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This is kind of a spinoff of the eccentric training thread but I wanted to separate it in case there was enough discussion on this concept.
I read a book years ago called "power factor training" which touted a workout regime that was composed exclusively of partial reps. The concept involved determining through trial and error the maximum weight for each exercise that you could execute for the highest number of partial repetitions. This would be your "power factor" and what the author claimed was the most efficient route to muscle hypertrophy as well as strength gains.
For example:
You choose a starting "power factor" of 100lbs which you can bench 22 partial reps. This is a total of 2,200lbs moved or 100 X 22. However the author claimed that if you could bench 70lbs 35 times this would total 2,450lbs and therefore a better weight to use.
The idea was to find the perfect weight that would allow for the greatest additive total of lbs moved through the set.
Not only that but he touted partial reps as exclusively the only movement to use. The whole thing would involve finding your one rep max and doing a power factor system for 1 month and then finding your new one rep max. He claimed massive gains on single rep maximum over just a couple months time.
Granted, if this was a great training method it would not be an unknown book however, does anyone see any merit to these concepts?
Personally I never did the system. I do use partial reps at the end of a set though. I wonder if the concept of a "power factor" would not be useful without the exclusive partial rep concept.
I read a book years ago called "power factor training" which touted a workout regime that was composed exclusively of partial reps. The concept involved determining through trial and error the maximum weight for each exercise that you could execute for the highest number of partial repetitions. This would be your "power factor" and what the author claimed was the most efficient route to muscle hypertrophy as well as strength gains.
For example:
You choose a starting "power factor" of 100lbs which you can bench 22 partial reps. This is a total of 2,200lbs moved or 100 X 22. However the author claimed that if you could bench 70lbs 35 times this would total 2,450lbs and therefore a better weight to use.
The idea was to find the perfect weight that would allow for the greatest additive total of lbs moved through the set.
Not only that but he touted partial reps as exclusively the only movement to use. The whole thing would involve finding your one rep max and doing a power factor system for 1 month and then finding your new one rep max. He claimed massive gains on single rep maximum over just a couple months time.
Granted, if this was a great training method it would not be an unknown book however, does anyone see any merit to these concepts?
Personally I never did the system. I do use partial reps at the end of a set though. I wonder if the concept of a "power factor" would not be useful without the exclusive partial rep concept.
