RPT for Maximum Strength Gains (Part 2)

Part 1 of this topic introduced RPT training as well as how I use it to maximize both size and strength gains. But what if you are only concerned with getting stronger? Or what if you don’t have the time to do four 60 minute workout routines (i.e. – you go to the gym on your hour lunch break)? Or maybe you just want to try something different. If you fall into one of these categories, then the following routine is perfect for you.


When training for strength, you need to limit volume due to the high intensity of the sets. Since you are typically working with 80-90% of your 1RM, each set is very taxing on your central nervous system. For this reason, low rep RPT is usually limited to one or two main exercises per workout, with the other exercises performed in a less intense fashion. Furthermore, a de-load week in which you reduce the weight to approximately 80% of normal, is usually done every 4th week (i.e. push the weights for three weeks, then spend a week taking it easy). Some of the more advanced lifters also spend the de-load week away from the gym to fully recover. I personally couldn’t stay away from the gym that long, so I just do a low intensity routine during the de-load week, patiently waiting to start hitting PR’s again. 


Low rep strength oriented RPT training is done a little differently due to the intensity of each working set. For example, deadlift. Deadlift is the first exercises of one of the workouts, therefore I warm up with a couple of sets. Usually I will do the bar a few times, then 50% of my first working set’s weight five times, 70% three times, and 80% once. Use this time to concentrate on form, since when you are struggling just to get the weight up you won’t be looking at yourself in the mirror to see if you are arching your back. The routine below shows that you’ll do 2 sets, with 4-6 reps per set. For the first set, go all out, BUT do not go to failure. Once you finish your first set, drop the weight enough to be able to do an extra rep. Rest approximately three to five minutes, and then do another set stopping before failure. You should be out of breath after each set, especially with deadlifts. Rest five minutes, then move into the next exercise. 


The split I have found to work the best is pull, push, legs done on either Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (you need a day of rest between each workout and at least two days between the pull and leg workouts due to deadlift). The only exercises done in RPT fashion (with max effort on the first set) are the big compound lifts: Deadlift, Weighted Chins, Bench Press, and Squats. The exercises that are not designated as RPT or SS should be completed with about 2 reps short of failure. The following routine proved to be very effective during my last cut, enabling me to retain if not improve strength while on a calorie deficit. 

   Monday- 
     Pull Deadlift – 2 x 4-6 (RPT) 
     Weighted Chins – 3 x 4-6 (RPT) 
     Bent Over Barbell Rows – 3 x 5 (SS) 
     Preacher Curls – 2 x 8-10 (Optional) 


   Wednesday – 
     Push Bench Press – 3 x 4-6 (RPT) 
     Standing Press – 3 x 5 (SS) 
     Incline Dumbbell Press – 2 x 6-8 
     Weighted Dips or Scull Crushers – 2 x 8-10 (Optional) 


   Friday – 
     Legs Squat – 3x 6-8 (RPT) 
     Leg Curl – 3 x 5 (SS) 
     Lunge – 2 x 8 (per leg) 
     Standing Calf Raise – 3 x 8 

If you have serious issues with one of the exercises listed above, there are suitable substitutions (i.e. – Leg Press if Squats hurt your lower back, or Incline Barbell Bench Press for Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, etc.). DO NOT, however, start adding exercises. If you are doing RPT correctly, then this is more than enough volume. By the time you finish the workout you should be tired and ready to eat and relax. Do NOT go jump on the treadmill or elliptical, eat a large meal and then rest (or go back to work).


I plan to finally start writing articles on nutrition.  My goal is to at least get up an article discussing proper protein intake for athletes by Tuesday.  There may be a couple of other smaller articles between now and then though.  Let me know if there is anything specific that you would like to see researched and discussed.

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.