as fast-twitch
It increases capillarization, the growth of blood vessels that feed you muscles with blood and oxygen, nutrients and hormones

The majority of your muscles are comprised of roughly an even proportion of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibres.

Research into the hypertrophy of muscle tissue tells us that growing both fibre types will increase the overall size of the muscle.

Given that slow-twitch muscle fibres are normally used for endurance type activity, the very high repetition aspect of hundreds training actually recruits them for the first half of the set.

Training slow-twitch fibres is not a practice often performed by bodybuilders, especially amateurs who are mostly interested in lifting heavy for single or low double figures reps for multiple sets.

Those same people often avoid doing much intensive cardio, which would also build the slow-twitch muscle fibres in certain parts of the body.

However, hundreds training is a way of exercising those fibres over the whole body, and stimulating biochemical changes which promote muscle growth the likes of which would not otherwise be easy to obtain.

Capillarization is the formation of new blood vessels to feed the muscles with more blood flow, and the oxygen, nutrients, anabolic hormones and everything else that comes with it. [source]

This happens as a result of the metabolic stress that those hundred reps put the muscles through.

Such a long time under tension puts extra demands on the vascular delivery system. And capillarization is one of the fastest ways the body can respond in order to fuel those local increases in demand.

When you return to a more regular program, the benefits from your hundreds training carry over to enhance any other bodybuilding and powerlifting sets you perform.
Hence why it is known as a plateau buster.

Tips for Hundreds success:

Weight selection is important. You want to get about 3/4 of the way through before the muscle starts to fail
A mini break at the first sign of muscle failure is okay but you should only take enough breaths as yo have reps left to complete
Strict adherence to form is paramount. Sacrificing form to complete bad reps is pointless.
One set per muscle group means you can hit them all twice a week if you follow hundreds as a program
If you dedicate some full-time program to 100s then only do it for 3 to 4 weeks

Above all else: you need to have some lifting experience. This is not for noobs because anyone who has been lifting for less than a year should not need to break stagnation yet.

Also unless you have some solid experience lifting high-rep sets then you probably won’t complete a hundred reps.

Even one hundred body squats are too much for some. You will want to at least get to the point where you are squatting weight for 20 rep sets before considering hundreds training.

Pyramid and Pump – Rep Variations for Boosting Muscle Size Gains

Pyramids are just ways to describe the sequence in which you lift weights. For the purposes of this explanation:

an Ascending Pyramid is where you start with a specified weight and increase it incrementally with each set
a Descending Pyramid is where you decrease the weight with each set

Confusingly, most ascending pyramids involve descending reps and descending pyramids involve ascending reps.

Just think of the load you are lifting as going up or down in weight and you’re there.

Pyramid and Pump is a cool way to trigger some serious growth, while incorporating some varied loads, varied reps and a set to failure.

Basically, there are two ways to do this, and both have their advantages.

Perform an ascending pyramid of 3 sets, followed by a 4th set of high reps for maximum muscle pump
Perform a descending pyramid of 3 sets, followed by a 4th set of high reps for maximum muscle pump

As you can see, the only difference in the two approaches is whether you increase the weight with each of the first 3 sets or decrease it.

I’ll lay down some examples of both methods.

Tip: It helps to know your 1RM (one rep max) for the exercise you are going to do. If I’m honest you should have a pretty good idea if you are at the experience level you need to be to consider doing this in the first place.

Ascending Pyramid Pump

For this one you’ll do 3 sets of ascending weight (and descending reps) followed by a 4th set of 20 reps.

The reps should go something like this:

Set 1: 10 reps
Set 2: 8 reps
Set 3: 6 reps
Set 4: 20 reps

Now, you need to select a load for that first set of 10 so that you’d have one or two reps in the tank after completing it. A good guideline for 10 reps is to choose about 60% of your 1RM.

Follow the same logic for Sets 2 and 3. Again, a guideline would be 70% 1RM for 8 reps and 75% for 6 reps.

When you come to the 4th set you need to select a load that will get you at least to 15 reps. This means you will get a really good pump by 20 and possibly even fail. A guideline for this is about 50% of your 1RM.

Descending Pyramid Pump

This is where you start heavier and drop the weight with every set.

Your reps should look something like this:

Set 1: 6 reps
Set 2: 8 reps
Set 3: 10 reps
Set 4: 20 reps

If you apply the same reasoning as for the ascending pyramid, you would start with roughly 75% and descend to 60% of your 1RM before finally doing a set of 20 at about 50%.

Remember, those are only examples. You can play with the numbers to find what works the best for you, but the ultimate goal of the exercise is to finish on a massive pump.

What this achieves is to prime your muscles with the first 3 heavier sets. Changing the load and reps slightly activates the muscle more completely.

The 4th and final pump set then floods those primed muscles with blood, oxygen and nutrients. The pump fills the cells of the muscles, thereby creating tension and stimulating the cascade of reactions that results in anabolic growth.

For some people, staring heavy with a descending pyramid is difficult. If that is the case then the ascending pyramid might be a better match.

What I find with the ascending pyramid – where you increase the load per set – is that the change from the 3rd set (with the heaviest weight) to the 4th ‘pump’ set (with the lightest weight) is dramatic, and really lets you put some power into the last set.

However, on days when you are feeling good and feel you can lift heavy first, i.e. with the descending pyramid, you can put some bigger lifts in at the start because you haven’t fatigued yourself.

Of course, it’s always best to ramp up to the heavy weight with some warm up sets, but you should not do to many reps in the warm up so that you don’t waste energy.

After warming up, you can rack a heavier weight than 75% 1RM for the descending sets – maybe start with 80% and add a little per week. This makes you work a little harder on strength building for the first set, before moving on to hypertrophy with the following sets and then the muscle pump set at the end.

When you hit the heaviest sets first, you will recruit the most muscle fibres possible, which results in greater muscle growth and strength improvements. You can also take each set to near failure, or failure, which is again great for stimulating growth. In that sense, it’s a bit like a drop set.

Following an ascending pyramid, you cannot work to failure on each set because the next set will be heavier and you will miss the first rep if you do.

The downside of descending pyramids is that you are more prone to injury because you are beginning with the heaviest weight. To reiterate, a good warm up is crucial for heavy lifting.

For people who have been lifting less than 6 months, I would advise sticking to ascending pyramids for the time being.

Once you are confident that you have developed your core strength, stabilization muscles, and accustomed your ligaments and tendons to heavy lifting, you can think about doing descending pyramids.

By the way, some people call descending pyramids, ‘reverse’ pyramids. It’s all the same.

Diamonds, Octahedrons and Triangles

Pyramids are a linear way of looking at progressive load selection relative to repetition count in weight lifting. You don’t really have decide between ascending or descending pyramids at all.

You can do both.
Ascend then descend.

I call these “diamonds”, but other people call them triangles (they are wrong). If you put two pyramids base to base you get an octahedron. Basically an 8-sided 3 dimensional diamond (or rhombus).

Why does that matter?
It doesn’t.

Anyway, it’s probably best to stick with 2 dimensional descriptions given that all we’re talking about here is a visual representation of increasing and decreasing weight.

Diamonds it is.

With these, you get most of the best of both worlds. You can ascend from about 60% of your 1RM to your 75-80% weight and then descend back to 60% and then finish with a 50% pump set.

This allows for the slower increase to heavy weight, but also lets you let the failure sets loose on the backside of the workout.

The only drawback of diamonds is that you aren’t getting maximum muscle recruitment because you aren’t hitting the heaviest weight off the bat.

Nonetheless, they are excellent for stimulating muscle growth. and the pump is ridiculous.

Four and Five Rep Volume Increments

Before we get into this, let’s just recap on Tri-Set Pyramids and Pyramid Pumps.

With tri-set pyramids, you decrease the weight WITHIN the set itself, not resting until the 5-10-20 reps have all been completed. You also change the exercise WITHIN the set, generally moving from compound lifts to isolation movements as you go.

With regular pyramids and the pyramid pump, you increase or decrease the weight AFTER each set. You also perform the same lift/exercise with each set change.

The Four and Five Rep system I’m about to talk about has 2 variants, and they are both blends of the two I’ve just re-capped…sort of.

Variation #1

With this program, you perform exercises in the usual order: compound/multi-joint lifts, followed by lifts of increasing muscle isolation, for example:

Bench press
Incline dumbbell press
Cable cross over
Seated machine fly

Do 3 sets of each, like a regular chest/whatever workout, but each time you change to the next exercise, you add 4/5 reps to your sets.

The whole thing looks something like this:

Bench press – 3 sets x 4 reps
Incline dumbbell press – 3 sets x 8 reps
Cable cross over – 3 sets x 12 reps
Seated machine fly – 3 sets x 16 reps

The basic idea is to do your heaviest sets with your strongest lifts and continue increasing the reps as the number of recruited muscles drops, until you are doing isolation movements in the last round.

If you do this correctly, you should reach near failure on the last rep of each set and failure on the final16-rep sets, which should also give you a great pump.

By changing the rep count with each change of exercise you are hitting each of the classic rep ranges of bodybuilding to stimulate gains in both strength and size.

If I’m following this program for a while, I tend to go with 5 rep increases on lower body exercises and stick with 4 rep increases on upper body work. The bigger leg muscles really benefit from those 20 rep finishers!

Variation #2

The other way to do this is to do all the rep ranges for all the exercises. This means doing 4 sets of the same exercise with incrementally increasing rep-counts.

That means doing something like the following:

Back squat – 4 sets x (5, 10, 15, 20) reps
Landmine squats – 4 sets x (5, 10, 15, 20) reps
Leg press – 4 sets x (5, 10, 15, 20) reps
Knee extensions – 4 sets x (5, 10, 15, 20) reps

The drawback here is that you must strip weight off the machine or bar, or select different dumbbells after every set. But if you can handle that then it’s an awesome way of hitting all the rep-ranges for each part of the muscle group within a single session.

Fixed Load – Target Reps

This is a nice program you can follow for a while to help you see your goal coming closer week by week.

I like this approach because it’s really simple and adds some depth to your training and growth that you might otherwise forego. You can also do it alongside other training methods so that you don’t feel you are putting everything else aside.

Here’s what it involves:

Your Big 4 compound lifts – Bench, Squat, Deadlift, Shoulder press – plus the Pull Up.
Find the weight for each exercise that you can complete 8 reps with. For the pull-ups, that might be bodyweight or assisted bodyweight – and that’s fine.
When your normal routine comes around to these exercises, you will complete as many reps with that original 8 rep weight as possible. Repeat this weekly until you reach your target reps.
I suggest 15 reps is your target.

NOTE: you can either add this in as a one-set test every time or you can follow it as a program and do 3 sets of maximum reps. Follow the rest of your training as normal.

REMEMBER: Always hit that exercise first and always use the same load/weight that you could originally perform 8 reps with.

The interesting thing about this is that you are taking a weight that is on the cusp of your strength / hypertrophy boundary in terms of repetitions, and taking it to the hypertrophy / strength endurance level.

During the process, you are gaining size, strength and stamina. Of course when you reach your 15 rep goal, you will be able to increase the weight that you can do for 8 reps. And on the other end of the scale you will be able to go deep into big 20 rep volume sets with weight that you could only do for 12 reps or so before.

Sticking to it for a few weeks is tough because you will be tempted to increase the weight on the bars. It’s okay to do that, as long as the first exercise you do is to perform this benchmark test.

For me, when you have a goal like XXX lbs for XX reps, it is better to focus on that and concentrate on this as a micro-cycle. It’s only for your bigger multi-joint lifts so you can continue as normal for your smaller muscle groups and isolation exercises.

You can do it for your isolation movements too – no-one is going to stop you – but I find that exploring different rep-ranges and varying loads on the machines and cables will help your progress because it will stimulate adaptations that will help the main Fixed Load Target Reps effort.