Hey Nick,
I’m thinking you’re talking about hypertrophy assistance work that are done at higher reps, not the Big 3 or Big 3 related assistance work (front squats, good mornings, deficit deads, 2 board press etc) done for lower reps. And by pyramid you mean straight sets with a standard rest period of a minute or so between sets, pyramiding up in weight, vs supersetting everything back to back…. If all that is correct, then I’d say straight sets (pyramiding up in weight) should make up the bulk of your routine, and supersets can be a good mix up. If you wanted to superset some arm work after your bench press day to get blood around the elbow and keep the tissue healthy, that’s an option, or doing some supersets of smaller isolation back exercises after deadlifting would be good as well. As long as you’re mixing it up you’ll trigger some growth. The nice thing about straight sets is that you can focus fully on the muscle you’re working and get a break between sets to recharge, move a little more weight and stay focused, while with supersets because you’re minding several exercises/muscle groups and you’ll get fatigued pretty quick, it can be tougher to keep focus even though you’re pumping a lot of blood in. Hope that makes sense!
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Tucker Loken is a Bodybuilder turned Powerlifter turned Powerbuilder from Eugene, Oregon. He did his first bodybuilding show when he was still in high school, and has been training male and female competitors for shows since 2011. Several years ago he decided to take a step away from his normal routine and learn how to get strong. He worked with Brian for 9 months, added 200 pounds to his raw total and qualified as an Elite lifter in the 220 pound weight class. He returned back to bodybuilding much stronger and now incorporates the 10/20/Life philosophy into his training to keep himself healthy and making continual progress in the Big 3 as well as adding size and shaping his physique. Now part of Team PRS, he brings his unique expertise of nutritional knowledge and how to balance Bodybuilding with Powerlifting to help athletes achieve their best potential.
