How to Use Top Sets | Programming for Powerlifting

TOP SETS allow us to perform at our best, without any accumulation of fatigue from prior efforts. This makes them a great way to gauge our session performance and make more informed load decisions for the rest of our workouts.
References:
articles.react...
• How to build an RPE ba...
Online Coaching: www.melbournes...
Strength Culture's Public Discord:
➽ / discord
Instagram:
➽ Strength Culture - melbournestrengthculture
➽ Jamie S - j.smith.culture
➽ Charlie - quantum_lifting
➽ Jamie B - jamiebouz
➽ Didier - didiervassou
➽ Online Coaching: www.melbournes...
➽ Training Programs and E-books:
www.melbournes...
Strength Culture's Podcast:
➽ open.spotify.c...
TikTok:
➽ www.tiktok.com/@melbournestrengthculture

[@lauravo3355]

Current performance is the best indicator of current performance. Poetry

[@MelbourneStrengthCulture]

Poet Charles

[@markleclair8827]

64 years old and love this simple style of training also like to use variations (aka conjugate) to keep my old body from over training.

[@Ministonefitness]

Great video!💪🏻

[@Kyron95]

How often should we utilize top sets for a peaking program?

[@steventopar3918]

very good!

[@conorezard5828]

chilli training videos !!

[@johnloschiavo1206]

Love the content. I have a question about hypertrophy blocks. I think the general consensus for hypertrophy is to do 10-20 sets per body part per week. Where does RPE fit in with hypertrophy blocks? Is it more important to increase volume over time (from 10 sets per week to 20 sets per week), or to increase the RPE over time? Cheers :)

[@MelbourneStrengthCulture]

10-20 sets per body part per week is the general recommendation, yes. RPE is a gauge of ‘intensity’ so it will have less of an impact on hypertrophy stimulus, granted sets must be taken to somewhat proximity to failure (generally prescribed RPE 6+). There would be some more context needed to determine if RPE should be increased or total set prescription, but for the most part, total sets would be the main driver of hypertrophy.

[@MelbourneStrengthCulture]

Total sets would be the main variable driving hypertrophy**

[@johnloschiavo1206]

@@MelbourneStrengthCulture Awesome thanks. So as long as the sets are RPE 6+ and there is enough volume, then pushing RPE can be done for shits and giggles, if you like to push it a bit more and it doesn't compromise total volume.

[@MelbourneStrengthCulture]

@@johnloschiavo1206 key thing there is ‘doesn’t compromise total volume’ - this is the risk of pushing RPEs too early in a block, accumulated fatigue session to session, reducing capacity to complete high amounts of volume.

[@abosettamazen]

I am new to powerlifting terms and I am struggling to understand my program that I am trying to follow. for example my program states "Bench Press Top set of 3,@RPE 8.5 Backdowns-3x5 Paused Reps @RPE 8". so is the top set of 3 my heaviest load for 3 sets? @RPE 8.5? or is it my heaviest load for 3 reps @RPE8.5? and I tried to understand what the meaning of backdowns is. is the back down sets related to the top set? or is it related to the Paused reps sets? I am really confused

[@WinterFlare]

Bit late but RPE means you can crank out 1.5 or 2 more reps before you can’t anymore. Basically, an RPE of 10 means you can’t do anymore. RPE of 7 means you can do 3 more reps till failure. So basically, do 3 sets of bench press with your max weight until you can only do 1.5 reps left.

[@mastertrey4683]

So your top set is 3 reps at RPE 8.5 After that, do 3 back off sets of 5 reps at RPE 8. 4 sets in total, first do your top set, then do 3 backoff sets

[@ACarpenter89]

Great video as always, love the doggo and love the info. I do have a long question which is I have a bunch of chronic injuries from sports ( i do not think any would require surgery i believe most are muscular imbalance issues), what kind of health care provider would be best if I can only afford one to do an assessment and help me recover? A D.O. , an M.D., a physical therapist, a chiropractor, a personal trainer a massage therapist? I am not asking for medical advice just trying to figure out what kind professional to seek for help.

[@MelbourneStrengthCulture]

Thanks for following along and commenting regularly, Anthony! Tough one without any context, it sounds like a Physio / physical therapist (depending on where you live) would be the best fit. We recommend Dan Godeassi for sports/ lifting related injuries.

[@ACarpenter89]

@@MelbourneStrengthCulture I try to help smaller channels especially fitness ones that give real content that is useful, I wouldn't know what context to provide. I live in the United States in Kansas City but I thanks now if nothing else I can start with a physical therapist first and if they determine i should see someone else I can go from there but now at least I have a point to start at thanks to you

[@MelbourneStrengthCulture]

@@ACarpenter89 you’re a king. If there is ever anything we can do to help let us know! Jamie

[@ACarpenter89]

@@MelbourneStrengthCulture lol thanks for the compliment, you guys should get some merch on tee spring if you can

[@MelbourneStrengthCulture]

@@ACarpenter89 we ordered more T shirts today!

[@sabertoothwallaby2937]

Who are you?