Going up in weight is bad because your fast twitch muscle fibers are stronger as you start , and going up in weight means you are basically doing warm ups, you could warm up by warming up instead of doing a set that won't do much. This is the same reason why descending reps in reserve is not good, you want to in any case use a higher weight in your first set and second set, then as you reach close to failure and your reps in reserve is too low to keep yourself in your desire rep range you decrease the weight a tiny bit (this is called down sets). Going up in weight is unironically a waste of time, by the time you get to, for example, your 4th set, you did a bunch of sets that were not difficult so they didn't stimulate much growth(how much growth does a set that is 60% of the weight of your last time stimulate? it's too easy) and you tired yourself out so you are not able stimulate fast twitch muscle fibers as effectively.
I wish this video was longer so he could explain this in more depth. I usually start heavy because on my heavy sets the goal is to get as many reps or as much weight in as possible, so I don't fatigue myself beforehand. The lighter sets are simply taken to failure, and it doesn't really matter if I get 8 or 10 reps as long as I reach failure. I can be prefatigued for those sets.
If you’re a natural I would pyramid down, prioritizing linear periodization on those first 2-5 working sets. THIS IS AN APPROACH FOR YOUR COMPOUND MOVEMENT OF THE DAY. NOT ALL EXERCISES
I do an actual pyramid. For example, 135lb for the warm up set for 12 reps. 185lb as the peak weight I can do for 8-10 reps then a finishing set to focus on form at 160lb for 10 reps
I’m not Jay Cutler, so you can ignore my advice if you want, but I’ve seen the best results when pyramiding up like Jay, then pyramiding back down and doing drop sets. I swear by drop sets. It also means you do more like 7 sets per movement, which many people think is excessive, and maybe it is, but it works for me.
start light, build up your sets to as heavy as you can safely, then do a set to reach failure at 12, then deload 15-20% and go to absolute failure for 1 SET with focus on contraction 💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥
I think it’s fundamental to do good warm-up sets; pyramid up. But since I’m doing strength training, my reps will Max up between four and six . It’s important as you get older to follow these techniques, so you don’t injure yourself .
I ussually decrease reps as I go up in weight. I'll do like 15-12-10-8 reps over 4 sets while adding like 5-30lbs of weight each set depending on the exercise and ussually I'll throw a drop Set in after the last 8 reps just to burn out that muscle too.
If it's the first time I'm training that muscle in a session I will do a warm-up set of 20-40 reps with a 6 rpe and then pyramid down (heavy to light) to keep the contraction and mind muscle connection maximum
I start usually at 20% then jump to 50% then do three sets at about 80% and if I'm feeling it I'll push a heavy set, then drop to half the Max for one set to failure
What about the science saying pyramiding the weight either way makes no difference in results compared to using a static weight throughout the entire workout?
To warm up, I choose a weight that allows me to do 30 reps. On the second set, I pyramid up to a weight that allows me to do 15-20 reps. On the third set, I do 8-12 reps. But by that point, that's where I draw the line between my warmup sets and my first working set. Pyramid up, good strategy! 👍
Keep in mind if you do this you’ll probably be able to lift less heavy weights as you’ll be tired out from the buildup, as opposed to starting with the heavy
the idea behind this is to intentionally pre-exhaust your muscles so you don’t need as much volume for each set anyway. if you’re training for strength then yea this prolly isn’t the method for you
Do I listen to a 4 time Mr. Olympia for Pyramid Up? …or do I listen to the 18 year old fitness influencer that has way more followers for pyramid down? 🤔. Ima go with Cutler 🔺👆
Yeah but this really isn’t optimal- maybe it works for him because he’s on gear but you’re wasting your time in your first few sets and fatiguing yourself for your top set. Do one warmup set then your heaviest and drop weight/reps
Ive done it both ways over the years BUT I prefer pyramiding UP in weight as this helps me get into the groove of the movement and prevent injury. Also as another side benefit, you get a great pump this way. If you do one warm up set and immediately jump to your heaviest load, there’s not a lot of blood in the muscle at that point. I find that a really pumped muscle can FEEL the contraction better once you get to that heaviest load. Also too…sometimes you just “don’t have it” that particular day in the gym and going super heavy isn’t in the cards. Your strength can vary from one session to the next. By pyramiding up, you’ll be able to better gauge if this gonna be a good strength day or if you just need to do a pump day and get outta there without an injury.
I’ve mixed it up so much, and everything has just exploded for me… Muscular endurance, strength _and_ size. One day I will do straight sets, next session will be pyramid sets and the third and fourth sessions are both drop sets. The other three days are light cardio, and man has it worked well for me.
@@itachiuchicha4728 dropsets are good on arms for sure. I did lots of dropsets for arms always. I think I pyramided up slightly on arms as I warmed up but always dropsetting as well.
Same!! Till I wear down! Up and then I go back down if I’m feeling strong which is pointless but I just like to wear myself to total fatigue sometimes for a heck of a burner!
This is basic logic … been doing this for years. You want that last set to be heavier than the first but in the same rep range. You don’t have to go to failure each set.
Sounds like a simple way of warming up to a working set tbh but I typically do fewer reps at lighter weights to conserve for the top set while priming the CNS for heavy lifting, focusing on strength and conditioning rather than hypertrophy
Same i do warm ups with light then do 6 reps go up 6 reps up till cant do 6 then by then muscle nice n warm sometimes half the weight n rep it till failure. ❤❤
It’s always made the best sense to me to warm up as needed and then do your first working set with the heaviest weight possible that will allow at least 8 reps. Then once you can no longer do 8 reps minimum with that same weight you drop the weight a little.
damn i didn’t even know such thing as pyramid down, I’ve always gradually increased my weights just like Jay because lifting the top set first sounds like a risk of injury but anyway do what works for you best.
One study said pyrimiding down is better for strength vs Jay's method is better for muscle. It probably depends on a bunch of factors but im general, I always try thinking of that.
Not a bad thing. Working your way up like you do with heavier weight and shorter rep ranges means you're also working on strength. Jay kept his rep range high because he was trying to fatigue the muscle in order to get it to grow. He was a bodybuilder afterall. Strength to him was not a priority.
I never understood why you would want to do this. You should do your warm warm ups and then do the heaviest you can in the 8-12 rep range. If anything you should go down in weight not up.
How about no pyramid? Doesn’t it make sense for the % of muscles fiber engaged? With each rep you deplete the muscle, so the same weight gets heavier. No?
I do pryamid up and at very end I reppppppp out a light set... kinda both.. im natty and was repping 3 wheels in prison ..food water sleep.. sample.. 95 pound bench for 12.... 135 for 10.....185 for 8....225 for 5........275for 3......315 amap..........long rest....185 for 20 plus
I challenge this seriously when you step into the gym you have alots energy. YOU START HEAVY AND DROPS THE WEIGHTS AS YOU GET FATIGUE. so pyramid down works better
Muscle building is about creating mechanical tension on said muscle and shortening and lengthening in somewhere in the 5-20 rep range to muscular failure. There’s no point in doing a set with lighter weight first just to up the weight the next set. Warm up to a genuinely heavy set while you’re fresh. Stop doing junk volume.
I do both. I can get 7-10 reps out of what I usually get 3-5 reps at the end if I start with the heaviest weights. Example. I stretch, get my muscles warm with a fly movement, light just for the stretch and mind muscle connection. I go straight to incline Dbs 120lbs, 115lbs, 110lbs. 105lbs. 100lbs to failure. BB Bench. 185,205,225,275 Then I end it with some weighted chest focused dips, flyes and pull overs usually 3 sets each. I’m out of the gym in 70-90 minutes.
It works for him because he's doing 20+ sets for a muscle per training. But i do 10 sets twice a week. I do ascending pyramid. Weight goes up after each set with lower reps.
For me pyramiding back works better. Actually, I try to go straight through three sets but If I fail before or in the third set, then I go down in order to hit my repetitions properly.
But if you’re doing 10 to 12 reps should have to pyramid downward 12 reps with heavy weight means you’re not gonna get as many next time so then you take some weight off I mean if you do 225 for 10 and then you put more weight on there it’s not gonna be 10 you’re exhausted and you’re adding weight it’s going to go lower and lower or your first sensor just crack
for what it’s worth to people that may be stressing the question, studies have shown no recordable difference in growth between pyramid, reverse pyramid and straight sets. Do whatever gets you closest to a degree of failure that’s sustainable week-to-week. Beyond that, its just a matter of personal preference.
Yeah that's similar to drop sets (not the same as mechanical dropsets) if you want you can also do it all in a row like with myoreps, lift a certain weight, drop a tiny bit of weight and doing the same thing again, best done with dumbbells or machines that use bricks.
If your advanced yes this is probably best coz less injury risk when your very strong but if your a beginner or even intermediate I would say pyramiding down is best
Doesn't make sence to me. I mean I could see doing 10 to 12 or even 15 on the first warmup, but you almost have to lower the reps for the work sets or else you'll be doing light weights, well at least for us mortals with average genetics and not on gear...
I’ve always done this, helps me feel safe from injuries
Absolutely correct!
Makes you weaker on top set
@@D1_Tacticalyeah true but mixing up is the way to go tbh
@jblack8502 muscles don't know how much weight you lift only how hard they work
@@D1_Tacticalsays Mr 4x Olympia lol
I started doing reverse pyramid, I’m 43 and I’m feeling stronger!!!!! I was stuck when pyramiding up but now I broke through that plateau
From a safety perspective, this just makes the most sense. You can always put in a few more sets going back down
That's interesting because I have always gone down focusing more and more on the contraction as I went less in weight. I will have to try this Jay
For hypertrophy i wouldn’t say it’s ideal, but it can be a useful tool in powerlifting and making sure you’re warm for your topset
Going up in weight is bad because your fast twitch muscle fibers are stronger as you start , and going up in weight means you are basically doing warm ups, you could warm up by warming up instead of doing a set that won't do much.
This is the same reason why descending reps in reserve is not good, you want to in any case use a higher weight in your first set and second set, then as you reach close to failure and your reps in reserve is too low to keep yourself in your desire rep range you decrease the weight a tiny bit (this is called down sets). Going up in weight is unironically a waste of time, by the time you get to, for example, your 4th set, you did a bunch of sets that were not difficult so they didn't stimulate much growth(how much growth does a set that is 60% of the weight of your last time stimulate? it's too easy) and you tired yourself out so you are not able stimulate fast twitch muscle fibers as effectively.
Probably why hes still healthy and in shaoe compared to alot of ex pro bodybuilders. Good to prime the CNS before going heavy af
You should do both. Increase other time decrease
@@382u3uuej bull poop dude.
Thank you Jay for helping us.
Appreciate your humility brother!
Make sense for muscle grow,strenght and protect injuries.Thanks for secret reveal.Happy new year
Always, I've never had an injury in 35yrs. I feel I get a lot stronger, grip strength gets better.
I wish this video was longer so he could explain this in more depth. I usually start heavy because on my heavy sets the goal is to get as many reps or as much weight in as possible, so I don't fatigue myself beforehand. The lighter sets are simply taken to failure, and it doesn't really matter if I get 8 or 10 reps as long as I reach failure. I can be prefatigued for those sets.
Looking good Jay!! This is what training smart will get you. Keep it up
I like lifting heavy after warmup and 1 set of moderate weight. Once you feel comfortable, go for it! Mixing up your routine keeps your body guessing.
If you’re a natural I would pyramid down, prioritizing linear periodization on those first 2-5 working sets. THIS IS AN APPROACH FOR YOUR COMPOUND MOVEMENT OF THE DAY. NOT ALL EXERCISES
These short clips are great
I do an actual pyramid. For example, 135lb for the warm up set for 12 reps. 185lb as the peak weight I can do for 8-10 reps then a finishing set to focus on form at 160lb for 10 reps
I also do heavier weight when the muscles are not fatigued in the beginning of a set after a warm up
The man who defeated Coleman.
I’m not Jay Cutler, so you can ignore my advice if you want, but I’ve seen the best results when pyramiding up like Jay, then pyramiding back down and doing drop sets. I swear by drop sets. It also means you do more like 7 sets per movement, which many people think is excessive, and maybe it is, but it works for me.
start light, build up your sets to as heavy as you can safely, then do a set to reach failure at 12, then deload 15-20% and go to absolute failure for 1 SET with focus on contraction 💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥
Real king of muscles 👑🥰
I think that u should warm up on a light weight. Then start down bcus by the end it super exhausted and u can get those deep cuts. Try it
Yes
I think it’s fundamental to do good warm-up sets; pyramid up.
But since I’m doing strength training, my reps will Max up between four and six .
It’s important as you get older to follow these techniques, so you don’t injure yourself .
I ussually decrease reps as I go up in weight. I'll do like 15-12-10-8 reps over 4 sets while adding like 5-30lbs of weight each set depending on the exercise and ussually I'll throw a drop Set in after the last 8 reps just to burn out that muscle too.
Yup. Exactly
And ya still small
@@stevieTee_21 nah bro it's why I have 16 inch fuckin arms and you fuckin don't.
You inspire for young generation sir thanq
Consistently training up or down will build muscle! CONSISTENCY is the key.
Me to
Literally I was just focusing on his big freaking biceps
Ok I'll give it a try at the gym in a few hours
If it's the first time I'm training that muscle in a session I will do a warm-up set of 20-40 reps with a 6 rpe and then pyramid down (heavy to light) to keep the contraction and mind muscle connection maximum
Obviously works, but isn't optimal. You want to be at your strongest when lifting the heaviest so you can get more reps in.
I use both 🤷🤷🤷
Do both
Always up. Never down. I believe your body remembers last weight you do. Don’t want to end light.
Never heard of that before🤔
still jacked
I start usually at 20% then jump to 50% then do three sets at about 80% and if I'm feeling it I'll push a heavy set, then drop to half the Max for one set to failure
Surely this means you’ll be more tired on the heavier sets?
So first set is 10-12, second set is 10-12 with heavier weight, and so on until you do a top set… sounds like warming up to me?
What about the science saying pyramiding the weight either way makes no difference in results compared to using a static weight throughout the entire workout?
Ok will do ..
I only do 1 set. Mentzer!
I am here to say Jay is correct or not. But how can you relate to what he says if you train naturally?
Happy Hanukkah sir
I think Jay even says on another vid somewhere that he does 2 light warmup sets
I love jay Cutler
I would be too embarassed to show myself like this 😂.
Sam pyramids down wish I had started training that way myself instead of up.
I don't get what he means with 10-12 reps? He does stick to 10-12 with all his sets? Whats the purpose of "pyramiding" the weight then?
I go up then back down
🙌
To warm up, I choose a weight that allows me to do 30 reps.
On the second set, I pyramid up to a weight that allows me to do 15-20 reps.
On the third set, I do 8-12 reps.
But by that point, that's where I draw the line between my warmup sets and my first working set.
Pyramid up, good strategy! 👍
This is such a controversial topic! Many other bodybuilders say the opposite
Keep in mind if you do this you’ll probably be able to lift less heavy weights as you’ll be tired out from the buildup, as opposed to starting with the heavy
Yea ok. It's called resting.
the idea behind this is to intentionally pre-exhaust your muscles so you don’t need as much volume for each set anyway. if you’re training for strength then yea this prolly isn’t the method for you
@@drewdown826 how about u stop taking 10 minute rests between reps and go to failure like a real man
@Resident Sleeper is 10 minutes what you do when you start heavy. Poor baby, keep trying
You won’t be able to start benching your heaviest without a good warmup
Do I listen to a 4 time Mr. Olympia for Pyramid Up? …or do I listen to the 18 year old fitness influencer that has way more followers for pyramid down? 🤔. Ima go with Cutler 🔺👆
Same, I start super light and use it as a warm up. I find this great the older it get and then I find I can actually go heavier in the end!
I find the same with the warm up, it helps me get my form in too. As well as I find I'm not as stiff at work the next day (trades)
Yeah but this really isn’t optimal- maybe it works for him because he’s on gear but you’re wasting your time in your first few sets and fatiguing yourself for your top set. Do one warmup set then your heaviest and drop weight/reps
agree
Ive done it both ways over the years BUT I prefer pyramiding UP in weight as this helps me get into the groove of the movement and prevent injury. Also as another side benefit, you get a great pump this way. If you do one warm up set and immediately jump to your heaviest load, there’s not a lot of blood in the muscle at that point. I find that a really pumped muscle can FEEL the contraction better once you get to that heaviest load.
Also too…sometimes you just “don’t have it” that particular day in the gym and going super heavy isn’t in the cards. Your strength can vary from one session to the next. By pyramiding up, you’ll be able to better gauge if this gonna be a good strength day or if you just need to do a pump day and get outta there without an injury.
I’ve mixed it up so much, and everything has just exploded for me…
Muscular endurance, strength _and_ size. One day I will do straight sets, next session will be pyramid sets and the third and fourth sessions are both drop sets. The other three days are light cardio, and man has it worked well for me.
Yup when I intuitively started to pyramid up, my gains exploded.
Opposite happened to me. I made the most insane gains through dropsets
@@itachiuchicha4728 dropsets are good on arms for sure. I did lots of dropsets for arms always.
I think I pyramided up slightly on arms as I warmed up but always dropsetting as well.
I lost 100 lbs of muscle after my first gym sesh doing this
Same!! Till I wear down! Up and then I go back down if I’m feeling strong which is pointless but I just like to wear myself to total fatigue sometimes for a heck of a burner!
The only thing I pyramid forward is the warmup sets. Once I get to my working weight, I only pyramid back.
This is basic logic … been doing this for years. You want that last set to be heavier than the first but in the same rep range. You don’t have to go to failure each set.
I pyramid up with low reps for warm up, and then pyramid down after 1-2 sets of the highest weight I can handle 10-12 reps at.
I thought most ppl lift that way... with the exception of dropsets.
Sounds like a simple way of warming up to a working set tbh but I typically do fewer reps at lighter weights to conserve for the top set while priming the CNS for heavy lifting, focusing on strength and conditioning rather than hypertrophy
Same i do warm ups with light then do 6 reps go up 6 reps up till cant do 6 then by then muscle nice n warm sometimes half the weight n rep it till failure. ❤❤
Tried both and I think it's different for everybody. Found myself struggle a lot by going up
It’s always made the best sense to me to warm up as needed and then do your first working set with the heaviest weight possible that will allow at least 8 reps. Then once you can no longer do 8 reps minimum with that same weight you drop the weight a little.
damn i didn’t even know such thing as pyramid down, I’ve always gradually increased my weights just like Jay because lifting the top set first sounds like a risk of injury but anyway do what works for you best.
One study said pyrimiding down is better for strength vs Jay's method is better for muscle. It probably depends on a bunch of factors but im general, I always try thinking of that.
noted. I pyramid up, but my rep range can be all over the place. I need to work on that.
Not a bad thing. Working your way up like you do with heavier weight and shorter rep ranges means you're also working on strength. Jay kept his rep range high because he was trying to fatigue the muscle in order to get it to grow. He was a bodybuilder afterall. Strength to him was not a priority.
It amazes me how he got this physique with such a bad training style lol
Anything you do while on tren will work
Yeah, this makes no sense at all. You should do the most weight when your muscles are at their peak. This advice is a massive waste of time.
@@tylerball9600 It's was invetned for Olympia level heavy steroid users who benefit from anything they do
I never understood why you would want to do this. You should do your warm warm ups and then do the heaviest you can in the 8-12 rep range. If anything you should go down in weight not up.
E
Oh I always do pyramiding up. Did pyramiding down as an experiment. Did not hit the same
If you can do the same number of reps with more weight then you didn’t do the first sets with the same intensity
Damn it Jay, pyramiding weight up is my secret to gains. Damn
How about no pyramid? Doesn’t it make sense for the % of muscles fiber engaged? With each rep you deplete the muscle, so the same weight gets heavier. No?
I mean if you are going to failure its gonna go down or reps go down as u approach final sets
Cool
Are you wearing guyliner
I do pryamid up and at very end I reppppppp out a light set... kinda both.. im natty and was repping 3 wheels in prison ..food water sleep.. sample.. 95 pound bench for 12.... 135 for 10.....185 for 8....225 for 5........275for 3......315 amap..........long rest....185 for 20 plus
Younger - pyramid back (more strength)
Older - pyramid forward (less injury)
I challenge this seriously when you step into the gym you have alots energy. YOU START HEAVY AND DROPS THE WEIGHTS AS YOU GET FATIGUE.
so pyramid down works better
Muscle building is about creating mechanical tension on said muscle and shortening and lengthening in somewhere in the 5-20 rep range to muscular failure. There’s no point in doing a set with lighter weight first just to up the weight the next set. Warm up to a genuinely heavy set while you’re fresh. Stop doing junk volume.
He's a steroid user , Junk volume to them is useful.
But pyramid training is evidently working, so there’s probably something to it that science haven’t caught up with yet
@Mantastic-ho3vm 100%
If u can increase weight while doing the same amount of reps then you aren’t training hard enough
I do both. I can get 7-10 reps out of what I usually get 3-5 reps at the end if I start with the heaviest weights.
Example.
I stretch, get my muscles warm with a fly movement, light just for the stretch and mind muscle connection.
I go straight to
incline Dbs 120lbs, 115lbs, 110lbs. 105lbs. 100lbs to failure.
BB Bench. 185,205,225,275
Then I end it with some weighted chest focused dips, flyes and pull overs usually 3 sets each.
I’m out of the gym in 70-90 minutes.
It works for him because he's doing 20+ sets for a muscle per training. But i do 10 sets twice a week. I do ascending pyramid. Weight goes up after each set with lower reps.
I don’t think it makes any difference maybe to avoid injury but not for muscle. Pd: I might be wrong I don’t know everything
How can you keep you rep range (10-12) when lifting heavier and heavier?
You can do both at the same time. Pyramid all the way up and then go all the way back down again.
I love pyramiding up! But, I must lift heavy. No 12 reps👎
For me pyramiding back works better. Actually, I try to go straight through three sets but If I fail before or in the third set, then I go down in order to hit my repetitions properly.
I dout he's using any intensity in first few set as he keeps the same rep range but increases weight, but I want to see how he implements it.
Love pyramiding backwords after a proper warmup set
But if you’re doing 10 to 12 reps should have to pyramid downward 12 reps with heavy weight means you’re not gonna get as many next time so then you take some weight off I mean if you do 225 for 10 and then you put more weight on there it’s not gonna be 10 you’re exhausted and you’re adding weight it’s going to go lower and lower or your first sensor just crack
for what it’s worth to people that may be stressing the question, studies have shown no recordable difference in growth between pyramid, reverse pyramid and straight sets. Do whatever gets you closest to a degree of failure that’s sustainable week-to-week. Beyond that, its just a matter of personal preference.
Exactly start light train your muscle then go up harder at least 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps
I go up and back down to failure, it's a sick pump if nothing else
Yeah that's similar to drop sets (not the same as mechanical dropsets) if you want you can also do it all in a row like with myoreps, lift a certain weight, drop a tiny bit of weight and doing the same thing again, best done with dumbbells or machines that use bricks.
@@382u3uuejI'll look into that, always looking for something different to change it up 👍
no homo.but anyone else noticing how fashionable and well kept jay looks ? inspirational.
Bro never workout more than 45 minutes….super set all the way with hack squats at the end
Why not more than 45 Minutes?
If your advanced yes this is probably best coz less injury risk when your very strong but if your a beginner or even intermediate I would say pyramiding down is best
Thanks Legend!
Doesn't make sence to me. I mean I could see doing 10 to 12 or even 15 on the first warmup, but you almost have to lower the reps for the work sets or else you'll be doing light weights, well at least for us mortals with average genetics and not on gear...