Slow and Heavy Vs. Pyramids?

scouter99

Cathlete
Hey, everyone! Anyone out there care to sell me on the virtues of one versus the other? I need some new weight workouts, and I want something that will really pack on the muscle. I have Power Hour, Muscle Endurance, Pure Strength Series and CTX and MIS.

So- which do you think is a better choice for me right now? The Slow and Heavy series or Pyramids?

PS: I also posted this at Open Discussion- not sure which one is the best place for a question like this.

Thanks!
Denise
 
Both will give you great results in muscle development. I personally have found both complement each nicely. Slow and Heavy is designed to break strength plateaus by training your muscles differently (slow 6 counts up and 2 counts down). You rest for a minute after completing a set of 8 reps. This is repeated 3 times. Pyramid series has you do 12 reps using your lightest weights, then 10 reps with moderate to heavy weights and then 8 reps using your heaviest weights. You then go back down the pyramid to 10 and then 12 reps. Please note that there is no rest time while doing the entire pyramid.

Hope this helps.
Lorrayne
 
Denise, please know that with PUB, my your biceps will definitely fryx( x( x( , if not, then I would have to say you're one POWERFUL woman.

Haydee
 
I like both PUB and PLB (which, with a few longer breaks when changing weights, is the perfect lower body workout, IMO: the standing work hits everything without overdoing it, so that the floor work is almost superfluous).

I like the upper body workouts from Slow and Heavy, but not the lower (slow and heavy lunges are not knee friendly for me).
 
I agree that the two series complement each other nicely. However, I think you might get more use out of The Pyramids. I know that I tend to do very short rotations of S&H (say 2 to 3 weeks). I'll use the Pyramids for much longer rotations, and more often. Plus, I like the two day split with PUB/PLB vs the three day split with S&H.

Shelbygirl
 
Both of these are excellent and effective, though if I could only own one, I would choose the Pyramids.

The advantages of the Pyramids are:

- I am better able to fit them into my rotations (2-day vs 3-day split).
- They have premixes.
- PLB is my favorite lower body workout for the reasons Kathryn gave, although I don't find the floorwork to be superfluous.

The advantages of the Slow & Heavy Series are:

- The slow pace allows me to REALLY concentrate on form which transfers to all my other workouts, and Cathe's attention to form is particularly meticulous.
- It's different from my other workouts

All that said, I reach for the Pyramids much more than S&H, but both are definitely worth having. I would get the Pyramids first and when you can afford it, add S&H.
 
I'm another who says that PUB and S&H complement each other very well, especially on the upper body. I actually do PUB, then pop in S&H bi's and tri's for a few bonus sets. Mind you, I don't do the entire S&H workout after doing PUB, but I've found that I get better results using the two hand-in-hand.

PLB works my legs enough...no need to supplement with S&H legs. In fact, I've haven't even done S&H legs/shoulders, yet, because PLB gets the job done quite nicely.

If you can only get one set, then go for the Pyramids. Add the S&H series later. I love my Pyramid workouts!
 
Well....your criteria is "to pack on the muscle" and as an ectomorph, a tall someone with long legs and arms and a tendency to stick thin arms, nothing ever packed on muscle for me like Slow & Heavy. And believe me, it's hard for me to pack on muscle. PUB and PLB improve my strength and tighten up the legs and butt, but I cannot say that they "pack on the muscle."

Yes, S&H requires more concentration, but it also allows you to focus on every moment of the lift and lowering, to zero in on your form. I think a 3 week refresher course on correct form several times per year is an added bonus!

Whether you would find it "too slow and dull" is a question of personality type only. There is nothing inherently dull about the workouts. I personally never have a moment to find these workouts dull because I am too busy focussing on trying to squeeze out a last set of chest flies with the 15 pounders: the mental games I go through to convince myself I can do it keep me feverishly occupied!

Sure: PLB and PUB do fit quite easily into whatever exercise program you like. You could do each *2 per week to work each muscle twice and leave all remaining days for cardio. PUB is tougher than PLB. PUB gives a real good pump. Your arms could be sore for days afterwards with this one. I'm like Kathryn: I never/rarely do the stability ball section on PLB and I still find that the standing work gives me ample scope for strength gains and improvement as the weeks go by.

I believe there is room in everyone's DVD workout library for both series, so it's your call which you get first.

Clare
 

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