How many sets (reps) per exercise?

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imported_dziewul

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Bryan said:

"I am a big fan of reducing the number of exercises and increasing the number of sets."

"3 insufficient sets using 3 different exercises for a muscle group will do less than 3 sufficient sets
with one exercise...make sense?"

so is it better for mass to do # sets of bench press than
#/2 sets of bench + #/2 sets of another chest exercise?

On the other hand I saw in this forum that doing more than 20 reps per exercise have no sense especially in the end of the minicycle when it is hard to complete first set.

What to do?
Which range of number sets (reps) per exercise is best for mass?
 
I think reducing the number of exercises + increasing the number of sets is an excellent idea.
Try to keep the number of reps constant throughout the cycle.

If doing 20 or more reps with heavy weigths seems very hard, then maybe you should try Dan Moore's "Max-Stim" system.

I would definitelay do only two biceps-involving exercises and only two triceps-involving exercises in my routine.
For example, the upper-body part of the routine might look like this:

Row
Bench Press
Pulldown
Shoulder Press

or like this:

Incline Press
High Row
Dips
Upright Row


Later on in the cycle you could add some "strech-point" isolation exercises, or even "peak contraction" isolations for metabolic stress.
(see Vicious' "HST-pimp" e-book and "Max-Stim" web site)
 
I was experimenting with not doing isos for bic and tric but it doesn't work for me.
The same with keeping the number of reps constant throughout the cycle.
In 15 I have to do 3s of bench to feel something.
So in 5 I should do 9s. It is to much of course.

Should I do one exercise with # of reps or better two with in all the same number of reps?
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I was experimenting with not doing isos for bic and tric but it doesn't work for me.</div>

How did you reach this conclusion? Did you lift heavy enough, up to your RM's that is?

Pondering all the above, have you tried suggestions such as supersetting dips with triceps extensions (or skullcrushers fro that matter) and reverse close grip chin-ups with incline curls?

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">The same with keeping the number of reps constant throughout the cycle.</div>

This too is not mandatory, just makes things easier to control and is a generic thing, seeing tha twe are all genetically different, then we should try to get to a sweat spot, right?

You can do more sets for 15's, the only thing to remember is that 15's is therapeutic rather than hypertrophis, it is not ther to make you grow but to prepare your joints and muscles for bigger loads.
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AS said before, you don't have to maintain a linear volume so, it would be crazy to have to do 9 sets of 5, that is closer to GVT which is a nuisance anyway, if you are happy with three good sets of 5's then so be it! As long as they are as heavy as they should be, then the guidelines are being attended to!

Someting else Inoted is that you don't mention having to do 3 sets of everything during the 15's which points to only some, am I right? Well more freedom then, but a lot harder to control in terms of the workout design, that is all!
 
I find in some situations its better to do 1 set with two exercises, where different angles/muscles come into play.

Eg I do 1 set of incline bench and 1 set of decline, switched from 2 sets of flat. Find it hits the upper and lower pecs better. More definition in my lower pec now.

I do 1 set of wide grip rows (lying row) and one of narrow (one arm row), wide hitting between the shoulderblades (lower/mid traps and rhomboids), and narrow hitting lats/teres major. Two sets of other things like shoulder press, legs etc.

I also usually do 1-2 sets of iso biceps and triceps to get a pump, don't know if it helps arms grow or not.

This is strictly my personal opinion, no proof that it is better or worse than other ideas.
 
<div>
(dziewul @ Aug. 25 2006,07:01)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">In 15 I have to do 3s of bench to feel something.
So in 5 I should do 9s. It is to much of course.</div>
You don't need to do 3 sets of 15 reps, that is alot of volume for one exercise.

'feeling something' has nothing to do with hypertrophy training effectiveness.

You could do 10 sets of 20 reps and you would surely feel it!  Probably be really sore the next day too, but hardly heavy enough for hypertrophy, not to mention overtraining.

I would suggext maximum 2 sets of 15s, then 3 sets of 10s and 6 sets of 5s.  That would be PLENTY of volume, even if only doing one major exercise per bodypart.
 
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