The great pyramid

Arnold did them.

Physique models do them. You've done them, too, whether you realised it or not at the time. Yes, if there's one skill likely to be found in most gym-goers' repertoires - besides posing their biceps in the mirror afterward- it's pyramiding. Undoubtedly the most intuitive way to train, pyramiding usually means starting with light weight and doing high reps (usually 12-15), then increasing the load and reducing the reps. Sets usually total four or five, and reps typically descend from 12 to 10, 8, 6, then 4. As the weight goes up, the reps go down - which, if you visualise it, makes a pyramid shape. The advantage of the classic pyramid is that the warm-up is built in. The first, higher-rep sets prepare your body to handle the heavier sets safely. And as you tire, you do fewer reps, so it's a very natural way to train. Pyramiding also exposes your muscles to a wide range of reps, which trains all types of muscle fibres for optimal growth. But surprisingly, as good as it sounds on paper, pyramiding this way isn't the best strategy for most people. You're about to learn how to make this ancient training idea more relevant - and effective - than ever.

The Problem with Pyramids

The main drawback to pyramiding is the fatigue it produces. "If you're doing sets of 12 down to 2", says Don Saladino, an American trainer to celebrities and athletes (driveclubs.com), "by the time you get to the double, you're smoked".

A very strong, experienced lifter might squat 60 kilograms for 12, then jump to 100 for 10, 140 for 8, and 180 for 6, getting the full benefit of loads that suit each of those rep numbers. But most of us aren't strong enough to make such big jumps in weight. For example, your squat day might