I suggest if anyone gets a set to paint them pink as mentioned above - little extra motivation.
[quote]MODOK wrote:
Sabastian525 wrote:
I like the gym that spray painted everything under 10 pounds a bright pink. Implying that unless you are a pussy or have a pussy, you don’t have any business putting these on an olympic bar. Competitions aside, of course.
-Sab
Thats completely fucking stupid, and I don’t give a shit who came up with it.[/quote]
True but it’s still frickin funny.
[quote]MODOK wrote:
Have you read anything that I’ve written in this thread? When you get to the level of repping in the high 300’s to 400’s, all the old progressions that you are currently using don’t work anymore. Progress slows, and microloading is a way forward. I can’t see how this is so difficult for people to understand. You may not understand it now, but I’ll bet you get it when you are stuck at 305 on the military, or 410 on the bench, etc.[/quote]
If you’re in the high 300s to 400s, how could adding a single pound make that much of a difference (again, assuming you are doing the typical 8-10 reps)? I get what you’re saying about diminishing returns as you maximize your genetic potential, but how many of us are anywhere close to doing that?
Look at it from another perspective. We’re talking about adding a miniscule .3% to your lift. I’ve found just the opposite to be the case. The heavier my lifts, the more I need to add incrementally to notice any difference. It would be a joke to only add a pound to my leg presses (currently 1,040 pounds). At minimum, I would need to add 20 pounds to notice any kind of difference.
Yes i hjave heard of plates less than 2.5lbs. I haven’t any in my gym but they probably have them lurking around somewhere and i remember reading an article that swore by microloading for arms and IMO microloading is a great idea.
[quote]forlife wrote:
MODOK wrote:
Have you read anything that I’ve written in this thread? When you get to the level of repping in the high 300’s to 400’s, all the old progressions that you are currently using don’t work anymore. Progress slows, and microloading is a way forward. I can’t see how this is so difficult for people to understand. You may not understand it now, but I’ll bet you get it when you are stuck at 305 on the military, or 410 on the bench, etc.
If you’re in the high 300s to 400s, how could adding a single pound make that much of a difference (again, assuming you are doing the typical 8-10 reps)? I get what you’re saying about diminishing returns, but look at it from another perspective. We’re talking about adding a miniscule .3% to your lift.
I’ve found just the opposite to be the case. The heavier my lifts, the more I need to add incrementally to notice any difference. It would be a joke to only add a pound to my leg presses (currently 1,040 pounds). At minimum, I would need to add 20 pounds to notice any kind of difference.[/quote]
When you use a leg press i remember reading you are only using .707 of the weight that is on the sled. (correct me if im wrong, i know theres a more complete formula out there) So yeah you need to add more weight to the leg press because the weight is multiplied by .707.
But when doing any other exercise like squat for example the weight you put on is the weight you lift, and microloading adds up and gives rewards to those who r patient.
[quote]parsley wrote:
When you use a leg press i remember reading you are only using .707 of the weight that is on the sled. (correct me if im wrong, i know theres a more complete formula out there) So yeah you need to add more weight to the leg press because the weight is multiplied by .707.
But when doing any other exercise like squat for example the weight you put on is the weight you lift, and microloading adds up and gives rewards to those who r patient.
[/quote]
The point is that the heavier your lifts, the more weight you need to add to notice any difference. Adding 5 pounds to a 50 pound lift is a lot more noticeable than adding 5 pounds to a 500 pound lift.
[quote]forlife wrote:
parsley wrote:
When you use a leg press i remember reading you are only using .707 of the weight that is on the sled. (correct me if im wrong, i know theres a more complete formula out there) So yeah you need to add more weight to the leg press because the weight is multiplied by .707.
But when doing any other exercise like squat for example the weight you put on is the weight you lift, and microloading adds up and gives rewards to those who r patient.
The point is that the heavier your lifts, the more weight you need to add to notice any difference. Adding 5 pounds to a 50 pound lift is a lot more noticeable than adding 5 pounds to a 500 pound lift.[/quote]
Well obviously the more you add the more noticeable its going to be. If i add a 2,000lb truck to my next squat i dont think anyone would NOT notice. But a lot of times especially as you get more advanced you can’t just jump in and add a shit load of weight, so microloading adds small amounts consistently over a period of time to add up to large amounts.
Small consistent increases of weight*time=heavier and very noticeable lifts. -I think thats an appropriate equation.
EDIT: MY MISTAKE i misread your statement, my apologies
[quote]MODOK wrote:
forlife wrote:
MODOK wrote:
Have you read anything that I’ve written in this thread? When you get to the level of repping in the high 300’s to 400’s, all the old progressions that you are currently using don’t work anymore. Progress slows, and microloading is a way forward. I can’t see how this is so difficult for people to understand. You may not understand it now, but I’ll bet you get it when you are stuck at 305 on the military, or 410 on the bench, etc.
If you’re in the high 300s to 400s, how could adding a single pound make that much of a difference (again, assuming you are doing the typical 8-10 reps)? I get what you’re saying about diminishing returns as you maximize your genetic potential, but how many of us are anywhere close to doing that?
Look at it from another perspective. We’re talking about adding a miniscule .3% to your lift. I’ve found just the opposite to be the case. The heavier my lifts, the more I need to add incrementally to notice any difference. It would be a joke to only add a pound to my leg presses (currently 1,040 pounds). At minimum, I would need to add 20 pounds to notice any kind of difference.
I’ve explained why ad infinitum in this thread and in the identical thread that the same OP started on this topic for some unknown reason. I don’t claim to know how many are at that level yet…what I am saying is that when people DO get to that level where they can’t load in 5 lb increments anymore, that microloading is a very effective way forward. Thats all I’m saying.[/quote]
FWIW MODOK, I totally understand where you’re coming from. It may seem pointless at the time, but over time microloading leads to heavier lifts.
[quote]MODOK wrote:
I’ve explained why ad infinitum in this thread and in the identical thread that the same OP started on this topic for some unknown reason. I don’t claim to know how many are at that level yet…what I am saying is that when people DO get to that level where they can’t load in 5 lb increments anymore, that microloading is a very effective way forward. Thats all I’m saying.[/quote]
Agreed, I just don’t think many of us are at that point yet. I’d be curious to hear what PX would say about it.
[quote]MODOK wrote:
The point is you are not supposed to NOTICE.[/quote]
Well said. I wish I could not notice adding weight to the bar every week for the rest of my life, even if it is only a couple pounds.
Why would you want to add enough weight to not notice when you could add enough wait to notice? Again, I can understand resorting to microweights when you are bumping against your genetic max, but why would you settle for less when you are nowhere near your max?
[quote]forlife wrote:
Why would you want to add enough weight to not notice when you could add enough wait to notice? Again, I can understand resorting to microweights when you are bumping against your genetic max, but why would you settle for less when you are nowhere near your max?[/quote]
Jesus H. Christ.
He is spefically talking about a way to progress when you are reaching your limit strength on a lift. Why would anyone add 1 lb to a lift if they could add 5.
You are either very dense, or you just like to argue.
[quote]forlife wrote:
Why would you want to add enough weight to not notice when you could add enough wait to notice? Again, I can understand resorting to microweights when you are bumping against your genetic max, but why would you settle for less when you are nowhere near your max?[/quote]
Advanced lifters are those that are lifting at a level not drastically far off from the best they’ll ever achieve. Oh, they may have another 25% or so in them over time, but not drastically far off. E.g., today, after many years of training their DL is 500 lb, but they may well have 600 in them given excellent training, dedication and further time. Maybe even 650. (Not everyone, you know, has 700 or more in them, and these are just example figures anyway.)
If you are not in that category, if you are lifting only say half of what you are likely to achieve with time, then yes, microloading is not for you. E.g., if you hypothetically have a 600 lb DL in you but are only lifting 300 today, then yeah, don’t sweat the microloading.
[quote]forlife wrote:
Why would you want to add enough weight to not notice when you could add enough wait to notice? Again, I can understand resorting to microweights when you are bumping against your genetic max, but why would you settle for less when you are nowhere near your max?[/quote]
Who said you are supposed to settle for less? When you reach a certain level in your training, as Modok explains, you can only progress to a certain extent each week. If 5, 10, 20, or 50 lbs were possible, do you really think he would settle for 2-3 lbs instead? It’s a means to an ends for continuous progression. He’s explained the concept like twenty times now between the two threads on the subject.
[quote]MODOK wrote:
I’ve explained why ad infinitum in this thread and in the identical thread that the same OP started on this topic for some unknown reason. I don’t claim to know how many are at that level yet…what I am saying is that when people DO get to that level where they can’t load in 5 lb increments anymore, that microloading is a very effective way forward. Thats all I’m saying.[/quote]
But wait… tell us one more time. 
Again, I’m not disagreeing with Modok. I’m just pointing out that most of the people on these boards aren’t likely to be anywhere near their genetic maximum.
I think for most of us, microloading is like weighing yourself every day or anally tracking every calorie. You don’t have to make it that complicated. It is a joke for most people to even think about adding 1 pound plates to a 225 pound squat, for example. Go until you hit 10 reps, then add enough weight to lower your reps to 7-8. For the vast majority, that incremental weight is going to be a lot more than 1-2 pounds.
[quote]forlife wrote:
Again, I’m not disagreeing with Modok. I’m just pointing out that most of the people on these boards aren’t likely to be anywhere near their genetic maximum.
I think for most of us, microloading is like weighing yourself every day or anally tracking every calorie. You don’t have to make it that complicated. It is a joke for most people to even think about adding 1 pound plates to a 225 pound squat, for example. Go until you hit 10 reps, then add enough weight to lower your reps to 7-8. For the vast majority, that incremental weight is going to be a lot more than 1-2 pounds.[/quote]
People that aren’t dieting don’t weigh themselves everyday?
So,basically, those who have never plateaued don’t understand the point of microloading?
I assure you that at some point EVERYONE will stall on a lift and linear progression will no longer be possible. Obviously, this does not apply to those that are still in the novice stage. But for those people who have been training for two years or longer and haven’t stalled on a lift yet, you are simply slacking in the gym and not pushing yourself hard enough. Gyms are loaded with people like this. They workout for years and yet still look the same. Microloading is unnecessary for these people, as well, because they will never get close to their genetic potential, and, in essence are still “newbies” and will never even reach an intermediate level in their training. Once linear progression has stalled a trainee is by definition an intermediate lifter. I would venture to categorize the bulk of the T-Nation readership in this group. These are the people who would benefit from being able to stretch out linear progression for as long as they are able to with microloading. Advanced training programs are very complicated by nature with the sole point of getting the lifter “unstuck” from a plateau. It’s much easier to not get stuck in the first place. Eventually, even the smallest increment of weight is too much and a deload and/or other advanced techniques must be employed. Congratulations, you are now an advanced lifter!
It’s also comical that this debate could be applied to any other plate size (2.5, 5, 10). We’re only having this discussion because small plates aren’t commonly found in most gyms? Seems rather arbitrary to me.
I’m currently squatting 3x a week. If I were to add 2.5 lbs. every time I lift, that would be an additional 90 lbs. in three months. Who wouldn’t be happy with that?
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
People that aren’t dieting don’t weigh themselves everyday? [/quote]
I thought people weighed themselves everyday before and after shitting to see how much their shit weighed that day?
[quote]Garage Gym wrote:
So,basically, those who have never plateaued don’t understand the point of microloading?
I assure you that at some point EVERYONE will stall on a lift and linear progression will no longer be possible. Obviously, this does not apply to those that are still in the novice stage. But for those people who have been training for two years or longer and haven’t stalled on a lift yet, you are simply slacking in the gym and not pushing yourself hard enough. Gyms are loaded with people like this. They workout for years and yet still look the same. Microloading is unnecessary for these people, as well, because they will never get close to their genetic potential, and, in essence are still “newbies” and will never even reach an intermediate level in their training. Once linear progression has stalled a trainee is by definition an intermediate lifter. I would venture to categorize the bulk of the T-Nation readership in this group. These are the people who would benefit from being able to stretch out linear progression for as long as they are able to with microloading. Advanced training programs are very complicated by nature with the sole point of getting the lifter “unstuck” from a plateau. It’s much easier to not get stuck in the first place. Eventually, even the smallest increment of weight is too much and a deload and/or other advanced techniques must be employed. Congratulations, you are now an advanced lifter!
It’s also comical that this debate could be applied to any other plate size (2.5, 5, 10). We’re only having this discussion because small plates aren’t commonly found in most gyms? Seems rather arbitrary to me.
I’m currently squatting 3x a week. If I were to add 2.5 lbs. every time I lift, that would be an additional 90 lbs. in three months. Who wouldn’t be happy with that?
[/quote]
The easiest way I have avoiding true stalling is through sports, especially wrestling. They break down my body quite a lot, but after a week of rest after the seasons are over, my strength goes up quickly. Luckily, I have avoiding true plateauing although I have experienced plateaus to a lesser extent.