Where would a set of 20 rep breathing squats factor in with all of this? Would that be the equivalent of 3 sets of 5 or 10 in the amount of reps that “count” ? Since essentially a set of 20 rep breathing squats is basically a giant rest pause set.
Well during a set of 20 you’re building fatigue throughout the set. So that’s going to fall under a type of metabolic stress. Since you’re building fatigue and there has to be an adaptation to that stress then you end up with some growth reps so long as you’re pushing near failure.
No I wouldn’t classify breathing sets as a cluster set at all. During a cluster set there’s a designated rest period between the sets.
The point of the reps preceding the growth stimulating reps is that they serve as fatigue. So remember you’re building fatigue throughout that set. This means both systemic and muscular fatigue. Which is why they tend to be so draining.
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Oh to add, the belief that training a muscle more often increases gene expression via stimulating more MPS while looks good on paper, may have some short comings. If oxidative stress is too high from a training session and you train again, then MPS actually goes down.
This could be the reason why we see less results when training a muscle group 3X a week compared to twice a week. So the theory that a natty needs to train a muscle group more often to elevate MPS more, isn’t quite viable. And would also explain why I built most of my foundation, as a natty, training with bro splits.
And why YOU can also build lots and lots of mass with bro splits as a natty too. But again, I think the twice one week and once the following week per muscle group is going to end up being the sweet spot for most people.
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Which is quite what you wrote about in your “Guaranteed Muscle Mass” article back in 2014
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Can we discuss going to failure, because it confuses the fuck out of me.
Lets start with the main lifts: squat, bench, ohp, dl, barbel row.
Obviously if you lift at lower rep ranges 1-6 reps it is pretty obvious you will load heavy and try to do 2-3 sets.
But if I want to lift at the 6-8 rep range or 8-12 for example. How I am going to reach failure? Are there any specific techniques or something else to go to failure on the squat for example?
What about the assistance exercises? Lateral rises, cross over, chins or pull downs, lunges, rows, curls and etc. How would you train these to make solid reps and reach failure?
Since I started reading this topic (last month). I have been very unhappy with my lifting due to me not reaching failure or training hard enough. I have done a program where I could barely do anything afterwards. It was a good solid 5x5, but that shit killed me after months. However I indeed got my best gains from it.
Did I misread your post? You’ll know you reached failure because you don’t believe you can complete another rep in the setwithout your form turning to complete shite.
If you don’t know what that looks like, that last rep is going to be an assload slower than the rest. The bar/cable/etc will almost come to a complete stop at some point in the range of motion.
Go back to this but program deloads when necessary. If you tanked after week five then use week four or five as a deload. You have to push hard to make progress but you can’t always be balls to the wall.
I’m really confused. Failure is defined by when you can’t perform another complete repetition.
“How am I going to reach failure?”
I don’t even know how to answer this question. Seems obvious to me.
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Okay so I bust my ass in the first set and do 10 reps on the compound, and the last rep I indeed my last. Then rest 3-4 mins and hit a second hard ass set. And I guess I will be done? Or perhaps try a 3rd set? Is that it?
But then go at the assistance for the same muscle group and I have really busted my ass on the previous exercice…
Or lets say I have planned to bench, incline bench and cross over on that day. These are 3 chest exercices how I am going to approach these?
There’s a zillion ways to approach your set and rep scheme. And this thread has a butt ton of comments about that. Including the 8-12-8 double progression model.
You could also just pre-exhaust the quads with leg extensions and then use a squat wedge. But great points as always.
I wonder if this device is such a great idea!?
At least in it’s “last 2” positions/ pictures them knees travel forward beyond them toes!
I don’t believe this to be a really great idea concerning knee-health, at least in a loaded stage!
No unless previous injury. If it hurts might be underdeveloped vmo.
coachalanbishop
I get asked quite a bit about the squat wedge. Here is a quick breakdown.
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The spine is great at handling compressive force, not so great at shearing force. Trunk flexion impacts total forces that need to be withstood by the lumbar spine & supporting musculature.
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By elevating the heels, we reduce shearing forces in the spine & increase motor unit recruitment in the VMO, a key for knee stability.
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This DOESN’T mean Cyclist Squats > Squats, it is just another method of manipulating an imposed demand. Pick the exercise to dictate the response.
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1 style of squatting is not inherintly better or worse than another, but all squats are not created equal either. Oly style front squats & low bar box squats are about as similar as bench press & overhead press. It isn’t about better/worse, but about getting the right adaptation to training.
Soooo when’s this manual going to be out??!!
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Correct. The kind of squat you use should be dependent on the intent and goal of training but also should fit in with your own structure and mobility.
I can’t believe the dude up there said “don’t let the knees go past the toes”.
OMG. I can’t believe I still read that sometimes.
In you want a squat that is going to bias the quads then a significant degree of knee flexion has HAS to happen. That’s how the quadriceps get loaded in that movement more heavily than the hips.
Not sure. I am working to get this aggressive fat loss manual finished first.
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Just release anything and I’ll buy it!
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