“If I die tonight, if this weight is going to kill me tonight, SO BE IT! I’m dying where I wanna be…” kai Greene
Did you know that one of the easiest ways to power through a workout or sets is to trick your mind into believing that you can do it?
What you must do is find a mantra. Tell yourself things like, “I can do it”. Doing that keeps your mind distracted from pain and fatigue.
In part one of this series we looked or rather talked about the two biggest camps in bodybuilding. The classical group and the HIIT or high-intensity group.
In the second part, we ask the question. Is there a perfect bodybuilding system?
Is There a Perfect Body Building System?
In my opinion, there is no perfect bodybuilding system, however, ‘instinctive training’, one of the major principles of bodybuilding, comes very close. But there is a catch, you must learn how to use this principle wisely.
“Tap into your instincts and train correctly”, that’s all there is to it.
As bodybuilders, we learn and adapt every single day. Remember, “the difference between failure and success is doing something nearly right, and doing something exactly right”
The only way you are going to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t is by trying different systems and keeping track of progress. You must also figure out how to lift or exercise right. After that, create a routine.
How to Create a Workout Plan That Works for You
We can’t all afford a coach or trainer. so, the question is, how do I figure out what to do?
The first thing you should do is ask yourself some questions:
- Do I have any past injuries?
- How tall I’m I and how much do I weigh?
- Do I have the time and resources to go all in?
- Do I really enjoy this?
The most important question you must ask is. “Why I’m I doing this?
The answers to these questions will shape your routine.
How Many Sets and How Many Reps?
For beginners, we recommend descending and ascending reps, where you do let’s say 12 reps, then 11, and down to whatever number you are comfortable with then ascend. Another option is to do three sets of 12-15. reps
I am not limiting you to this, figure out what works best for you. And don’t forget to include warm-ups and cooldowns in your routine.
In general, get something done at least four times or more per week. For example, on Mondays, you can work on your back and triceps, Tuesday on your legs and so on.
Choose the Right Workout for your Body Type
Mesomorphs or individuals who are naturally lean are at risk of catabolism after a short period of time. According to healthline.com, in catabolic state, your body breaks down both fat and muscle. On the other hand, if you are an ectomorph, you may find it very difficult to build muscle.
We have an article that goes into deeper detail on this topic. Click here to read.
In general, this is what you should do:
Mesomorph (muscular)
- Vary your training for better results
- mix light, moderate and heavy weight training to build endurance
- aim for 8 to 12 reps, 3 to 5 sets. heavyweights, 6 reps
- include cardio in your routine to improve cardiovascular health and burn fat
- include HIIT training in your routine
- Get plenty of rest
endomorph (round)
- use cardio and HIIT training to lose weight
- lift light to moderate weights with high reps
- aim for 8 to 15 reps
- Get plenty of rest
- combine compound movements and total body workouts to burn calories
ectomorph (thin)
- 5 to 12 reps and 6 to 10 sets
- Get plenty of rest
- Avoid overtraining
- Lift heavy and take breaks between sets
- Keep cardio to a minimum
How to Time Your Recovery Period
You need much more than ten seconds to catch your breath in between sets, we recommend you take at least 1-minute breaks. If you are lifting heavy, take five.
If your goal is to lose weight or burn fat, limit your breaks to 30 seconds and limit intensity. The thing is. If you go in too hard or if you get too excited, you will get tired fast.
To speed up post-workout recovery, we recommend:
- Hydrate
- Get plenty of sleep
- Stretch daily
- Apply ice pack on sore muscles
- Consume a well-balanced meal 2 hours post workout
Why it’s Important to Experiment with Different set Types
“use the same weight in each set”, this is one of the three main set systems in bodybuilding. We call it a ‘Straight Set’. The other type is called a pyramid set.
Progressive overload or as some of you call it pyramid set involves increasing weight as your body adjusts to existing workouts. In other words, you start with light weight and higher reps and build-up to heavier weights and fewer reps.
The third set system is ‘Reverse Pyramid Training’, which from the name you can guess what it involves.
Straight sets
| Set | Weight | Rep |
| 1 | 150lbs | 12 |
| 2 | 150lbs | 12 |
| 3 | 150lbs | 12 |
Pyramid/progressive overload
| Set | Weight | Rep |
| 1 | 90lbs | 12 |
| 2 | 100lbs | 10 |
| 3 | 150lbs | 8 |
Reverse pyramid
| Set | Weight | Rep |
| 1 | 150lbs | 8 |
| 2 | 100lbs | 10 |
| 3 | 90lbs | 12 |
Conclusion
All things considered; the best piece of advice I can give you is. “it all starts in your head”. See the thing is, as Jack Dempsey put it in the first part. “a champion is someone who gets up when they can’t”.
Powering through sets is without a doubt hard work, but, if you know what you are doing, you will reach your goals faster but with less effort. This article contains all the basics you need to create a kickass workout routine. Make it your own. Figure out what works and what doesn’t, if you are having a hard time at that, find a trainer or a coach.
You have the time, you have the dedication, so, get off your butt and do something before the sun goes down.