Increase Your Lean Muscle Mass Through Lower Volume Bodybuilding Training

The first plateau breaking method that I introduced in this site was my favorite 10 sets of 10 reps bodybuilding training method. However, like all routines, if used for too long the body adapts and then bodybuilding progress comes to a screeching halt. Today, I want to discuss another popular method for breaking plateaus called the 5 Sets of 5 Reps Method. This method has also been used in bodybuilding circles for years for the purposes of breaking through plateaus and accumulating new lean muscle mass. The inventor of this method, according to what I have read from various sources, was no other than former Mr. Universe Reg Park who was Arnold Schwarzenegger's bodybuilding idol and inspiration. Reg used this method quite successfully back in the fifties and sixties.

The way that the 5 sets of 5 reps method works is by improving the connection between the central nervous system and the muscles. In order for muscles to contract the brain has to send them a signal to do so. For this signal to reach the muscles, it has to travel through the central nervous system. When you train with heavy loads that only allow you to perform around 5 repetitions, for instance, you are training the body to become more efficient at recruiting more muscle fibers in order to move the weight. This is what is called improving your neural connections and this is the way in which strength increases. The perfect time to implement this method of training is following a high volume phase like the 10 sets of 10 reps. Why is it important to train for strength after a high volume phase? Because this sort of training offers the following benefits:

1. The testosterone levels go through the roof in response to the longer rest in between sets and the heavier weights.
   
   
2. Hypertrophy (muscle growth) occurs by the body increasing the actual diameter of the myofiber (the muscle fiber size) through increased protein synthesis. In other words, the actual protein content of the cell increases as well as the thickness of the muscle filaments. However, in this phase, strength gains come first and hypertrophy later.
   
   
3. Since your body’s recuperation abilities were built up to the maximum by the previous phase and the volume has gone down dramatically, these extra recuperation abilities are used to increase strength and build more muscle mass. The reason the body does this is in order to be prepared for another stressful period like the one it just went through.

Not unlike the 10x10 method, the goal of the 5x5 routine involves doing 5 sets of 5 reps, using the same weight. At first, you won't be able to do 5 repetitions for all 5 sets but once you do, then it is time to increase the weight. The perfect weight to select is one that allows you to perform 5 reps for the first set and perhaps even the second. The third, fourth and fifth you may fall back to 4 reps and on the last one perhaps all you can do is 3 reps.

Is there a need for more exercises once you do the one for 5 sets of 5? I like to do an additional exercise using the 5x5 method to ensure that the muscle has been stimulated from a couple of different angles.

Now let’s take a look at my recommended 5 sets of 5 reps program.