how much sets for best muscle growth?

[maverick]

Originally Posted by Todd

Actually, if you look at Dorian's routines, he does more than one set per exercise...a lot more. He does about 4 warm-up sets before doing what he calls his true working set. But the thing is, if you look at his routine, his so-called warm-up sets are done using weight above and beyond what any of us mere mortals would ever lift in our working sets. His warm-up sets are extremely heavy. So really... he does about 3-4 sets per exercise....but he only labels his last set as a "working set", and the previous ones "warm-ups".

Excellent point Todd!

[threenorns]

not really - just because i can't do a warmup set with 185 doesn't make it a working set for you.

it's percentage of 1RM - if his 50% happens to be 300lbs, then it's still only 50% and it's still only a warmup, equivelant to my 80lbs.

on the routine my trainer did up for me, a lot of the exercises only have one or two sets - one workout day has a TOTAL of six working sets among all exercises!

[Todd]

Originally Posted by threenorns

not really - just because i can't do a warmup set with 185 doesn't make it a working set for you.

it's percentage of 1RM - if his 50% happens to be 300lbs, then it's still only 50% and it's still only a warmup, equivelant to my 80lbs.

on the routine my trainer did up for me, a lot of the exercises only have one or two sets - one workout day has a TOTAL of six working sets among all exercises!

If you want to call all this warm-up sets, then so be it.....

http://dorianyates.net/chest.html (NOTE: His warm-up sets are marked with an * next to them.)

[maverick]

Am I reading that right? His only non-warmup sets are one set of incline flies and one set of cable cross-overs? Those aren't warmups, but 425x8 on the incline press is? Thats crazy and makes it obvious what his whole 1 set per exercise really means.

[luke.w]

I do heavy warm-ups and 1-working set only heres an example

bottom position squats
150x3 (warm-up)
330x3 (warm-up)
390x1 (warm-up)
410x1 (warm-up)
450x6 working set, (1-set)

super-yoke carries
150x50' (warm-up)
330x50' 50' back (warm-up)
420x50' (warm-up)
510x50' (warm-up)
650x50' (warm-up)
735x 50-70' working set, usually only 1-set

I went pretty heavy on the second to last sets, but they still warm-ups as I did not push myself really at all.

deadlifts for reps would be something like
225x1 (warm-up)
320x1 (wam-up)
350x1 (warm-up)
then a working set for reps if I wanted.
20lb jumps until a near max effort for singles.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by luke.w

I do heavy warm-ups and 1-working set only heres an example

bottom position squats
150x3 (warm-up)
330x3 (warm-up)
390x1 (warm-up)
410x1 (warm-up)

deadlifts for reps would be something like
225x1 (warm-up)
320x1 (wam-up)
350x1 (warm-up)

Not sure how 1-3 reps per set are considered a "warm-up" for squats and deads. Even big Ron Coleman starts out with less weight for more reps on deads than what you state above.

[Firehawk]

Todd,

Warm-up slash Acclimation.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

Todd,

Warm-up slash Acclimation.

Acclimation I can see, yah, but where are the warm-ups? Seems like he's going from cold muscles straight to acclimation sets. I personally know I wouldn't be ready to dead lift without flushing lots of blood into the proper areas....and 1 rep per set doesn't do it for me.....maybe that's me tho.

[Firehawk]

yeah that's probably just you bro lol.

The guys I train with, deadlifting well over 600 most of them, all start out with 135 for 3-5, then pull singles all the way up.

I can do that with deadlifts and squats but not on bench, and not on any other accessory stuff. On those things i need a few more reps as well.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

yeah that's probably just you bro lol.

That's what I figured!

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by Todd

Acclimation I can see, yah, but where are the warm-ups? Seems like he's going from cold muscles straight to acclimation sets. I personally know I wouldn't be ready to dead lift without flushing lots of blood into the proper areas....and 1 rep per set doesn't do it for me.....maybe that's me tho.

on the squats, thats all the warm-up I need, and I actually do heavy lockouts before squats like this-
150x1 working up to 850lbs right now, after lifting 850.... 450 is featherless.

as far as deadlifts I always do powersnatches and powercleans working up to 210-220 one of the greatest warm-up exercises (something bb'ers aren't familiar with ) then I'm ready for 315-330 deadlift (no problem).