T Nation 25th Anniversary Giveaway - Enter Now
Categories: Bigger Stronger Leaner

Tip: Build Your Back With This Unique Training Method

Do Cluster Reps To Smash Plateaus

If you get stuck around rep 8 when doing pull-ups, cluster sets should be your go-to training method. With pull-ups, once you hit the wall in a workout you're pretty much done. Cluster sets allow you to do more total reps in a shorter time period without building up too much fatigue and hitting failure. The short rest between clusters allows you to accumulate more total reps per set AND overall.

A cluster set is several smaller sets (clusters) of an exercise with short rest in between. So a cluster set of 10 reps might be 4 reps, short rest, 4 reps, short rest, and 2 reps. If you can't do 10 straight reps, then doing a cluster set will help you get the same total reps.

Aim for your max rep set broken up into three clusters with short rests between clusters. Let's say your max rep set of pull-ups is 8. Do this:

  • Do 3 reps
  • Rest 20 seconds
  • Do 3 reps
  • Rest 20 seconds
  • Do 2 reps
  • That's one set. Now rest 2 minutes and repeat for three more sets.

Two Ways to Progress

Either increase the total number of reps, or decrease the rest between clusters.

1 Increasing reps each week

  • Week 1: 4 sets of 3, 3, 2 resting 20 seconds between clusters (32 reps total)
  • Week 2: 4 sets of 3, 3, 3 resting 20 seconds between clusters (36 reps total)
  • Week 3: 4 sets of 4, 3, 3 resting 20 seconds between clusters (40 reps total)

2 Decreasing rest between clusters each week:

  • Week 1: 4 sets of 3, 3, 2 resting 20 seconds between clusters
  • Week 2: 4 sets of 3, 3, 2 resting 15 seconds between clusters
  • Week 3: 4 sets of 3, 3, 2 resting 10 seconds between clusters

You could even reduce the number of cluster sets as well, increasing the number of reps in each cluster.

Recent Posts

  • Stuff We Make

Mag-10

2 years ago
  • Bigger Stronger Leaner

Question of Strength 65

Ask Me Anything I receive great questions in my T Nation Community Coaching Lab. If…

2 years ago
  • Bigger Stronger Leaner

Question of Strength 64

Ask Me Anything I get a lot of great questions in my T Nation Community…

2 years ago
  • Bigger Stronger Leaner

Your Warm-Up Is Killing Your Workout... and Gains

An Exaggerated Warm-Up Isn't Helpful I don't know when the lengthy warm-up became a thing,…

2 years ago
  • Bigger Stronger Leaner

Assess Your Metabolic State, Dominate Your Workout

Training and Your Metabolic State When I think "workout," I think of speeds. Your metabolic…

2 years ago