Hi, T Nation is really amazing for knowledge about training and training methods but i cant’t found everything. So i open this topic where you can put question and answers.
Questions:
1.How to determine doable precentage of 1rm for given rep/set scheme?
2.Way of counting reps and sets in 1rm table (rep fatigue and set fatigue)?
3.Slow eccentric fatigue and how much load must be decreased to do certian rep/set scheme with consideration of eccentric length?
4.What is lowest precentage at what strength can be gained? I saw some powerlifters going at 60-65% with 5x5 its not deload and it doesn’t have reps in 80% range so called effective reps.
5.At what maximal load to do 10 seconds yelding isometrics, i have rack with holes for spotter arms every 5cm2inch so i plan to start from the chest going up every 5cm2inch to the lock out position with isometrics
For almost every goal, you want both strength and size. Exceptions are: if you’re a competitive climber, gymnast, fighter.
“Strength training”, when it comes to %RM and volume, is primarily about making the best use of the muscle you have. Technique, neural drive, etc.
But eventually you hit limits in what you can squeeze out of that muscle.
So to get stronger, you’ll need more actual muscle. Other rep ranges and volume comes into play for that.
Build muscle, get better at using that muscle, repeat. Can be done (kind of) simultaneously.
A few ways to kind of split up the “strength using existing muscle” vs “build more muscle”. %RM is one way, like you have above. Rep ranges are another. Strength work in the 2-4 rep range. Size work in the 6+ range.
Rep ranges should be read as “you can only do this many reps with good form when pushing yourself”. In other words “I could literally only do 3 reps” not “I could do at least 5 reps but I only did 3 because I wanted to work on my strength”.
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Not talking theory. It took me forever to learn the lesson that you also need to build muscle. I squeezed a decent amount out of my old bodyweight, but kept flirting with injuries. Now I’m following the better pattern of strength work up front followed by size work. Like what you see in smart, successful, long-term programming.
For bodybuilding I use the 2% per rep rule. That is, if your 1 rep max is 500lbs, your 5 rep capacity is 450lbs (5 times 2% = 10%, so you should be able to get 90% of your one rep max for 5 reps). 90% of 500lbs = 450lbs. You should be able to do 10 reps with 80% of your 1 rep max, or for 500lbs max, you should be able to get 400lbs for 10 reps. For a finely tuned CNS that powerlifters strive to get, use 2.5% per rep. Also note: this rule begins to fail above 12 reps.
(many will disagree with my percentage per rep, but it worked dependably for me.)
I was very strong off my chest relative to my lockout strength, so I rarely trained pause reps, except for getting accustomed to the bar resting on my chest, awaiting a signal to press. So, I have no experience that would be helpful, especially if your lockout is easy compared to “off your chest.”
Otherwise this relative intensity chart is a good tool to refer to
Just know that this is a rough guide, and your 1RM and rep potential at a given percentage of your 1RM will fluctuate daily based on the interaction of many many many many many controllable and uncontrollable factors.
Think about the number of reps you do with less than 5 reps in reserve as the number of reps you did that were genuinely fatiguing
Again, utilise RIR
30%, assuming you take the set to within 5 reps of failure.
Generally, around 85% is the approximate intensity at which every rep you do will maximally recruit all motor units.
So if you don’t mind going to failure, as low as 30%
If you don’t want to push that hard, 85% and up
Heavy enough that you can’t do 11 seconds, but can do 9
