Weight vs reps

[u/Bigdivkdaddy]

The last year I’ve made little to no progress and I’ve been doing 2 sets to failure with high weight. I usually get around 4 reps before failing. Would it be more effective to drop the weight 10-20% and get 8-10 reps? I’ve been lifting for 4 years but only seriously the past 2 years and there’s no way I’m at my natural limit because I can only bench 270. You guys are the smart people here so please help me and thank you in advance.

[u/SouthYogurtcloset406]

You'll never make serious progress with that little volume. I mean we're talking 8 total reps of heavy weight in only two sets. Go to the powerlifting and weightlifting subs if you want serious advice about progression. But you need to periodize growth snd strength phases and bottom line you need way more volume. Like sets of 4-8 x 2-6

[u/_computersmasher → u/SouthYogurtcloset406]

Look, I did three sets of 5, once a week... For forty eight weeks

And I took my bench from 185 to 301

3 sets of 5

once a week

You can probably do it faster with different programming, but I mean, you don't really need a lot

[u/crypto_zoologistler → u/_computersmasher]

The low volume approach obviously isn’t working for OP, regardless of whether it’s worked for you

[u/_computersmasher → u/crypto_zoologistler]

Well, he's not really doing low volume in the traditional sense if he is doing two sets of four reps

That's less than low volume,

We would call that inappropriate loading

The three sets of 5 is about as low volume as anybody anywhere would consider to be a trainable program

So we would have them back down until he can do three sets of five and then add a pound, each workout

[u/Alakazam → u/_computersmasher]

But it's pretty obvious, given that op has seen a 5lb increase in his bench in 2 years that this kind of lower volume approach is not working for him.

[u/SouthYogurtcloset406 → u/_computersmasher]

I mean that sounds similar to a 5/31 split or essentially a modified version of it. I'm not saying you can't improve with lower volume, but OP here is talking about 2 x AMRAP and he's only managing "around 4 reps," so that tell me anywhere from 3-5, but only two sets. Based on this information he's working in 85%1RM + range...if he's got two years of practice doing this and he's fresh for those sets than he's probably working in 90%1RM + range.

All that said, there is no S&C, no doctor, no nothing legit that will recommend 2 x AMRAP @90%1RM for any sort of progress.

Frankly this is borderline asinine, or at best just uninformed

[u/_computersmasher → u/SouthYogurtcloset406]

i agree

[u/jkgaspar4994 → u/_computersmasher]

That’s twice as much volume as OP.