Rest after sets and stuff

[sarlen]

I seem to be having an issue with the number of sets I can do vs the weight I can lift, In most posts/articles it says something like, do 3 different isolation exercises per body part and 3 to 5 sets of 8 reps. They recommend the weight be heavy enough that the max number of times you can lift the weight is 8 times before being fatigued and unable to lift it a 9th time. When I do this I can’t make it through 3 sets of 3 different isolation exercises without breaking form. Is that typical first starting out or am I that big of a wimp?

Also how much rest do you guys give your self's after each set? I have read about people doing from 30 seconds up to 3min.

[Kwonryu DragonFist]

30 sec to 3 mins is perfect.

I usually drink some water or stretch between each set.

Stretching between each set and Stretching after each exercise is good.

Keep at it Sarlen!

3 sets per ex is perfect.

[sarlen]

Kwon should I be worried about the amount weight I'm lifting, not being able to make it all the way through the full 3 different isolation exercises? I make it 3x8 of the first 2 and cant even lift once for the 3rd exercise.

[Tegellan]

Lifting to failure is a very widely dispersed myth, but it is a proven scientific fact that lifting until you cannot lift the weight anymore does not give any added benefit.

Lifting the weight 6-8 times pr. set is fine, and if you cannot do that, the weight is too heavy. The important thing is to tire the muscle and attack it from several diferent angles by using several different exercizes.

[Kwonryu DragonFist]

I seem to be having an issue with the number of sets I can do vs the weight I can lift, In most posts/articles it says something like, do 3 different isolation exercises per body part and 3 to 5 sets of 8 reps. They recommend the weight be heavy enough that the max number of times you can lift the weight is 8 times before being fatigued and unable to lift it a 9th time. When I do this I can’t make it through 3 sets of 3 different isolation exercises without breaking form. Is that typical first starting out or am I that big of a wimp?

How many musclegroups are you doing per session/day?

I usually do two groups per day.

Lets say Monday, i do chest and triceps.

Chest
1 x 20 Warmups Flat Bench with light weight
3 x 8 Flat Bench
3 x 8 Incline
3 x 8 Decline or Pec Dec / Cable / Flyes

Triceps
3 x 8 Pushdowns
3 x 8 French presses / Closegrip Benchpresses
3 x 8 Skullcrushers or Dips

Brachialis
3 x 8 Hammercurls

After those exercises i either do flat bench to failure (30+) or pushdowns to failure (until i can't do anymore), getting a huge pump in either the pecs of the triceps (with massive horseshoes) and feeling really swole when leaving the gym.

-

Wednesdays i do Back and Biceps ( In the beginning i used to do Chest and Biceps on same day but have switched around in the later years )

Back
3 x 8 Lat Pulldowns
3 x 8 Seated Rows
3 x 8 Deadlifts or Bent over Rows

Biceps
1 x 20 Warmupset Standing Barbell Curls
3 x 8 Standing Barbell Curl
3 x 8 Preacher Curls
3 x 8 Concentration Curls or Arnold Curls

And as a grand finale on that day, i do Arnold Curls or Preacher Curls to failure (30+), admiring my huge peak on my pumped biceps as i leave the gym.

I always finish with failure until i can't do anymore, to get that epic pump, making either the pecs or the arms look really freaky when finished.

Nowadays tho, i switch around a bit, for example, some days i do pyramids.

Lighter weight x 12
Solid weight x 10
Heavier weight x 6
Real heavy x 4

but 3 sets with 8 reps is good to start with!

Good luck Sarlen!

[*~*stragi*~*]

yesterday i benched 115 booya

[*~*stragi*~*]

i started rowing a few days ago and it fucking sucks i want to die after 5 minutes

[Kwonryu DragonFist]

If you want Lats like a Manta-Ray, Xmas-Tree and have an epic V-shape, keep rowing Straginoschka!

[*~*stragi*~*]

i cant row for more than 5 minutes without stopping for air

[Kwonryu DragonFist]

It's important to breathe Stragus!

Pick three exercises, do each with 3 sets and 8 reps.

[*~*stragi*~*]

i do bench press and then curls with freeweights and then some pull down thing and then rowing or some other kind of cardio depending on what hurts the most that day