why is my 3rd set easier than my first?

polishpaddy

I was doing squats today.
I do 3 sets of 5.
first set i got only 4 reps. Second set was 4 reps. Third set was 7 reps. The last set was alot easier and i've no idea why.
Anyone know why this could be so?

tribulus

You're possibly squatting higher as you get more tired. That's fairly common.

Might also be a form thing, or other factors.

polishpaddy

Form is exactly the same,all parallel.

King of Kings

your muscles could take a set or two to get accustomed to the weight you are lifting
sometimes happens me on squats that a later set is easier than an earlier one.

gnolan

polishpaddy wrote: »

I was doing squats today.
I do 3 sets of 5.
first set i got only 4 reps. Second set was 4 reps. Third set was 7 reps. The last set was alot easier and i've no idea why.
Anyone know why this could be so?

I know when you do many sets of many reps, say 10 x 10 German Volume Training, they say around set 6 or 7 you can get a "neurological rebound effect" where you're jump 2 or 3 and then decline again.

I'd say it's more likely that you're either cutting them high, or you're only warmed up by the 3rd set.

polishpaddy

I think i was well warmed up though.

My warmup was.

1x5 25kg
1x5 45kg
1x5 65kg
then 3x5 90kg

As I said my form was perfect.

gnolan

polishpaddy wrote: »

I think i was well warmed up though.

My warmup was.

1x5 25kg
1x5 45kg
1x5 65kg
then 3x5 90kg

As I said my form was perfect.

Maybe. If my worksets were 90kg i'd be going for:

20kg x 10
40kg x 5
50kg x 4
60kg x 3
70kg x 2
90kg 3x5

But thats just how i'd go about it, might even be worth an 80 x 1

aye

you only warm up to 65kg then jump to 90kg.

try doing a warm up set at 85kg or so, just 3 reps or so.
as the weight you lift increases, so should the weight you warm up on.

polishpaddy

Aye,
Why would I warm up to 85kg and not go straight to 90kg?
Thats only 5 kg extra.

So you think it's my warmup thats causing me to not finish my reps on the first 2 sets.How does that work?

aye

polishpaddy wrote: »

Aye,
Why would I warm up to 85kg and not go straight to 90kg?
Thats only 5 kg extra.

So you think it's my warmup thats causing me to not finish my reps on the first 2 sets.How does that work?

You need to recruit the muscle fibres to lift heavier.
you are recruiting enough for 65KG but then you jump to 90KG, and find the first set hard because not enough muscle fibers are recruited.
If you warm up on 85KG just for a couple of reps, you will recruit more muscle fibres to lift the heavier weight. then when you do your 3x5 at 90KG the jump up wont be as large so your legs will be more prepared to lift that weight.

Hanley

aye wrote: »

You need to recruit the muscle fibres to lift heavier.
you are recruiting enough for 65KG but then you jump to 90KG, and find the first set hard because not enough muscle fibers are recruited.
If you warm up on 85KG just for a couple of reps, you will recruit more muscle fibres to lift the heavier weight. then when you do your 3x5 at 90KG the jump up wont be as large so your legs will be more prepared to lift that weight.

Do ya not think 85's a bit high tho? It's like 94% of the eventual working weight.

85-90% would probably be better in my opinion!

aye

Hanley wrote: »

Do ya not think 85's a bit high tho? It's like 94% of the eventual working weight.

85-90% would probably be better in my opinion!

lol, was actually just reading your log for an example of this.

that would be around 75kg to 80Kg or so?
Yep, sounds good, mind not really working with percentages at this time lol, just try to get less of a jump from warm up to work sets i think will help.

Hanley

aye wrote: »

lol, was actually just reading your log for an example of this.

that would be around 75kg to 80Kg or so?
Yep, sounds good, mind not really working with percentages at this time lol, just try to get less of a jump from warm up to work sets i think will help.

Lolz if you were looking at my log you probably see me skip it and go from 60 to 100!!

I'd say;
Bar 2x10
40kg x5
60kg x5
70kg x3
80kg x1
90kg 3x5 (if even that many warm ups, depends on the lifter and their comfort in taking big jumps, since PP is going from 65 to 90 we can prolly assume he's ok with it, so I'd prob say go;)

Bar 2x10
40kg x5
60kg x5
75kg x3
90kg 3x5

aye

Hanley wrote: »

Lolz if you were looking at my log you probably see me skip it and go from 60 to 100!!

I'd say;
Bar 2x10
40kg x5
60kg x5
70kg x3
80kg x1
90kg 3x5 (if even that many warm ups, depends on the lifter and their comfort in taking big jumps, since PP is going from 65 to 90 we can prolly assume he's ok with it, so I'd prob say go;)

Bar 2x10
40kg x5
60kg x5
75kg x3
90kg 3x5

That'll work, personally i go a little closer on the last warm up, but the point is that the jump from 65 to 90 is probably why the first set seems to hard.

Best thing polishpaddy is to give it a try and see if it helps.

polishpaddy

I'll give it a shot today and see how I go.I would like to understand it.