Marc, I do two sets most of the time, unless I am doing drop sets or 1-6. The reps are generally 5-6, again, unless I am doing drop sets. With drop sets, I usually do a 1 rep max, drop the weight 10%, do as many as I can at that weight, drop the weight 10% etc. for four or five sets. With 1-6, I do a one rep max and then try to do 6 reps with a weight very slightly higher than my 6 rep max. You can't use 1-6 or drop sets too often, too much nerve stress, but they are great for breaking sticking points.
I only work an exercise once a week, sometimes once every ten days. I buy into the HIT concept that if you are trying to add strength and muscle, you have to let the wounds you cause with max workouts a chance to heal.
The bench progress is a bit misleading. I had not been doing benches before I started, so I had a low starting weight. Ditto of one armed deadlifts, which I am working on in 2001. I have not been hitting them hard, using them as a supplemental exercise. Just putting them first in the workout usually adds some poundage to the max. |
