I think you’re spot on here. I haven’t done more than 3 sets per exercise in a while, I’ve found that more variety leads to more high quality sets. Great explanation in this vid.
Thanks brother, definitely agree with you. Not only do you get more angles which is good for muscle biasing, but it keeps the workout more focused with automatic higher intensity.
I agree. I only do 4 sets for the first exercise of the day on a given muscle group and basically do 3 sets for the reste. It allows for more variety without overdoing it
I ve been on full body high variety 2 sets per exercise but 4 times a week so high frequency. This is the aspect that has been in my mind due to FOMO so I always wondered if what I was doing was correctand enough, it definitely feels correct so I kept going. Have seen one of my best gains yet and this video is what i needed for my confirmation bias.
Bro the way you articulate yourself, convey your thoughts into words has improved significantly over the years. Not only are you making epic physique gains every year but clearly some brain gains too! Looking absolutely phenomenal btw.🔥💪 -Sabir
This has been my favourite thing about watching this channel. As much as I loved the early days of douchebag Alex wearing sunglasses indoors, it’s been cool watching him mature and be more humble. Dude is a class act.
Insane timing bro. Just did a pull day where I did 2 sets of a bunch of exercises rather than 5 sets of a few exercises. Pump was insane and felt better
Can't wait to see your Calisthenic program, you litteraly changed my life with all your concepts (more out less weight vs Overload, yoke, weighted stretch, concurrent, general strenght, NE, GPP, etc...) thank you very much
I'm currently experimenting with less sets and more exercises. As I have board exams next month , I'm going to decrease volume so that sessions don't last too long. But I don't wanna drop any exercises I do currently , so I'm just gonna do 2/3 sets of each exercise. Let's see how it works.
@@AlexLeonidas Thanks man ! Yes , for my main heavy movements I'm gonna stick to 3 and for the isolations and machine work I'll do 2 sets. Everything to failure or super close to it to get the most out of it.
This is crazy!!!! 2 weeks I stopped doing a bunch of sets for each exercise and now only do two good working sets for exercises and I feel much better and more recovered
Looking like you've ascended brother. Your transformation has been demi-god tier over the years in terms of size, strength, and overall physique. The content quality has also improved. Been watching your stuff for about 10 years dude, since I first started training. Started as a 160lbs skinny DYEL at 6ft to 230lbs tank deadlifting 600lbs. You're great dude, regardless of any hate you ever get, keep up the great work. You've contributed a LOT to the natty fitness community. Much love and onward! Looking forward to what comes next your way.
Just started doing the “2 sets” and adding more exercises… it’s been a game changer. 2 workouts in with this system and I’ve noticed it’s easier to go to failure on lifts and lifting doesn’t feel like a chore. Feels absolutely perfect, I wish I found this out 2 years ago I’ve realized that I probably have the same issue with “training ADD”, I like switching routines and exercises, and it lead me to spinning my wheels until recently. I was getting burnt out with the gym, and I notice that I usually have lower intensity on 4-5 sets because I tend to want to rush to get it over with. Now i feel like this is a long term system that can help me maintain higher intensity throughout the workout and actually stick to my routine for 1+ years
To quote the inimitable Greg Doucette, the secret to gaining is “doing more than you did last time”. Ok, more of what? More sets? More weight? More reps? More exercises? What is your prefered method to achieve progressive overload on an exercise? when and how should I add weight to the bar or use heavier dumbbells and should I use the same weight for all my working sets? When should I increase sets, reps? Thoughts on double or triple progression and do you use it? I´m relatively new to bodybuilding and found your channel because of Nicks BB and BS channel. I would appreciate a video about this topic if you don´t mind. thanks you very much, I appreciate you
There's a lot to cover there, legit need a full video. As a short response (for now) I personally use the Conjugate System (if I want max strength) with normal Double Progression and sometimes Dynamic Double Progression.
Excellent question, should make for a pretty good video topic. Now... go subscribe to Bald Omni-Man, Geoffrey Verity Schofield and Natural Hypertrophy! There's a bunch of smaller channels with excellent content, but starting with AD, BOM, GVS and NH will definitely cover a ton of content. 😁
Bro I've been banging this idea in my head for a while, i'm so glad you brought it to light. I think specially for muscle groups like the shoulders, which is a '3d joint' and have multiple angles and functions to work with, this protocol makes so much sense. Instead of doing something like 2 movements 3 sets each, why not do 3 movements, 2 sets each. You hit a lot more angles, functions and feel healthier and stable in all of your other movements.
You’v Just NAILED IT Man (I’m 59 and been Training since I was 18) recently iv Not been Able to Recover from a 4 day Split SO i Dropped it to 3 Days PPL with 2 Sets to Failure AND omg WHAT a Difference it’s Made (WISH I’d done this 30yrs Ago BUT Hay there’s Still Another 20yrs to Go lol…… Chris from Manchester England
brother this is exactly what I've done recently with lats. dropped a set of barbell rows and pull-ups for two sets of banded lat prayers or pullovers good advice as always brah
Started doing this a few weeks ago, just about 2-4 different exercises per group for about 2-6 sets across the board and it’s been amazing. You really get to focus in on just those 2 sets and make it count. Not to mention you’re in and out the gym with relative ease
3 hard sets on a given exercise per workout is where I've settled for the past 8 months. If I start getting bored by the 4th set, I know it's not going to be useful. I'm slowly creeping up in volume, and I definitely like the thought of having 2 sets of 2 related exercises instead of going up to 4 of 1 exercise. 2 sets of Preacher curls + 2 sets of hammer/reverse curls instead of just 4 preacher curls is more comprehensive in stimulus. I've already been doing this for some exercises that I need more volume on (upper back) and doing it this way seems to beat up my joints less. Minimalist approaches, especially when you up the volume, are less viable for me as I age. My joints' recovery is the limiting factor.
Another way to keep RPE high across all sets of double progression is to drop the weight when you hit the bottom of the rep range. Your body doesnt care how much weight is on the bar. So for 3x 6-10 go 8, 6, drop weight by about 10%, 8. This keeps you in the target rep range while hitting failure (or close to it) every set. You would only go up in weight when you can do all 3 sets with the same weight in the target rep range eg. 10,8,6.
This is definitely something i've come to terms with recently. After years of building up overruse injuries that have turned into chronic recurring problems, this might be the change i've been needing. I've been a big fan of doing 5 or even 6 sets of a single exercise as my token press/pull on upper days and always ended up getting some sort of issue & assumed it was part of the game.
I’ve been experimenting with two sets lately. Not really increasing exercises, just focusing on quality volume with high effort (1-0 RIR) and haven’t felt better
This just makes so much sense. Definitely working this in for my hypertrophy work. For me that third set of leg exercises always felt like junk! Thank you Alex!
Dr. Mike did a analysis of this in this how many sets per exercise video I think. With that said I have been messing with a maximalist-minimal volume training, I do 2-3set on one or two main exercise and do 1-2sets past failure on isolations, with 5-6total number of exercises. Recovery is nice and time management is less stressful since my workout takes 1hr max
That is exactly what Steve Shaw proposes in his Massive Mass system. 2 sets, with last set for max reps. Works wonders and is great for including more exercise variety in the same volume per week. Awesome way to train.
I also found i get less fatigue this way, since the muscles are hit in slightly different movement patterns for the same number of sets. Usually this results in better quality sets overall.
I had this exact thought and can vouch for its effectiveness! I love hitting one exercise hard for high sets, but there's no denying it once I split that volume into two movements, my progress was a lot better. Maybe I'll try going even further and trying 3 movements like you suggested, just wonder how the extra setup will affect workout time. Great video as always!!
Hey just wondering do you think this idea applies to something like OHP? Like I could do pike push-ups and OHP instead of one or the other but I always doubted it made a difference
@@keelanenns4548 I think if you can get a good enough training stimulus from pike pushups that would be a good example. In my experience the angle you press from is different enough with the two exercises to minimize joint wear and tear etc. I could see pike pushups working well for what Alex was recommending here with dividing the sets down even further (like example 3 here) 1 - 6 sets ohp 2 - 3 sets ohp 3 sets bench 3 - 2 sets ohp 2 sets bench 2 sets pike pushups
This is brilliant man. Been implementing something like this for a few months and getting great results. Had no idea what was different but your words gave it great form. Biggest change I made after this video is increase number of primary exercises (use +1/-1) on the others and remove all the extra isolation sets to add in another isolation angle.
I’m a beginner running 5/3/1 and this is exactly what I’ve been doing for my assistance work. Keeps things flexible and interesting. Gains and recovery have been on point!
Absolutely agree especially if you actually train hard skills. This way of training also allows for higher training frequency which is crucial for developing the motor patterns required for things like planche and high level ring skills
Ive gravitated towards this intuitively although didnt realize the second set could be done in a second rep range and load scheme altogether. It is very intelligent and will make use of this. Thank you alex. The reason I gravitated towards it is because I simply dont agree with lowering my RIR in my first set to accomodate more sets. And If I keep the RIR way low for the two first sets, im simply spent for the third one, it absolutely falls outside of my target reprange. So i ended up eliminating it. Now my progress is starting to pick up again so i think im sticking with this for the long run. Very illustrative video. Also, volume per session can be substituted for micro sessions or upping the frequency if your schedule allows It, which to me is much more manageable.
true. ive realized this when training triceps last year... i would usually do 6 sets of lying tricep extensions along with closegrip benching (mainly because i don't have much equipment not because of minimalism), but to target a little more certain areas of the tricep. i then split it up as 3 sets of lying tricep extensions and 3 sets of overhead tricep extension, also saw more gains to my triceps (maybe because i was able to progress more with weight as well and more variety of course).
Really good concept that ive started to adopt in my training. Was feeling stale with multiple sets and stalling using double progression. Now im concentrating on a main move with one top set set then 1 to 2 sets of an accessory. Its more setting up but a more diverse workout
This is fantastic advice. I actually intuitively have done this with full body training. I train only 3x per week (I have 3 different full body sessions). I do mainly 2 sets per exercise, maximum 3, but opt for more variations and exercise per session than doing more sets of a given exercise. My joints have never felt so good, recovery is on point and progression is pretty much effortless.
I've been attempting to train ''each part'' of each muscle as much as I can for some time now. I started lifting while obese with 36cm arms, now they are just over 45cm slim, my chest is 130cm and I have probably the best calves in the multiverse we live in (yes a slight exaggeration, but they are very very good). I learnt to emphasize each section of each muscle group, for example I can emphasize: -low inner or outer section -mid inner or outer section -upper inner or outer section -mid or upper thickness of the biceps Like wise with triceps and all other muscles including tibialis anterior. The hard part is trying to adjust the volume, but that too can be solved with cycling in programme blocks.
Great points. I do something similar with double progression. If I'm doing 2 sets of 6-10 reps, I'll up the weight when I hit 10 reps, then 6 reps on second set. Allows high intensity
i feel like this is a good idea for the adhd lifters who want variety. this method gives you that but doesnt sacrifice volume, and i think it could also help with overuse.
Thanks for this vid bro. I workout at home with rings and 5-90 lb powerblocks, and I'm curious if I could get your thoughts on this routine based upon the things you said in this vid: Day 1 (Chest focus): Bench Row Inc Bench Supinated row Arnold press (the extra vertical push - 1 set) (SS) Bicep curl -> Skullcrusher Hammer curl Day 2 (Quad focus): BSS Heel elevated lunge Nordic curl (the extra ham movement - 1 set) Calf raise Ab work Day 3 (Shoulder focus): DB Seated OHP Chin up Lat raise DB Pull over Baby 90 Deg Pushups (the extra horizontal push - 1 set) (SS) Dip - Bicep curl French press Day 4 (Hammy focus): Nordic curl B-stance Single leg RDL BSS (the extra quad movement - 1 set each leg) Calf raise Ab work Of course this will all follow the 2 set approach outlined in this video. Anyways, any critiques or modification suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks again.
Great timing, I just implemented this kind of programming recently. My squat, OHP, and deadlift have increased significantly over the past year, but my bench has stayed relatively the same. I have only been benching once per week, and I wanted to up that frequency without overdoing it in terms of volume. So I took my vertical pressing down one set each and added 2-3 sets of bench into my vertical push days. Volume is still relative, but my bench frequency has doubled and I hope to see some strength gains as a result. Glad to see this video and your vote of confidence in this strategy!
I was actually skeptical when I kept reading that 2 sets per exercise is enough. But I'll admit, I'm seeing great progress. I do full body 3x weekly with only 12 sets per workout spread over 6 exercises/2 sets each. I've actually found more intensity being able to go harder on fewer sets. Versus holding back slightly to cover more volume.
I don't know why I didn't see this video till now. its 100% the program I built for myself over the last 3 years of experimenting. 3 days "Full body" (more like rotating emphasis) with 3 different lifts for each of my target groups. 2 sets to failure, superset with 2 isolations on a different group. I'm in and out of the gym in 45m but knock out 4 core movements and an additional 8 movements to round out the physique; space for stuff like calves, forearms, core etc.
Especially useful if you can only hit the gym once a week full body. Have an A week and B week. Get exercise rotation and keep track of it. Example day A: dips, chins, front squats, deads Example Day B: Shoulder press and rear delts, Australian rows, lunges, good mornings. Sprinkle some isolation work in there for weak points and you've got a program you can run for a year. Brought me from 135 to 165 in a year, I assume cuz recovery is so good. Downside is after lifting you're pretty beat. Lol
This is the generally philosophy I came to on my own. Why? Because it fit my goals which were to have consistency (ie working out 6 days a week) and have sufficient recovery to do it again the next day. It also allows a slow methodical approach to progressive overload and even to the minutiae of microloading. I'm totally in love with the process.
I made the switch to more exercises, less sets about 10 months ago. I feel it makes exercises more interesting, and allows you to hit all fibers in a muscle from many angles to facilitate growth and help make you more resistant to injury outside the gym.
I've been doing this for about 3 weeks now and loving it! I'm a long time fan of your channel and am still in the late novice stage of lifting numbers but I've always 3 times in the past 3 to 4 yrs noticed my recovery ability is just not as good as it was 5 yes ago for heavy training on compounds. So for a good while several months I'd say I cut the heavy overload sets down to just one single set of 3-5 reps and was making great gains again. A friend of mine said to me to try upping volume by one or 2 sets per main lift but drop the higher intensity so as to get volume in on the lifts I am trying to improve upon. I never thought to add lower intensity sets bc every novice program out there including yours requires 3 heavy sets across. With one ramped top set my lifts started to slow to a grinding halt, so I added 2 backoff sets in a 6-10 reps zone right after the heavy money sets and recovery is better and my lifts are still improving weekly. This is great because I still keep the basics or slight variations in my program and I still get 9 work sets in each week per major muscle groups. I love three days a week so it's the method I've found that helps enjoyment and recovery. On naturally enhanced I was only in the gym twice a week and rotating much too frequently on lifts. Thank you for saying this. It's equally beneficial to all who try it. I just hit 140 today for 3 reps on my ohp and my Bench just hit 205 for 3. My Squat is 235 now for 5 and Deadlift is 365 for 3. My Pendlay Rows are 245 for 5 and now my pullup and chinup are 45lbs for 5 as well. I'm so happy my buddy told me to add more sets but at a much lower intensity. I also separate those PR numbers from each other as you said in the video. I don't add weight to backoff sets until I hit a clean 10 reps with perfect form. Alex...seriously you're a life changing dude and an inspiration to us all in the natty game.
Hey Alex, I’m 46 years old, 5”5, 245 lbs. 19 inch arms neck and calves, 52 inch chest, 28 inch upper leg, and sadly, a 40 inch waist. I ran Starting Strength on and off for a few years and got my OHP to 225, Bench 315, Squat and Deadlift both to 405. (Short arms and legs, long torso. Can’t pull for shit) I recently got back into training, starting off 90 lbs less on each lift and started incorporating top sets with 2 back off sets for the main lifts and alternating an every other day upper/lower which runs 8 days. So say Mon Press, Tue off, Wed Squat, Thur Off, Fri Bench, Sat Off, Sun Deadlift, Mon Off, Tue Press, which simply makes my weeks go 4/3/4/3. I always follow the main lift with a dumbbell variation of the other day’s lift. So if it’s OHP day, I do dumbbell bench. Then I finish it out with 2 complimentary accessories done rest pause/myorep style. Laterals paired with crossovers or push downs. Weekly on the main lifts I’ll go 80% topset, 70% & 60% back offs, next week 85/75/65%, then 90/80/70% and finally, 95/85/75% all AMRAP and if I get 5 reps at 95% I add 5 lbs next time. Being an older guy, I’d like to Maximize my results and be able to recover. What do you say I do?
Hey Alex. I gotta say, I loved this video. From both a personal and objsctive standpoint. this might have been your best video yet. You spoke in an easy to understand tone, friendly, no gimmicks, presenting valuable informations that make the life easier for ANY lifter who watches this. I'm already telling you, I'm implementing the +1/-1 method on my own program. This vid can help looots of lifters to lift safely and happily, pursuing their goals for decades.
I change my training splits often ( Variety is key for me ) however, the greatest thing i have tested out is 2 working sets over multiple exercise selection. It prevents total fatigue and generates higher quality workouts
I'm a big fan of this. 2 working sets per lift, but I am also chasing those variability gains for more movement options. Someone competing in something like PL would of course benefit from more than that for their sport due to the specificity, but for recreational lifters trying to get jacked no point in most cases in doing a 10x10 on a big lift IMO
@@AlexLeonidas It’s also crazy how psychologically daunting my four sets are in my program. My high rep face pulls feel like repetitive shit even as I vary the height and my volume RDLs I always dread just because of what a long slog they are. It’s all the recovery time of big low rep compound with all the endurance demands of hitting the top of the rep range. I can get through it just makes time slooooooow down I fucking swear. Compared to how hyped I get for a quick three set on basically all my favorite exercises, the writing on the wall is pretty clear: more variety.
My intuition says this is a good idea and a way to make a high-volume program a little less like drudgery. Less sets for single exercises, but more fun with adding variations that wouldn’t normally have time-slots. And it can break up the focus on single lifts which can sometimes work against us.
If there is a lesson I get from the video, is that quality of the sets is much more imporant. The quality between your 2nd and 5th set of an exercise are going to be drastically different and nobody can deny that.
It really clicked with me when you mentioned being able to keep the staples in rotation. This was an insightful and extremely deep vid. Worthy of watching a few times. Thanks, man.
bro, first of thanks for staying to true delivering quality information based on actual experience not just relying solely on theory. second, this has been an eye opener for me personally, i always feel i had to adhere to the 3 set programming although i never really felt the third set. also and due to not having the luxury of longer training sessions i find my programming always lacking in some aspect. i will definitely try this approach and we'll see what happens. thanks 👍🏻
I do this but split it weekly. Volume allocation across the week is the same (lower) bc each exercise is only performed once. My main reason is set up costs (setting everything up for just 1-2 sets is time costly) and specificity. I feel I get a better pump,MMC whatever you want to call it with multiple sets not just 1-2
for a beginner who have limited experience in calisthenics, i think I benefit better when decreasing the number of sets from 3-4 to 2 and having more exercises. I feel my strength growing a lot better since the workouts hits more angles. I never have to worry about skipping isolations.
Excellent Hack Squat form, one of the most butchered exercises. I have tried to arrange exercises/sets in this way in the past, especially with different rep ranges for each of the two main sets for an exercise. Works quite well!
Drawbacks: - crowded gyms and you spend much more time resting and in the gym - bad for beginners / early intermediates in the especific exercises: when you are fully adapted to a pattern and can push harder after warmups, you have maybe 3-4 good sets to get and learn better the pattern
Been doing that for a few months, good results and frequent PRs, despite training less due to time constraints. When I know I won't be able to hit a 100% on a third set, I switch the exercise with another angle on a similar movement pattern and can hit a 100% (or close to) on that one as well.
I've been doing this mainly because I get bored of exercises so doing 6 sets of bench would not get me to work hard but doing 2 sets of bench then 2 sets dumbells then 2 sets machine would ... makes perfect sense to me. I always go full out to failure 1st set and then match it on second set with myo reps
Jordan Peters, an absolutely massive bodybuilder uses this style as well. Only doing 1-2 really hard sets per exercise but doing more exercises. He finds it much easier to progress and after trying it myself I’d have to agree. Doing 3+ sets per exercise just feels redundant.
Great video. There are studies to suggest a maximum session volume - usually 6-10 working sets. I agree, exercise variety is important to target all areas of a given muscle and also for enjoyment.
What the name of the exercises in 03:00 mark? I dont understand. incline bench, flat bench and hammerstring press? Weighted pull ups, scatllte pull down(????) And inverted rows. Help, please
I see an old head who’s 100% on TRT doing this, he does the same shit every workout but 1-2 sets for multiple different exercises and does them all to near or past failure. Guy is fucking huge too
I never do more than 5 sets per exercise but its usually 3 on average and with the added exercise variety the targeted volume is reached. The answer is again as always in the middle. Doing a brosplit where you do million exercises per bodypart is overkill but so is the opposite end of extreme minimalism. The exercise variety definitely needs to be there not only for getting optimal gains on every bodypart but also for preventing muscle imbalances as well as overuse injuries.And yeah I also often do just one set of a different exercise as a "finisher"
I love this. The only issue is that it often takes longer to perform. To move from barbell bench for 3 sets to incline DB bench for 2 and hammer strength for 2 and flyes for 1 takes longer than doing bench for 4 and incline DB for 4.
This is one of the greatest ever advices. I myself was making my own new Program of Full Body 2x a week... But I was writing it down as "Full Body 2-3 sets per exercise with Multiple Movement" 😂 and as always Alex has already covered up this. Ofcourse there are only very few exercises per muscle group which are the Best of the Best. But there are always certain great Movements which are Left behind and most of them come from our initial programs which even gave us solid gains in the beginning but in this "OPTIMAL HYPERTROPHY EXERCISE" competition we forget those ones and follow any exercise even if we can't progress on them for some reason. Actually This Progress plateau can be broken if we reduce the volume for already included exercise and add certain volume of the ones which suited us and it can break up the Plateaus bcz Strength Gains doesn't care about the Movements. I once was only doing Incline Bench DB presses, while my Flat one was too good already but then my Pec Flies stopped progressing alongside slowing down Inclines. I added up Flat and the wheel started moving again! Thanks Alex, This video was Top Notch and really one of its kind, nobody talks about this shit man!
Less sets with more exercises keep my workouts from getting boring. Even with the exercises I enjoy most, I wanna move onto something else after 3 sets.
For me, three HARD sets of one movement type is enough for a single day. Sure, I can see how 4 sets is still productive, but you’re getting diminishing returns on the quality. Raising the frequency and keeping redundancy to a minimum in each workout is the way to go I think. So instead of having a back day or a leg day… just train three sets of legs 4-5 times a week. If you do leg ext one day, program hamstring curls the next day. If you do leg press/hack squat one day, put your RDLs on the day before/behind it. Spread out the love. Spread out the pain. Stay on the gains.
Super interesting. Been following you and @RenaissancePeriodization for a long time now, and i see that this is something you two have "different opinions" on. In their video about "How Many Exercises Should You Do Per Muscle To MAXIMIZE Growth?" posted 7 months ago, Dr.Mike talks about that in most cases, finding 1-2 good exercises per mucle per session, and hammer these with multiple sets, will lead to you getting in a better groove each sets and get a better mind-muscle connection , instead of having to move around to different machines, waiting, re-warm up, etc. As a newbie, i really dont know what would be better. Love your vids Alex.
Interesting Alex. Personally I prefer only one or two exercises per session per body part but I’m a low volume guy and I totally get why you are suggesting this and I struggle to fit in vertical pressing with my low volume approach so what you are saying has logic as you always have.
Absolutely outstanding video! Truly a masterpiece. It’s so well structured in an orderly manner and explained in such a comprehensive manner. Your videos have been immensely helpful and informative to me. You’re a very prominent figure in the natural lifting community and a huge inspiration for all of us. The effort you’ve put into all the videos and training itself is highly commendable. Thank you so much for being an essential part of my lifting journey and sharing your very valuable knowledge, wisdom and advice with us. Keep up the great work and continue to inspire so many more like me. You’re an extremely important part of this community and I’ve learned plenty from you and apply it to my training all the time. The points you’ve made in the video are top-notch and highly accurate. Highly appreciate the great work. I’m deeply grateful and indebted to you for all the phenomenal work and help that you’ve provided over the years! I’d certainly love dedicate quite a lot of credit for the gains that I’ve made to you. 🙏💪👍
Hey Alex, I heard that the side delts can tolerate more work and revocer pretty fast. Since my side delts are lagging and there's so many variations of side delts exercises, would you recommend doing side delts exercises on every push and pull workouts? For example, 2-3 sets of Lu Raises on push day and 2-3 sets of Face Pulls on pull day, or maybe add more exercise variations to avoid overuse injury
I noticed you don't do rack pulls or cheat rows anymore. are they still something you recommend or have you moved away from them for optimal hypertrophy?
My man, you are simply looking epic.
Preciate that man! Cut is going better than expected.
@@AlexLeonidas anything u r doing different this time? Shoulder striations starting to come in keep it up
Lets fucking go alex
Alex definitely started 📌ing in his delts
@@cuckoldingstrengthandfitne9473cope.
I think you’re spot on here. I haven’t done more than 3 sets per exercise in a while, I’ve found that more variety leads to more high quality sets. Great explanation in this vid.
Thanks brother, definitely agree with you. Not only do you get more angles which is good for muscle biasing, but it keeps the workout more focused with automatic higher intensity.
I agree. I only do 4 sets for the first exercise of the day on a given muscle group and basically do 3 sets for the reste. It allows for more variety without overdoing it
I ve been on full body high variety 2 sets per exercise but 4 times a week so high frequency. This is the aspect that has been in my mind due to FOMO so I always wondered if what I was doing was correctand enough, it definitely feels correct so I kept going. Have seen one of my best gains yet and this video is what i needed for my confirmation bias.
ua-cam.com/video/QL9Dh9CGOBQ/v-deo.html This Natural Hypertrophy video is also a great add on regarding this topic
It is simply the best way to keep intensity and avoid junk volume especially when you are an exercise maximalist like i am
Bro the way you articulate yourself, convey your thoughts into words has improved significantly over the years. Not only are you making epic physique gains every year but clearly some brain gains too! Looking absolutely phenomenal btw.🔥💪
-Sabir
Im sure he will have brain striations if he uses the +1/-1 technique for hypocampus gains
Thank you very much, Sabir!
@@shlekmirkarin6429 LMAO
This has been my favourite thing about watching this channel. As much as I loved the early days of douchebag Alex wearing sunglasses indoors, it’s been cool watching him mature and be more humble. Dude is a class act.
Insane timing bro.
Just did a pull day where I did 2 sets of a bunch of exercises rather than 5 sets of a few exercises.
Pump was insane and felt better
Hell yeah bro, the focus was certainly there!
Same my dude. Was surprised as hell to see this video in my feed.
Hi, have you still been working out like this. Would love to hear some of your results.
Have you kept this style of working out still?
I start with a weight I can do 5 reps a set. When I can do 10 reps then I up the weight and start back at 5 reps. Great video dude.
Man, you're still making visible muscle gains and it's crazy! Thanks again for the inspiration!
Can't wait to see your Calisthenic program, you litteraly changed my life with all your concepts (more out less weight vs Overload, yoke, weighted stretch, concurrent, general strenght, NE, GPP, etc...) thank you very much
I'm happy for you Aymerick, and the wait will be worth it!
@@AlexLeonidasdo you know when you will drop it? So hyped for it
Where to find the Calisthenics workout? 👀
I'm currently experimenting with less sets and more exercises. As I have board exams next month , I'm going to decrease volume so that sessions don't last too long. But I don't wanna drop any exercises I do currently , so I'm just gonna do 2/3 sets of each exercise. Let's see how it works.
It's that simple bro, and remember the 2/3 can vary depending on the exercises. For many, you may want to stick to 2. Wishing you the best of gains.
@@AlexLeonidas Thanks man ! Yes , for my main heavy movements I'm gonna stick to 3 and for the isolations and machine work I'll do 2 sets. Everything to failure or super close to it to get the most out of it.
@rafsanriasat how did it work out? Would you repeat the drop to 2 sets again?
This is crazy!!!! 2 weeks I stopped doing a bunch of sets for each exercise and now only do two good working sets for exercises and I feel much better and more recovered
Looking like you've ascended brother. Your transformation has been demi-god tier over the years in terms of size, strength, and overall physique. The content quality has also improved. Been watching your stuff for about 10 years dude, since I first started training. Started as a 160lbs skinny DYEL at 6ft to 230lbs tank deadlifting 600lbs. You're great dude, regardless of any hate you ever get, keep up the great work. You've contributed a LOT to the natty fitness community. Much love and onward!
Looking forward to what comes next your way.
Just started doing the “2 sets” and adding more exercises… it’s been a game changer. 2 workouts in with this system and I’ve noticed it’s easier to go to failure on lifts and lifting doesn’t feel like a chore. Feels absolutely perfect, I wish I found this out 2 years ago
I’ve realized that I probably have the same issue with “training ADD”, I like switching routines and exercises, and it lead me to spinning my wheels until recently. I was getting burnt out with the gym, and I notice that I usually have lower intensity on 4-5 sets because I tend to want to rush to get it over with. Now i feel like this is a long term system that can help me maintain higher intensity throughout the workout and actually stick to my routine for 1+ years
To quote the inimitable Greg Doucette, the secret to gaining is “doing more than you did last time”. Ok, more of what? More sets? More weight? More reps? More exercises? What is your prefered method to achieve progressive overload on an exercise? when and how should I add weight to the bar or use heavier dumbbells and should I use the same weight for all my working sets? When should I increase sets, reps? Thoughts on double or triple progression and do you use it? I´m relatively new to bodybuilding and found your channel because of Nicks BB and BS channel. I would appreciate a video about this topic if you don´t mind. thanks you very much, I appreciate you
great suggestion! I hate rpe and would love to see a explanation video about the double progression methods
There's a lot to cover there, legit need a full video. As a short response (for now) I personally use the Conjugate System (if I want max strength) with normal Double Progression and sometimes Dynamic Double Progression.
@@AlexLeonidas Looking forward to this one! Please make a video
yeah, you are right on the money here
Excellent question, should make for a pretty good video topic.
Now... go subscribe to Bald Omni-Man, Geoffrey Verity Schofield and Natural Hypertrophy! There's a bunch of smaller channels with excellent content, but starting with AD, BOM, GVS and NH will definitely cover a ton of content. 😁
Bro I've been banging this idea in my head for a while, i'm so glad you brought it to light. I think specially for muscle groups like the shoulders, which is a '3d joint' and have multiple angles and functions to work with, this protocol makes so much sense. Instead of doing something like 2 movements 3 sets each, why not do 3 movements, 2 sets each. You hit a lot more angles, functions and feel healthier and stable in all of your other movements.
You’v Just NAILED IT Man (I’m 59 and been Training since I was 18) recently iv Not been Able to Recover from a 4 day Split SO i Dropped it to 3 Days PPL with 2 Sets to Failure AND omg WHAT a Difference it’s Made (WISH I’d done this 30yrs Ago BUT Hay there’s Still Another 20yrs to Go lol…… Chris from Manchester England
brother this is exactly what I've done recently with lats. dropped a set of barbell rows and pull-ups for two sets of banded lat prayers or pullovers
good advice as always brah
Started doing this a few weeks ago, just about 2-4 different exercises per group for about 2-6 sets across the board and it’s been amazing. You really get to focus in on just those 2 sets and make it count. Not to mention you’re in and out the gym with relative ease
Blessed profile pic
3 hard sets on a given exercise per workout is where I've settled for the past 8 months. If I start getting bored by the 4th set, I know it's not going to be useful.
I'm slowly creeping up in volume, and I definitely like the thought of having 2 sets of 2 related exercises instead of going up to 4 of 1 exercise. 2 sets of Preacher curls + 2 sets of hammer/reverse curls instead of just 4 preacher curls is more comprehensive in stimulus. I've already been doing this for some exercises that I need more volume on (upper back) and doing it this way seems to beat up my joints less. Minimalist approaches, especially when you up the volume, are less viable for me as I age. My joints' recovery is the limiting factor.
alex you are killing it my man. one of your most informative and well put together vids. gonna come back to this vid for sure
Happy you loved it Ross!
Another way to keep RPE high across all sets of double progression is to drop the weight when you hit the bottom of the rep range. Your body doesnt care how much weight is on the bar. So for 3x 6-10 go 8, 6, drop weight by about 10%, 8. This keeps you in the target rep range while hitting failure (or close to it) every set. You would only go up in weight when you can do all 3 sets with the same weight in the target rep range eg. 10,8,6.
This is definitely something i've come to terms with recently. After years of building up overruse injuries that have turned into chronic recurring problems, this might be the change i've been needing. I've been a big fan of doing 5 or even 6 sets of a single exercise as my token press/pull on upper days and always ended up getting some sort of issue & assumed it was part of the game.
I’ve been experimenting with two sets lately. Not really increasing exercises, just focusing on quality volume with high effort (1-0 RIR) and haven’t felt better
This just makes so much sense.
Definitely working this in for my hypertrophy work.
For me that third set of leg exercises always felt like junk!
Thank you Alex!
Dr. Mike did a analysis of this in this how many sets per exercise video I think. With that said I have been messing with a maximalist-minimal volume training, I do 2-3set on one or two main exercise and do 1-2sets past failure on isolations, with 5-6total number of exercises. Recovery is nice and time management is less stressful since my workout takes 1hr max
Awesome bro!!
That is exactly what Steve Shaw proposes in his Massive Mass system. 2 sets, with last set for max reps. Works wonders and is great for including more exercise variety in the same volume per week. Awesome way to train.
Awesome that Steve programs this!!
I also found i get less fatigue this way, since the muscles are hit in slightly different movement patterns for the same number of sets. Usually this results in better quality sets overall.
I had this exact thought and can vouch for its effectiveness! I love hitting one exercise hard for high sets, but there's no denying it once I split that volume into two movements, my progress was a lot better. Maybe I'll try going even further and trying 3 movements like you suggested, just wonder how the extra setup will affect workout time. Great video as always!!
Hey just wondering do you think this idea applies to something like OHP? Like I could do pike push-ups and OHP instead of one or the other but I always doubted it made a difference
@@keelanenns4548 I think if you can get a good enough training stimulus from pike pushups that would be a good example. In my experience the angle you press from is different enough with the two exercises to minimize joint wear and tear etc. I could see pike pushups working well for what Alex was recommending here with dividing the sets down even further (like example 3 here)
1 - 6 sets ohp
2 - 3 sets ohp 3 sets bench
3 - 2 sets ohp 2 sets bench 2 sets pike pushups
Thanks bro!
@@keelanenns4548 you got it!
This is brilliant man. Been implementing something like this for a few months and getting great results. Had no idea what was different but your words gave it great form.
Biggest change I made after this video is increase number of primary exercises (use +1/-1) on the others and remove all the extra isolation sets to add in another isolation angle.
I’m a beginner running 5/3/1 and this is exactly what I’ve been doing for my assistance work. Keeps things flexible and interesting. Gains and recovery have been on point!
Works even better for assistance work especially when tired!
Yep, way less fatiguing adding some variety.
What’s 5/3/1?
@@jerontenorton3673style of training, when you do sets of 5 rep first week, 3 rep second week, and third week you use 5, 3 and finally 1 rep max.
Absolutely agree especially if you actually train hard skills. This way of training also allows for higher training frequency which is crucial for developing the motor patterns required for things like planche and high level ring skills
Ive gravitated towards this intuitively although didnt realize the second set could be done in a second rep range and load scheme altogether. It is very intelligent and will make use of this. Thank you alex. The reason I gravitated towards it is because I simply dont agree with lowering my RIR in my first set to accomodate more sets. And If I keep the RIR way low for the two first sets, im simply spent for the third one, it absolutely falls outside of my target reprange. So i ended up eliminating it. Now my progress is starting to pick up again so i think im sticking with this for the long run. Very illustrative video. Also, volume per session can be substituted for micro sessions or upping the frequency if your schedule allows It, which to me is much more manageable.
I cannot stand how good of a fitness info youtuber u are...
true. ive realized this when training triceps last year... i would usually do 6 sets of lying tricep extensions along with closegrip benching (mainly because i don't have much equipment not because of minimalism), but to target a little more certain areas of the tricep. i then split it up as 3 sets of lying tricep extensions and 3 sets of overhead tricep extension, also saw more gains to my triceps (maybe because i was able to progress more with weight as well and more variety of course).
Really good concept that ive started to adopt in my training. Was feeling stale with multiple sets and stalling using double progression. Now im concentrating on a main move with one top set set then 1 to 2 sets of an accessory. Its more setting up but a more diverse workout
This is fantastic advice. I actually intuitively have done this with full body training. I train only 3x per week (I have 3 different full body sessions). I do mainly 2 sets per exercise, maximum 3, but opt for more variations and exercise per session than doing more sets of a given exercise. My joints have never felt so good, recovery is on point and progression is pretty much effortless.
@stoicmen344 not if you're doing a different exercise on the same muscle group that's already warmed up.
I asked about this on Instagram a few weeks ago and not only did Alex answer on there.. the man now makes a video! What a legend! 👌
I've been attempting to train ''each part'' of each muscle as much as I can for some time now.
I started lifting while obese with 36cm arms, now they are just over 45cm slim, my chest is 130cm and I have probably the best calves in the multiverse we live in (yes a slight exaggeration, but they are very very good).
I learnt to emphasize each section of each muscle group, for example I can emphasize:
-low inner or outer section
-mid inner or outer section
-upper inner or outer section
-mid or upper thickness of the biceps
Like wise with triceps and all other muscles including tibialis anterior.
The hard part is trying to adjust the volume, but that too can be solved with cycling in programme blocks.
Great points. I do something similar with double progression. If I'm doing 2 sets of 6-10 reps, I'll up the weight when I hit 10 reps, then 6 reps on second set. Allows high intensity
i feel like this is a good idea for the adhd lifters who want variety. this method gives you that but doesnt sacrifice volume, and i think it could also help with overuse.
Nailed it 💯
Thanks for this vid bro. I workout at home with rings and 5-90 lb powerblocks, and I'm curious if I could get your thoughts on this routine based upon the things you said in this vid:
Day 1 (Chest focus):
Bench
Row
Inc Bench
Supinated row
Arnold press (the extra vertical push - 1 set)
(SS) Bicep curl -> Skullcrusher
Hammer curl
Day 2 (Quad focus):
BSS
Heel elevated lunge
Nordic curl (the extra ham movement - 1 set)
Calf raise
Ab work
Day 3 (Shoulder focus):
DB Seated OHP
Chin up
Lat raise
DB Pull over
Baby 90 Deg Pushups (the extra horizontal push - 1 set)
(SS) Dip - Bicep curl
French press
Day 4 (Hammy focus):
Nordic curl
B-stance Single leg RDL
BSS (the extra quad movement - 1 set each leg)
Calf raise
Ab work
Of course this will all follow the 2 set approach outlined in this video. Anyways, any critiques or modification suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks again.
Great timing, I just implemented this kind of programming recently. My squat, OHP, and deadlift have increased significantly over the past year, but my bench has stayed relatively the same. I have only been benching once per week, and I wanted to up that frequency without overdoing it in terms of volume.
So I took my vertical pressing down one set each and added 2-3 sets of bench into my vertical push days. Volume is still relative, but my bench frequency has doubled and I hope to see some strength gains as a result. Glad to see this video and your vote of confidence in this strategy!
I was actually skeptical when I kept reading that 2 sets per exercise is enough. But I'll admit, I'm seeing great progress.
I do full body 3x weekly with only 12 sets per workout spread over 6 exercises/2 sets each. I've actually found more intensity being able to go harder on fewer sets. Versus holding back slightly to cover more volume.
I don't know why I didn't see this video till now. its 100% the program I built for myself over the last 3 years of experimenting. 3 days "Full body" (more like rotating emphasis) with 3 different lifts for each of my target groups. 2 sets to failure, superset with 2 isolations on a different group. I'm in and out of the gym in 45m but knock out 4 core movements and an additional 8 movements to round out the physique; space for stuff like calves, forearms, core etc.
Especially useful if you can only hit the gym once a week full body. Have an A week and B week. Get exercise rotation and keep track of it.
Example day A: dips, chins, front squats, deads
Example Day B: Shoulder press and rear delts, Australian rows, lunges, good mornings.
Sprinkle some isolation work in there for weak points and you've got a program you can run for a year.
Brought me from 135 to 165 in a year, I assume cuz recovery is so good. Downside is after lifting you're pretty beat. Lol
This is the generally philosophy I came to on my own. Why? Because it fit my goals which were to have consistency (ie working out 6 days a week) and have sufficient recovery to do it again the next day. It also allows a slow methodical approach to progressive overload and even to the minutiae of microloading. I'm totally in love with the process.
I made the switch to more exercises, less sets about 10 months ago. I feel it makes exercises more interesting, and allows you to hit all fibers in a muscle from many angles to facilitate growth and help make you more resistant to injury outside the gym.
Mentioning Jordan Peters just shows how much you study the diversity of masters available to learn from.
Appreciate your work Alex.
Alphadestiny: A giant with the dexterity of a fox.
You're an inspiration to us all man, keep up the awesome work!
This is probably one of your best videos yet! Blown away. Good shit man.
I've been doing this for about 3 weeks now and loving it! I'm a long time fan of your channel and am still in the late novice stage of lifting numbers but I've always 3 times in the past 3 to 4 yrs noticed my recovery ability is just not as good as it was 5 yes ago for heavy training on
compounds. So for a good while several months I'd say I cut the heavy overload sets down to just one single set of 3-5 reps and was making great gains again. A friend of mine said to me to try upping volume by one or 2 sets per main lift but drop the higher intensity so as to get volume in on the lifts I am trying to improve upon. I never thought to add lower intensity sets bc every novice program out there including yours requires 3 heavy sets across. With one ramped top set my lifts started to slow to a grinding halt, so I added 2 backoff sets in a 6-10 reps zone right after the heavy money sets and recovery is better and my lifts are still improving weekly. This is great because I still keep the basics or slight variations in my program and I still get 9 work sets in each week per major muscle groups. I love three days a week so it's the method I've found that helps enjoyment and recovery. On naturally enhanced I was only in the gym twice a week and rotating much too frequently on lifts. Thank you for saying this. It's equally beneficial to all who try it. I just hit 140 today for 3 reps on my ohp and my Bench just hit 205 for 3. My Squat is 235 now for 5 and Deadlift is 365 for 3. My Pendlay Rows are 245 for 5 and now my pullup and chinup are 45lbs for 5 as well. I'm so happy my buddy told me to add more sets but at a much lower intensity. I also separate those PR numbers from each other as you said in the video. I don't add weight to backoff sets until I hit a clean 10 reps with perfect form. Alex...seriously you're a life changing dude and an inspiration to us all in the natty game.
Great video! I’ve been focusing on implementing more exercises with the same volume. Your hitting more variations/angles with less fatigue.
Hey Alex, I’m 46 years old, 5”5, 245 lbs. 19 inch arms neck and calves, 52 inch chest, 28 inch upper leg, and sadly, a 40 inch waist. I ran Starting Strength on and off for a few years and got my OHP to 225, Bench 315, Squat and Deadlift both to 405. (Short arms and legs, long torso. Can’t pull for shit) I recently got back into training, starting off 90 lbs less on each lift and started incorporating top sets with 2 back off sets for the main lifts and alternating an every other day upper/lower which runs 8 days. So say Mon Press, Tue off, Wed Squat, Thur Off, Fri Bench, Sat Off, Sun Deadlift, Mon Off, Tue Press, which simply makes my weeks go 4/3/4/3. I always follow the main lift with a dumbbell variation of the other day’s lift. So if it’s OHP day, I do dumbbell bench. Then I finish it out with 2 complimentary accessories done rest pause/myorep style. Laterals paired with crossovers or push downs. Weekly on the main lifts I’ll go 80% topset, 70% & 60% back offs, next week 85/75/65%, then 90/80/70% and finally, 95/85/75% all AMRAP and if I get 5 reps at 95% I add 5 lbs next time. Being an older guy, I’d like to Maximize my results and be able to recover. What do you say I do?
Hey Alex. I gotta say, I loved this video.
From both a personal and objsctive standpoint. this might have been your best video yet.
You spoke in an easy to understand tone, friendly, no gimmicks, presenting valuable informations that make the life easier for ANY lifter who watches this. I'm already telling you, I'm implementing the +1/-1 method on my own program. This vid can help looots of lifters to lift safely and happily, pursuing their goals for decades.
Don't judge someone until you've been in their situation. Good job man I notice the size difference when you first started weighted pull ups.
I have been doing these method for a few months now and it keeps my training fresh and the gain train rolling along. Thanks brother, God speed.
I change my training splits often ( Variety is key for me ) however, the greatest thing i have tested out is 2 working sets over multiple exercise selection. It prevents total fatigue and generates higher quality workouts
bro you got elite head genetics that shave looks sick
Been following this approach for a while now doing around 6-8 exercises per workout with 2 working sets for every exercise
The 3rd set was honestly always a pain in the butt. Thanks for this video Alex! For sure gonna incorporate this!
There has been many times where I just moved on to the next exercise because I didn't feel like doing that third set.
I'm a big fan of this. 2 working sets per lift, but I am also chasing those variability gains for more movement options. Someone competing in something like PL would of course benefit from more than that for their sport due to the specificity, but for recreational lifters trying to get jacked no point in most cases in doing a 10x10 on a big lift IMO
Preach Phil
This helped me connect some dots. Honestly fuck a fourth set, I want more variety snd flexibility.
Tell me about it 😂😂👍
@@AlexLeonidas It’s also crazy how psychologically daunting my four sets are in my program. My high rep face pulls feel like repetitive shit even as I vary the height and my volume RDLs I always dread just because of what a long slog they are. It’s all the recovery time of big low rep compound with all the endurance demands of hitting the top of the rep range. I can get through it just makes time slooooooow down I fucking swear. Compared to how hyped I get for a quick three set on basically all my favorite exercises, the writing on the wall is pretty clear: more variety.
This just solved my incine vs flat bench problem thanks!
Fantastic!!
My intuition says this is a good idea and a way to make a high-volume program a little less like drudgery. Less sets for single exercises, but more fun with adding variations that wouldn’t normally have time-slots. And it can break up the focus on single lifts which can sometimes work against us.
If there is a lesson I get from the video, is that quality of the sets is much more imporant. The quality between your 2nd and 5th set of an exercise are going to be drastically different and nobody can deny that.
Exactly right!
It really clicked with me when you mentioned being able to keep the staples in rotation. This was an insightful and extremely deep vid. Worthy of watching a few times. Thanks, man.
Dude you look so fucking good it's crazy
Yo thanks so much dude!
Looking jacked and stacked and ready to attack
bro, first of thanks for staying to true delivering quality information based on actual experience not just relying solely on theory. second, this has been an eye opener for me personally, i always feel i had to adhere to the 3 set programming although i never really felt the third set. also and due to not having the luxury of longer training sessions i find my programming always lacking in some aspect. i will definitely try this approach and we'll see what happens. thanks 👍🏻
I do this but split it weekly. Volume allocation across the week is the same (lower) bc each exercise is only performed once.
My main reason is set up costs (setting everything up for just 1-2 sets is time costly) and specificity. I feel I get a better pump,MMC whatever you want to call it with multiple sets not just 1-2
for a beginner who have limited experience in calisthenics, i think I benefit better when decreasing the number of sets from 3-4 to 2 and having more exercises. I feel my strength growing a lot better since the workouts hits more angles. I never have to worry about skipping isolations.
Excellent Hack Squat form, one of the most butchered exercises. I have tried to arrange exercises/sets in this way in the past, especially with different rep ranges for each of the two main sets for an exercise. Works quite well!
Damn Alex, looking badass in the camo ! You look like a super soldier.
Drawbacks:
- crowded gyms and you spend much more time resting and in the gym
- bad for beginners / early intermediates in the especific exercises: when you are fully adapted to a pattern and can push harder after warmups, you have maybe 3-4 good sets to get and learn better the pattern
Been doing that for a few months, good results and frequent PRs, despite training less due to time constraints. When I know I won't be able to hit a 100% on a third set, I switch the exercise with another angle on a similar movement pattern and can hit a 100% (or close to) on that one as well.
Shaved head + beard is definitely the best look for you man
Everyone should get your book! Good pictures and explanations.
I’m f*cking with this my guy. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more about this.
I've been doing this mainly because I get bored of exercises so doing 6 sets of bench would not get me to work hard but doing 2 sets of bench then 2 sets dumbells then 2 sets machine would ... makes perfect sense to me. I always go full out to failure 1st set and then match it on second set with myo reps
Makes perfect sense bro, keep it up!
bro looking like captain Canada
Jordan Peters, an absolutely massive bodybuilder uses this style as well. Only doing 1-2 really hard sets per exercise but doing more exercises. He finds it much easier to progress and after trying it myself I’d have to agree. Doing 3+ sets per exercise just feels redundant.
100% and I briefly mentioned Jordan here. I'm starting to really resonate with this style of training.
@@AlexLeonidas I'm going to try this for my next Meso. I'm training Renaissance Periodization style, but the extra set are killing me.
12:05 Hey, what is that piece of equipment called that you are using here that you squeeze together/shut for lack of a better term?!
Chest crusher
Great video. There are studies to suggest a maximum session volume - usually 6-10 working sets. I agree, exercise variety is important to target all areas of a given muscle and also for enjoyment.
What the name of the exercises in 03:00 mark? I dont understand. incline bench, flat bench and hammerstring press? Weighted pull ups, scatllte pull down(????) And inverted rows. Help, please
It's Hammer strength press and ghetto pulldown
I see an old head who’s 100% on TRT doing this, he does the same shit every workout but 1-2 sets for multiple different exercises and does them all to near or past failure. Guy is fucking huge too
muscle ups around 2:30 looking CLEAN!! moreso than other clips you've shown
This guys transforming in front of our eyes to a comic book hero/villain
I never do more than 5 sets per exercise but its usually 3 on average and with the added exercise variety the targeted volume is reached. The answer is again as always in the middle. Doing a brosplit where you do million exercises per bodypart is overkill but so is the opposite end of extreme minimalism. The exercise variety definitely needs to be there not only for getting optimal gains on every bodypart but also for preventing muscle imbalances as well as overuse injuries.And yeah I also often do just one set of a different exercise as a "finisher"
Exactly Marko!
I love this. The only issue is that it often takes longer to perform. To move from barbell bench for 3 sets to incline DB bench for 2 and hammer strength for 2 and flyes for 1 takes longer than doing bench for 4 and incline DB for 4.
Will definetly be trying this for my upper workout tomorrow
Let me know how you like the setup!
Great video! Your arms are definitely getting bigger man!
Alex has attained legendary esoteric /fit/ status: History will remember him as an icon of our iron era
This is one of the greatest ever advices.
I myself was making my own new Program of Full Body 2x a week... But I was writing it down as "Full Body 2-3 sets per exercise with Multiple Movement" 😂 and as always Alex has already covered up this.
Ofcourse there are only very few exercises per muscle group which are the Best of the Best. But there are always certain great Movements which are Left behind and most of them come from our initial programs which even gave us solid gains in the beginning but in this "OPTIMAL HYPERTROPHY EXERCISE" competition we forget those ones and follow any exercise even if we can't progress on them for some reason.
Actually This Progress plateau can be broken if we reduce the volume for already included exercise and add certain volume of the ones which suited us and it can break up the Plateaus bcz Strength Gains doesn't care about the Movements.
I once was only doing Incline Bench DB presses, while my Flat one was too good already but then my Pec Flies stopped progressing alongside slowing down Inclines. I added up Flat and the wheel started moving again!
Thanks Alex, This video was Top Notch and really one of its kind, nobody talks about this shit man!
Less sets with more exercises keep my workouts from getting boring. Even with the exercises I enjoy most, I wanna move onto something else after 3 sets.
Good point, keeps you psychologically fresh and ready to move onto the next exercise.
For me, three HARD sets of one movement type is enough for a single day. Sure, I can see how 4 sets is still productive, but you’re getting diminishing returns on the quality. Raising the frequency and keeping redundancy to a minimum in each workout is the way to go I think. So instead of having a back day or a leg day… just train three sets of legs 4-5 times a week. If you do leg ext one day, program hamstring curls the next day. If you do leg press/hack squat one day, put your RDLs on the day before/behind it. Spread out the love. Spread out the pain. Stay on the gains.
Same here
Bro splits making a comeback
Super interesting. Been following you and @RenaissancePeriodization for a long time now, and i see that this is something you two have "different opinions" on. In their video about "How Many Exercises Should You Do Per Muscle To MAXIMIZE Growth?" posted 7 months ago, Dr.Mike talks about that in most cases, finding 1-2 good exercises per mucle per session, and hammer these with multiple sets, will lead to you getting in a better groove each sets and get a better mind-muscle connection , instead of having to move around to different machines, waiting, re-warm up, etc. As a newbie, i really dont know what would be better. Love your vids Alex.
Of course if you have a home gym then waiting for equipment is not an issue and this becomes even more viable.
Interesting Alex. Personally I prefer only one or two exercises per session per body part but I’m a low volume guy and I totally get why you are suggesting this and I struggle to fit in vertical pressing with my low volume approach so what you are saying has logic as you always have.
Absolutely outstanding video! Truly a masterpiece. It’s so well structured in an orderly manner and explained in such a comprehensive manner. Your videos have been immensely helpful and informative to me. You’re a very prominent figure in the natural lifting community and a huge inspiration for all of us. The effort you’ve put into all the videos and training itself is highly commendable. Thank you so much for being an essential part of my lifting journey and sharing your very valuable knowledge, wisdom and advice with us. Keep up the great work and continue to inspire so many more like me. You’re an extremely important part of this community and I’ve learned plenty from you and apply it to my training all the time. The points you’ve made in the video are top-notch and highly accurate. Highly appreciate the great work. I’m deeply grateful and indebted to you for all the phenomenal work and help that you’ve provided over the years! I’d certainly love dedicate quite a lot of credit for the gains that I’ve made to you. 🙏💪👍
Hey Alex, I heard that the side delts can tolerate more work and revocer pretty fast. Since my side delts are lagging and there's so many variations of side delts exercises, would you recommend doing side delts exercises on every push and pull workouts? For example, 2-3 sets of Lu Raises on push day and 2-3 sets of Face Pulls on pull day, or maybe add more exercise variations to avoid overuse injury
Does this concept apply to beginners?
I noticed you don't do rack pulls or cheat rows anymore. are they still something you recommend or have you moved away from them for optimal hypertrophy?
What about pushing it any further (dorian yates like fashion): one all out set to failure on multiple exercises for a single muscle group
Interesting. Do you have a training program for a 2x a week full body workout?