Top Set + Back Off Set Talk: Back Day

One thing I love about bodybuilding in the UK is the ubiquitous use of "in for" when talking about going to train 😂

Love top set–back off set, as it’s fun, effective and efficient. It really shines in a calorie deficit when higher volumes start to bite and the primary goal is muscle preservation.

100% get it all! Sets, reps, top, back off, AMRAPS where applicable!

That's why i like NH's Evolving Rep range Approach more than the normal Sets Across / Double progression . it's basically the same but with a really small difference : that u maximize every set as u don't wait till u get for example (10-10-10) to jump in weight , instead when u show that u can replicate the effort and are ready for the next weight , so u might jump in weight when u get (10-9-8) or even (10-8-7) to maybe get (7-6-6) with the next weight jump . so there's minimal sandbagging or the mentality of not pushing the first 2 sets hard and go all out in the last set , or even stopping at 10 at the first set to get 10 in the last set ... (All these approaches are totally fine tho) but i like this approach better or even the Rep Goal System which almost work the same exact way .

More great insight! Also, gotta love the posters on the wall! I don't think I was looking at you much.

great approach faz- taking what you see useful from other methodologies and applying to yourself to reach higher heights is critical to our success in training in the long run

100% agree. My mentality means I push each set anyway but to me it hust makes sense to do this. Last set can be back off, drop etc to really hit it home 👊

Good morning! Let’s go!

It's one set, HIT super slow for me, and I'm living my best life RN, burn plus pump is out of this world, but we're all different, and what works for me may not work for someone else. Glad you found something that works well for you.

That row machine looks amazing

very motivational posters in your gym ;)

The way i look at it back off set is like a drop set.

Oh and a name drop too! 😁 Yeah I've been using more of a 3 set approach during prep but I love the top set and back off set approach. I think when I transition back into off-season I'll be using it again for certain exercises.

I bring full intensity every set. Not to the point of psychological fatigue where I feel like I’m done but I just push through every last possibly clean rep in every single set that I’m able to and I know I’m activating total muscle recruitment

Definitely a cool idea! Top set back off set seems to be the "in" thing right now. The pendulum is back in Dorian's corner 🤣

The reason I do sub-optimal sets is that because from writing down my sets, I noticed that when I warm up to those meaningful sets, I tend to push them harder than when I go from complete warm up with 0 intensity to all out. So I'll do something like 4-5 RIR, then a set to 2-3 RIR and then I feel mentally and physically primed to go all out while minimally tired. I guess it's just hard for me to flip that "all out" switch at command. But the back off sets approach also seems great, if not better on paper. It makes more sense from a raw stimulus POV. It's something I'll definitely apply in the future

Golden

I use a feel set, then working set to failure, then back off set with lighter weight, but still to failure. This way, I hit failure in multiple rep ranges. Works great for me.

Glad you're revisiting the 'Top Set + Back Off Set' approach. With full body workouts, they can get a bit clunky with 3 sets for each exercise, hence I like to hit each one hard with a Top set /Back off set instead. Equates to less weekly volume but i prefer it (atm).

Very rarely do any more than 3 sets on any exercise these days. Haven’t used back off sets in a phat minute gotta work em back in