Sets of three, reps, weight..question

[Taleigh21]

Question for you ladies...

After reading the thread about workout routeins (ie: what days you workout what group etc...) I decided to ask.

I workout each muscle group using three different excercises and use a three set, 10-15 reps routein.

My question is...
should I up the weight in each set or stay the same throughout all three set of 10-12??

It just seems pointless to stay at the same weight I started at in set one in set three!

For example: Shoulders:
Set one: 12 reps @ 25kg
would I up the weight in sets two and three or stay at the same weight??

What do you suggest I do?

[newgirl]

Most certainly if you are trying to build muscle, up your weight each set.

Unless you are trying to build stamina and endurance, there is no reason to do reps up to 15. If you want to build muscle, by the last set, the weight should be heavy enough to only squeeze out about 4-6 reps max.

[Taleigh21]

I absolutely understand you *newgirl* ...although could you show me what you would do?

I dont know how much to go up in weight for each additional set.

[Hollywood]

Depepnding on what excercise, I only up my weight 10 lbs or so for arms and such(I am a huge wimp) Legs I usually up the weight from 110 to 130 to 150(My legs are much stronger than arms, although I still probably am no where near some of the ladies here)

[sana]

each person is different, depending on whether your doing DB or barbell exercises... sometimes you're limited to increments of 5 on DB's.

on BB's, you got the 5/10/25 plates.

i would say to guauge your own strength and like newgirl said, at the heaviest you should not be able to get out more than 4-6 reps.

[newgirl]

You need not up your weights by leaps and bounds. Say you are curling the bar bell alone.....add next set a 2.5 plate on each side -- while that is only 5 pounds -- you are being safe and conservative and testing your own limits. You may find you can tolerate more.

As you pyramid up -- it is not as important in the beginning to "know" how much more to put on -- just trying to increase the weight each set and take your set to failure is the way to go.

[Taleigh21]

Thanks to everyone who responded!

I will be able to workout better than before, adding more weight than I had been. Thanks so much for clearing that up for me.

[jacques derrida]

i just up it as much with as i can handle....

for arms i usually only go up 5lbs and for legs 10lbs. if i could do more at a shot and get through all three sets that would be nice, but it doesn't work that way with me.

[Puddles]

I usually do the same weights through my 4 sets, just change the number of reps as I tire out. The only exception is that my first set will be a lighter warm-up set sometimes...primarily on barbell exercises.

[jacques derrida]

Originally posted by GymChic
Newgirl gave great advice in that to build muscle you need to increase your weight until you are only able to get a 4-6 rep max.

GymChic

nice freaking back gymchic!