Pyramiding is a useful technique commonly employed to organize and maximize your workouts. Basically, pyramiding refers to gradually increasing or decreasing the number of reps being performed and/or the amount of weight being used from set to set. There are many methods and techniques that make use of pyramiding. Let’s take a look at a few examples to give you an idea of how to work pyramiding into your routine.
One commonly used pyramiding method is involves decreasing the amount of reps being performed while simultaneously increasing the weight being used from set to set. For instance, let’s say you’re doing standing dumbbell curls. Your 4 set routine might look something like this:
-Warmup set-
Set 1
25lbs. - 15 reps
Set 2
30lbs. - 12 reps
Set 3
35lbs. - 10 reps
Set 4
40lbs. - 8 reps
You could also theoretically reverse this technique and up the reps while steadily decreasing the weight each set. Additionally, if you’re an advanced lifter and you like performing a lot of sets of one exercise (like 8-10 or so), you can go really wild with it and apply the theory forward and reverse like so:
Set 1
25lbs. - 15 reps
Set 2
30lbs. - 12 reps
Set 3
35lbs. - 10 reps
Set 4
40lbs. - 8 reps
Set 5
35lbs. - 10 reps
Set 6
30lbs. - 12 reps
Set 7
25lbs. - 15 reps
Set 8
20lbs. - to failure
Another pyramiding method involves keeping the repetitions constant while gradually decreasing the weight used. For each set, you will lower the amount of weight *just* enough so that you can perform the target number of reps. It’s also possible to start light and pyramid the weight up, again keeping the reps constant (Set 1 would 50% of your 10 rep max, Set 2 75%, and Set 3 100% of your 10 rep maximum). Research has shown that pyramiding the weight up results in a slightly greater increase in strength than pyramiding the weight down, but you should incorporate both methods into your workouts, cycling them every 6-8 weeks.
That’s also a good note to end on: keep things fresh. All of these pyramiding techniques have theories behind them (for instance, starting with your heaviest weight first has you lifting the most weight when you’re freshest while decreasing the reps while simultaneously increasing the weight has you working both the slow-twitch [low weight, high rep] and fast-twitch [heavy weight, low rep] muscle fibers throughout the course of your sets), but the main goal is the same: to keep your muscles guessing and prevent your workouts from becoming stale. It’s the only way to avoid stagnancy and plateaus.
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