There comes that day in every bodybuilder’s life where you hit that dreaded plateau. Your normal “beast mode” routines just aren’t kicking it anymore. You’re striving for more mass, yet nothing is happening. You’re stuck. What do you do???
Usually a change up in your old routine with a replacement of an advanced workout will get you to the next level.
Among the best routines to employ would be pyramid training.
How Does Pyramid Training Work?
The way pyramid training works is very simple. You perform a series of high rep exercises with a light amount of weight. For example, you could perform 20 reps of dumbbell curls at 15 lbs.
Once you complete the set, you will take a quick breather and move to the next set which would be 15 reps at 20 lbs. Take another break and then do 12 reps at 25 lbs. This progression could continue with 10/30 lbs, 8/35 lbs, 6/40 lbs, and 4/45 lbs. Of course, this is only one example of how you could structure such a training workout.There are many other creative ways in which a pyramid workout can be performed to take you to the next level.
Top 7 Benefits of Pyramid Training Workouts
The concept of pyramid training seems relatively easy to comprehend. Yet, you may be questioning the real benefits.
Here are seven of the major ones:
1. Through employing a diversity of weights and reps, your body does not become used to a standard routine. Once the body starts to get used to a weightlifting routine, it stops reacting to it. That means you cease to experience noticeable gains from your sessions. Pyramid training helps eliminate such plateaus through providing a more dynamic workout.
2. Pyramid training helps keep you from becoming mentally bored or burned out with your workout sessions. It is not just the body that reacts poorly to the same old workout. The mind ends up becoming more than a bit worn out with such repetition. When you become bored with your workouts, you stop putting the proper amount of effort into them. Pyramid training can add some new life to those dull workout days.
3. The lightweight exercises that commence the workout can act as an effective warm-up. The warm-up helps prime the muscles for the heavier lifting that will come at the end of the pyramid session.
4. As a means of packing on mass, it would be tough to top pyramid training in terms of results. This is because those last few short reps with heavy weight can help stimulate muscle growth immensely.
5. Mass is not the only benefit gained from pyramid training. The short reps with heavy weight will also contribute to the development of functional strength. When strength levels are increased, a person’s quality of life may improve.
6. There is great diversity among the different exercises you can perform in a pyramid training routine. Whether you wish to perform compound exercises or isolation exercises, you can do so easily.
7. Pyramid workouts are also quite easy to perform and do not require a significant time commitment. For the person that has a busy schedule and is always on the go, pyramid training may provide the perfect means of getting in an effective workout in a short session.
Pyramid Training’s Long History of Success
Pyramid workouts are nothing new. They have been around quite some time in bodybuilding circles. In fact, pyramid training was a very popular method of packing on mass among competitors for the Mr. Olympia back in the 1970′s. The reason the training was so popular was due to the fact it delivered pronounced results. This is why so many professional bodybuilders still use it a great deal today.
Anyone looking for a reliable and effective mass gaining workout program will find pyramid training to be beneficial.
Written by: Tristan “Lucky”