Incorporate Ramping Sets Into This Routine

I found this routine online and I think it seems pretty solid.

If I were to try to incorporate pyramid or ramped up sets into this routine what would that be like?

Day One (Back and Biceps)

Deadlifts (3 x 6-8 reps) / Bent over barbell rows (3 x 6-8 reps) *
Wide grip pull ups / chin ups (3 sets to failure) *
Bicep curls (3 x 10 reps)
Day Two (Chest and Triceps)

Flat bench press (3 x 6-8 reps) / Incline bench press (3 x 6-8 reps) *
Dips (3 x 10 reps)
Close grip bench press / tricep push downs (3 x 12 reps) *
Day Three (Legs and Shoulders)

Squats (3 x 8 reps)
Leg press 1 x 20 reps
leg curls (3 x 8 reps) / Straight legged deadlifts (3 x 8 reps) *
Calf raises (3 x 10 reps)
Upright barbell rows (3 x 12 reps) / side raises (3 x 12 reps) *

  • You should switch exercises the second week.

So it sounds like the creator of this routine intended it to be done with sets across i.e. static sets keeping the weight the same. But a lot of people recommend ramping and in my own experience, it seems to work pretty well.

Should I reduce the number of reps on the last set? Because in a pyramid the weight gets higher and the reps get lower…

There’s about a thousand different ways to skin this cat and this subject has been beat to death multiple times on these forums. BUT, since I enjoy beating a dead horse there are a couple ways to approach this.
You could do a couple of higher rep light weight sets and ramp this way (the numbers are completely arbitrary, btw):

95x10
135x8
185x3
205x1
225x1
Work Sets:
235x6
255x6
285x6-8

Or you could keep the reps the same until the last set:

95x8
135x6
185x6
225x6
235x6
255x6
285x6-8

Or you could do anything inbetween. The basic idea with ramping is NOT going to failure before the last set as opposed to the old school pyramid which involved going to failure on almost every set. If you do a search you can find endless threads and an article by CT about ramping methods.

Good luck.

Thanks for the reply.

No problem. Here’s the link to the CT article on it also:

http://www.T-Nation.com/testosterone-magazine-639#thibaudeau-on-ramping