12 reps on first set?

[punch]

This is an interesting post! Are you counting your first set as a warmup? If so, you should try for 12-15 reps with a lighter weight and work your way up. Warming up is essential, not only for safety but for psychological reasons as well.
Now, as for amount of sets. I can tell you this much, I never, I repeat never did less than 4 excersises for large body parts and 3 for smaller. As an example until I began doing 4 sets of pullups for back I capped out at 10 reps with a 25lb plate on a weight belt. Over the years by adding just one more set I can hit 10 reps with a 45lb plate easily. For me its 1 warmup set and 3 working sets the last one being a drop set. The concept of less is better is an idiotic one which was conceived of some dumbass juice head that reads to many magazines. Good luck!!!!!

 

[Maximum Intensity]

My advice -- play around with things until you find what works best for you. It will take time, but if you are consistent in your efforts you will hit upon what makes you grow.

I personally have tried just about every training principle I could imagine -- HIT, high volume, drop sets, Max-Ot, etc., etc. etc. Each and every one of them had there benefits and their downfalls as it relates to my structure, genetics, etc. Example -- HIT made me strong, but I got fat and my joints always hurt (even when dramatically dropped my calories); high volume helped me lean out, but I could not gain quality muscle; Max-Ot had some benefit, but I encountered many of the same problems I encountered with HIT. I think you get the picture. I stopped listening to everyone else, played around with different things, and finally started doing simply what my body felt best doing. The result was gains in lean muscle mass, strength gains, and fat loss. Listen to your body, track your results, play around with your nutrition -- you will hit upon on a program that makes you feel great and starts packing the muscle on.

 

[wrlord]

Hope you're prepared to back that talk up, Robboe. Let's hear some numbers. And I wanna know if it's natural or enhanced.

 

[Slayerbtvs]

Hmm for me.. Ive kept it basically at 4 exercises 3 sets each for every body part... should i really lower it? Personally I dont feel like Im over training but hey you never know... I really dont warm up as much as I should... and No i dont count my first set as a warm up but if i did u figure Id only be doing 8 real sets on every body part.... which I guess isnt bad for smaller muscles but bad for bigger muscles (chest etc?) Fill me in... I do read a lot of what you guys post but I guess I just musta missed this theory?
-Matt

 

[Robboe]

Wrlord, i don't have to back up anything. I'm not here to compete with you guys. I'm here to help you grow and learn a bit more on how to help growth.

You say going to failure on every set promots optimum injury and overtraining. Well, well, i can tell you i go beyond failure on a lot of my sets. I am injury free and i was growing like a mad man [until i started this cunt of a diet].

You said you shouldn't train to failure on every set - do you not feel like you may be wrong considering almost every post after that is disagreeing with you?

 

[Tuna Guy]

Are you really English Robboe?

Its just that you come across as a cunt, like most teenage yanks seem to do (i have no proof of this).

 

[Robboe]

haha, you have sussed me Tuna guy, I am really 17 and from Arizona. I was wondering when someone would work it out...

Oh, and of course I'm a cunt. It's the best way to be.

 

[The Dude]

Robboe, you need to back off on this HIT is the my, the only way to do things. It's one way of many. A little less preaching and little more observing/experiencing/learning will take you much further in life. Preachers live alone...

 

[Slayerbtvs]

HEY NO MORE FIGHTING... talk about the topic pleaaaaaaseeee

 

[Robboe]

As a preacher i shall live alone and i shall also grow bigger, faster than the rest...