General Training Questions

I will list off my questions:

  1. When you have 3 sets of 6-8 reps is that just 3 sets of either 6 reps 7 reps or 8 reps? Or should I be increasing the weight and do the first set with 8 and work my way down to 6?

  2. Is the Olympic Squat the same thing as a normal squat just with a narrow stance?

  3. When you have 3 sets of 10-8-6, do you increase the weight as you decrease the reps?

  4. When you execute single arm military press should i be standing? Also, should I be holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand I am working?

  5. Can I do Glute Ham Raises on the back extension unit?

regarding question 1 an 3 it is just a matter of what program you are doing and/or personal prefrance. There are just to many ways to skin those cats.

However I would say as a general rule if the program calls for 3x6-8 the important thing is keep the weight so each set keeps you in the 6-8 rep range. Still you can approach this several ways… you could do straight weight were the first set you get 8 reps confidently, the second set you barely get 8 reps, and the third set you only get 6 (if you picked the right weight you would of stayed in the 6-8 rep range for each set)…

another way to attack it is the first set after your warm up you barely hit the 6-8 range and you slightly reduce the weight each set so you still can hit 6-8 reps approaching failure each set.

[quote]Brendan B wrote:

  1. When you have 3 sets of 6-8 reps is that just 3 sets of either 6 reps 7 reps or 8 reps? Or should I be increasing the weight and do the first set with 8 and work my way down to 6?[/quote]

Traditionally, it would be the same weight for all 3 sets. Something that lets you get more than 5 reps, but less than 9 reps. But, different programs may have you doing something else.

Generally, yes. Also, the bar is placed higher on the traps, as opposed to lower across the shoulders.

Again, “tradition” would say yes. Odds are if you can get 10 reps with a given weight, something specific would have to happen to allow you to only get 6 reps with the same weight after 2 sets (again, unless you’re on a specifc program like some variation of density training).

I generally prefer overhead pressing done standing. You’ll be using more ab/core/stabilizers when standing. As for the “other” DB, I usually don’t use it, but I’ve seen it done. Doing so might help to prevent you from leaning away, as in a side press. I wouldn’t call either method “wrong”.

Nope. GHRs are tricky to recreate anywhere except an actual GHR machine. You could do a search here for “Natural Glute Ham Raise” to find some ways to do them without the machine. But that’s just going to be an “okay” substitute.