weights? I have been doing the BFL plan of 15/12/10, but realize I'm reading here more about people just doing increasing weights on 12/10/8 reps. So I tried it today. I felt amazingly more strong - like I could go up on my weights next time. Could be coincidence, or could saving those 7 reps for each exercise really save me alot of energy? Even if it doesn't burn as many calories (bc I finish faster), as long as it is developing muscle the same, I'm ok with that. What's your opinion?

Hi Fran,

Bigger weights with less "Time Under Tension" should make you stonger, but burn fewer calories and not do as much to stimulate growth (size).

I am training for strength and power rather than size so I favor a 5/4/3/2/1/1/1 scheme on my overhead press (my pet exercise) with the following weights (my estimated one rep max is 265#) 210#x5 215#x4 225#x3 235#x2 250#x1x1x1. Although these are challenging weights for me they are only ~95% of what I could do if I pushed to the edge of failure. Staying well short of failure lets me train the press 3xweek without overtraining.

If you want to keep things really simple, I like the classic 5x5 scheme with five sets of five reps of the same weight.

Robert

BFL must have changed. The rep pattern is 12/10/8 and then superset 12 (I think). I don't have the original book anymore, but I'm absolutely positive about the 12/10/8 then something pattern. IMO, 15 reps is too high. You'll get a lot stronger and build more muscle if you stay in the 8-12 rep range.

The only time I do 15 reps of something is body weight exercises, plyometrics, or warmups. Or something stupid like doing my age in pushups

Does anyone still have their original BFL book?

Mel

I don't have my book but the sets are 12/10/8/6/12 then another set of 12 with a different exercise, same body part. I think it's on the Web site and seems to jibe with my recollection of the book...

Thanks ebe! That's what I remembered, but I wasn't sure about the 6 rep set.

Geez, I need to TOTALLY rethink my lifting patterns. I wish I had kept my old workout diary instead of trying to rely on memory (the girl's mind is bad) cause I thought it was no more than 6 reps. I'm obviously doing my weight training wrong for what I'm trying to achieve.

Thanks for asking the question Fran, the responses have helped me out as well.

Tiki

I must have gotten the 15/12/10 from the BFL-Women book then. Pam Peeke's book, and I don't think she has a website, but I can check. Thanks everyone. But gosh, no wonder my workouts felt like that were taking so long!! Esp. upper body!

I always found my BFL UBWOs to take much longer than lower, especially since at higher weights I often had to do my bicep work one arm at a time.

Following the 12/10/8/6/12-12 plan (definitely what Bill's book requires), an UBWO will take at least an hour, if not longer, if you actually rest between the sets. To shorten it, I will superset chest and back together, biceps and triceps and then shoulders alone. This saved me some time.
Cindy

Yeah, it was definitely a full hour, and that was doing many of my exercises (left and right) simultaneously instead of separately. Separately, like the book suggested, would have been 90 minutes. OK, I'm going to get the book from the library again just to check, but I wasn't smart enough to make it up on my own back when I started, so I must have gotten it somewhere! lol I look forward to sticking with the 12/10/8 routine.

I know it's not official BFL, but when I train people with a 2 day split, I always put shoulders with legs. Most people can't get through or don't need a full hour of intensive leg work (I add abs as "active rest"), and there's just not enough time in an hour to do back, chest, shoulders and arms. I also add some balance work and plymetrics for some clients to each day.

I don't do BFL with clients, but I think the split would work and balance your workouts better time-wise.

Mel

Thanks for the suggestion Mel, that's a great idea. I do abs with legs as well.