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Pushing to the max

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  • 16-04-2015 11:10pm
    #1
    mick145
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭


    When lifting, do you really need to push your arms to the max to gain strength and or gains?
    Or is it possible to say lessen the amount of reps you do and still gain, but doing more sets though to compensate.


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    #2
    papu
    Registered Users Posts: 3,357 ✭✭✭papu


    No you don't, you need to hit ATLEAST the minimum effective amount of volume, this changes over time as your body adapts so you need more volume to get the same response. By lifting to failure each time and pushing your arms "to the max" you would be in danger of going over the maximum tolerable amount of volume, you'll take ages to recover, maybe make some gains as your body adapts but where do you go from there? You'll have to push yourself to the max + some.

    Settling at a happy middle ground where by you do enough volume to make quick gains, but also recover in time. Then slowly increase this over time by either adding more weight, or doing more sets/reps.


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    #3
    Zillah
    Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    papu wrote: »
    No you don't, you need to hit ATLEAST the minimum effective amount of volume, this changes over time as your body adapts so you need more volume to get the same response. By lifting to failure each time and pushing your arms "to the max" you would be in danger of going over the maximum tolerable amount of volume, you'll take ages to recover, maybe make some gains as your body adapts but where do you go from there? You'll have to push yourself to the max + some.

    Settling at a happy middle ground where by you do enough volume to make quick gains, but also recover in time. Then slowly increase this over time by either adding more weight, or doing more sets/reps.

    Can you explain this in a bit more detail? With numbers ideally :/


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    #4
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,574 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Zillah wrote: »
    Can you explain this in a bit more detail? With numbers ideally :/

    You don't have to go to failure to elicit a response. Going to failure you will elicit a response but you will also need longer to recover. You then put yourself at risk of not recovering adequately and as a result you lose performance.

    Not going to failure is not the same as not pushing yourself in order to elecit a response.

    21, 33, 45


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    #5
    Zillah
    Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    Longer to recover between sets or longer to recover between sessions?


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    #6
    Mellor
    Registered Users Posts: 39,140 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    Zillah wrote: »
    Longer to recover between sets or longer to recover between sessions?
    Probably both tbh


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    #7
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,574 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Zillah wrote: »
    Longer to recover between sets or longer to recover between sessions?

    Between sessions. Muscles, CNS etc.

    Failure might be trying to complete a twelfth rep. Stopping at 10 is going to elicit a response and you'll have a little sum'in sum'in in the tank so you recover better and accumulation of fatigue shouldn't be an issue.

    Unless you're training like a clown.


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