Pyramid upper - can you go heavy?

[Shaz]

I'm intrigued that so many people rate the pyramid workouts as effective weight workouts. I do think they are fun, good music, instruction, etc. But, because the rest periods are pretty non-existent, don't you find that you have to lower your weights compared to other strength workouts? What results have you had - any muscle mass increase?

(BTW, I know I can pause my DVD between sets, but I feel I may as well swicth off and workout by myself if I have to do this to get an effective workout.)

Thanks for any input!

 

[RWattier]

I find that I use exactly the same weights as Cathe and it did take me awhile to build up to that -

I have gotten the most increased strength and muscle definition from this workout in my upper body (which says alot bc I used to work endlessly on my arm and saw nothing!)

I think its the combination of muscle endurance and strength being used in PUB................you have to have enough endurance to finish all the reps in each set and also enough strength to be able to increase your weights each time - IMHO -

 

[hippahips]

>I think its the combination of muscle endurance and strength
>being used in PUB................you have to have enough
>endurance to finish all the reps in each set and also enough
>strength to be able to increase your weights each time - IMHO

I agree. Many think of PUB as an endurance workout, but I made a lot of strength gains from this workout.

Eventually I had to go heavier. Since I can use heavier weight for presses than flyes, I started using a barbell for presses and heavier db's for flyes. Obviously, I had to take longer rests, but not so long I was no longer challenged. I'd also sometimes do bb rows instead of db rows, and I use heavier weight for lateral raises and post delt work for shoulders than for front raises.

Pinky

 

[Shaz]

Thanks for the replies. Regarding "muscle definition" and "strength gains", do you mean that you increased muscle mass? I really enjoy pyramid upper, but want to increase muscle - I think I just need to know that I am not wasting time doing the wrong workout.

 

[hippahips]

Yes, when I said I made strength gains, I also meant I gained some mass. That's why to keep gaining mass, I had to keep increasing the weights, so when I do PUB these days, most of it is modified. I also cut it into two sessions -- chest/back and shoulders/tri/bi. I just feel I need more recovery time since I'm going heavier -- except of course for bicep work because the one in PUB more than kicks butt.;-)

Pinky