Everyone understands that you have to periodically change your training routine to avoid stagnation. My question is this: How does heavy (90%) of 1rmax, training support higher rep training? Any links to this subject would be greatly appreciated. thanks
i can share with you a personal experience of mine.
for quite a few months i did predominantly low-rep/high-percentage work.
i’d say… 90% of my work volume involved training around 85-95% of my 1RM in major compound lifts <flat bench, parallel bar dips, rack pulls from just below the knee, front squats, seated military press to the front, alternating barbell lunges>
i did this for SO LONGGGGG… probably like 4 months. i was obsessed with bumping up my 1RMs. it worked. but when i ever tried to do higher rep work, say, around 10 reps and higher with lighter loads of around 55 - 75%, i got GASSED QUICK.
my point is, if you neglect higher rep work with lighter loads for long enough, and even if your lower rep higher load performance get better, when you get back to trying to do lighter work you’re gonna SUCK.
it’s very possible to lose conditioning in one sphere of training while improving in another.
it’s tough to stay on top of it all!
I suppose that if your maximum strength goes up, then lifting a specific submaximal weight will be using a lower percentage of your max strength. I suppose in such a case fewer muscle fibres need to be recruited to lift the load.
If you can hit a mid range rep workout stronger every time and stimulate your muscles with more weight, you can get continous growth gains that you would otherwise maybe not be able to get. Varying your volumes and loads is one of the best things you can do for the CNS.
Read this article about the central nervous system and training is awesome. It is written by Kelly Baggett. He is a friend of mine who really knows his stuff:
www.mindandmuscle.net/mindandmuscle/magpage.php?artID=85
This article will tell you alot I think about what you are wondering. Also, I have a thread describing a detailed off season muscle building plan that incorporate these principles. It is here:
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1355231
Check out Kelly’s NO BULL MUSCLE BUILDING MANUAL at his website:
I just think for waht you are asking, the information you want might be in it. It is worthwhile book for anybody wanting to make strength and muscle gains…invaluable in my opinion.
Good luck to you in your goals…
Does anyone else find that it’s harder to push out higher reps? When I only have 3 brutal reps to do it seems I can push harder than when I am in pain for 8 or 12. I’m usually more sore after a day of 10 sets of 3 though. Just I find the higher reps harder mentally…
With tougher exercises that’s definitely true. I hate higher rep leg work. But I love doing sets of three deadlifts or squats. Oh well, none of us are in this because it’s easy.
[quote]jenheath wrote:
If you can hit a mid range rep workout stronger every time and stimulate your muscles with more weight, you can get continous growth gains that you would otherwise maybe not be able to get. Varying your volumes and loads is one of the best things you can do for the CNS.
Read this article about the central nervous system and training is awesome. It is written by Kelly Baggett. He is a friend of mine who really knows his stuff:
www.mindandmuscle.net/mindandmuscle/magpage.php?artID=85
This article will tell you alot I think about what you are wondering. Also, I have a thread describing a detailed off season muscle building plan that incorporate these principles. It is here:
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1355231
Check out Kelly’s NO BULL MUSCLE BUILDING MANUAL at his website:
I just think for waht you are asking, the information you want might be in it. It is worthwhile book for anybody wanting to make strength and muscle gains…invaluable in my opinion.
Good luck to you in your goals…
[/quote]
I just bought that book! Can’t wait to get it.
I hope Charles Staley jumps in, but it seems that a high load cycle would be a perfect setup for an edt cycle.
The general thinking is that >90% 1 RM training will increase your absolute strength the fastest. As you increase your 1RM strength you create greater potential to train higher reps at higher weights.
It would not be uncommon for someone to stall or regress slightly on one traiing modality(say high rep training) while focussing on another modality (say >90% 1 RM). However, when switching back to higher rep training progress would be expected to come faster after having upped your 1 rm strength.
Here’s a real world example: It’s generally agreed that if you can squat 405 x 20 you’re gonna have some humongous monstrous thighs. A person can usually complete 20 reps with a load that equates to 60 to 70% of their max. Therefore, the fastest wasy to get to 405 x 20 is to get your 1rm squat up to 575 to 650 pronto then “apply” that strength to the higher reps.