SET TRAINING TECHNIQUES FOR RAPID SIZE AND STRENGTH

There is currently no shortage of exercises available on the open training market today. Like most things related to the training industry, it's more than safe to say that we have tipped the scales one way and offered arguably far too many exercises for physical development and athletic improvement purposes while simultaneously neglecting other viable options for other significant training factors in the process. One of those factors is "set type" training options. Below you will receive a brief list of how to approach your training sets during training to potentially allow faster and unique progress.

Set Type #1: Single Sets

Now, when is it ever necessary to simply prescribe to you, your athlete, or your client just one single set of an exercise? Outside of extreme deconditioning scenarios where you or someone else is severely out of shape or fatigued and only capable of performing one high-quality set, you could almost say that single sets are never an ideal training option. Moreover, research has shown that in the context of size and strength development, multiple sets are vastly superior to single sets. Moving on...

Set Type #2: Multiple Sets

As I just alluded to above, multiple sets are a very effective and recognized approach to training in any exercise. It allows for a potentiation or stimulation effect of the muscles, where you progressively increase the number and rate of all fibers being recruited with each subsequent set. Rarely are you going to peak your performance with one single effort or set.  There needs to be an escalation of effort across multiple sets to eventually arrive at your best physical output.

Set Type #3: Cluster Sets

I just recently finished up a solid piece on Cluster sets that you can visit here for more specific detail on the matter:https://www.stack.com/a/cluster-sets-for-strength-and-performance/ Cluster sets are really just intra-sets or multiple sets within a total standardized set, which naturally elicit a greater level of muscular contraction and greater strength output to help raise performance. These approaches are great for somebody who is extremely strong to limit fatigue. Mark Rippetoe showed a study in his book Starting Strength that revealed erratic force display and coordination levels after 5 rep maxes. Moreover, beginners will be psychologically unaccustomed to both the psychological and physical stress of lifting heavy, so chunking up training volumes with cluster sets is an excellent avenue to take with this training population as well.

Set Type #4: Stimulation Sets

A stimulation set is going to be a limited range of motion, supra-maximal approach to your set in an attempt to drive up the recruitment of more muscle mass without the expense of losing precious high-effort alactic energy stores in the process. For example, if you are looking to set a personal record in the bench press, you could try to hold 110-120% of your projected one rep max for 5-10 seconds while trying to sustain maximal tension across your entire body.  No hard and fast rules or conversions on this one. Just give your body a taste of the brief overload without actually doing any of the work.

Set Type #5: Drop Sets

Drop sets are an absolute classic in weightlifting culture and are one of the best ways to create an incredible pump to the muscle after you have completed heavy work and focus more on metabolic fatigue in your workouts to achieve optimal muscle-building results, according to empirical research and real-world evidence. Pushups are one of the most suitable exercises for drop sets. Begin at a particular weight, and once you reach failure, de-load slightly, and once failure ensues, de-load once more. Once failure comes, then alter your leverage to any easier bodyweight position (i.e. pushups from knees) and attempt as many reps as possible for one more round. Please note, drop sets are more of a CrossFit-like "challenge" based exercise.  As such, you should be smart and use this approach sparingly, as lower intensity high volume approaches have shown to be pretty problematic for precious connective tissue and their innately slower recovery rates.

Set type #6: Pyramid Sets

Another classic approach in the context of weightlifting can be used in a number of ways. Pyramid your reps up (4-6-8-10) with matching intensity percentages each set to create potentially more work to be achieved with moderate reps when focused on building muscle and strength endurance. This works very well if you are primarily an intermediate to advanced level lifter. Pyramid Sets are also great for maximal strength if you are a beginner level lifter as well. Utilize the opposite sequence and scale reps in a downward trajectory to intensify and prepare for more of a strength-oriented lifting day if you prefer.

Set type #7-Ascending Sets

Ascending sets are great for beginner to intermediate level lifters who are looking to acquire size and strength, but not so much for advanced lifters.  Reason being that there is a sustained moderate rep amount with increasing intensity.  Only the strongest and most durable can perform regularly with this type of approach without breaking form, getting hurt down the road, or create too much fatigue.  Advanced lifters should use back-off sets primarily to remove the aforementioned issues, and I will be covering that one shortly, so stay tuned.  But for now, just know that Ascending sets involve selecting a target rep number for your given lift (i.e., 5 reps) and increasing the poundage in each subsequent set.  The beauty of this style of lifting is that it allows a "ramp-up" strategy that can eventually maximize your muscle recruitment and strength levels when you eventually transition from warmup weights to working weights, which is going to cause adaptation and get you stronger.  Also, if you aren't psychologically dialed in for whatever reason that day, and this will happen, it allows more time to get your ass in gear and be at your best when the time comes to lift your heavy targeted weight.

Set Type #8-Back-Off Sets

Much like Drop Sets, this style of lifting, which I alluded to previously, will involve a natural regression in intensity once heavy targeted sets are completed for the day that involve maximal effort.  Ideal for advanced lifters but useful for anyone, it allows you to limit fatigue over time and sustain gains over the long-term while preventing common pitfalls in training, such as burnout.  Moreover, you can still train at appropriate intensities to promote greater technical refinement, coordination, endurance, and size.  Many who lift heavy will also come by this approach naturally if you are new to the theme.

Set Type #9-Giant Sets

Now is where we venture outside of traditional hardcore powerlifting methods and explore more fat loss and hypertrophy-based techniques, which also serve a purpose. Giant Sets are extremely metabolic and allow you to acquire tremendous amounts of training volume in a very short period of time across multiple rounds, which will help keep you lean, in great shape, focused, and dispose of body fat if that's your goal at the moment. Here is an example:

A!. Military Press

A2.Front Squat

A3.Chinup

A4.Trap Bar Deadlift

Set Type #10-Classic Supersets

Pretty much everyone will probably be familiar with this type of set training, and I'm just covering it really for the sake of completeness.  With supersets, you really have two styles that you can integrate into a workout. "Opposing Supersets" or "Non-Opposing Supersets." Opposing supersets consist of using exercises that train muscle groups that are opposite of one another (i.e., Bench Press and Inverted Row). The theory and thought process here is that by performing one exercise, you will create what is called "Reciprocal Innervation" in the opposing muscle group.  In other words, contracting your pecs and associated muscles in the bench press will automatically stretch, store more energy, and increase the activation of the opposing back muscles, and also cause temporary relaxation and recovery which will boost performance when you do the selected back exercise next. "Non-Opposing Supersets," are great for fat loss purposes due to "The Peripheral Heart Action Effect." This function was termed by Dr. Michael Clarke from The National Academy of Sports Medicine. Also, certain pairings can yield improved performance in each exercise with strategic selection. For example pairing a hip and back exercise can enhance one another since the anatomy of each is tied together often times.

Well that covers just about every set training technique that I can think of or have experimented with my clients and athletes over nearly twenty years. I truly hope that you find several of them fun, challenging, and helpful on your journey to your best self.

Till next time.