Random health and exercise thoughts

[Prada_Ferragamo]

Originally Posted by Johnny_5

I got a question for you guys.

If you are doing an exercise with 4 sets, is it normal for failure to come at earlier reps later in the exercise? Obviously, you are going to be getting more and more tired as you continue, but should I be dropping the weight if I can't complete the same amount of reps per set?

I'm not sure if I explained it clearly enough but here is an example of DB shoulder press today:

Set 1: 40lbsx12
Set 2: 40x10 (failure)
Set 3: 40x8
Set 4: 40x8

Why not increase the weight and drop the amount of reps. If you want to go for failure, I would do those on the last set.

 

[indesertum]

i think 12 reps is a little too high to aim for strength gains (if that is what you want). something in the 6 to 8 range with less sets (3 maybe even 2) is more profitable

 

[mrchariybrown]

I like 4-6 for strength gains. I do 10+ for accessory work.

 

[shibbel]

Would power cleans be a good sub for barbell rows?

 

[Prada_Ferragamo]

Originally Posted by shibbel

Would power cleans be a good sub for barbell rows?

Not the same thing.

 

[mrchariybrown]

Originally Posted by shibbel

Would power cleans be a good sub for barbell rows?
power cleans are way more of an explosive movement than bb rows. I'd suggest something more on the lines of seated cable rows and hammer strength/machine rows

 

[shibbel]

Originally Posted by mrchariybrown

power cleans are way more of an explosive movement than bb rows. I'd suggest something more on the lines of seated cable rows and hammer strength/machine rows
This is what I always thought- cleans are more about explosiveness and movement than actual strength or working the back. But I was reading some crap Mark Rippetoe said about bb rows being inferior to cleans.

 

[mrchariybrown]

explosive movements are definitely beneficial to strength gains. you need a good mix of both explosive movements and non-explosive ones.

 

[Johnny_5]

Originally Posted by indesertum

i think 12 reps is a little too high to aim for strength gains (if that is what you want). something in the 6 to 8 range with less sets (3 maybe even 2) is more profitable

Profitable how? Don't get me wrong, I'm interested in strength gains, but more concerned about hypertrophy right now because of my caloric intake.

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by Johnny_5

I got a question for you guys. If you are doing an exercise with 4 sets, is it normal for failure to come at earlier reps later in the exercise? Obviously, you are going to be getting more and more tired as you continue, but should I be dropping the weight if I can't complete the same amount of reps per set? I'm not sure if I explained it clearly enough but here is an example of DB shoulder press today: Set 1: 40lbsx12 Set 2: 40x10 (failure) Set 3: 40x8 Set 4: 40x8
Its an endurance issue. You've obviously got the strength to do 12 reps per set. Now you just need to build your muscular endurance. Diet and health (fatigue) could also have contributed to this.

 

[indesertum]

well generally its thought that lower reps (4-6, but sometimes ppl say 8) increase strength (muscle cells gain more actin and myosin filaments, CNS fires more filaments at a time), while higher reps (10+) increase sarcoplasmic fluid volume. former is associated with a lot of strength gains and some hypertrophy, while the latter is the opposite.

i mean i guess it depends on your goals. if you want to look bulky higher reps prolly will work (maybe even 12-15 range 3, 4 sets). do high volume low weight to deplete glyogen reserves in muscle then feed them starchy carbs post workout (some ppl say "simple" carbs like dextrose, but real food gives feeling of satiety and will help your body regulate caloric intake).

if you want muscle mass to burn calories i think either way would work. more actin and more myosin means more atp consumption at a time. more sarcoplasmic volume should mean ability for longer energy consumption when working out (ie muscular endurance). i would guess that the former would help you burn calories when not working out while the latter would help you burn more calories by allowing you to workout longer

i just want to be functionally stronger so I can delve into gymnastics a little. also dont want to size up in clothing.


what might also help is warm up sets although i'm not sure how beneficial it would be for high rep high sets

 

[Rambo]

^^Holy ****. What the hell is all that?

Some of you guys - Jesus Christ on a crutch he was only asking about rep failure. What's with all the ******* "strength gains" and "volume" all this other bullshit. This thread is a little too far into the forest to see the trees.

 

[indesertum]

well i find bio interesting.

a tl;dr version without it would be

higher reps (10+ reps) = much muscle volume gain, some strength gain = muscular endurance
lower reps (4 to 6 reps) = much strength gain, some volume gain = greater muscular power

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by indesertum

well i find bio interesting.

a tl;dr version without it would be

higher reps (10+ reps) = much muscle volume gain, some strength gain = muscular endurance
lower reps (4 to 6 reps) = much strength gain, some volume gain = greater muscular power
So do I. But that's not at all what he asked about. He asked why his rep range was declining as his set load progressed, and what to do about it.

 

[Kajak]

Rest moar.