3 sets enough for growth?

I was lifting 3 days a week, 4 exercises a day. Doing 4 sets of 5 reps adding weight each set for squats and deads. For all other exercises I was doing 4 sets reps of 12,10,8,6 adding weight each set.

My question is, I have been very tired due to my job lately and I just don't have alot of time and energy right now. I will still lift 3 days a week and do 4 exercises a day. Would it be a bad idea if I cut it down to 3 sets instead of 4. Doing 3 sets of 5 reps adding weight each set for squats and deads and for everything else cut it down to 3 sets reps of 10,8,6 adding weight each set?

Can I still build good quality muscle only doing 3 working sets an exercise?

i do two warm ups, and one hard ass workin set on each lift, i read that from a good bro on another board and its workin great for me right now

A while ago I did the same thing, and was worried that I would lose strength/size. I found dropping the sets helped me, because I upped the intensity with each set/rep.

I say try it, I think you'll be great. If not, i don't think you'll lose anything anyway.

How does my rep scheme look though?

3 sets of 5 reps increasing the weight each set for squats and deads. And 3 sets reps of 10,8,6 increasing the weight each set for everything else.

Dorian Yates it works great evan only 1-2 sets after a warm-up. Genetics plays a role here. But try it keeping intensity a bit higher you might be surprised. Good luck

The sets are good bro-- reps look good with your deads but i dont know about squats. I think heavy with at least 10-15 hard intense reps works best for me.

What about the rep scheme for the other exercises? 3 sets reps of 10,8,6 increasing the weight each set.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Decadbal

i do two warm ups, and one hard ass workin set on each lift, i read that from a good bro on another board and its workin great for me right now

---

good advice. make that 1 set complete and total failure.


if you're stuck on numbers and think something majical occurs on "set 3", then continue doing what you're doing - exhausting your muscle rather than stimulating growth.

Whatever works for you bro! The Dorian Yates approach obviously worked for him. Does that mean its for everyone? No! In order to get the most intensity out of that 1 set approach, I think you have to be really in touch with how your muscles respond to that approach and to be able to push past failure. I think it would take years to master this. Most people dont know how to benefit from just 1 set. But when and if you do learn, i say do it. Quick workout= more time to grow!!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aggression

I was lifting 3 days a week, 4 exercises a day. Doing 4 sets of 5 reps adding weight each set for squats and deads. For all other exercises I was doing 4 sets reps of 12,10,8,6 adding weight each set.

My question is, I have been very tired due to my job lately and I just don't have alot of time and energy right now. I will still lift 3 days a week and do 4 exercises a day. Would it be a bad idea if I cut it down to 3 sets instead of 4. Doing 3 sets of 5 reps adding weight each set for squats and deads and for everything else cut it down to 3 sets reps of 10,8,6 adding weight each set?

Can I still build good quality muscle only doing 3 working sets an exercise?

---

from personal experience, 1 set of 1 exercise for a large as well as small muscle is enough for heavy duty growth.

i did the one working set thing. It worked for a while, but im back to doing 2 now. I think im more inclined to do two sets. Usually a set of 12 then 8 for teh larger musclegroups and for the smaller usually 1 working set and one back off set.

3 is the magic number

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Decadbal

i do two warm ups, and one hard ass workin set on each lift, i read that from a good bro on another board and its workin great for me right now

---

This workout works great man! Lift to failure w/ 2 forced reps untill total exaustion. I've seen guys get awesome reults from this plan!