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Want to know how to do reverse pyramid training? This style of training is advantageous for building strength and lean muscle mass. It does not create as much central nervous system fatigue as standard pyramid training and can make it easier to achieve new personal lifting records in the gym.

reverse pyramid training

In this article, we are going to answer the following questions:

  • What is Reverse Pyramid Training?
  • What is the Difference Between Pyramid Training and Reverse Pyramid Training?
  • Does Reverse Pyramid Training Work?
  • How Often Should You Do Reverse Pyramid Training?
  • How Many Reps for Reverse Pyramid Training?
  • What are the disadvantages of Reverse Pyramid Training?
  • How Long Should You Rest During Reverse Pyramid Training?
  • Is Reverse Pyramid Training Good for Beginners?

What is Reverse Pyramid Training?

Reverse Pyramid Training or RPT is a style of weight training where your heaviest set is performed first with the most amount of intensity and the least number of repetitions. The sets that follow is performed with progressively less weight and more repetitions.

What is the Difference Between Pyramid Training and Reverse Pyramid Training?

With Pyramid training you are starting off light and adding weight each set. With reverse pyramid training, you are starting off heavy and subtracting weight each set.

Does Reverse Pyramid Training Work?

Reverse pyramid training is the most sensible way to train for strength. It’s hard to consistently break personal lifting records if you’re constantly pre-fatiguing yourself from too many light high-volume pyramid sets.

Contrarily, it’s also hard to smash PRs in the gym if your lifting heavy for every set on a compound movement.

For instance, many people utilize the 5×5 stronglifts program to build strength. This is a program where you are doing a 5-rep max for 5 sets with maximum intensity and long rest periods.

5×5 stronglifts are great for tension but it does not provide much opportunity for volume. You need 2 things in your training program to build muscle, which are tension and volume.

With 5×5 stronglifts, you are lifting very heavy for 5 sets in a row, which can create too much central nervous system fatigue. This can make it hard for you to consistently overload a heavy compound exercise.

This is why reverse pyramid training works so well, because you only have to do that heavy set once.

How Often Should You Do Reverse Pyramid Training?

Reverse pyramid training should be performed all year around on your upper body lifting days. It should be performed at the beginning of your workout.

The first 40 -50% of your workout should be strength and intensity focused. The last 50-60% of your workout should be more volume and hypertrophy focused.

For example, if you have Monday as your chest-focused upper body day, then bench press should be the first exercise you do while utilizing RPT. 

Your second exercise may be a heavy compound back movement, but you’re still implementing reverse pyramid training.

If you want to learn more about some of the best exercises you can do for strength and muscle, check out this article 5 Best Gym Exercises for Strength and Muscle.

How Many Reps for Reverse Pyramid Training?

After you have completed 1-2 strategic warm-up sets with a light weight, you are now ready to perform reverse pyramid training.

All you really need is 3 work sets when doing RPT. The repetition ranges are:

  • 4-6 reps for the first set
  • 6-8 reps for the second set
  • 8-10 reps for the third set

The first work set is going to be your most intense set. This will be the set that determines whether you’re getting stronger or weaker each training session. You want to pick a weight you can do about 4-6 times for that first set.

After your rest period, reduce the weight by about 10% and get 6-8 reps for the second set.

You would repeat this process for the third RPT set. Reduce the weight by another 10% after resting and then get 8-10 reps in.

The goal is to add a repetition or go up 5 pounds in weight each week. Once you can get 6 repetitions on the first work set, you can go up 5 pounds on the bar.

What are the Disadvantages of Reverse Pyramid Training?

disadvantages of reverse pyramid training

Reverse pyramid training is great for upper-body development, but it can be too neurologically demanding for the lower-body.

If you are doing barbell squats or deadlifts and consistently getting stronger on a 4-rep max, you are putting a lot of load and compression on the lower-back.

Overtime, this can lead to

  • Lower back pain as you age
  • Bad mobility
  • The need for surgery on your spine

Instead, it is best to do standard pyramid training on the lower body and lift a little lighter. The 8-12 rep range is still great for barbell leg exercises.

Leg muscle development is not as stubborn as upper body muscle development. You can overload a major leg movement consistently, even with higher repetitions and lighter weight.

How Long Should You Rest During Reverse Pyramid Training?

With reverse pyramid training, you should rest for 3 minutes in between work sets.

The research is clear. Resting 3 minutes allows your central nervous system to recharge and produce more strength and muscle on heavy compound lifts.

1–2-minute rest periods work well for most isolated muscle movements, but for heavy compound exercises that short a rest period is not optimal for strength gains.

Is Reverse Pyramid Training Good for Beginners ?

RPT would not be the best starting point for new lifters. Someone who is new to lifting external resistance should not start off with a 5-rep max. They are still trying to perfect their form and technique. Therefore, they should start off with a weight they can do about 10-12 times.

New lifters are the most primed for rapid muscle growth. They can gain strength on an exercise quickly.

Standard pyramid training or high repetition training would make the most sense for beginners.

As they transition from beginner to intermediate, then RPT should be implemented to keep making strength and muscle gains.

Conclusion

You defiantly want to utilize RPT once you are passed the beginner stages of lifting. It would make strength gains more consistent and less stubborn.

Be sure to rest 3 minutes in between work sets to recharge your muscular system.

RPT does not have to be performed on every exercise you do. It just needs to be done on your key upper body movements.

Don’t perform RPT or heavy low repetition training on your lower body. It is not worth the lower-back risk in the long run.

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