Hi Christian,
Been thinking quite a bit about just how to phrase this question over the last couple days.
Long time bodybuilding style training here. Nearly 31 years, now.
Took the Neurotyping test several years back and it pegged me for exactly what I am…a 2B that enjoys pump, mind-muscle connection, loves the burn!
Been training folks on and off since the mid-90’s. More recently the RIR/RPE terms have been utilized in much of the literature. I had always defaulting to asking my clients, “how does that particular exercise and weight feel on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most difficult?” That seemed to give me a pretty darn good idea of what I was dealing with. And, as you have mentioned before, most ppl will tell you it was FAR more difficult than it actually was.
Now that I educate myself more of the effective reps model and, generally speaking, counting those last 5 hard reps towards my goal of say 20-30 total…I ask myself if I have been missing out by not pushing a bit more toward failure quicker (more intensity)?
I had really only stayed in that 4-6 rep range very, very infrequently thru the years and it was always (for me) with the singular thought that this can help me be stronger down the road in the range I prefer of 10-12 reps.
However, when I am in that rep-range I favor (10-12)…and here is the kicker, if someone asked me my RIR and I was totally and completely honest I would have to tell them it’s probably a 3 (RPE = 7). I do like quite a bit of volume and have done decent over the years.
So, after all that, my question is: Am I missing out (even now) on quite a bit by not pursing a higher RPE quicker? I understand one will usually do the best at the style of training they enjoy the most (and for me, that absolutely is burn and pump work). I also completely get that I am on the wrong side of youth now, but was there a lot left on the table???
*Even with this question, I don’t want to give the impression that I am not an advocate of progressive overload…I just always thought in comes in time (need a bit more weight this month to get the desired result). 20 yrs ago when I did log everything for several years straight and was much more concerned with that sheer amount of weight I was moving, my physique trended down (way down) as I was inevitably waiting longer and longer in-between sets to get my desired number(s).
Hope that, although I have likely made this clear as mud, maybe some I what I was trying to convey and ask has made its way thru.
Thanks a bunch for any insights!!! 