# Heaviest set first or last.



## maxie (Jan 31, 2011)

Lots of lads on here seem to recommend working up in weight during an exercise.Say 4 sets of bench press starting at 80kg and working up to 120kg.

Is it not better to start on the 120kg and work down to 80kg so you have max strength available on the first set? not the last set when you are weaker?

As long as you are warmed up properly it should be ok is it not?


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## Thunderstruck (Sep 20, 2010)

I can see your thinking but to lift heavy straight away doesnt allow the muscle, joint, ligaments, tendons etc to warm up properly, the warmer the muscle the more efficient its going to be and the less risk of injury.


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## Ts23 (Jan 14, 2011)

i like to be pumped when im doin my heavy set.


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## PHMG (Jun 15, 2010)

yeah, build up to the heavy set, but no point doing a full set of reps in the build up weight. Will just tire you for no reason. Few reps per set when building up to working set i say.


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

i build up if im going for 1rm....other than that its heaviest sets first for me (after a good warmup of course)


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

if you enjoy being injured then yes... heaviest set 1st


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## Glassback (Jun 18, 2010)

Do a few warm up reps on a lightish weight then hit it hard. But I alternate anyway.


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

JANIKvonD said:


> i build up if im going for 1rm....other than that its heaviest sets first for me (after a good warmup of course)


Any injuries Janik... Serious question mate?


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

wholemeal breda said:


> Any injuries Janik... Serious question mate?


no mate never caused by this....why would it if uv warmed up properly?


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## Thunderstruck (Sep 20, 2010)

how do you warm up then if your not doing lighter sets first?


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2011)

For my 1st set i warm up using 50% of my heavy set weight for say 10-12 reps slow and controlled and gradually stretching the muscle more each rep. Then i do 3 working sets of a weight that i can do 6-8 reps with. The last set i usually can only manage say 2-3 reps. I do this for each exercise.


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## need2bodybuild (May 11, 2011)

I always do 2 warm up sets of 15-20 then one prep set at 6-8 then hit the heaviest for that exercise at around 4-6 reps. After that go down in weight and up in reps. I see it as once the muscles fully warmed up it's at it's strongest so it would make sense to hight the heaviest then.


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2011)

Thunderstruck said:


> how do you warm up then if your not doing lighter sets first?


He said he warms up so im guessing he does use a lighter weight but doesnt treat it as a set. I do the same i only count my working sets as sets.


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## TOBE (Mar 9, 2008)

Ideally I like to do 5-10 mins on a bike or cross-trainer, then 1 warm up set, light stretches and go straight into my heavy set..

However It's not uncommon for me to miss the 5-10 mins out at the beginning. Obviously you don't want to dive into your heaviest set if you feel stiff/tight/cold, use your instincts..


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## Massevil (Jun 18, 2011)

i always do heaviest set first

i use weight so heavy i struggle like hell getting the reps out anyway

cant imagine doing other lifting beforehand and then trying to do it when im already abit tired


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

Thunderstruck said:


> how do you warm up then if your not doing lighter sets first?


who said i dont use A lighter weight to warm up? he said start at 80 and 'work up' to 120 eg 80,95,105,then120 forworking sets....id do 2sets at 90kg(warmup) and batter on with heavy working sets


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

The Op made it sound like there was no warm up sets

My bad guys... As you were


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

wholemeal breda said:


> The Op made it sound like there was no warm up sets
> 
> My bad guys... As you were


actually mate i think i missread also lol. his example was 120 down to 80 or 80 upto 120....4 sets. sh!t workout but id work my way up if its a 1rm attempt.


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

2-3 warm up sets then 1-2 heavy for me


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## maxie (Jan 31, 2011)

sorry if i didnt make the warm ups clear if i was benching 100kg it would go like this.

bar x20 reps

20kg x 10

40kg x 6

60kg x 2

80kg x 1

90kg x 1

Then straight on to 100kg for however many.Then down in weight to keep the reps up.


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## -Jack- (Sep 28, 2009)

do it in a pyramid


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

if training at 5 reps ish i will always ramp upto a heavy set.

if training in the 8-12 rep range i will always do 1 set at 50% target weight, 1 set at 75% then go all out on the 100% set until failure, then another set to failure at 90% then a final set to failure at 80%.


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

Last set best set, so heaviest last for me.

Presuming I'm warmed up I will generally do 2 sets a step or two below my target weight, stopping a rep before failure. Then load the bar up for my last set and rep until failure.

If it was a particularly heavy set (3-4 reps) then I will sometimes do one more set on a lower weight and again go to failure.


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## Driven Sports (Jul 15, 2011)

Your first "work" set should ideally be your heaviest, but should only come after an adequate warm-up. Discussed in detail here: http://www.getds.com/20110719280/Blog/the-perfect-warm-up

Never fully understood why the pro routines listed in magazines had them pyramid the weight up and the weight down. That has never made sense to me.


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## Wardy211436114751 (Jan 24, 2011)

Always build up to heaviest set for me.You may do heaviest set for months not get an injury then one day slight lapse of concentration and form slips and you've got a serious injury.

Not only this but also have you ever noticed when doing say 3x8 on a weight the first set is harder than the second set even if you feel warmed up?

Its because your body gets used to the heavier weight and the second set is always easier, for me anyway.


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## brummy (Sep 7, 2011)

build up to the heavy sets then the blood has gone in to the muscle and when its rushing oxygen to your muscle you will be able to lift more aslong as you are not phytigued (spelling) plus its always good to do a drop set after your last/ biggest set such as a weight you can just pump gets the blood flowin even more and speeds up recovery after workouts


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## Driven Sports (Jul 15, 2011)

Wardy21 said:


> Always build up to heaviest set for me.You may do heaviest set for months not get an injury then one day slight lapse of concentration and form slips and you've got a serious injury.
> 
> Not only this but also have you ever noticed when doing say 3x8 on a weight the first set is harder than the second set even if you feel warmed up?
> 
> Its because your body gets used to the heavier weight and the second set is always easier, for me anyway.


This is true, the warm up activates the central nervous system and helps it acclimatize better. Check the article I linked to above.


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