Okay, that makes sense. The multiple rep sets build strength and the 90% singles test strength but without destroying you. That’s common on all programs of building strength - multiple reps of at least 5.
Agreed that missing lifts will batter confidence, especially in my case. Applies to multiple rep sets - if too much weight, can do only 8 reps instead of 10, that can be frustrating. And exhausting.
My philosophy is that I’m usually confident that I can add 2.5-5lbs more and get a single as opposed to trying to lift (225-315) more lbs in a set(one more rep). Seen from a volume perspective adding 5lbs to a top or near-top weight is a lot less stressful than trying to add another rep at an appreciable portion of your max.
Reps have their place though, because sometimes you need to back off and do work for the health of the connective tissues, which don’t strengthen as fast as the muscles do. But increasing your max single increases your capacity to do reps at lower poundages. I’ve gotten my pullup to BW+110x1 or a triple with 90 or thereabouts, and my unweighted pullup reps went to 22 without ever training reps on that exercise.
Just food for thought.
I also think that there’s a minimum or optimal amount of training stress you can use which will force the body to make an adaptation by getting stronger or more neurally efficient. More than that just eats at recovery resources, I figure. How you choose to train depends on your definition of “stronger” though and what your goals are.
My goals are to get as big and strong as possible and not settle for anything less.
OK. Injury is recovering nicely. Stress levels down. Heart rate nice and calm. Time to start back in. Will give Louie Simmons’ deadlift routine a try. Percentages appear to be 50% or less max. Albino, will do some near max lifts in time to check limits. Until then, will limit workouts to keep stress down.
Deadlift
135 x 19 . x 17
good. Breathing hard, but no stress. Lo back a bit sore, no biggie. Feel good.
Life Fitness Assisted Chin
-70 x 10 . x 10
could have done more, but need to see how much the deads take out of me.
Hmm . . . added another pound bodyweight. Check belt - waist bigger or not?
Upper back a bit sore, but OK for lifting.
Deadlift
135 x 18
OH press
65 x 15
85 x 7 . x 7
DB side raise
15 x 8 . x 8
Wrist curl
50 x 40
70 x 20 . x 15
and no stress.
Awesome Deadlift Cav. Was that one set? Glad to hear you’re feeling better.
[quote]Co tenBroek wrote:
Awesome Deadlift Cav. Was that one set? Glad to hear you’re feeling better.[/quote]
It was one set. Touch 'n go, so the bar barely stopped moving. Didn’t want to do more than one set since I had lifted the previous day, and upper back just a bit sore.
Feeling better . . . well, today feel like crap. Even though kept stress down, it seemed to leave me with depression.
Birthday today. Lunch at Boston Market, ice cream across the street (they have awesome ice cream).
Did you get to the gym yesterday? I have noticed a direct correlation between my depression worsening and not going to the gym and or getting too much sugar/carbohydrates.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Birthday today. Lunch at Boston Market, ice cream across the street (they have awesome ice cream).[/quote]
It was your birthday yesterday, Cav? Belated happy birthday wishes, fellow Gemini!
Cheers!
Jean
.
Cotenbroek: didn’t make it to gym yesterday cuz had to teach and do tutoring. I grew up on sugar sugar sugar and very little protein and wasn’t happy. Now try to control carbs.
Actually, going to gym often makes me feel worse. One, if I get frustrated by lack of progress. Two, if not frustrated, the stress of workout does something to my system and in bad mood for the next day. Eating seems to lessen it - I try to keep protein up.
Jean: thanks, gal!
Bulldog: perfect!! LOL!!!
Well, I got me my birthday present. Took the car in and asked for oil change. Made the mistake of asking them to look and see if anything needed work. It’s a 12 yr old SUV. You DON’T want to know what it cost me. My debit card is still whimpering.
Deadlift
145 x 16 . x 16
don’t stress . . . don’t stress . . . did well on that. Stayed pretty calm. Heart rate elevated a bit, normal - on second set, seemed to have a little arythmia, then calmed.
Hmm . . . 3 deadlift sessions in 4 days, you’d think it’d bury me, but feel fine.
Fat man chins on Smith machine
x 12 . x 12
doesn’t look like much of a workout, but determined to keep stress down. Got a real appetite . . . got home and chowing down.
Cav- Happy Birthday brother…High Rep deads?..I prefer a hot poker in the eye…NICE WORK!
Thanks, Goat. Well, Louie Simmons swears it’ll get your strength up, put hair on your chest, yadda yadda yadda. Since I can’t do squats, why not.
The real trick is to do them without sending my anxiety levels shooting past Pluto. So far, so good, they’re not bad at all.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Actually, going to gym often makes me feel worse. One, if I get frustrated by lack of progress. Two, if not frustrated, the stress of workout does something to my system and in bad mood for the next day. [/quote]
Wow. This is sad to me. I guess lifting is one thing I can count on to keep me sane. And heavy lifting gives me an endorphine rush like nothing else. Not that I don’t have my occasional frustrations. But it just seems like your frustration with lifting doesn’t ever cease. Have you tried other physical activity? I used to work at a gym and would tell people that they need to find their passion. Something they love. Whether it’s yoga or running or boot camp or powerlifting . . . Maybe you haven’t found your fitness passion.
And happy birthday.
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Actually, going to gym often makes me feel worse. One, if I get frustrated by lack of progress. Two, if not frustrated, the stress of workout does something to my system and in bad mood for the next day. [/quote]
Wow. This is sad to me. I guess lifting is one thing I can count on to keep me sane. And heavy lifting gives me an endorphine rush like nothing else. Not that I don’t have my occasional frustrations. But it just seems like your frustration with lifting doesn’t ever cease. Have you tried other physical activity? I used to work at a gym and would tell people that they need to find their passion. Something they love. Whether it’s yoga or running or boot camp or powerlifting . . . Maybe you haven’t found your fitness passion.
And happy birthday.[/quote]
x2
Life is too short to be unhappy.
Happy belated birthday!!!
Thanks for the birthday wishes, gals.
I really don’t want to give lifting because I’m so in love with the idea of being big and strong. I’ve been small and puny before, and if I ever went back to that, would really be miserable.
As far back as I can remember, physical activity was always straining, sweating, coming in last. When they said hard work would fix that, I could only guess it must mean more straining, more adrenaline. Which means more stress to whack me.
Yes Snap, I’ve had sessions with those endorphin rushes, but few and far between.
For the past week, have been struggling to keep stress out of the gym. Let the body lift naturally. Fighting every instinct inside me. Seems to be working. Walking out the gym feeling OK, more refreshed. Starting to feel a little different . . . something like wanting to attack the weights, not so much afraid of them . . . would swear my pecs are getting thicker . . . .
I used to bike a lot, really enjoyed that, but no idea if I was good enough to compete. If I did, would have to lose a lot of weight and I really like getting big.
Happy Birthday Cavalier!
Do you ever try lift weights to music? The right music can really set the tone- does amazing things for the mind.
ps- I remember you from last fall and thank you so much for helping me out then. I have been over in “Powerful Women” (lol) still blabbling on and on!
Hi, Reconstruction. Great birthday present!
Generally I prefer quiet when lifting to concentrate. Some music is stimulating, but don’t like carrying around and fussing with electronics. It’s a moot point, since every gym I’ve ever been in usually blasts noise through loudspeakers making it impossible to think. I have to put up with up, no matter how painful.
Deadlift
145 x 17
155 x 16
went well, try some near max lifts
235 x 1
255 x 1
that one was tough
Bench
45 x 15
95 x 15
115 x 8
135 x 1 . feel good, have control
145 x 1 . good
155 x 1 . surprising, almost easy
165 x 0 . FAIL - spotter grabbed it
got off chest, but left arm wouldn’t lock out - clearly the weak spot. So disappointed, had done 165 once before in my life, was hoping at least get back up to it
Tri Pulldown
30 x 15
40 x 9 . x 12
50 x 7 . could feel tris working on this one
There’s an adaptation phase you go through when you start regularly lifting in the 90%+ range. It takes a little while for the nervous system to upregulate the chemicals and hormones needed to get and stay ramped up. I think that’s what happens, anyway…
When I was doing Westside-type training I would get these “brainblasts” on the heaviest sets and my strength would cut out, even though the set before seemed easy. You’re re-training your brain to produce a massive electrical surge for an all-out single effort and that takes some physical changes - so don’t be disappointed. Straining on maxes is different than straining on reps. I think that was a terrific session. You might want to do fewer reps on your warm-ups and do more sets going up to your max weight as well. That was quite a jump on DL.
[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:
You might want to do fewer reps on your warm-ups and do more sets going up to your max weight as well. That was quite a jump on DL.[/quote]
Umm . . . those were my working sets. In the Simmons article, he specifies doing about half your max for 15 reps or more. I then did the near max, as you mentioned, to check strength. Probably could have done a couple more sets leading up to it, but didn’t want to burn out before getting there.
Also bear in mind I’ve been doing 250 in DL for almost 2 years now, so it shouldn’t be so strange to my body. I’m really trying to get higher than that.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:
You might want to do fewer reps on your warm-ups and do more sets going up to your max weight as well. That was quite a jump on DL.[/quote]
Umm . . . those were my working sets. In the Simmons article, he specifies doing about half your max for 15 reps or more. I then did the near max, as you mentioned, to check strength. Probably could have done a couple more sets leading up to it, but didn’t want to burn out before getting there.
Also bear in mind I’ve been doing 250 in DL for almost 2 years now, so it shouldn’t be so strange to my body. I’m really trying to get higher than that.[/quote]
And here I thought I’d been paying attention. You were working a different strategy than what I believed. My apologies.