Should I increase weight with each set?

I try to lift as hard and as heavy as possible so my question is this:  Should I be increasing my weights with each set therefore maxing out by the 3rd or 4th set? (4 sets is the most I ever do) Second, how do drop sets factor into this? My second journal post has my work out for today, if you check it out you can see how my workouts kinda go.  Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

Original Post by allaboutfitness:

I try to lift as hard and as heavy as possible so my question is this:  Should I be increasing my weights with each set therefore maxing out by the 3rd or 4th set? (4 sets is the most I ever do) Second, how do drop sets factor into this? My second journal post has my work out for today, if you check it out you can see how my workouts kinda go.  Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

 Anyone?

It sounds like you're talking about pyramids, which are a great way to build muscle.  The key is to do them safely and not overload the weight.  Higher reps, less weight to avoid injury.

IMHO, doing pyramids AND drop sets is a little much and you're going to be more prone to hurting yourself.  I'd say choose one or the other.  As far as I can tell, both are designed to achieve the same goal in a workout--total failure.  I think if you get to that point either way, you've done what you can do for that muscle group, and any more is going to be overkill.

If you're doing regularly scheduled pyramid days, be sure to get enough protein and calories.  You're going to need both.

Seen this?

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw95.htm

Original Post by pistolpete21:

It sounds like you're talking about pyramids, which are a great way to build muscle.  The key is to do them safely and not overload the weight.  Higher reps, less weight to avoid injury.

IMHO, doing pyramids AND drop sets is a little much and you're going to be more prone to hurting yourself.  I'd say choose one or the other.  As far as I can tell, both are designed to achieve the same goal in a workout--total failure.  I think if you get to that point either way, you've done what you can do for that muscle group, and any more is going to be overkill.

If you're doing regularly scheduled pyramid days, be sure to get enough protein and calories.  You're going to need both.

Seen this?

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw95.htm

 

 Thanks! That was a helpful article. As much as I am on bodybuilders.com I didn't think to look this up.  I normally perform 3 exercises per body part I am working on any particular day. It seems to me that if I wait till the last exercise and do a pyramid at that point I will be, hopefully, gaining the most from my workouts.

Another take on "progression" in the weight room: 

"Modern Day Progressions"

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/s ports_body_training_performance/modern_day_pr ogressions

This is also neat, I tried this the other day.  Just count total reps and get there in the shortest amount of time. Good plan is to track your time and weight for each exercise (or superset) workout to workout then speed up, increase weight, speed up, increase weight... etc.  Till you can lift 1000 lbs of course.  

Counting Your Reps for More Muscle
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/s ports_body_training_performance/counting_your _reps_for_more_muscle