«Ladder» in strength exercises: types and effectiveness

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2016-10-01

We all played "ladder" (a form of workout) during school with pull-ups and push-ups. However, I hardly ever see anyone using the ladder method in the gym with strength exercises – which is a pity. Now, I would like to talk about how effective the ladder is for training in the gym. But first, let's define the terms.

Ladder is a method of performing an exercise where two or more people perform the same exercise with the same weight (or with body weight). They make their sets in succession without rest and with an equal-changing number of repetitions. For example, performing pull-ups from 1 to 10 repetitions: the first set – 1 repetition, the second – 2 repetitions, the third – 3 repetitions, and so on.

Types of Ladders

Straight ladder: A ladder that starts with one repetition, followed by an increase.

Backward ladder: A ladder that starts with a large number of repetitions, followed by a decrease.

One-sided ladder: The number of repetitions changes only in one direction.

Two-sided ladder: The number of repetitions changes in both directions. It starts going up and then goes down. Naturally, a two-sided ladder cannot be backward, only straight.

I also divide ladders based on the total number of repetitions.

Attention! Do not confuse the ladder with the "pyramid" method, where the weight of the gear changes with each set. In the ladder method, the weight does not change. This is the main difference between these two methods.

Effectiveness of the Ladder

1. Increased strength endurance

The ladder forces you to complete the maximum number of repetitions in the shortest amount of time. This greatly develops strength endurance, regardless of how long your ladder is.

2. Overall effectiveness of the exercise increases by 25%

Physiologists have proven that when two or more people train together, the effectiveness of the training increases by 20%-25%. The effect of competition and empathy kicks in. In other words, when working with someone in pairs, you can do a few more repetitions and increase the efficiency of your workout. You can read more about this effect here.

3. Increased overall intensity of the workout

Since the sets are performed one after another without rest, the intensity of the workout sharply increases. This is beneficial for fat burning, and in small doses, it is also good for gaining mass. In theory, you could conduct the entire workout using the ladder method if your health and endurance allow. Additionally, it is a good workout for the cardiovascular system and heart.

4. Increased strength

Super short and short ladders can effectively develop strength. For example, if you squat with 100 kg for 1 repetition, to create a short ladder for strength, you should load the barbell with 85 kg and perform repetitions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1. This results in 16 repetitions at 85% of your maximum.

If you want to mix strength and mass, you can load the barbell with 75 kg and perform: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. This would total 36 repetitions.

5. Fat burning

If you're looking for fat burning and weight loss – then long ladders are for you. But to achieve better results, you should choose basic exercises that engage many muscles. Agree, if you choose, for example:

It’s unlikely that this will make you sweat and breathe heavily.

Conclusions

1. The ladder can add variety to your workouts. Besides the variety, it also provides good stress for the muscles. And where there is stress – there will be progress.

2. It is not necessary to do the ladder with a large number of repetitions. You can do a super short version in a strength manner with heavy weights. That is, by varying the weights and the number of repetitions, you can either gain mass or burn fat.

3. The ladder does have one big downside – you need at least one partner. This partner should be of similar strength to you. If you have different strength capabilities, it may not be as interesting. As a last resort, you could give a head start to the weaker one. For example, if you squat 80 kg and your partner squats 60 kg.

4. You can use the ladder method with almost any exercise. There are no restrictions. From simple exercises like pull-ups and push-ups to deadlifts and squats.

So, find yourself a partner for the ladder workout. I'm sure you’ll enjoy it. Good luck!