Rep ranges and number of sets will very depending on your goals for each exercise. For example, a weightlifter will do more snatches and cleans in a given workout than a powerlifter. Both should do them regularly but the weightlifter needs to be proficient at them.
Furthermore, each athlete needs to take their own maximum recoverable volume (MRV) into consideration. There is no rep and set scheme that will work for 100% of people 100% of the time. With that being said, variation will work for 100% of people 100% of the time. So we switch up rep ranges as often as we switch exercises.
Dynamic Effort
We start the week with the dynamic effort method for snatch, clean, squat and press. This can be your competition lift or a variant of the lift. We will do 2 waves that last 3 weeks each. We’ll use 65% of our 1 rep max on week 1, 75% on week 2 and 85% on week 3. The next wave will be 70%, 80% and 90% to finish out the 6 week phase. After 6 weeks we switch variations.
Rep and set schemes for each lift will depend on both your goals and your MRV. The Egan Method uses less volume than other systems on dynamic effort day for these sets. For instance, we might do 6 sets of 2 reps for snatch and clean, then do 7 sets of 3 for squats. After these sets we will rest 3 minutes and perform an AMRAP (except on snatch and clean). You should always go for a PR on the AMRAP sets. This will make the volume up and also allow you to build some muscle. Another benefit to this style of training is it will get you better at reps, that being a key ingredient to Strongman training.
Max effort
The max effort days are pretty self explanatory, we go for a 1 rep max. This is done for the snatch, clean, squat, deadlift and press. The squat and deadlift are each done every other week. This is because it would over tax your central nervous system to max out both exercises weekly.
After the squat, deadlift or press 1 rep max is preformed we’ll remove 20% and do an AMRAP. Again go for a PR here.
Assistance exercises
For assistance exercises we like a wide variety of rep and set schemes. Science has shown that rep ranges from 5-30 are all good for hypertrophy. Science has also shown that 1-5 reps in reserve will give you similar results as going to failure. With that in mind I came up with the following cluster sets that I call the Mass Monster Method.
Rep ranges are higher for isolation exercises than they are for compound movements. For an isolation exercise such as tricep extensions, we would do a 3 week wave. This wave would be 3 sets of 5 reps done with 15-30 seconds rest between sets. Rest 3 minutes and repeat, then rest 3 minutes and repeat again. So you are effectively doing 3 sets of 15 reps using the cluster sets. The following week you would bump the reps up to 3 sets of 7 with the same 30 seconds rest. In other words you’ll do 3 cluster sets of 21 with 3 minutes rest between sets. The last week will be 3 sets of 9 done the same way. All 3 week will be done with the same weight. This should be done with a weight you can do for 10 reps at the beginning of the cycle.
Compound movements will be the same except you’ll start with 3 sets of 3 reps instead of 5 reps. This will be with your 7 rep max. The second week will be 3 sets of 5 and the 3rd week 3 sets of 7. Training this way allows you to get within 5 reps in reserve 3 times per set. This would never be done with the deadlift do to the amount of fatigue.
The Mass Monster Method
Compound movements
Week 1 3×3 x3 (3 cluster sets of 9 reps)
Week 2 3×5 x3 (3 cluster sets of 15 reps)
Week 3 3×7 x3 (3 cluster sets of 21 reps)
Isolation movements
Week 1 3×5 x3 (3 cluster sets of 15 reps)
Week 2 3×7 x3 (3 cluster sets of 21 reps)
Week 3 3×9 x3 (3 cluster sets of 27 reps)
Alternatively you could always replace the last cluster set of the day with an AMRAP. Both methods work great and could be rotated.
If you have any questions please ask them in our Forum.