Reps v weight

TRS30

Just started back into lifting after a few months off. Time is limited so doing 4 compound lifts, squat, deadlift, bench and barbell row, 3 times a week.

Am doing 4x6 of each and just wondering should I use the same weight for all 4 sets or a lighter weight for first 2 and then heavier for the second 2 (would probably not be able to finish last set).

Just lifting to increase strength.

Alf Veedersane

TRS30 wrote: »

Just started back into lifting after a few months off. Time is limited so doing 4 compound lifts, squat, deadlift, bench and barbell row, 3 times a week.

Am doing 4x6 of each and just wondering should I use the same weight for all 4 sets or a lighter weight for first 2 and then heavier for the second 2 (would probably not be able to finish last set).

Just lifting to increase strength.

Pick a weight you can do 4 x 6 with then increase the weight.

Hanley

Get all your sets at 4x6 for a month.

Then do a month where you add weight each set.

Then do another month where you work up to a 6RM, knock 5-10% off and then do 3x6 after.

12 weeks of training in the bag.

...of course that's assuming you can only do 4x6 and those movements (whicH I know you can't - but I'm working with what you gave)

TRS30

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Pick a weight you can do 4 x 6 with then increase the weight.

Hanley wrote: »

Get all your sets at 4x6 for a month.

Then do a month where you add weight each set.

Then do another month where you work up to a 6RM, knock 5-10% off and then do 3x6 after.

12 weeks of training in the bag.

...of course that's assuming you can only do 4x6 and those movements (which I know you can't - but I'm working with what you gave)

Thanks for the replies.

Hanley- could you explain the bits in bold please? Sorry probably obvious and me being stupid.

Hanley

TRS30 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

Hanley- could you explain the bits in bold please? Sorry probably obvious and me being stupid.

Bold 1:

In month three, let's assume you end up with 100kg as a 6RM on squats;

Squat:
60kg x5
80kg x3
90kg x2
100kg x6
85-90kg 3x6

Bold 2:

The reply was written within a very narrow set of rules - that you can ONLY do 4x6 and that you can ONLY use the exercises you listed.

In reality there's about 500,000 other ways of doing it, but I wrote a post strictly in reply to the numbers and exercises you asked for.

TRS30

Hanley wrote: »

Bold 1:

In month three, let's assume you end up with 100kg as a 6RM on squats;

Squat:
60kg x5
80kg x3
90kg x2
100kg x6
85-90kg 3x6

Bold 2:

The reply was written within a very narrow set of rules - that you can ONLY do 4x6 and that you can ONLY use the exercises you listed.

In reality there's about 500,000 other ways of doing it, but I wrote a post strictly in reply to the numbers and exercises you asked for.

Thanks again.

So using squat as an example;

Month 1

4x6 @ 60kg

Month 2

Set 1- 60kg
Set 2- 70kg
Set 3- 80kg
Set 4- 90kg

Month 3

As outlined above.

Mellor

TRS30 wrote: »

Thanks again.

So using squat as an example;

Month 1

4x6 @ 60kg

Month 2

Set 1- 60kg
Set 2- 70kg
Set 3- 80kg
Set 4- 90kg

Month 3

As outlined above.

If you are able to up the weight to 90kg in months 2, then the 60kg is very low effort.

It should be more like;

Month 1
4x6 @ 90kg

Month 2
Set 1- 60kg
Set 2- 80kg
Set 3- 90kg
Set 4- 95kg

When you complete all sets, increase the weight. Actually starting weight will be based on current 6RM

Hanley

TRS30 wrote: »

Thanks again.

So using squat as an example;

Month 1

4x6 @ 60kg

Month 2

Set 1- 60kg
Set 2- 70kg
Set 3- 80kg
Set 4- 90kg

Month 3

As outlined above.

Pretty much.

Using 100kg as CURRENT 6RM to keep things simple it'd look kind of like this;

W1 - 85kg 4x6
W2 - 90kg 4x6
W3 - 95kg 4x6
W4 - 100kg 4x6

W5 - 85/90/95/100 x6
W6 - 8 add about 2.5kg to each weight each sesh if you can

W9 - 105kg x6, 95kg 3x6
W10 - 107.5-110kg x5, 97.5kg 3x6
W11 - so on and so forth

TRS30

Mellor wrote: »

If you are able to up the weight to 90kg in months 2, then the 60kg is very low effort.

It should be more like;

Month 1
4x6 @ 90kg

Month 2
Set 1- 60kg
Set 2- 80kg
Set 3- 90kg
Set 4- 95kg

When you complete all sets, increase the weight. Actually starting weight will be based on current 6RM

Hanley wrote: »

Pretty much.

Using 100kg as CURRENT 6RM to keep things simple it'd look kind of like this;

W1 - 85kg 4x6
W2 - 90kg 4x6
W3 - 95kg 4x6
W4 - 100kg 4x6

W5 - 85/90/95/100 x6
W6 - 8 add about 2.5kg to each weight each sesh if you can

W9 - 105kg x6, 95kg 3x6
W10 - 107.5-110kg x5, 97.5kg 3x6
W11 - so on and so forth

Thanks guys.

Will work out my 6RM tonight for each exercise and then adjust above accordingly.

Hanley

TRS30 wrote: »

Thanks guys.

Will work out my 6RM tonight for each exercise and then adjust above accordingly.

You don't need to work out your 6RM.

You need to do 4 sets of 6 with a weight that you can complete all 4 sets with while being kind of challenged.

Then next week, do it again with a slightly heavier weight.

TRS30

Hanley wrote: »

You don't need to work out your 6RM.

You need to do 4 sets of 6 with a weight that you can complete all 4 sets with while being kind of challenged.

Then next week, do it again with a slightly heavier weight.

Ah ok, perfect, thanks.

Avatar MIA

Hanley wrote: »

You don't need to work out your 6RM.

You need to do 4 sets of 6 with a weight that you can complete all 4 sets with while being kind of challenged.

NEWB question - not meaning to hijack TRS30's thread, so just a slight detour.

4 sets of 6RM - does this mean doing 6 Rep Max of i.e. squats, waiting approx. 3 minutes between 6RM and repeat another 3 times?

I'm trying to figure out what certain abbreviations mean.

Thanks

Mellor

Avatar MIA wrote: »

NEWB question - not meaning to hijack TRS30's thread, so just a slight detour.

4 sets of 6RM - does this mean doing 6 Rep Max of i.e. squats, waiting approx. 3 minutes between 6RM and repeat another 3 times?

6RM does mean 6 rep max...

But the recommendation wasn't 4 sets of 6RM.
If it's a true max, then you probably won't repeat it multiple times.

Avatar MIA

Mellor wrote: »

6RM does mean 6 rep max...

But the recommendation wasn't 4 sets of 6RM.
If it's a true max, then you probably won't repeat it multiple times.

Thanks, as an example - what is 85kg 4x6 short for?

Hanley

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Thanks, as an example - what is 85kg 4x6 short for?

85kg. 4 sets of 6 reps.

We're assuming in this situation that 100kg is the most they could do for 6 reps, a "6 rep max".

In theory, you couldn't do multiple sets of 6 with 100kg if it was a true 6 rep max because you'd have no energy left to attempt it.

So in this example, they're picking a weight below their 6 rep max, and performing multiple sets of 6 reps with it.

They could probably do 8-10 reps with 85kg, but much of strength is driven thru increased training volume.

4x6=24 total reps @ 85kg

1x8-10=between 8 and 10 total reps @ 85kg

Avatar MIA

Hanley wrote: »

85kg. 4 sets of 6 reps.

We're assuming in this situation that 100kg is the most they could do for 6 reps, a "6 rep max".

In theory, you couldn't do multiple sets of 6 with 100kg if it was a true 6 rep max because you'd have no energy left to attempt it.

So in this example, they're picking a weight below their 6 rep max, and performing multiple sets of 6 reps with it.

They could probably do 8-10 reps with 85kg, but much of strength is driven thru increased training volume.

4x6=24 total reps @ 85kg

1x8-10=between 8 and 10 total reps @ 85kg

Super - thanks, and before handing the thread back to the OP - would there, generally, be a break between the 4 sets of 6. Think I have it then.

Cheers

Hanley

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Super - thanks, and before handing the thread back to the OP - would there, generally, be a break between the 4 sets of 6. Think I have it then.

Cheers

for strength work, whatever you think you need - plus 30 seconds (so approx. 90-120s)

for muscle building / conditioning - whatever you think you need, less 30s (so approx. 45-60s)

Avatar MIA

Hanley wrote: »

for strength work, whatever you think you need - plus 30 seconds (so approx. 90-120s)

for muscle building / conditioning - whatever you think you need, less 30s (so approx. 45-60s)

Interesting. Will adapt.