If you count reps at the gym you're doing it wrong

08-31-2020, 09:44 AM

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#1

mrdot
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If you count reps at the gym you're doing it wrong

It's hilarious when I see people stop at "8 to 12 reps" because some bro online told them to and never going to failure once

Going to failure is what you should be doing every set. And no I don't mean some 100 rep set but if you're at 12 reps and can do 18, that's gonna do nothing but benefit you. Working out is about working the muscle, the body doesn't care about numbers

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08-31-2020, 09:47 AM

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#2

devin45k
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I agree.

I’ll count on a warmup set just to get the blood flowing.

Giving a rep range when I was training people in college was terrible. So many people, especially broads, would magically get tired at whatever rep range you told them to go to.

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08-31-2020, 09:50 AM

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#3

blissful88
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What matters is how effectively you contract & relax the target muscle under a load relative to your personal strength

For most people, 8-12 reps is perfect for hypertrophy

Going to failure can be useful but often leads to premature muscle fatigue, causing you to not contract as well as you should in later sets.

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08-31-2020, 09:51 AM

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#4

mikebadg3

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I do 12-15 for warm up set

Then 5 for heavy set

If i can do more i increase workload

Its called progressive overlord op

08-31-2020, 09:53 AM

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#5

backinthegymbro
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It's still good to count reps even if to failure. Lets you keep track of progress.

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08-31-2020, 09:54 AM

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#6

swolefnatic
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The key is to lift a weight that fatigues you at the 8-12 rep range. if you can manage a weight at higher reps than that then you are going too light and turning it into a cardio workout.

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08-31-2020, 09:55 AM

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#7

AshWar
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Wut, how else do you gauge progress?

08-31-2020, 10:00 AM

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#8

RealAesthetic
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Originally Posted By AshWar⏩

Wut, how else do you gauge progress?

this

i'm doing whatever weight I can rep for 8 - 12 and failing in that range, strong fukn logic op

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08-31-2020, 10:00 AM

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#9

blissful88
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Originally Posted By AshWar⏩

Wut, how else do you gauge progress?

Simple: when you reach the need for 1g OJ weekly, you know you've made it

Not srs

*Tolerance is the lube that slides the dildo of dysfunction into the ass of civilized society*

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08-31-2020, 10:02 AM

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#10

DynamicDot
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Don't fully agree. Definitely go to failure but counting reps is to give yourself a goal to set.

Ex. I am doing barbell curls. My goal is to do 3x10 but my last set I am fairly fatigued and I can't hit the 10 so I failed at 5-8. Try it again in my next cycle/week and see if I can hit 3x10 then. You shouldn't do something knowing you'll be able to do it easily though or if you do, you better go overboard the reps in your final one until failure.

08-31-2020, 10:04 AM

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#11

mrdot
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Originally Posted By AshWar⏩

Wut, how else do you gauge progress?

By looking in the mirror? Pictures?

08-31-2020, 10:06 AM

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#12

socalivin
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Stop 2-3 sets before failure

08-31-2020, 10:09 AM

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#13

frutistafreeze
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Originally Posted By socalivin⏩

Stop 2-3 sets before failure

Surely you mean reps

08-31-2020, 10:13 AM

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#14

mikieson
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if you worry about what others do in the gym you doing it wrong

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08-31-2020, 10:15 AM

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#15

IronKrazy
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Originally Posted By frutistafreeze⏩

Surely you mean reps

Just lol @ you and your poverty genetics if you need more than one set to grow.

08-31-2020, 10:16 AM

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#16

leoric1997
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why count reps when it's all about the face

08-31-2020, 10:21 AM

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#17

ClivesTriceps
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cool story, OP

Wort ew in th wold.

08-31-2020, 10:25 AM

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#18

frutistafreeze
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Originally Posted By IronKrazy⏩

Just lol @ you and your poverty genetics if you need more than one set to grow.

Okay, i'll let my parents know.

08-31-2020, 10:26 AM

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#19

epidox01
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just lol if you don't count reps

strong counting skills

08-31-2020, 10:30 AM

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#20

superman704
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Originally Posted By mrdot⏩

It's hilarious when I see people stop at "8 to 12 reps" because some bro online told them to and never going to failure once

Going to failure is what you should be doing every set. And no I don't mean some 100 rep set but if you're at 12 reps and can do 18, that's gonna do nothing but benefit you. Working out is about working the muscle, the body doesn't care about numbers

Enjoy the tip misc

You can do very high reps, up to 300 reps, I highly recommend it, push it to the extreme

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08-31-2020, 10:34 AM

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#21

Scottybby
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ITT opie does crossfit

08-31-2020, 10:37 AM

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#22

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srs

09-01-2020, 07:53 AM

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#23

Samraiwise
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OP, you are talking about two completely different concepts in a same sentence.

a. To Failure vs. Not To Failure

b. Predetermined rep sets vs. Non-Predetermined rep sets

Do You know what I mean?

-------------

Also you can use both methods in the same w/o session. For example,

1. Warm up = predetermined
2. Acclimation sets = non-predetermined (instinctive)
3. Main sets = Failure / not to failure
4. Sub sets = non-predetermined (instinctive)
5. Cool down = predetermined

* non-predetermined (instinctive) means it depends on your condition on that particular day

-------------

There's no single answer to weight training like everything else in one's life.

What works best differs from person to person. Age, gender, experience, sports background, physical condition and short/long time goal and last but not least phase of life at that very moment.

Don't let your mind be trapped inside a small cage.

Both a flexible mind and an open heart are the keys to keep building a strong body for life.

99% of people quit before my age, because of their rigidity of mind they can never overcome the first true plateau they'd face eventually.

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09-01-2020, 08:26 AM

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#24

mrdot
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Originally Posted By Samraiwise⏩

OP, you are talking about two completely different concepts in a same sentence.

a. Failure vs. not to failure

b. Predetermined rep sets vs. non-predetermined rep sets

Do You know what I mean?

-------------

Also you can use both methods in the same w/o session. For example,

1. Warm up = predetermined
2. Acclimation sets = non-predetermined (instinctive)
3. Main sets = Failure / not to failure
4. Sub sets = non-predetermined (instinctive)
5. Cool down = predetermined

* non-predetermined (instinctive) means it depends on your condition on that particular day

-------------

There's no single answer to weight training like everything else in one's life.

What works best differs from person to person. Age, gender, experience, sports background, physical condition and short/long time goal and last but not least phase of life at that very moment.

Don't let your mind be trapped inside a small cage.

Both a flexible mind and an open heart are the keys to keep building a strong body for life.

99% of people quit before my age, because of their rigidity of mind they can never overcome the first true plateau they'd face eventually.

Never thought i'd see a detailed response like this on the misc lol