Is Pyramid Training As BAD As People Say?

Pyramid training has gotten a bad rap in recent years, with the rise of either ultra specific powerlifting style training or the popularity of double progressions for bodybuilders.

But perhaps using multiple different rep ranges and percentages in a single workout could be a good idea to put on muscle and grow your work capacity.

Check out Boostcamp App here, with two of my programs as well as a lot of other great ones too!

00:00 Geoff Says Hello
00:26 What Is Pyramid Training?
01:37 Common Criticisms Of It
04:15 You Should Be At Least “OK” At Reps
05:32 Boostcamp!
06:32 Benefits Of Pyramid Training
10:05 Drawbacks Of Pyramid Training
11:30 Don’t Fear Fatigue
12:00 Check Out My Books They’re Nice

Book 1: SWEAT
Book 2: Ring Training For Hypertrophy
Book 3: Resurrecting Your Gains

Can check the site for full Tables Of Contents of each book. Appreciate the support!

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[GVS]

For way more about programming check out my books! Site has the full tables of contents.

Book 1: SWEAT
Book 2: Ring Training For Hypertrophy
Book 3: Resurrecting Your Gains

[thatwallscominggirl]

Your first timestamp always says "Geoff Says Hello" but he never actually does if you think about it.

[danielray]

for me, it also comes down to confidence. Not only are you more prepared for the "top" sets, you can also gauge your strength better and it introduces rep variability by default

[Fazlifts]

Very relevant: I've actually been doing this recently! Just a regular pyramid with around 5 sets per exercise. I'm enjoying it, feels great. Good pumps and also feels very safe.

08:05 hehe

[dmanzawsome]

I think that a warmpup + reverse pyramid may be one of the most time efficient ways to build a base of both strength and muscle at the same time. after a year or two u should probably choose strength or hypertrophy but its an amazing hybrid aproach to build a base.

[davidruth]

Pyramids with ascending weight and descending reps are the most efficient. The earlier work set(s) act as the warmup. The drop in performance doesn’t matter in hypertrophy. So long as it’s a load you could do no more than 30 reps with hypertrophy will be optimized. The heaviest set in a pyramid will be significantly more than your 30 rm max, previous sets or not.

[Bigbluemeanie]

Off topic question but have you ever done a video talking about what it's like to live in China? I'm genuinely curious.

[brianmcnichols]

I'll do pyramids on isolation exercises. Usually when I forget my target weight on the cable machine on the 1st set. A big advantage on any exercises is just to mix things up to keep the same routine from getting boring.

[Mercury]

Man! You had me worried! For a moment there I thought you weren't gonna show Snoop when you said "joints" 😂

[nmnate]

I like reverse pyramid training for a few of my main compounds. I can do 3 or 4 quick warmup sets to gauge how my joints are feeling, hit a heavy top set (3-5 reps, maybe), back down a bit, and hit a set of 8-12 and then finish with a set of 15+. I'm usually very sore from working out that way. I get to be really fresh for hitting the heavy stuff and the later sets don't beat up my joint. If I need a little more volume, I can just put in a little more stuff in the middle, or do a working set before I get to my top set.

[zenlifestyleandmannersshow]

All I’m gonna say is the craziest bench pressers I’ve ever met/known in person (not some Instagram freak somewhere across the globe) are all boomers who strictly do pyramid workouts for bench.

[joeldoxtator]

What I get from this is that most people are afraid of doing volume work.
You know, the thing that actually builds muscle....
Social media has everyone thinking they have to lift more than last time all the time.
No.
Do more volume than last time.
As long as you are pushing yourself every set, you will grow.
Diamond pyramids are a perfect way to make sure you are in fact pushing yourself while also getting a truck ton of volume.

[deanbell]

Set 1 15-20
Set 2 12-15
Set 3 10-12
Set 4 8-10
Set 5 5-8
That’s how I have mainly trained but adding weight every set isn’t a must for example on incline smith the other day I did 10kg a side (first excersise first set more of a warm up) for 20 then put a plate on did 15 then went to 30kg only hit 10 so I knew if I added weight I would fall out of my desired rep range for tjay next set, sometimes you just need to be smart I think that’s what puts people off pyramid training thinking they HAVE to add weight each set. The weight on the bar is a tool 10/10 technique with appropriate effort with consistency is always what wins

[ordinaryhuman]

I'm liking the reverse pyramid training so far. Doing the heavy set first works well for me, because I tend to struggle on later heavy sets. Like, I'm pretty sure it shouldn't be possible to do straight sets of <x> reps if <x> is difficult to do for a single set. So just focusing on hitting that one heavy set as hard as you can makes sense to me. And then reducing the weight and going hard again is a lot simpler than trying to figure out what <x> weight will allow you get whatever arbitrary RPE/RIR you want for the <n> sets with <y> reps you want.

It just feels like the best of both worlds. You get a hard heavy set, and then lighter sets for extra volume that are still difficult due to the fatigue from the heavy set. That 3rd set of squats is brutal even if the weight looks light at first glance because you're f'd up from the first 2 sets.

[Stephentraininglog]

I’ve had a lot of success and gotten the best of both worlds with reverse pyramids where each set gets its own double progression. I can still push for 3-6 rep prs on my top sets while getting the benefits of the higher rep ranges on subsequent sets. Plus, adding volume is not too difficult because subsequent sets get continually lighter and lighter, so 100% getting more out of less weight

[tbunny]

Pyramid training works very well . I went from 160 lbs to 190 lbs at 5'9 naturally maintaining the same body fat % in two years doing pyramid training. My father in his 30's went from 170 lbs to 210 lbs also 5'9 and natty but with slightly higher body fat in five years also doing pyramid . It works and honestly it works well.

[HerculesFit]

Pyramid training builds size and work capacity like no other... The varied rep range and warm joints can't be beat 💪

[someguy]

im into the last block of Bromley's KONG program, and the pyramids definitely work, it's just all about the effort. Just because you might not lift the max amount of weight at the top set doesn't really matter. you might need to be fresh to display maximal strength, but lifting heavy in a fatigued state is still going to get you stronger, ESPECIALLY if you've never pushed yourself in that fatigued state. my work capacity is definitely through the roof and when i go back to a program that focuses more on peaking and being more fresh my numbers will explode.

[adamsloane]

Great, well-thought-out points, as always. Work capacity is everything. My reps used to go down a lot from set to set, whether I went up in weight or stuck to the same weight. I just kept at it, and now I don't have the problem. In fact, I often get stronger from the first through the third work set, which is why ascending weights make sense. Your neural drive (or excitation (blush)) improves each set, so you can add a little weight from set to set and still get a fair number of reps. If I just do a warmup and jump to a heavy weight, I don't get the neural advantages. Decades ago, Arnold explained his pyramid scheme. He said the first two high rep sets (15 and 12) were his warmups, so not to failure. Then he went to town on the 10, 8, and 6 rep sets.

[marcmcphee]

Egypt seems like a hot place to train. 🔥 🤔