Do you need maximal weight to get stronger and bigger

[IronReload04]

This is my question. When you warm up to do 1-2 sets like d.c. you can obviously lift with 100% intenstity because you havnt already burned yourself out with other sets. But when pyramiding, my last set only is taken to failure, and because of the other 3 sets, my last set suffers. Had i done my last set first, i will have been able to get more reps.

so my question is this, when i am pyramiding, will i still get bigger and stronger even though my last set set suffers a little and i cant get as much reps as i could have.

lets say, i can do 255 on the bench for 9 reps my first set. But on my 4th set of a pryamid, i can only do 255 for 5-6 reps. i will keep at it for a couple of weeks, and eventually be able to do 255 for 9 on my last set. After that adaption, to you think my strength would have increased and now be able to do say 265-270 for 9 on my first set. Thanks in advance.

[KeyMastur]

read about DC's method :

http://67.18.108.244//showthread.php?t=66880

you might change your mind about the pyramid

[IronReload04]

i have actually read it, but i hit a wall with a philosophy similar to d.c.

[LM1332]

when i read that my brain almost fused. So freaking complicated im sure it could have been writtein in a much simplier way

[StevePJC]

Not that I have a clue what I'm doing. This is a system I used back when I was first a gym addict. I'm using it now and have had some good lift increases.

If one week I do three sets on the bench.
First set is 225
Second is 245
Third is 265

Then the next week I will do 4 sets.
First 3 sets will be the same as the week before except I'll do a fourth of 5-10 pounds higher than the third. Even if it's only one rep it's something.

Before I know it I'm upping the first set by 10 pounds and going up from there.

Not saying this will work for everyone but it's working for me now 7 years after steroids. When I started back to weights in April I could only bench 185. Now alot of this may be muscle memory as well but I hit 315 pounds a few weeks ago.

Again please dont take this a suggestion. Training routines are a dime a dozen. This is just the one that has worked for me.