- Joined
- Jan 15, 2012
- Messages
- 2,555
Back when I was starting out, it was popular to hear guys say "the muscle doesn't know how much weight it's lifting," and "try to make 185lbs feel like 315lbs" and "the only rep that counts is the rep you hit failure on."
Often times with this approach, my goal entering a set would be to fail. I'd try to make every rep as hard as possible, and try to fail as quick as possible, try to make the weight as difficult as possible to lift.
But is this really the best way to grow?
Think about the following two approaches. John Doe approaches 275lbs on the incline bench. He can either (a) try to make the weight as difficult as possible and try to fail, or (b) set a number of reps in his mind, and with the best form he can, fire those reps off with the most explosive, insane, violent intensity as he can on the concentric, and a smooth, slow, controlled eccentric.
In scenario (a) he hits failure, and can only do a limited number of sets. In scenario (b) the number of reps he hits is 2-3 below his failure point, and because of this, he is able to do a lot more sets and volume with the same weight.
I know for me, approach (b) definitely leads to faster recovery and better strength gains, although I haven't tried approach (a) consistently since I was 21, because everytime I do hit failure, my next workout I feel much weaker and like I didn't recover.
Often times with this approach, my goal entering a set would be to fail. I'd try to make every rep as hard as possible, and try to fail as quick as possible, try to make the weight as difficult as possible to lift.
But is this really the best way to grow?
Think about the following two approaches. John Doe approaches 275lbs on the incline bench. He can either (a) try to make the weight as difficult as possible and try to fail, or (b) set a number of reps in his mind, and with the best form he can, fire those reps off with the most explosive, insane, violent intensity as he can on the concentric, and a smooth, slow, controlled eccentric.
In scenario (a) he hits failure, and can only do a limited number of sets. In scenario (b) the number of reps he hits is 2-3 below his failure point, and because of this, he is able to do a lot more sets and volume with the same weight.
I know for me, approach (b) definitely leads to faster recovery and better strength gains, although I haven't tried approach (a) consistently since I was 21, because everytime I do hit failure, my next workout I feel much weaker and like I didn't recover.