I love this method personally. There's one thing I'll add though from personal experience and from what I've learned from other coaches, and that's that, while I'm not advanced or focused on powerlifting specifically-more general strength and size-I use top set singles with backoff sets and find it excellent. Using a single at 90% is usually enough to progress. 90% is usually 4-6 reps in an AMRAP set, but 1 rep is enough.
Down sets are so useful. Sometime you just know you need to do more volume but another heavy set will just crush you. I'd love to see one of these on intensity techniques.
The reason why I love this method is it allows to manage fatigue really well. If don’t use top sets just for singles, but for the rep range I’m working in. I’m in my 10s phase rn and this method has allowed to go past my last PR. Hit 70kg x 10 RPE 9 on the OHP which puts it at an estimated 100kg 1rm and I think ill be able to do 72.5 next week
Good stuff. I do this method differently. Example- Back day: 1 set ×5 reps weighted pull up Back off set bw pull-ups 1 set ×8 hammer pull-down 1 set x 12 hammer pull-down 1 set x 5 t bar row 1 set x 12 t bar rows Etc. All sets are to failure, or maybe a rep shy depending on safety of exercise. Drop sets, rest pause, etc are added throughout the meso. Isolation done lighter and for straight sets. I've always understood top set, Back off to be a way of getting max intensity on multiple movement patterns per muscle group per session, and going to failure or close is a must, and the whole reason to use this method. John meadows did it this way, and it's very effective for gaining strength , muscle, and not going stale or bored.
new split recommendation you can work out its unique and i know you like that :) 3 day training per week, instead of doing boring full body you can do the following.. monday-upper, wednesday lower, friday - full body (for example). thats much more enjoying, more flexible, every muscle 2 times a week, you can specialize much more on specific bodyparts this way, just a huge improvement over the average full body 3 day split in my experience..great video again doc 👍
Hey Doc, will you tell us your max weight on lifts? Trying to see how strong guys are and if hypertrophy is legit. Most ripped muscly guys are also pretty damn strong.
I came across a Torso, Legs and Arms (4 day split) pretty much and upper, lower but arms are on leg day but I was wondering if you could do a 5 day hybrid of this split and an arnold split. Thank you so much for your content 💪
5 Day Arnold x Torso, Limbs Hybrid Day 1 Chest, Back Day 2 Shoulders, Arms Day 3 Legs Day 4 Torso (Chest, Back Shoulders) Day 5 Limbs (Legs and Arms) I was wondering how you would lay this split out
Great video like always - got a random question, have you tried gorilla mode nitric? been wanting to try it but not sure if it’s worth as a pre workout. would appreciate your thoughts, thanks doc
From my experience, feel like straight set can create a really high fatique. The rpe can ramp up to 6 7 8 on the first week. Back off set is a nice way to prevent this because top set with 4 reps. @6 back off with 10% ish with 4 reps will have rpe around 6 or lower. In tradition straight set, by week 4 the fatique will be too high to continue progression. While you can hit a decent top set @9 or 9.5
I do a top set, followed by two rest-pasue sets (for example: 9 reps, rest 20 sec, 4 reps, rest 20 sec, 3 reps)... so that's a total of 16 reps. My goal next workout is to beat that number (16) untill I get 20 reps, than I will increase the weight. I don't use this method for Deadlift and wouldn't recommend that either to anyone.
I love this method. It got my bench to 250. Although the gap in my rep ranges between the top set and back off sets can be kinda wide. As in 1-3 for the top set and then back off sets as high as 6-10. Do you think that’s a bad idea?
I'm just curious how time consuming it is to use for a main lift. Warming to a top set, for me it would be 3 to 4 sets with shorter breaks at the same rep range as the top set, then the top set 3-5 of reps, and then let's say 3 back off sets with 6 to 10 reps. But i find it very time consuming. So what i have done last time I ran the big 5 lifts was the opposite, as the sets progress, the weight goes up and the reps drop, from 12 to 5/6 in like 4 sets (around 2 each) and more autoregulation for the weight of every set. When the top set increase, i focus on bringing up the rest of the sets.
I have a question about strength training for bench press. You mentioned that strength training has high fatigue and connective tissue stress and I understand that for squat and deadlift but whenever I bench I always do sets of 5 at RPE 10 but never really experience these things. I train with friends so I always have a spotter but is there anything wrong with training bench to failure? Will I get better results of I train at lower intensity? Right now I'm benching 195 for 5 at a bodyweight of 165 so I think I would be considered intermediate.
When I discovered this method aka reverse pyramid training, It changed everything. I'm never going to high volume straight sets, traditional HIT or 5x5 again. This is it! My body just gives me a big yes! with this style of training
@@steelphantom9105 I've come to a full body twice a week program of squat/push/pull/hinge/shoulders/arms and between my A and B I have a full body isolation day which is much briefer and only one set to failure. Works for me
Dock I just did my surgery for my nose ( nasal polyp remover ) and the doctor said I need a 2 month break from working out . How much gains would I lose if I stopped working out for 2 months ?
No. It's not even the same. Pyramid would mean multiple weights being used (going up or down). This is using one top heavy set, then one weight for the back of set(s)
There are so many good programs. My goal is PURELY for hypertrophy and an aesthetic physique, and I have been training consistently for over a year. I am looking for a program that targets everything with good volume, that includes chest, upper back, Lats, biceps, triceps, delts, upper traps, quads, calves, glutes, hamstrings, and abs. Are there any programs that you recommend for my goal? Btw I accept programs out side of yours such as Jeff Nippard’s programs.
@@DrSwole Great! I just looked at your Push, Pull, Legs, Upper, Lower split and I found the volume and frequency fitting for my experience. I liked the exercise selection, and made a small change of replacing the deadlifts on the last lower day with hip thrusts or cable pull-throughs! Thanks for making all of this free 🙏. I would pay dozens for this lol, keep up the great work, you’re helping lots of people! 🤛
@@DrSwole btw Dr. Swole, do you know how I can use periodization with this workout routine? Do I change exercises, rep ranges, intensity, etc. What do you recommend me doing in order to better organize it into mesocycles?
I have a question about time vs. stimulus. What's your opinion on how long someone should be in the gym on a given day? For example, I go 6 days a week for about 1-1.5 hours every day, but still feel relatively fatigued after finishing. Conversely, most competitive body builders I know are quite adamant about the 2-3 hour, 2-a-days.
I think somewhereIn the range of 1 to 1.5 hours is ideal for natural bodybuilders. When you get beyond two hours you start having decreased productivity other work out
I understand, thanks for your input! There is a gentleman at my gym who I have been watching recently and he spends an entire day at the gym, but he uses relatively light weight (excluding bench), so I had been wondering about it for a couple of weeks.
@@DrSwole so for the session, i did 3 sets of 3 for my max on the bench, thats what i can get. Then hypertrophy did incline dumbbells heaviest still with good good form for 5-6 reps; 2 sets, finished with high to low 10-15 reps for lower coastal. Its okay to keep barbell bench low reps anyways ? Since other chest movements are in hypertrophy #’s.
@@DrSwole i think from a log booking point of view its been exceptionally convenient and due to my low volume high intensity approach towards hypertrophy it suits me better...love your content btw
Thank you for your time first and for most (Example bicep curls) I used to do 4 sets of high weight (my max 40lbs) 6-8 reps. Then 2 sets of 4 reps 5 pound above max. (45lbs) If I want to introduce this method would I start at 3 reps of 5 pounds more than normal heavy weight (45lbs)then dropping about 5 punds the next 2 sets (40-35 lbs) and increasing reps till failure lower weight more reps?
![[FULL EP.16] เซียนพาลุย "เผือก-ฟรอยด์" กรี๊ดลั่น จนปูหนี | เฮ็ดอย่างเซียนหรั่ง | One Playground](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FsqUvwS3b-Y/mqdefault.jpg)
More on pyramid sets vs straight sets here: th-cam.com/video/jCLgz43pElo/w-d-xo.html
I love this method personally. There's one thing I'll add though from personal experience and from what I've learned from other coaches, and that's that, while I'm not advanced or focused on powerlifting specifically-more general strength and size-I use top set singles with backoff sets and find it excellent. Using a single at 90% is usually enough to progress. 90% is usually 4-6 reps in an AMRAP set, but 1 rep is enough.
Appreciate the input! That's a good point - one doesn't have to go that close to failure to still get a good strength stimulus
Down sets are so useful. Sometime you just know you need to do more volume but another heavy set will just crush you.
I'd love to see one of these on intensity techniques.
Yeah they’re great!
I’ve done one on intensity techniques! th-cam.com/video/1NTAoiDR-hE/w-d-xo.html
The reason why I love this method is it allows to manage fatigue really well. If don’t use top sets just for singles, but for the rep range I’m working in. I’m in my 10s phase rn and this method has allowed to go past my last PR. Hit 70kg x 10 RPE 9 on the OHP which puts it at an estimated 100kg 1rm and I think ill be able to do 72.5 next week
It’s solid!
Was thinking about this method just today to implement into my training, and I see you posted this video! Great timing
👌🏼
Good stuff. I do this method differently. Example-
Back day:
1 set ×5 reps weighted pull up
Back off set bw pull-ups
1 set ×8 hammer pull-down
1 set x 12 hammer pull-down
1 set x 5 t bar row
1 set x 12 t bar rows
Etc.
All sets are to failure, or maybe a rep shy depending on safety of exercise.
Drop sets, rest pause, etc are added throughout the meso.
Isolation done lighter and for straight sets.
I've always understood top set, Back off to be a way of getting max intensity on multiple movement patterns per muscle group per session, and going to failure or close is a must, and the whole reason to use this method. John meadows did it this way, and it's very effective for gaining strength , muscle, and not going stale or bored.
It’s a versatile technique!
And yes it can be used on multiple movement patterns in a workout depending on the exercises
new split recommendation you can work out its unique and i know you like that :) 3 day training per week, instead of doing boring full body you can do the following.. monday-upper, wednesday lower, friday - full body (for example). thats much more enjoying, more flexible, every muscle 2 times a week, you can specialize much more on specific bodyparts this way, just a huge improvement over the average full body 3 day split in my experience..great video again doc 👍
Thanks man! That one isn’t my favorite because of asymmetric fatigue distribution
@@DrSwole youl`ll miss out a very great alternative for many many guys just like me, please give it a try, your subscribers will love it for sure :)
I just started utilizing Top Set/Back off set for weighted bodyweight exercises. You get the best of both worlds.
It works well!
Nice one Dr. Swole! 💪 Seems like a great transition from straight sets.
Thanks man!
Yeah it’s a really useful technique
This method makes me stronger; I can do 3x10 with more weight after a top set of 5 than in a usual 3x10. How? 😆
There’s some potentiation effect from lifting heavy at the beginning as well
Ie it primes your body for lifting heavier
@@DrSwole Cool, I will look that up 🤓
Hey Doc, will you tell us your max weight on lifts? Trying to see how strong guys are and if hypertrophy is legit. Most ripped muscly guys are also pretty damn strong.
I like top set of 5, followed by 3 sets of 10 for volume
Solid
Just look at this Physique, nice
Thanks my friend!
For Bench press I was thinking of doing:
Top setX1: 3-5
Back offX5: 6-10
Would this be effective?
Yes that sounds reasonable if you can recover from the volume!
I came across a Torso, Legs and Arms (4 day split) pretty much and upper, lower but arms are on leg day but I was wondering if you could do a 5 day hybrid of this split and an arnold split. Thank you so much for your content 💪
Not sure what you mean. What split exactly are you proposing?
5 Day Arnold x Torso, Limbs Hybrid
Day 1 Chest, Back
Day 2 Shoulders, Arms
Day 3 Legs
Day 4 Torso (Chest, Back Shoulders)
Day 5 Limbs (Legs and Arms)
I was wondering how you would lay this split out
@@chunkymonkey3726 that would be similar to my Arnold x upper lower split!
@@chunkymonkey3726 you can look that video up
I just do 5/3/1+FSL
How long should you be resting between back off sets and do you decrease the weight evry set or just after your top set?
You need more subscribers
Thanks man! Help me share the channel around
Great video like always - got a random question, have you tried gorilla mode nitric? been wanting to try it but not sure if it’s worth as a pre workout. would appreciate your thoughts, thanks doc
I haven’t
Amazing video! How many warm up sets do you typically do before that top set ?
I discuss warming up here th-cam.com/video/n0fCycacX6E/w-d-xo.html
From my experience, feel like straight set can create a really high fatique. The rpe can ramp up to 6 7 8 on the first week. Back off set is a nice way to prevent this because top set with 4 reps. @6 back off with 10% ish with 4 reps will have rpe around 6 or lower.
In tradition straight set, by week 4 the fatique will be too high to continue progression. While you can hit a decent top set @9 or 9.5
Yes back off sets can be used to control fatigue as well 👌🏼
@@paulchristie3306 basically try 3x4 @ 80% vs 1x4@ 80% and 3x4 @ 72%. You will notice the latter is easier to recover
Hey Dr. swole. How would you recommend dropping weight for db bench? 10lb?
so it's good for strenght mixed with hypertrophy ? because all set lead to hypertrophy when it goes close to failure ! Henneman's size principle
This is great. Is this only applied to squats, bench and deadlifts?
Nope it can apply to other big compounds too
In your programs there arent any top and back off sets right ? Is it better to do like a straight set 4x5-8 ?
On your 4 x split I do two days light weight the other two heavy 💪
Solid appraoch
Another way I have seen is something like 3 sets of 5 followed by a single back off set of 10+ reps. Is this effective?
Each set of 5 went up by a certain percentage and ended with a single back off set trying to beat 10 reps with whatever was on the bar.
In back off sets do we drop 10 percent weight after every set or just once after top set
Just once
@@DrSwole thanks bro
I do a top set, followed by two rest-pasue sets (for example: 9 reps, rest 20 sec, 4 reps, rest 20 sec, 3 reps)... so that's a total of 16 reps. My goal next workout is to beat that number (16) untill I get 20 reps, than I will increase the weight.
I don't use this method for Deadlift and wouldn't recommend that either to anyone.
Rest pause can be an efficient way to train !
But how i will start my workout with very heavy weights? How should i warm up for it?
Hello, have you ever done a video about a detailed training for body recomp at home please ? I couldn’t find it . Thank you so much
Yes I have!
th-cam.com/video/EwlinSla4sU/w-d-xo.html
@@DrSwole I already watched this one excellent... but im looking for a detailed workout, sets .. etc
@@dafatimazahra2399 the training is basically the same as for bulking
Nice 👍
Thanks 🙏🏼
I love this method. It got my bench to 250. Although the gap in my rep ranges between the top set and back off sets can be kinda wide. As in 1-3 for the top set and then back off sets as high as 6-10. Do you think that’s a bad idea?
I think that’s totally viable
Lots of different ways it can work
I'm just curious how time consuming it is to use for a main lift.
Warming to a top set, for me it would be 3 to 4 sets with shorter breaks at the same rep range as the top set, then the top set 3-5 of reps, and then let's say 3 back off sets with 6 to 10 reps. But i find it very time consuming.
So what i have done last time I ran the big 5 lifts was the opposite, as the sets progress, the weight goes up and the reps drop, from 12 to 5/6 in like 4 sets (around 2 each) and more autoregulation for the weight of every set. When the top set increase, i focus on bringing up the rest of the sets.
That’s fine as long as you’re progressing well
Lots of ways to program. Top set back offs are decently time efficient
@@DrSwole would you do warm ups with short rest periods or less warm ups (bigger jumps in weight)?
@@omega383 depends on the exercise and how I’m feeling
@@omega383 If you’re working up to really heavy weights on a big compound you would take more warm-ups
Hey doc thanks for the explanation. How do I know when to add weight on the top set?
choose a rep range and when you break the rep ranges add weight
@@MagnusMackenhauerplease give an example
I have a question about strength training for bench press. You mentioned that strength training has high fatigue and connective tissue stress and I understand that for squat and deadlift but whenever I bench I always do sets of 5 at RPE 10 but never really experience these things. I train with friends so I always have a spotter but is there anything wrong with training bench to failure? Will I get better results of I train at lower intensity? Right now I'm benching 195 for 5 at a bodyweight of 165 so I think I would be considered intermediate.
At some point, backing off from failure will help
But as long as you’re making progress that’s great
When I discovered this method aka reverse pyramid training, It changed everything. I'm never going to high volume straight sets, traditional HIT or 5x5 again. This is it! My body just gives me a big yes! with this style of training
Are you using a split or full body and high or low frequency in your program?
@@steelphantom9105 I've come to a full body twice a week program of squat/push/pull/hinge/shoulders/arms and between my A and B I have a full body isolation day which is much briefer and only one set to failure. Works for me
What's the name of the man who created this program?
Dock I just did my surgery for my nose ( nasal polyp remover ) and the doctor said I need a 2 month break from working out . How much gains would I lose if I stopped working out for 2 months ?
You will lose some but they will come back quick
@@DrSwole would there be a big change in my physique ?
@@_m2904 there might be temporarily
Basically you have changed "Pyramid sets" to "THE TOP SET BACK OFF " lol
No. It's not even the same. Pyramid would mean multiple weights being used (going up or down). This is using one top heavy set, then one weight for the back of set(s)
@@JoshBenware Agreed
Pyramid sets are similar but different
There are so many good programs. My goal is PURELY for hypertrophy and an aesthetic physique, and I have been training consistently for over a year. I am looking for a program that targets everything with good volume, that includes chest, upper back, Lats, biceps, triceps, delts, upper traps, quads, calves, glutes, hamstrings, and abs. Are there any programs that you recommend for my goal? Btw I accept programs out side of yours such as Jeff Nippard’s programs.
Most of my programs are designed primarily for hypertrophy so you're at the right place
The specific program will depend on how much volume you need and how many days per week you train
@@DrSwole Great! I just looked at your Push, Pull, Legs, Upper, Lower split and I found the volume and frequency fitting for my experience. I liked the exercise selection, and made a small change of replacing the deadlifts on the last lower day with hip thrusts or cable pull-throughs! Thanks for making all of this free 🙏. I would pay dozens for this lol, keep up the great work, you’re helping lots of people! 🤛
@@DrSwole btw Dr. Swole, do you know how I can use periodization with this workout routine? Do I change exercises, rep ranges, intensity, etc. What do you recommend me doing in order to better organize it into mesocycles?
@@MichaelOhngren cheers!
I have a question about time vs. stimulus. What's your opinion on how long someone should be in the gym on a given day?
For example, I go 6 days a week for about 1-1.5 hours every day, but still feel relatively fatigued after finishing. Conversely, most competitive body builders I know are quite adamant about the 2-3 hour, 2-a-days.
I think somewhereIn the range of 1 to 1.5 hours is ideal for natural bodybuilders. When you get beyond two hours you start having decreased productivity other work out
A lot of competitive bodybuilders are enhanced, may haveCarefully designed programs, or just may be genetic outliers
I understand, thanks for your input!
There is a gentleman at my gym who I have been watching recently and he spends an entire day at the gym, but he uses relatively light weight (excluding bench), so I had been wondering about it for a couple of weeks.
If your max is 235lbs, should you two sets of 1-5 then , backoff set 6-12 ? So total of 3 total sets ?
You could!
@@DrSwole so for the session, i did 3 sets of 3 for my max on the bench, thats what i can get. Then hypertrophy did incline dumbbells heaviest still with good good form for 5-6 reps; 2 sets, finished with high to low 10-15 reps for lower coastal. Its okay to keep barbell bench low reps anyways ? Since other chest movements are in hypertrophy #’s.
Finally
👌🏼👌🏼
Ive been doing this for years without even knowing that it is something of a advance traning method😂
How had it been for you?
@@DrSwole i think from a log booking point of view its been exceptionally convenient and due to my low volume high intensity approach towards hypertrophy it suits me better...love your content btw
@@Notshashanksingh nice. And thanks!
Could I do one top set and just one back off set ? Meaning only do 2 sets ??
Yep
💯🔥
👊🏼
So similar to reverse pyramid training?
Yep
Do you do topset back off set also on isolation execises?
No I don’t
It’s better suited for strength oriented movements
@@DrSwole so only on compound movements?
@@rasmuskongsholm5690 yep
🛐🛐
Sorry but I still don’t get it :,v
Which part?
Thank you for your time first and for most
(Example bicep curls) I used to do 4 sets of high weight (my max 40lbs) 6-8 reps. Then 2 sets of 4 reps 5 pound above max. (45lbs)
If I want to introduce this method would I start at 3 reps of 5 pounds more than normal heavy weight (45lbs)then dropping about 5 punds the next 2 sets (40-35 lbs) and increasing reps till failure lower weight more reps?
@@daddy1730 I would only use this for compounds