week 2,4,6,8 set count

[xarfox]

i see a lot of sample workouts posted that list maybe between 15-20 sets/day for the week, but no one mentions reducing in the 2nd week

when i read the articles they are saying for example do 20 sets/day in week 1 at low weight and 10 sets/day in week 2 at a higher weight (increasing load while reducing frequency)

during my first cycle i felt like i wasn't doing enough sets on the even weeks, i.e. i was doing 1 set of bench a day which is only 3 sets a week

any ideas on this?
and if this was my routine for week 1, how would you reduce sets for the week 2

bench x 2
incline x 1
mil press x 1
shrug x 1
tricep x 1
squat x 2
hamstring curl x 1
t-bar row x 2
ez curl x 1
calf raise x 1

here i have 13 sets total for the day broken down like this:
chest - 9, back - 6, legs - 12, shoulders - 6, arms - 6

i feel like this is good balance, but i don't want to over-do it on the even weeks since i'll be shooting for my maxes on the last day

thanks!

 

[colby2152]

Quote[/b] ]during my first cycle i felt like i wasn't doing enough sets on the even weeks, i.e. i was doing 1 set of bench a day which is only 3 sets a week

Well, the number of sets depends on a few things such as the load (as you already pointed out), total workout volume, and the energy you have at that time. Don't fret about the number of sets - if you can do another set or a few more reps, then go ahead.

For example, in the first week I will do anywhere between 2-3 sets, and on the 2nd week it will be between 1-2.

-Colby

 

[9to5lifter]

There is no need to reduce the volume during the second week of each 2-week block. That's why nobody mentions something like that in their sample routines. If you feel you can handle the same volume during the second week, try it and see for yourself how it feels.

The volume doesn't necessarily drop as we progress through the cycle. There are many people here who have opted for 1x15, 2x10, 3x5. Also there are others who always work up to a fixed rep count, clustering when necessary.

In conclusion, I'll just repeat the general guideline about volume; Do as much as you can, as long as it doesn't interfere with your training frequency and you still feel healthy.