More thoughts on training....reps!

[hardkor]

Ok guys, i need some feedback here. I can't do high reps for shit! Anything over 12, forget about it. Ever since i started training 10 years ago, i've tried many time to train with higher reps like in the 12-15 range and with less rest between sets (~1 min). For some reason, no matter how light i go, i always fail at around 12 reps. And this is not the usual "fail" i feel when i go heavier in the 6-8 rep range. My muscles literally feel like they cant contract anymore and they just go numb! Throw in a rest period of less than 3 minutes between sets and it becomes worse!

Now i've done the research in the past and have talked to a few guys that know their exercise science and its seems to be either:

1. I'm fast twitch dominant
2. my body doesn't flush out lactid acid well

But the one response I hate more than any, and that i get the most of is "you just have to train that way for a while and your body will get use to it." NOPE! I've givin it 6 months once and nadda.

So what gives? I see so many bodybuilders training in the 10-15 range with very little rest between their sets. What's wrong with me?

 

[Leviathan]

I don't think anything is "wrong" with you. As far as the rest periods go, it's great that others can do that high of reps with short rest periods and progress. I am not one of those folks. I have to have at least 2 minutes, and often 3 minutes between my sets for that bodypart or my poundages (and thus ability to stimulate) go to shit. Ask yourself: am I getting greater stimulation with the shorter rests and higher reps? If you are just spinning your wheels, then shorter rests aren't the way to go with high reps. You could try doing sets of 5 with short rests, that way you can use heavier weights, and can tax your cardio system as well. You can work it down to 30 second rests this way, without giving too much in terms of weights used. You won't be able to do this on deads and squats or you will end up in an EMS unit, but for most exercises it works extremely well.

 

[hardkor]

So other than cardio benefits, are there any other reasons why we would benefit from shorter rest periods? I know that the bb's that preach "the pump" swear by shorter rest periods.

You're right tho, if i keep the reps low, around 5, i can rest less between my sets and not fatigue on my next sets. My whole problem are the high reps. Its funny...say i do a set of bench with 200lbs to failure at rep 15, regardless if i rest 3 minutes, i wont be able to do that 200lbs for even 12! Thats how bad i am at higher reps!!

 

[Hudson]

Ok guys, i need some feedback here. I can't do high reps for shit! Anything over 12, forget about it. Ever since i started training 10 years ago, i've tried many time to train with higher reps like in the 12-15 range and with less rest between sets (~1 min). For some reason, no matter how light i go, i always fail at around 12 reps. And this is not the usual "fail" i feel when i go heavier in the 6-8 rep range. My muscles literally feel like they cant contract anymore and they just go numb! Throw in a rest period of less than 3 minutes between sets and it becomes worse!

Now i've done the research in the past and have talked to a few guys that know their exercise science and its seems to be either:

1. I'm fast twitch dominant
2. my body doesn't flush out lactid acid well

But the one response I hate more than any, and that i get the most of is "you just have to train that way for a while and your body will get use to it." NOPE! I've givin it 6 months once and nadda.

So what gives? I see so many bodybuilders training in the 10-15 range with very little rest between their sets. What's wrong with me?

Im the same way, mostly with chest. And after years of retarded progress because everyone was adament that "you need to train this way" I said to hell with it and worked fewer sets/reps. I'm more than pleased with the results