Strength and Volume Question

[nukemdukem]

Hi All,

I've been training at the gym for a while now and recently i have been following a new 12 week program.

What i have been noticing is that my muscles can lift heavy on the first set, but generally after the first set my strength falls away very quickly.

Example would be incline dumbell press, the program calls for 3 sets of 12.

On the first set i can do 24kg each arm and just about manage to finish the set of 12 reps.

Then i rest for 60-90 seconds.

When i start the second set, i can only get to 3 or 4 reps with 24kg each arm, then if i try 20kg i can only manage 2 or 3 reps then i have to fall all the way down to 14 kg and by now my arms are burning (specifically tricep area) and i can barely do 2 or 3 reps.

I've been following this program for 10 weeks now and i haven't seen any noticeable improvement in my strength lasting beyond the first set. My actual first set weight has increased from 18 to 24 kg - so i have gotten stronger.

It is just that my strength fades fast and my muscles burn when i get into the 2nd and 3rd sets.

I have always suffered form this problem and its frustrating.

Any ideas?

Many thanks

 

[nukemdukem]

Thanks guys - i always thought that each set of 12 reps, the last rep should be really difficult - i never thought about it as a culmination of 36 reps.

I'll try lowering the weight and see what the results are over a number of weeks - lowering the weight is going to make the 1st set of reps really easy, but the aim will be to do all 3 sets of 12 at the same weight - even if the first / second sets are not that tough.

Apologies if this was the wrong forum - maybe i will create my own training log for this