[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
dankid wrote:
Goodfellow wrote:
dankid wrote:
Goodfellow wrote:
Why are you failing on set 3?
When you do 5x5 or something, the first 4 sets should set you ‘in the groove’ or to help you practice for your 5th set. On your 5th set you should use your heaviest weight and go all out.
The way a lot of people do 5x5 is different. Instead of ramping up and maxing out on the last set, they do the same weight for all sets. If they get 5x5 and make all the reps with good form, then they increase teh weight the next workout. Usually, they’ll get 3-4x5 on the next workouts and then the reps will drop off. Then, when they get all 5x5 again, they increase teh weight again.
So his sets might have been:
5
5
5
3
2
And his friend might have done:
5
5
5
5
3
Both of them are right on track with how it should be, but if being stronger than his friend is really that important then he’s gotta try something different. There are a TON of options, but all of them involve pressing more and doing less isolation stuff. He could go back down to the previous weight, and work up to 5x6, 5x7 or 8x5. It really depends on where his weaknesses are. If he is just as strong as his friend at a 1rm, but cant keep up when it comes to the 4-5 set, then his training should be a bit different than if he’s weaker than his friend, but has goood “endurance”
The only other thing I can think of on this is that OP you might not have been resting long enough between sets. It sounded like you said that aftr 3 sets of 5, your reps tanked. There are a few possibilities here.
#1 You pushed too hard and hit failure on set 3.
#2 You may need to rest longer than your friend. Not everyone recovers at the same rate.
So if your sets looked like this:
5
5
5
2
1
Then you may have been better going for this:
5
5
4
3
3
Or maybe you just needed to rest a bit longer and you would have been able to hit 4 or even 5 sets at 5 reps.
You think too much.
Bottom line: Using the same weight and trying to get 5 sets of 5 with it, is stupid.
NO
What the fuck do you mean, no?
Can you bench 225lbs yet?
What is the point of using 42.5kg for FIVE SETS when you can go up to possibly 47.5kg or 50kg?! That is going to create a lot better strength gains, and muscle gains.
An article JUST got posted today that explains my point perfectly, read this: Strength Training, Bodybuilding & Online Supplement Store - T NATION
[/quote]
Dude you dont know what you are talking about. 5x5, or 3x5 as in rippetoe is a pretty accepted strength program, and uses the SAME weight for all sets. Its a different way to do things and there isn’t really a way to say whether or not it is better or not. But a ton of people have built up a good amount of strength doing it this way.
And do you know for a fact that ramping up in weight will lead to greate strength. Because heavier doesn’t equat greater strength. Otherwise, we could just tell him to build up to a 1RM and that would be the best way to build up DB bench press.
EDIT: Well actually there is one other thing to consider. The frequency is going to be a big factor here. If the OP is hitting DB bench, or some kind of press 3x per week as in rippetoe, then he should stick with the same weight for all sets. If he is only hitting it once every 5-7 days or so, then he might want to ramp up. But ramping ISN’T necessarily better, and isn’t the only way for strength. He could simply switch to 3x5 and see if that helps.