Set of Focus Loading

For those who prefer pyramiding your poundages and your reps, I am going to offer a training strategy that you can consider using. Many lifters focus their attention on trying to make progress on the top set, which is the heaviest set of the pyramid. At the same time, they may ignore any methodology for progressively adding weight the sets that lead up to the top set. In this article, I am going to give you a strategy for periodizing the various sets of the pyramid. This plan can be used for beginners, intermediates, or advance lifters. The difference between the groups will be in the rate of gain. The examples in this article refer to someone who wants to gain 30 to 60 pounds of strength over the course of a year, but with a little imagination it could be adjusted to gain faster for beginners.

The strategy is based on starting with a base workout that is defined by the following characteristics:

• Three work sets will be done which consist of 10 reps, 8 reps, and 6 reps.
• The weight will be increased from set to set.
• The starting level of intensity should be about  three to four reps short of failure for each set. This means you should be able to do at least 13 reps, 11 reps, and 9 reps if you pushed each set to failure, but you will stop at 10 reps, 8 reps, and 6 reps for your sets.
• Three workouts per week will be done for each muscle group or exercise.  
• The warm up sets are not included in the pyramid. I recommend three to four warm up sets with light weights using three to five reps per set. 

If you consider the information listed for the basic workout so far, an example of a basic squat workout would be as follows:

Warm up Sets

1^st warm up set: 95 pounds for 5 reps

2^nd warm up set, 115 pounds for 5 reps

3^rd warm up set: 135 pounds for 5 reps

4^th warm up set 155 pounds for 3 reps

Three Work Sets

1^st set: Use 185 pounds for 10 reps

2^nd set: Use 200 pounds for 8 reps

3^rd set: Use 215 pounds for 6 reps

Once you have established a base workout with poundages that fit your personal strength level, the next step is to divide your workouts into three phases. Each phase will take three weeks, which means that it will take nine weeks to complete an entire cycle of all three phases. If you increase your lifts by five pounds every nine weeks, you will be about thirty pounds stronger within a year, and you will be sixty pounds stronger if you increase by ten pounds every nine weeks.  

Phase 1: Target the 1^st set for loading

During the first phase, the first set with 185 pounds for ten reps will be targeted for loading and progression. This will be done by adding one pound to the first set every workout for nine workouts across three weeks (order fractional weight plates online if you don’t already have them. Fractional weight plates make it much easier to keep gaining strength). The poundage of the first set is listed as 185 pounds and will increase one pound at a time to 194 pounds by the ninth workout. If you add two pounds to the ninth workout, which is the last workout of phase one, you will be using 195 pounds. At the same time, you will still be using 200 pounds for your second set, and 215 pounds for your third set.

Readjust the 1^st Set if Necessary

When starting the second phase, you have two options for what to do with your first set depending on your projected rate of gain. If you think you can gain 10 pounds of strength over the course of nine weeks, you can just keep using 195 pounds for your first set throughout phase two and three. If you think you can only gain five pounds of strength over the course of nine weeks, you will cut back to 190 pounds on your first set and use it throughout phase two and phase three.

Phase 2: Target the 2^nd set for loading

During the second phase you will target the second set for loading by adding one pound per workout across nine workouts. This will take the second set from 200 pound to 209 pounds by the end of phase two, but you can add two pounds to your last workout to bring it up to 210 pounds.

When starting the third phase, you can leave the second set at 210 pounds for a ten pound strength gain, or you can reset back to 205 pounds if your goal is a five pound strength gain over nine weeks.

Phase 3: Target the 3^rd set for loading

During the third phase, you will target the third set for loading by adding one pound per workout across the last three weeks of the nine week cycle. This will take the third set from 215 pounds to 225 pounds if you load the same way you did in the previous two phases.

When starting the nine week cycle again, you can leave the third set at 225 pounds or reset back to 220 pounds depending on the rate at which you can gain strength.

The Right Starting Point is Key

The key to this form of training is to start with poundages that you know you can handle and to systematically add weight in a way that makes it easy for your body to adapt to the added weight. If you do it right, you will start each new nine week cycle with the same level of effort, even though weight is slowly being added from one cycle to the next. The goal isn’t too make your workouts harder and harder as you add more weight, but to add weight without the workouts feeling as though they are becoming harder. This will happen if you gain strength at the same rate at which you are adding weight. 

You can adjust this method of training to whatever poundages and rep schemes you happen to use, and you can also adjust how much you add from workout to workout in order to fit your own rate of gain. Just pick one set to focus on at a time. Once you make progress with one set, focus on progressing with a different set. Progressing in this manner will make it easy for your body to adapt to the added weight. If you choose to apply the set of focus method, use it in whatever way happens to suit your own training and adjust it to meet your own needs. Best of training to you.