Pyramiding

This is the first weightlifting technique I would like to offer, and I offer it first because I feel it is the most important weapon in my weight training arsenal. It is called PYRAMIDING.

Pyramiding is basically the practice of systematically varying the amount of reps you do in successive an exercise while either increasing or decreasing the weight depending on the type of pyramid you are performing (ie: In bench press I do 1 set of 10 reps with my starting weight. Then, in each successive set I do, I increase the weight by about 20 lbs. and do 2 less reps until I am at my "max" set of 2 reps with as much weight as I can handle. After that set, I decrease the weight back down to the second weight I used in the pyramid and try to get as many reps as I can get - although this is usually much less than I got the first time I used this weight). There are several different methods people use while pyramiding, but some of the most popular are as follows:

Ascending Pyramid - This is the process of beginning with a relatively light weight (even a warm-up weight) and going for a high number of reps. Each successive set after this one, you will increase the weight and decrease the amount of reps you will do. Your last set will be at a very heavy weight with low reps. In a short statement: Increase weight and decrease reps.

Descending Pyramid - This is pretty much the opposite of an ascending pyramid. In this system, you begin with a very high weight (often, a weight close to your max) and perform a low amount of reps. Then, in each successive set, you decrease the amount of weight you are using in order to squeeze out more reps. While using this system, you will probably decrease the weight at a slightly higher amount than you were increasing using an ascending pyramid because you will be starting with a higher weight than you could have concluded with on the previous system; thus, you will be getting fatigued quicker (and you will likely be unable to get as many reps as you would with an ascending pyramid with decreasing the weight to much lower levels towards the end than used towards the beginning of an ascending pyramid - Basically, to get the same amount of reps on each set...well, the opposite set...as used on the ascending pyramid, you would start with a higher weight but end with a lower weight than what you used to get the same amount of reps on an ascending pyramid). In a short statement: Increase reps and decrease weight.

True Pyramid (aka: Balanced Pyramid) - This technique is the combination of the ascending and descending pyramids. Essentially, you begin with a light weight with high reps, work your way up to a high weight with low reps, and then work back down to a low weight with high reps again. This is more advanced than the ascending and the descending pyramids alone, and should only be used by people who are both serious about lifting and have been lifting for a while (so they will have worked up the strength and stamina to be able to complete the large amount of sets required for this technique with over-training themselves). In a short statement: Combine ascending pyramid and descending pyramid into one group of sets.

Why use the pyramiding technique? Well, most lifters - especially beginners - like to a few sets of each exercise using the same weight and reps (like three sets of bench with 135 lbs. at 8 reps). This is certainly fine for beginners as it will allow them to build up a good foundation of strength and stamina on which to build upon; however, your body will soon become used to this type of lifting after working out this way for months at a time. Eventually, the only way to get good results will be to shock your body with a new way of training that is is not used to. By pyramiding, you are varying the way in which you lift between each set you do (high reps/low weight, medium reps/medium weight, and low reps/high weight) so your body will be a lot less able to become accustomed to any particular way of lifting, and you will definitely see much better results because you body will react much better to this type of training (although you will be working harder too).

Another good reason to pyramid is that there are two main ways to lift - bodybuilding (lifting to make your muscles larger) and strength training (working out to increase your strength). Most bodybuilding programs revolve around high reps (and low weight) while most strength training programs revolve around low reps (and high weight). Most of us don't just want to be big, nor do we just want to be strong (although all lifting will make you bigger an stronger...different types just concentrate more on one or the other). Most average weight lifter would like to be able to perform a program that is somewhat balanced between mass building and strength gaining. That is the true beauty of pyramiding; it is one of the best balances between the two that you can achieve as it combines both methods of training into one allowing you to evenly gain both size and strength.