How to Implement a Pyramid Weightlifting Strategy

A pyramid strategy can help any type of weightlifter improve.

Lifting weights can be a very difficult process, particularly when it comes to sticking with it as you wait for results. Implementing a pyramid weight lifting strategy can help any type of weightlifter break through plateaus and achieve the best possible results. Here is how to implement a pyramid weight lifting strategy into any resistance exercise you currently do.

Things You'll Need

• Access to weights

Instructions

Determining Your Basic Information

1. See a doctor and make certain that you're healthy enough to begin pyramid weigh lifting at all. Only proceed to the next steps once you've made sure that your blood pressure is all right, and that all other relevant medical issues are cleared in your case.

2. Determine a decent starting point. For example, let's take the bench press as our standard exercise. Go to the gym and do a workout in which you see what weight you can comfortably bench press 10 times. Whatever that weight is, it will be your pyramid's starting point.

3. Make sure that you rest yourself completely before actually beginning the pyramid lifting. If you are at all sore on the first day, it may vary your results a great deal.

Implementing Your Pyramid Weight Lifting Strategy

1. For the first of what will be a five-set strategy, take your starting weight -- let's say 150 pounds -- and do one set of 10 repetitions. After this set, take a two- to three-minute break to allow your muscles to recover.

2. For your second set, add about 10 percent to your initial weight. In our example, 10 percent of 150 pounds is 15 pounds. So, the second set of our pyramid weight lifting strategy would be 150 pounds plus 15 pounds, which equals 165 pounds. For this set, try to get in eight repetitions.

3. The third set will add another 10 percent of the starting weight. Therefore, we end up with 180 pounds, because 165 pounds plus 15 pounds equals 180 pounds. For this set, you should be able to do six repetitions.

4. For your fourth set, you will repeat your second set. This is where you really begin to see the essence of how a pyramid weight lifting strategy works. Once again, do a set of eight repetitions with 165 pounds. You'll find that this set is much more difficult in comparison to the second set, all due to muscle fatigue. If you cannot accomplish eight reps, do as many as you can.

5. The final set, the fifth one, is simply a repeat of the first. Once again, try to do 10 repetitions at 150 pounds. Doing so will be far more difficult than it originally was. If you can't do all 10, simply do as many as possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep moving up your weight level from time to time as these exercises become easier.

• You'll gain muscle and strength much faster by using a pyramid weight lifting strategy because it shocks your muscle tissue into growth.

• Also, if you seem to reach a plateau, then switch up your lifting strategy and come back to the pyramid strategy later.

• Always employ the use of a spotter for this, or any other high-stress weightlifting strategy. Lifting weights is inherently dangerous, but using a spotter minimizes this risk immensely.

• Do not begin this exercise program, or any other, without first consulting a physician.