I use to warm up and start with the most weight first, then I would go down in weight, so you could say I was useing a backword pyramid. I just started to use a normal pyramid. Tonight I did legs, sqwat 375x10, 405x10, 430x8, 455x6, 375x12, do I need to go to failure on every set. Before I went to failure on every set.
I have for the last about 4 months, big fan.
Pyramid/ramping/whatever is usually not done to failure on every set. The first few sets are just kind of preparing your body for the one all-out set. In your case, maybe do 135x15, 225x8, 315x5, 405x1, then 455 as many as possible. Different people do this differently though.
And you may want to put on your flame suit, because this has been talked about a LOT lately.
I feel the heat already.
/facepalm
pyramid are for warm-ups only
straight work sets ftw