RPT for Strength & Size Gains

Reverse pyramid training, or RPT, was first coined by Randy Herring in 2002, however only recently has it become popular due to Martin Berkhan’s, the creator of Leangains, success with it. Bodybuilders typical fashion of performing a routine was to do 3-4 sets of a certain exercise, and progress up in weight through the sets (i.e. you pyramid up in weight) while decreasing the amount of reps . RPT, however, does just the opposite; you drop the weight with each set while increasing the amount of reps, hence the term Reverse Pyramid Training. I believe Randy says the major benefit to RPT best,

“The amount of force a muscle generates is proportional to the amount of muscle growth you’ll be able to create . . . . The greater amount of force you’ll be able to generate with your muscles will be when you are freshest in your workout, e.x., the first set of each exercise performed. If a set counts, it is the first one, which is most important.”

RPT can then be applied to any rep range to optimize either strength, hypertrophy (size), or both. The rep range for strength is typically 4-6 reps, while hypertrophy is around 8-12. When attempting to target both hypertrophy and strength, I tend to keep the rep range for the big compound moves between 5 and 8 with some slightly higher rep assistance work at the end such as Lyle McDonald’s Generic Bulk Routine (GBR).

Before starting GBR, I was doing a RPT strength oriented routine that I put together, using past experience and whatever tidbits I could get from Martin Berkhan’s writing. I was only spending 35 minutes in the gym three times a week, and was adding strength to most of my lifts (astounding considering I was on a daily caloric deficit). However, the really high intensity of the workout made going to the gym a chore, and I just wasn’t enjoying working out any more. Then I came across bodyrecomposition.com, and discovered GBR.

The first cycle I did exactly as Lyle McDonald prescribed. In the eight week cycle I put on descent LBM considering I am an “intermediate” trainee, but I felt that there were certain things lacking. There was no abs work (didn’t want a lot, just a couple weighted sets per week), not much shoulder work, deadlifts were not prescribed (which I feel is an essential exercise) and I didn’t like always having my upper body workouts the day after lower body with no rest. Reading through countless pages of posts by Lyle resolved a couple of these issues, however not all. Therefore, I messed with it slightly until I got something that works for me. (Note, I don’t think anyone should mess with a good, proven program such as GBR unless you not only have tried it as it is written for a cycle, but also have been lifting long enough to know what works for your body). The resulting changes have created the following routine:

     Monday – Lower #1

     Deadlift – 3 x 4-6 

     Hack Squat – 3 x 6-8 

     Standing Leg Curl – 3 x 8-10

     Leg Press – 3 x 8-10 

           Superset with Leg Press Calf Raise

     Seated Calf Raise – 3 x 10 

          Superset with Decline Weighted Curls – 2 x 10

     Hanging Leg Raise – 3 x 1 Rep Short of Failure

     Wednesday – Upper #1

     Weighted Chins – 3 x 5-8

     Dumbbell Bench Press – 3 x 6-8

     T-Bar Bent-Over Row – 3 x 8-10

     Military Press – 3 x 8-10

     Wide Grip Lat Pull-Down – 1 x 10

     Weighted Dips – 3 x 10

     Overhand Barbell Curl – 2 x 10

     Friday – Lower #2

     Leg Press – 3 x 6-8

     Lying Leg Curl – 3 x 6-8

     Squat – 3 x 8-10

     Walking Lunge – 2 x 20 total steps (10 per leg)

     Seated Calf Raise – 3 x 10 

           Superset with Decline Weighted Curls – 2 x 10

     Standing Calf Raise – 2 x 20 

           Superset with Hanging Leg Raise – 3 x 1 Rep Short of Failure

     Saturday – Upper #2

     Bent-Over Dumbbell Row – 3 x 4-6

     Incline Dumbbell Bench Press – 3 x 6-8

     Pull-ups – 3 x 6-8

     Barbell Bench Press – 3 x 8-10

     Bent- Over Barbell Row – 1 x 10 

          Superset with Dumbbell Lateral Raise – 2 x 10

     Scull Crusher – 2 x 10

     Alt. Dumbbell Curl – 2 x 10

All of the exercises are done in RPT fashion, in the sense that I decrease weight and increase reps across the sets. However, I only go to “max effort” on the initial set of the first two exercises. This is to limit the risk of burning out. I also almost never go to failure due to the moderate volume that is being done (I finish all exercises except the first two of each workout with at least 1 rep "in the tank").   These considerations allows me to progress for about 6 weeks before taking 2 weeks to de-load.

A de-load period is very important, as it allows your muscles time to fully recover and be ready to push the weights even higher for another 6 weeks. When I was young and naive, I never de-loaded. My lifts plateaued fairly early and I was never able to break through that plateau. Use this time to take a break from your normal routine, and have some fun. Using approximately 85% of the normal weight you can perform will still allow you to build some muscle, but will be easy enough for your body to use the time to recover. For me, I use between 80% and 85% of my normal weight the first week, and about 90-95% the second week, before attempting to achieve new personal records on the third week.

I progress on this workout in the following manner: once I reach the upper end of a rep range, I increase the weight by 5% and work back up. The individual sets are progressed independently, and by that I mean if I can easily get six reps on my second set of deadlift, then I increase the weight for the second set on the next workout.

I encourage you to give this work out a try if you are looking for something new. It only takes about an hour, done four times a week (can be done Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday if you can’t go to the gym on the weekend). I would love to know how it works for you, and what, if any, tweaks you made for yourself. For part two of this article, I will be posting the strength oriented routine that I mentioned earlier.