3 x 4-6: Choosing a weight?

[Subsistence]

Hello, I was wondering, if I am trying to do 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps meant to take the body to failure, how should I choose the weight? Rest time is 1 minute between sets. I feel like there are two possible options:

1) Start with my 6RM and decrease weight if needed to reach at least 4 reps on the following sets or,
2) Start with a weight below my 6RM so I can lift only 4 reps on the final set without changing the weight

So it amounts to reaching failure on every set or on only the final set. The goal of the workout is to induce hypertrophy and add some strength before moving into a cutting phase.

[atypical1]

Why are you taking that last rep to failure? That's generally acknowledged to be bad practice in general.

Do you mind if I ask you what your current workout looks like? I'm thinking that you're pretty new to lifting based on this question and there's plenty of good info on this board that might just help you to reach your goals.

james

[DeadStrength]

Are you doing Max-OT or a variant of Max-OT?

If you're doing Max-OT then you should not be able to complete more than 6 reps on any set (completing a 6th rep is fine if you fail on 7). That means that you should probably use around your 7RM or 6RM for your first set if you're just starting this program (a little leeway in figuring out the weights right at the beginning is ok). For the second and third sets do not decrease weight. Use the same weight. One caveat: if you are just starting lifting I would NOT use Max-OT right away. And you need to use good form.

Once you can get at least 4 good reps in all 3 sets you should increase the weight for that exercise next workout.

So let's say you are benching 200, week 1.
Set 1: 5 (failed 6th rep)
Set 2: 4 (failed 5th rep)
Set 3: 3 (failed 4th rep)

So the next week when you bench you would stay at 200. This time it looks like this:
Set 1: 5 (failed 6th) rep
Set 2: 5 (failed 6th) rep
Set 3: 4 (failed 5th) rep

Then you could move on from here the next week.


They go through this on the AST site http://ast-ss.com/maxot.php and in the Q&As.

[DeadStrength]

Btw, sorry if I didn't state this clearly: the rep range for Max-OT is 4-6. This means a weight "light" enough so that you can do 4 good reps (struggling is fine, but not blatantly cheating) but heavy enough so that you cannot do more than 6 reps. Thus a a 6th rep is fine if you fail at 7. But you don't stop at 6 if you can do more. Once you're into the program if you can do more than 6 reps then your weight is too low.

[atypical1]

They go through this on the AST site http://ast-ss.com/maxot.php and in the Q&As.

If you're related to that site then I apologize up front but that site is terrible. I just signed up to do a quick review and while they have some good information they also have leg press on "legs" day which is a horrible exercise to do, they have an entire day devoted to "arms and abs' (without dips), and their "back" day includes pull downs. Oh, and week 8 are completely different exercises. It is, in my opinion, a very poor beginner program to use.

james

[DeadStrength]

They go through this on the AST site http://ast-ss.com/maxot.php and in the Q&As.

If you're related to that site then I apologize up front but that site is terrible. I just signed up to do a quick review and while they have some good information they also have leg press on "legs" day which is a horrible exercise to do, they have an entire day devoted to "arms and abs' (without dips), and their "back" day includes pull downs. Oh, and week 8 are completely different exercises. It is, in my opinion, a very poor beginner program to use.

james

I'm not related to the site nor was I trying to comment on whether I thought Max-OT as presented is good. But Subsistence's question was about a fundamental point in that program (or a program similar) so I was just trying to help out.

Also, as I said, if you're a beginner I would not use that program. But the OP gave no info as to whether or not he is an experienced lifter or not.

Personally I think the exercises included could use serious tweaking. As you say, leg press is on there, as is lat pull-down, decline presses, and a bunch of other crap.

However, from the base theory of the program is fairly effective. The "at least 4, no more than 6" range does work pretty well for increasing muscle size quickly, especially in comparison to other "bodybuilding" programs.

I use Stronglifts and I like Stronglifts, but I'm also not trying to bodybuild, which is the intent of Max-OT.