A frequent “poster”, Geneticsynergy has created a cool web-based app to chart CNS fatigue-readiness based on my previous tip on workout regulation.
Here is the app:
http://www.mrcwebapps.com/mrcjava/servlet/TNATION.Login
To recap how I want you to use it: record your click number over 10 and 20 seconds (the app does it for you) pre and post workout.
The higher your pre-workout number are, the more activated the nervous system is, which should allow you to perform at a higher level and do more work. If you notice that there is a sudden drop on one day, it means that the CNS is not in an optimal state of readiness and that you will need to perform more activation work and do less actual intense work to not burn out the CNS even more.
You also want the post-workout number to be higher (or at least equal) to the pre-workout number. This indicate that your gave the body a good stimulation but that you didn’t drain the CNS with your workout.
If it is a bit lower don’t freak out, but if there is a singificant (15% drop or more) then I would take it easy the next workout and plan better in the future.
It would be very cool if some of you started a training log (in the log --) training log section) and actually post their daily pre and post number along with their appreciation of how the workout went.
Could you use this for determining your activation level during your ramp?
I’ve had some workouts where I’ve been much stronger on my 2 and 3 cluster sets than the first. I can only guess that I should probably be extending the ramp longer.
Shoulder press yesterday I ramped and went clusters at 90%. Got a very tough 4 on my first one. Dropped the weight 10 pounds and proceeded to get 11. Went back up 15 pounds (over 90%) and got 6.
Overhead presses is one of those things where I either feel like I have the explosive spark or I don’t and it just seems to “turn on” sometimes. But on days like yesterday it makes me feel like I’m wasting sets.
[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:
Could you use this for determining your activation level during your ramp?
I’ve had some workouts where I’ve been much stronger on my 2 and 3 cluster sets than the first. I can only guess that I should probably be extending the ramp longer.
Shoulder press yesterday I ramped and went clusters at 90%. Got a very tough 4 on my first one. Dropped the weight 10 pounds and proceeded to get 11. Went back up 15 pounds (over 90%) and got 6.
Overhead presses is one of those things where I either feel like I have the explosive spark or I don’t and it just seems to “turn on” sometimes. But on days like yesterday it makes me feel like I’m wasting sets.
[/quote]
That is actually a very interesting idea… I will give it a try … could be cool, it could help you better plan your ramp (e.g. if you need more sets to get ampled up or if you can increase in weight faster).