You see these workouts in the magazines, where they have you work through your heavy sets, say sets of eight to twelve reps, and then they have you finish up with some kind of pump out sets of twenty reps to help end the workout with a pump.

On paper this sounds like a great concept.

After all you are hitting everything in one shot, but to my mind that is exactly the problem with this style of training.

Where is the variety?

You can’t say, go out and do sets of twenty, because you already did those.

You could do sets of five, but still.

I think you would be better served to mix things up.

For example, do a six week cycle of 10×3, that’s ten sets of three reps per set.

Followed by and six week cycle, of the popular 5 x 5 method, that’s five sets of five reps per set, followed by a more traditional bodybuilding style rep range or eight to twelve reps per set, for four sets.

Then you can do a cycle of twenty rep sets.

Everything you would do above would hit the muscles a bit differently and by my count you would have twenty-four weeks before you would go back to the 10 x 3 method.

Of course, you could also add super-sets to the mix.

A super set for those of you who are new to bodybuilding is basically doing two exercises back to back with little to no rest, think just as long as it takes you to start the second exercise.

A typical super set would be barbell curls super setted with triceps push downs.

You would do one super set and then rest for say one minute and repeat for your desired number of sets.

A COUPLE OF POINTS

I know some of you might take issue with the sets of twenty reps.

But to me one of the things that separates a muscle that grows well, from one that does not, is the ability to get a good pump in the muscle.

By doing sets of twenty you will help to really pump up the muscle you’re working, and to me this is never a bad thing.

The other thing about doing cycles like these is that you will never get bored, because just when you are looking to try something different your six week cycle will be up and you will be able to move on to another style of training.

I realize that you do not have to switch it up at strictly six weeks, you can use whatever timetable you want.

If you get bored easily, switch up every two weeks, if you don’t get bored that easy, you can stick with one style until your gains stall out, if that is two months or three or even longer that’s cool.

CONCLUSION

They say variety is the spice of life, and I see no reason why it cannot be the spice of your training as well.

So why do everything in one workout?

When you can switch back-and-forth between styles, to not only keep your body guessing, but your mind fresh as well.

Until Next Time

THINK VARIETY