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Hi everyone, I have been gone a while, getting things in my life in order and what not. But I am back now. So I have finally found the perfect diet for myself and I have even dropped one size since April. I am feeling great and I am motivated again (I lost my track a little at some point). I am even going to attempt the next 4 week challenge. Yay! Anyway, so I am looking for a little advice from some advanced members on my sets and reps. Its a simple question that I have really, and I am looking for a simple answer. I do a one set of 12 low weights to warm up (about half my heaviest weight) and on my heaviest weight I am currently doing 3 sets of 8 reps for each exercise. I am busy weight lifting to build lean muscle and lose all my extra fat. It is the only thing that has been working for me. Sometimes I still doubt myself though. Am I on the right track or should I be doing 4 - 5 sets of 8 instead for a better result? I am unsure if it is unnecessary to be adding extra sets. So far the 3 sets of 8 make me stiff but not unbearably sore. Is it necessary to add the extra and create more "post workout soreness" (for lack of a better description). Or should I stick to my 3 sets of weight and just increase my weight when I feel that it is no longer effective? What sets of reps do you suggest? Thank you for in advance for easy to understand advice. You guys rock!

I'm having a little drama trying to figure out the best next step for me program wise. Ideally, I want something that doesn't grind me into the ground quite so much so that I can use the additional recovery for met-con style work (I'd like to add fitness and leanness to my still growing strength profile for several mostly personal reasons). From what I gather, the juggernaut method looks like it'll be the right fit for the purpose of allowing extra recovery, except its a 4 day a week program, and that doesn't really fit with me being a shift worker. Just wondering if anyone has any experience, or knowledge of whether the program can work as a 3 day a week program (and just shift the 4th session on to the next week)? Also, I currently squat and bench 3 days a week, and deadlift twice a week, is the likely drop in frequency going to cause too many issues? Or will it all just sort of balance out in the end? As a side note, I'm competing in May and will then likely have around a year before I compete again to try and actually change weight classes and get generally fitter. So, if the frequency thing is only an issue for those prepping for a meet, this would likely be the best time for me to drop that back.