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The Psychology of Counting Reps...

myosin

New member
Kilo Klub Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
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As we all know, this sport/hobby, like many others, is often very psychological.

This is just one tid-bit in a couple scenario's to help in the area of counting repetitions...

1) You've been stuck at a particular weight/rep scheme for awhile
2) You are using a particular weight/rep amount that it's a bit intimidating ("I need to do 15 rep's with THIS weight? 1...2... 13 more?! Crap!", "Oh, man... 5 reps? I dunno, maybe 3, but 5?", etc)

ONE trick: divide your reps in half or thirds.

I was on a program for awhile where my top rep goal was 15 reps before moving onto heavier weight. I HATE high reps! So, particularly with the squat, I would divide the reps into thirds... it's "easier" to count to 5 as your goal, then 5 again, etc.

OR- You've been stuck at 9 reps, but your goal is 10... divide it in half... 5... 5

And so on.

Again- this is just ONE trick... for some, they may need that "goal number" to stay focused on, and that's fine. That's part of the psychology and challenge of weight training... everyone will have their own "thing" that works for them and they need to "discover" that for themselves.

Addendum: after reading some of the replies, I just want to make sure that I'm not saying to NOT go to failure with this type of approach... I go to failure on each set. I keep a log book and bring it with me to my workout, so then I can try to "beat" at least one set from my previous workout... that's where this kind of psychology/approach can be useful.
 
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I personally don't count reps, I find myself stopping my set at a certain number instead of a level of fatigue. I always know about how many reps I'm doing, but I avoid counting. Sometimes I ask my workout partner how many reps I did, she usually responds with, "count your own fucking reps."
 
when I do count reps I count backwards 10, 9, 8, 7....

but now I go till failure , I know my starting weight I'll get at least 9-10 reps
 
That's what I mean...

when I do count reps I count backwards 10, 9, 8, 7....

but now I go till failure , I know my starting weight I'll get at least 9-10 reps

See, if I tried that, I would probably have a "self full-filling failure" :)... meaning, if I started at 10 and went backwards, if I got to "one" but still had one more in me, I'd probably stop b/c I reached "one". Weird huh?
 
See, if I tried that, I would probably have a "self full-filling failure" :)... meaning, if I started at 10 and went backwards, if I got to "one" but still had one more in me, I'd probably stop b/c I reached "one". Weird huh?


I'm with you on this one! I know if I counted back, it would be over.




PO
 
See, if I tried that, I would probably have a "self full-filling failure" :)... meaning, if I started at 10 and went backwards, if I got to "one" but still had one more in me, I'd probably stop b/c I reached "one". Weird huh?

But if you reached 15 reps on one of your 15 rep exercises.. you wouldn't stop then? :confused:
 
haha... that's what I mean!

But if you reached 15 reps on one of your 15 rep exercises.. you wouldn't stop then? :confused:

One's "psychology" can be so different than another's in some situations! Weird right? So, yes, to answer your question, if my goal was 15, I could try to squeeze out an extra rep partially b/c I probably wouldn't count to 15 in the first place... I'd count to 5... 5... 5... but, to repeat myself, if I did do a straight count to 15, and had one extra, I would go for it... but if I counted backwards, no :D

The principle is: get to know your way of thinking, what kind of thinking limits you, what kind "moves" or propels YOU? Then, use that to get past your sticking points.
 
when I do count reps I count backwards 10, 9, 8, 7....

but now I go till failure , I know my starting weight I'll get at least 9-10 reps

Yep ! I do the same.
 
Food for thought.
Sometimes I think I cheat myself because I have a rep number in mind and when I get to that magic number the bar goeas back in the rack or whatever. I understand th eidea of pacing yourself, but when I finish a set nad think I could have done another rep or two, I wonder. Know what I mean?
 
I always try to do more than I tell myself I am gonna do, if my goal was 10 I try twelve...I usually fail but thats the point...always doing more than expected. I like to do at least six to eight of any movement clean, then i allow a little swag in form to push the target muscle over the edge....

DT
 
Sometimes I ask my workout partner how many reps I did, she usually responds with, "count your own fucking reps."

F-ing priceless! I think something shot out my nose when I read this hahaha
 
Almost...

Food for thought.
Sometimes I think I cheat myself because I have a rep number in mind and when I get to that magic number the bar goeas back in the rack or whatever. I understand th eidea of pacing yourself, but when I finish a set nad think I could have done another rep or two, I wonder. Know what I mean?

Yes, as mentioned, there can sometimes be a "self full-filling prophecy" effect.

BUT... it has been shown time and again that people who workout DO BETTER if they have a "goal" in mind (and this applies to all parts of ones life actually- be it saving money, losing weight, looking a certain "way" in a certain amount of time, etc).

Simple Example:
Group A- "Go into the weight room, work as hard as you can for 45 minutes, 4 days a week."

Group B- "Go into the weight room, 4 days a week, do three sets of 8-10 reps on each machine, no longer than one minute rest between sets. When you reach 10 reps, increase the weight by one plate."

Who will do better? Group B. They have a goal to aim for. That's the point of my original post... if you are stuck at a particular weight/rep scheme, one "trick" to help is to "alter" the goal... so again, if you are stuck at 9 reps, to get to 10 reps, try splitting your counting to 5 and 5.

Having a GOAL in mind and figuring out how to get there is what it's all about.
 
F-ing priceless! I think something shot out my nose when I read this hahaha


haha, I particularly liked that one too :D
 
some very interesting points here.

i DO count reps or have a set amount of reps i want to hit (usually 8-12) when i lift but when i find myself FLYYING through the first 6 reps no problem then i usually slow down the motion or really concentrate on the negative. This usually works. If i would have have 16 reps then by 12 i am usually doing slow negatives and it wipes me out.
 
Keeping the log book current is crucial! I always add 2 reps to my last workout reps as a goal. If I did 10 on a set weight last time I shoot for 12. Now if I can go further I will. The biggest problem I have is loosing count especially with legs doing sets of 20 to 30. When I ask my workout partner his answer is usually ", you did alot, I stopped counting at 20"
 
One's "psychology" can be so different than another's in some situations! Weird right? So, yes, to answer your question, if my goal was 15, I could try to squeeze out an extra rep partially b/c I probably wouldn't count to 15 in the first place... I'd count to 5... 5... 5... but, to repeat myself, if I did do a straight count to 15, and had one extra, I would go for it... but if I counted backwards, no :D

The principle is: get to know your way of thinking, what kind of thinking limits you, what kind "moves" or propels YOU? Then, use that to get past your sticking points.

Damn brah.. you make it way too complicated haha :eek:

I don't put that much thought into my reps, either go to failure or not
 
could be...

Damn brah.. you make it way too complicated haha :eek:

I don't put that much thought into my reps, either go to failure or not

haha, maybe :)

I'll simplify it
1) DO put thought into your reps-
a. a person having a "goal" in mind with always fare far far better than a person without one (in any aspect of life... barring "genetic freaks" and those with "trust funds :D)

b. this will allow for faster constant progression

2) Figure out what works for YOU to overcome whatever obstacles/sticking points come your way...b/c they will come

There, how's that? ;)
 

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