Question about working with high reps...

[the_general64]

I'm trying to alternate between high rep days (15 reps.) and low rep (6-7) days. but on the high rep days my first set i get 15 reps. after about a min i start my next set and i can get about 10 or 11. third set i get 8. fourth set 7. Here comes the question. if the point is to get high reps. should i be dropping the weight after each set to get about 15 reps with each set? or do i keep the weight the same and drop from 15 to 7 reps?

 

[assassin]

ok .... your problem is that you go to failure at each set ...when u go to failure at each set u'll have to decrease the weight or reps every set..... because your muscles are fatigued after going to failure....if you want to be able to do 15 reps every set lighten the weight at the first set and don't go to failure , then you'll be able to even increase the weight every set withought decreasing reps ..... note: going to failure is not essential for size and mass .... but u should go to failure from time to time , some ppl go to failure at their last set ...

another way to alternate between reps is pyramiding ..by increasing weight at every set while decreasing reps ex: 12,10,8,6 while increasing the weight...or 6,8,10,12 while DECREASING weight lifted (not for hypertrophy (size))
but alternating every week is a good method to mix strength with size and endurance....
FACTORS EFFECTING YOUR ABILITY TO LIFT A WEIGHT = REST INTERVAL , NUMBER OF REPS , GOING TO FAILURE , THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT LIFTED , TEMPO, RANGE OF MOTION ....

 

[CowPimp]

Yeah, he's right, stop going to failure every set. Use a lighter weight that you can complete 15 reps of the whole way through, or one that you only drop down to 12-13 with by the final set.

 

[the_general64]

thanks for the answers guys...............

what's the point of not working to failure on every set? if you shouldn't work to failure on every set why not just take an extremely easy weight, 50lbs for instance, bench press this for 15 reps for 4 sets. how would this benefit me?

 

[CowPimp]

thanks for the answers guys...............

what's the point of not working to failure on every set? if you shouldn't work to failure on every set why not just take an extremely easy weight, 50lbs for instance, bench press this for 15 reps for 4 sets. how would this benefit me?

The point of not going to failure all the time is to manage central nervous system fatigue properly. I'm not telling you to never hit failure, but going to failure every set all the time is not the best idea in my opinion.

You don't want to goto failure, but you want to go close to failure. Stop one or two repetitions short of failure. I try to plan it out so that I can complete the same number of reptitions over the course of a few sets, but by the last set I'm close to or at concentric failure.

On a side note, you can goto failure more frequently when using machines and isolation work beacuse it is less stressful on the nervous system, particularly if you use using lower intensity weights.

 

[Pedigree]

Well said CP...both posts.
High reps aren't about moving lots of weight. They're about moving a weight fast.