At the gym do you just pick a weight and then proceed to lift that same weight for like 3 sets of 10, or 4 sets of 12? With this tradition set-and-rep scheme you aren’t going to see the most results because your strength slowly decreases from set to set and the intensity stays the same. I’ve recently gotten a lot of questions about how I organize my sets and reps…..so I decided to write this article to tell you how wave loading can increase your lifting results dramatically.
What Is Wave Loading?
Wave loading is an advanced lifting scheme where you adjust the rep count and weight on every set. You can go in an ascending order, descending order, or go up and down like a wave pattern.
This type of training exposes your muscles to higher loads which is totally crucial for hypertrophy, strength gains, and power.
The wave sort of “shocks” your muscles into being able to lift more through a phenomenon called “post-activation potentiation”. It basically triggers a better neuromuscular connection to your muscles in order to recruit more muscles and generate a more forceful push. This allows you to lift more and gain more strength.
Here’s a really simple example:
- 10 reps of 225 pounds
- 8 reps of 275 pounds
- 6 reps of 315 pounds
- 4 reps of 365 pounds
You can even make multiple wave patterns. The first wave will actually prepare your muscles to lift even more on the second wave.
Here’s a similar example to the previous one, except we’ll make two waves:
- 10 reps of 225 pounds
- 8 reps of 275 pounds
- 6 reps of 315 pounds
- 10 reps of 245 pounds
- 8 reps of 295 pounds
- 6 reps of 345 pounds
A spikier lifting patters is for individuals who want to concentrate on generating powerful movements and aren’t so worried about hypertrophy.
It’s a much more pronounced wave. Here’s an example of this pattern:
- 6 reps with 275 pounds
- 1 rep with 345 pounds
- 6 reps with 275 pounds
- 1 rep with 345 pounds
Start being creative with your wave loading workouts and watch your lifting results increase like crazy. Please take a second to share this article on your facebook page. I know you’ll also like 7 Proven Ways To Get Stronger Without The Size.
About Adam Pegg
