You'll want to read this!

[Ronnie Rowland]

so many people have different theory/opinion on the right amount of work sets, i have tried a lot of different program and experimenting with sets ranging from 6 to 16 sets per week of each bodypart, with different frequency (ranging from once a week split routine to 3 times a week full body training) they all seem to work for me, although i don't really like the higher range of volume because it just kills me the next day (feels like sleeping the whole day). in this case, your body type is telling you to stay with the lower range of volume throughout the entire reloads and never train past failure by way of (forced reps, rest-pause, etc) as it will cause certain over-training

now i'm on slingshot training, and i've been experimenting from 9-12 sets for large muscle group, and 8-12 sets for small muscle group, i haven't been on this program for too long, but so far all variation seems fine to me, although again the higher range (12 sets) makes me pretty tired the next day, and i feel like on the brink of overtraining after 4-6 weeks. Scale back the sets until you find your sweet spot. Try 6-9 sets per each major body part and you should do better!

B]what i'm curious about is, do you have a method to determine the optimal amount of work set for a particular muscle group? [u]only you can answer this question as it varies among everyone. My current work sets looks like this on a 5 days split-[/u]

chest-9
lats-12
shoulders-9
biceps-8
triceps-8
traps-6
abs-6
lower back-3
quads-10
hams-6
calves-8

for example do i use the maximum allowed number of sets (12 sets) per week and then work downwards if i feel overtraining? that can work but it's best to find your limit and stay there to avoid over-training to begin with.

or maybe the opposite as i start from the lowest amount (i.e. 6 sets) per week, then work upwards if i don't feel i'm doing enough? yes!!!

also when doing push and pull split, such as chest and triceps or back and biceps in one day, is it necessary to keep the amount of sets for triceps/biceps less than chest/back? For example if i do 8 sets of chest, does this mean that i have to do less for my triceps which maybe 7 or 6 sets, or its fine to do 8 sets or even more?if worked on the same day do less as you are just finishing them off. If arms are worked on a separate day than the torso then the same amount of sets or more can be used if desired but it does no good to kill your arms as they get some stimulation from torso work and they are a small muscle that shuts down fast..

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[Coca Cola]

above

Thanks Ron!

Your current work sets for upper body is exactly the same like what i've been doing for the last couple of weeks, although I don't do much for traps only 3 sets, and I don't really do lower back training, maybe i should add that in.

What kind of lower back training do you recommend? Hyperextension?

My genetic for calves are pretty crap, and to bring them up I've been trying out "James Flex Lewis Hybrid Calf Training" I saw on his fitshow video, its basically a giant set starting from toe press on a leg press machine for 30 reps, then moving quickly to standing calves on some plates for 15 reps, then finish off standing calves for 15 reps on the floor. I do 4 sets of this giant set. What do you think of this calves routine? So far I've been getting pretty awesome pump, and i always push to failure until my calves can't move anymore. Only started trying this method for a few times, I havent seen significant result yet.

In my gym there is no seated calves machine, I dunno what to substitute for this?

[Ronnie Rowland]

[QUOTE=Coca Cola;5186203]Thanks Ron!

Your current work sets for upper body is exactly the same like what i've been doing for the last couple of weeks, although I don't do much for traps only 3 sets, and I don't really do lower back training, maybe i should add that in.

What kind of lower back training do you recommend? Hyperextension? Yes and deadlifts work well for some.

My genetic for calves are pretty crap, and to bring them up I've been trying out "James Flex Lewis Hybrid Calf Training" I saw on his fitshow video, its basically a giant set starting from toe press on a leg press machine for 30 reps, then moving quickly to standing calves on some plates for 15 reps, then finish off standing calves for 15 reps on the floor. I do 4 sets of this giant set. What do you think of this calves routine? It won't work as well as straight sets! Calves are pure genetics and if you don't have them you can't get them to respond a whole lot! So far I've been getting pretty awesome pump, and i always push to failure until my calves can't move anymore. You'll get a huge pump using giant sets but there wil be no permanent muscle growth beyond what you can get with heavy straight sets using impecabble form. Only started trying this method for a few times, I havent seen significant result yet. And you won't!

In my gym there is no seated calves machine, I dunno what to substitute for this? toe presses on leg press with knees bent to create a similar angle![/QUOTE]above

[Coca Cola]

My genetic for calves are pretty crap, and to bring them up I've been trying out "James Flex Lewis Hybrid Calf Training" I saw on his fitshow video, its basically a giant set starting from toe press on a leg press machine for 30 reps, then moving quickly to standing calves on some plates for 15 reps, then finish off standing calves for 15 reps on the floor. I do 4 sets of this giant set. What do you think of this calves routine? It won't work as well as straight sets! Calves are pure genetics and if you don't have them you can't get them! So far I've been getting pretty awesome pump, and i always push to failure until my calves can't move anymore. You'll get a huge pump using giant sets but there wil be no permanent muscle growth beyond what you can get with heavy straight sets using impecabble form. Only started trying this method for a few times, I havent seen significant result yet. And you won't!

In my gym there is no seated calves machine, I dunno what to substitute for this? toe presses on leg press with knees bent to create a similar angle![/QUOTE]above

Damn! that sucks.. lol.. I'll just have to keep workin them with straight sets to the best of my ablities then, although i can't expect too much...

Thanks for the quick reply Ron!

[Ronnie Rowland]

Damn! that sucks.. lol.. I'll just have to keep workin them with straight sets to the best of my ablities then, although i can't expect too much...Thats the best you will ever do! They will grow some but they will never be diamond shaped with veins bulging year round. Dorian Yates is the prime example! He has not trained his calves in over 7 years and they are larger that 99% of the top-level bodybuilders of today. Dorian performed only 2 sets per week for his calves (1 set of standing calve raises for 10-12 reps and 1 set of seated calve raises for 6-8 reps) and his calves inserted at his ankles where as mine insert close to my knees....lol

Many of us have high calves and much of the time there simply isn't much meat there to work with in the first place. It sucks! Trust me, I know this as well as anyone. I inherited pitiful calve genetics from my dad and while they are a bit defined from years of hard work they won't grow in size to any noticable degree. Ignore all the silly training methods about increasing calve size because it's pure fantasy land. Anyone who tells you differently is either ignorant of the fact or being straight out being dishonest.

Most people with big calves will tell you they got them from playing sports in highschool....lol..Some things never cease to amaze. I played all sorts of sports and mine never grew. Why? Because of poor genetics in that area!!!!!

Thanks for the quick reply Ron!

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[delta1111]

Many of us have high calves and much of the time there simply isn't much meat there to work with in the first place. It sucks! Trust me, I know this as well as anyone. I inherited pitiful calve genetics from my dad and while they are a bit defined from years of hard work they won't grow in size to any noticable degree. Ignore all the silly training methods about increasing calve size because it's pure fantasy land. Anyone who tells you differently is either ignorant of the fact or being straight out being dishonest.

Does this also apply to triceps?
I have very long limbs, so I need to build more mass than shorter limbed guys to look the same kind of build. Does that make sense?
Anyway, my triceps are ok at the top of my arm, but closer to my elbow there does'nt seem to be much muscle to build. Any tips you could give me Ronnie to add mass to this area would be great. What does seem to give me a pump to the little bit of muscle I have i there are skull crushers, but I never really seem to grow from them.
Many thanks.

[Ronnie Rowland]

does this also apply to triceps? yes! It applies to all muscles groups.i have very long limbs, so i need to build more mass than shorter limbed guys to look the same kind of build. Does that make sense? yes
anyway, my triceps are ok at the top of my arm, but closer to my elbow there does'nt seem to be much muscle to build. Any tips you could give me ronnie to add mass to this area would be great. What does seem to give me a pump to the little bit of muscle i have i there are skull crushers, but i never really seem to grow from them. i'm sorry, but there's nothing special you can do but skull crushers and tricep pushowns can't be beat for building the overall mass of the triceps.
many thanks.

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