COUNTING REPS

gridlock · Sep 7, 2009

how many of you actually count reps anymore?

Or are you one of these guys who just go for the feel of it and just go to fatigue?

Thick1 · Sep 7, 2009

I still count but I do not pre-determine the amount of reps I will do the reason is I want to know where I fatigue at so the following week I will know to add weights or not.

superman21 · Sep 7, 2009

Thick1 said:
I still count but I do not pre-determine the amount of reps I will do the reason is I want to know where I fatigue at so the following week I will know to add weights or not.

Agreed... I used to put weight on and went by how i feel, but it ended up that i wasnt making as fast progress as when i write it down so i know what weight i was at and if i can go heavier.

MAINEVENT · Sep 7, 2009

gridlock said:
how many of you actually count reps anymore?

Or are you one of these guys who just go for the feel of it and just go to fatigue?

The only thing i dont like about predetermining reps is you limit yourself mentally. However, this offseason i did count reps to continuously keep improving either by weight or by reps.

rAJJIN · Sep 7, 2009

Ive always counted

Even if I tried not to I think id still have a pretty good idea How many I did in the back of my mind.

xxsuprman22xx · Sep 7, 2009

I count because every session in the gym has been to beat the log book. The growth has been nothing short of amazing doing it this way.

tenny · Sep 7, 2009

any of you ever see a pro or seasoned competitor train???

do you see them writing in their log book???

jm425 · Sep 7, 2009

tenny said:
any of you ever see a pro or seasoned competitor train???

do you see them writing in their log book???

Most of them train instinctively which is what I do most of the time. The only time I keep track of exercises and weights is when I train dc style. I do count reps although if I feel as though I can push out 1-2 more reps, I will do it.

domeyeahaight · Sep 7, 2009

Uh well I am sure they do keep track of what they do to a certain extent..

I got not facts to back that up...

Sometimes i "go crazy" and just go til I cant go anymore..

When I am doing ab crunches I usually just go and go and go until either my song finishes or I am dead...

Most of the time I count reps though in order to beat myself from the last time..

If i dont have a goal to reach then I give up prematurely but hey im a puss.

doug1 · Sep 7, 2009

i don't count reps, i dont want to be distracted with numbers, i want to focus on the muscle working.

bloodshed · Sep 8, 2009

i count and predetermine the rep range, and ill usually choose a wait that will prevent me from hitting the top of it. if i do hit the top though ill keep going. if i hit 8 reps i generally increase the weight the following week, with some exceptions. this has always worked for me.

rAJJIN · Sep 8, 2009

To the Guys that dont count reps....
I Wonder do you go to failure each set? Or Do you just go until it feels "Rite"? Maybe one or two short of failure?
Ive always had it stuck in my head if I can do 10 without Having to Dig for it then
It was to easy. Im not in there to exercise

Im there to Lift and try to Lift heavy but not all sloppy. Im sure no expert so maybe ive been going about it all wrong. Im always curious to see and hear what others think and have found works the best for them. Im Always willing to try to learn more and how others are thinking.

BALDNAZI · Sep 8, 2009

and?

tenny said:
any of you ever see a pro or seasoned competitor train???

do you see them writing in their log book???

With all due respect, what is your point? In the past 2-3 years I have made some of the biggest gains in my life, in size and strength. For the most part I have trained DC and as much as that has been the difference, the part in DC about beating the logbook is EVERYTHING to me.

I have kept the logbook going even when I switch off DC from time to time, and made it a point to beat every past workout as much as possible. My training partner as well, and a few other guys who have asked for advice.

Each one has said that such a stupid little thing as writing sets and reps down every workout, and then trying to beat those numbers the next time has helped immensely.

I really dont care what pros do, they are a different animal. There are plenty of genetic marvels in my city that walk into the gym without a clue about anything, dont even warm up, and train chest and biceps all the time. Some of these guys you can tell just "have it" their structure and genetic makeup are different then the rest of us.

Im not in that group, so if writing numbers down and come hell or high water I beat them week after week helps me, then I will do that. It is one of the first things I tell people when they ask me how to train or what they should take. I make it point for them to start writing things down and learning the one thing that is most important...PROGRESSION

I thank Dante for stressing the importance of that. It applies to all forms of training...

maldorf · Sep 8, 2009

BALDNAZI said:
With all due respect, what is your point? In the past 2-3 years I have made some of the biggest gains in my life, in size and strength. For the most part I have trained DC and as much as that has been the difference, the part in DC about beating the logbook is EVERYTHING to me.

I have kept the logbook going even when I switch off DC from time to time, and made it a point to beat every past workout as much as possible. My training partner as well, and a few other guys who have asked for advice.

Each one has said that such a stupid little thing as writing sets and reps down every workout, and then trying to beat those numbers the next time has helped immensely.

I really dont care what pros do, they are a different animal. There are plenty of genetic marvels in my city that walk into the gym without a clue about anything, dont even warm up, and train chest and biceps all the time. Some of these guys you can tell just "have it" their structure and genetic makeup are different then the rest of us.

Im not in that group, so if writing numbers down and come hell or high water I beat them week after week helps me, then I will do that. It is one of the first things I tell people when they ask me how to train or what they should take. I make it point for them to start writing things down and learning the one thing that is most important...PROGRESSION

I thank Dante for stressing the importance of that. It applies to all forms of training...

I totally agree on this. I have always been that way. I know that i cannot remember exactly what I did one week ago, and need to have something to refer to. That record gives me something to strive to beat the next time and sometimes it provides that extra little stimulus to push harder. Even if it means just doing one more rep on a given exerecise with the same weight; to me that means making progress.
To infer that only newbies use a log book is just plain ignorant.

Bigboychance80 · Sep 8, 2009

I have as not started a log as of yet but plan to soon. Since I do not keep a log book yet I always count out my reps. I do not set my self to stick by these numbers. If I feel I can push myself a few more I do it. I wont stop a that number unless i have nothing left. Beside everyone says that the time the muscle really reacts is on the last few reps, so go for extra if you can.

almard · Sep 8, 2009

People are diffrent...I can't get stronger every day so I don't use the log book any more...I go by how I fell that day. some day I go heavey and some not....I'm body builder not wight lifter...

xxsuprman22xx · Sep 8, 2009

if i do everything the pros do...will i be sure to turn pro?

Obnoxious123 · Sep 8, 2009

i only count on compound movements for major muscle groups and dumbbell/barbell movements for smaller ones. that's because i do heavy sets of 5-8 reps because i grow the best on lower reps for major groups.

as far as machines go (i only use hammer strength machines) i go until absolute failure except on my warm up set. i will go until i can't push the weight up all the way and it goes up halfway. i use enough weight to get no more than 12 reps. if i get more, i increase.

Anti_hero · Sep 8, 2009

tenny said:
any of you ever see a pro or seasoned competitor train???

do you see them writing in their log book???

David Henry

tenny · Sep 8, 2009

BALDNAZI said:
With all due respect, what is your point? In the past 2-3 years I have made some of the biggest gains in my life, in size and strength. For the most part I have trained DC and as much as that has been the difference, the part in DC about beating the logbook is EVERYTHING to me.

I have kept the logbook going even when I switch off DC from time to time, and made it a point to beat every past workout as much as possible. My training partner as well, and a few other guys who have asked for advice.

Each one has said that such a stupid little thing as writing sets and reps down every workout, and then trying to beat those numbers the next time has helped immensely.

I really dont care what pros do, they are a different animal. There are plenty of genetic marvels in my city that walk into the gym without a clue about anything, dont even warm up, and train chest and biceps all the time. Some of these guys you can tell just "have it" their structure and genetic makeup are different then the rest of us.

Im not in that group, so if writing numbers down and come hell or high water I beat them week after week helps me, then I will do that. It is one of the first things I tell people when they ask me how to train or what they should take. I make it point for them to start writing things down and learning the one thing that is most important...PROGRESSION

I thank Dante for stressing the importance of that. It applies to all forms of training...