My Experience with Reducing the Volume

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
21

ha, yeah, this is a new approach for me. I did MAX OT for 4 years, prior to my 12-15 set/muscle group program. Most of my progress came from the MAX OT. But I haent stepped outside of the 4-6 rep range for awhile, and I’ve gotten too comfortable with it.

Its almost like mentally, a set longer than 25-30 sec was too intimidating for me… so I felt I needed a change… hence the higher reps for the time being. Just trying to change things up, give the hypertrophy/endurance zone a little more work.

Clearly I can do things more efficiently. Just a change of pace. I think I’ll revert back to MAX OT for a few months once I’m done cutting.

I’ve never been below 10% for any extended period of time. I settle pretty easily at 12-13%, but under 10% takes effort and focus. So Im gonna see how low I can go, and then step up the MAX OT again.

Thanks for your input

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[quote]BBoor82 wrote:
haha, sorry. BEFORE (as in, for the past year or two), Ive been doing 15 sets for large muscle groups and 10-12 for smaller. Now, for the past month, I have been doing 7-8 total sets for large, and 4-5 for smaller. THat was the reduction in volume which has been helpful to me.

Cephalic - My numbers are not outstanding. I dont know whether maybe I just have shitty genetics, but I have been at this sicne I was 15 (almost 27 now). I have achieved PR’s of

120 x 6, INC DB Bench,
315 x 6 SLDL,
315 x 8 Squats,
205 x 6 OHP,
BW +100 x 8 dips,
BW+90 x 6 Chins.

Nothing too impressive, but decent, IMO.

I have lost 10 pounds over the past 2 months, and now reside at 5’10’', 196 lbs, and under 10% bf.

I realize I could still progress further, in regards to strength, but as I have begun to get older, I have kind of found a satisfactory hemeostasis, where I like to be lean, and I enjoy my cardio these days.

It has been a long time since I have progressed consistently. Some of it might have to do with excessive drinking on one of the weekend nights. But that’s part of my life I enjoy, and I wouldn’t sacrifice it. So, with that in mind, a rep here or there, these days, is more than I could hope for (with reduced calories, and cardio, and drinking etc)[/quote]

Oh ok see I thought you were saying you just would go to bench press, throw your weight on there, do one set and be done. I was confused, makes sense now.

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[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Goodfellow wrote:
It’s hard to tell what people consider a set these days.

I could say that I did 4 sets on incline db bench today for 8-12 reps.

Now, most people may think that is 4 all out sets, or 1-2 short of failure.

In reality it looked like this:

Set1: 20kg x 12 (easy)
Set2: 25kg x 10 (easy)
Set3: 35kg x 8 (hard)
Set4: 37.5kg x 8 (fuck!)

So really it was only 2x8.

This is why you need to be careful when you are going to follow a program someone suggests to you. 4x8-12 hard sets is a BIG BIG difference from 2 hard sets. Which may not give as much progress.

Also, people say IFBB pro’s do insane volume because they describe their workouts as 4-5 exercises of 5-6 sets each, and really they only do 1-2 top sets per exercise.

It’s a big pet peeve of mine latley, I wish people would just specify abit more about their workouts.

Agreed.

And OP… That many exercises per muscle-group? What numbers are you putting up at the moment? Unless they’re on the high side, then some faster progression and less exercises may really be more useful than just doing a ton of work and progressing by 1 tiny rep here and there (not trying to be a dick here at all).
[/quote]

Although I agree with you don’t you think 1 rep per session is good progress? I mean seriously if you max at 4x225 and 4 weeks later can get that 8x thats pretty damn solid I would think and you could probably get 4x235 at that point so 10lb. increase. Especially considering he’s already got good strength don’t you think that’s good?

To the OP: You said you didn’t want to decrease the exercises, but you increased them right? I like the idea of 1 all out side but generally I don’t think its done with that many exercises. I think typically its done with maybe 3 exercises every 4-5 days but hey if 7-8 every 7 days is working then great.

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
BBoor82 your strength isn’t too shabby on some of those exercises, but you know…
Chances are you could gain quite a bit more (and easier) if you did a less… Hmm… Crazy routine.

(you reduced the volume already, you could basically reduce it further to regular levels and see what happens)

Your call though.

If you’re satisfied with where you’re at, then of course there isn’t much of a point to changing things.

Congratulations to you for your progress thus far, though I daresay that you’ve made it more difficult for yourself than necessary :wink:
[/quote]

You dont think 4-5 sets for smaller muscles and 7-8 for larger ones is “normal”?

(not trying to argue here, just wondering your opinion)

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Pumped:

Most of my friends, and acquantainces from the gym all do 12-20 for large muscle groups, and 10-15 for smaller. I have never done quite that much volume.

After my MAX OT stint (9 sets for large, and 6 sets for small), I did higher volume in pyramid style. it was like a 12,10,8,6,4 of 3-4 different exercises.

Only the last 3 sets were difficult (with the final 2 being pretty close to all out), but its still a ton more volume than I was used to.

Only in HIT circles do I see 1 set all out to ever be considered. I wouldnt really feel like I was doing enough work if I only did 4 exercises, of 1 all out set for Chest and for back and legs etc… so I do more exercises. it’s def not conventional.

But its been working. As it is, Im under 20 min per session now… I couldnt imagine doing less. Your idea would work if maybe I was doing 2 muscle groups a day, but mentally, I find it most advantageous to concentrate on 1 per day (except arm day, where I alternate bi and tri exercises).

Anyways, thanks for the input. B

25

[quote]BBoor82 wrote:

Only in HIT circles do I see 1 set all out to ever be considered. I wouldnt really feel like I was doing enough work if I only did 4 exercises, of 1 all out set for Chest and for back and legs etc… so I do more exercises. it’s def not conventional.

[/quote]

well the DC proponents certainly would argue it’s enough :wink:

[quote]BBoor82 wrote:

But its been working. As it is, Im under 20 min per session now… I couldnt imagine doing less. Your idea would work if maybe I was doing 2 muscle groups a day, but mentally, I find it most advantageous to concentrate on 1 per day (except arm day, where I alternate bi and tri exercises).

Anyways, thanks for the input. B[/quote]

seems like it. Maybe you should keep a journal or something so people can see how your progression goes with that type of routine