Whether you’ve reached a plateau in
your gains or not, pyramid training
is the perfect way to add a challenge
and mix things up a bit. Aside from
challenging your muscles, this type of
training might also save your sanity.
Why? In spite of the fact that pyra-
mid training doesn’t require anything
special, it does provide you with a bit
of variety in your workouts. In other
words, you won’t be doing the same old
thing every week. All you need to do is
keep good track of your rep count and
weight amount. If you can do that, and
you’ve adequately fueled your engine,
you’re ready to start!
What Is Pyramid Training?
Pyramid training is a method of weight
training where you lift varied weights,
sets and reps and effectively increase
both your size and strength. Basically,
instead of performing the popular
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps of any given
exercise, you’re going to either ascend
or descend with your rep count. For
instance, you could do 15 reps, rest, 12
reps, rest, 10 reps, rest and so on.
Regardless of whether you are ascend-
ing or descending with your reps, the
amount of weight you are lifting should
also be adjusted for each set. So if
you’re doing an ascending pyramid,
you should be increasing your weights
as you are decreasing your reps. On the
other hand, if you’re doing a descend-
ing pyramid, you should be decreasing
the amount of weight you’re lifting as
you are increasing your reps.
Types Of Pyramid Training
There are three main methods of pyra-
mid training you need to know. Each
type is just a little bit different. On the
bright side, they are very easy to follow.
Ascending Pyramid (DeLorme
Method) – For this version of pyramid
training, you should be increasing your
weights as you are decreasing your rep
count. Here’s an example:
100 pounds 15 reps
125 pounds 12 reps
150 pounds 10 reps
185 pounds 6 reps
Descending Pyramid (Reverse Pyra-
mid, Oxford Method) – This pyramid
is otherwise known as the exact op-
posite of the ascending pyramid. For
instance, you begin with low reps and
high weight and then lessen the weight
as you increase your reps as follows:
185 pounds 6 reps
150 pounds 10 reps
125 pounds 12 reps
100 pounds 15 reps
Triangle Pyramid – For this type of
pyramid workout, you should be doing
both ascending and descending.
100 pounds 15 reps
125 pounds 12 reps
150 pounds 10 reps
185 pounds 6 reps
150 pounds 10 reps
125 pounds 12 reps
100 pounds 15 reps
No matter which method you choose,
the good news is that they are each
very effective in building muscle and
strength. With that being said, there is
a winner in the mix, but not by much.
A Johns Hopkins University study test-
ed both the ascending and descending
pyramid methods with participants
performing leg extensions over a period
of nine weeks. The results showed
that the subjects who performed
the ascending pyramid (DeLorme
method) increased their 10-rep max
by 160 pounds, while the subjects who
used the descending pyramid (Oxford
method) increased their 10-rep
max by 150 pounds. The reality is that
a 10-pound difference really isn’t all
that significant.
But, in fairness, the win goes to the
ascending pyramid (DeLorme method)
for building strength. What about
increasing muscle size? That’s where
descending pyramids would come
in. Why? With descending pyramids,
you’re able to complete more reps to
failure and that means you’ll be trigger-
ing muscle growth for sure! Of course,
if you were looking to simultaneously
build both muscle and strength, then
the obvious choice would be to do
triangle pyramid training to get the best
of both worlds.
How To Do It
Pyramid training should be laid out just
like your regular training plan. You can
do it as a split plan (back day exercises,
leg day exercises, etc.) or as a full-body
workout with one or two rest days in
between to give your muscles time for
recovery. You can use machines, free
weights or even perform bodyweight
exercises such as pull-ups, push-ups
and bodyweight squats. Although it
should be noted that when it comes to
bodyweight exercises, if you’re looking
to increase and decrease the weight
involved, you might need a weighted
vest with removable plates.
ironmanmagazine.com | AUGUST 2017 9