DD, got another question for you, or rather seeking some advice. I am somewhat enjoying the one set to failure type training that your journal has introduced to me. I like the fact that my workout can last 15 minutes or less and be done, I like the fact that it is somewhat easier to track progress, and I like the fact that you can still lift heavy weight during the sets.
Here comes the part that I have a question on. I know generally it seems that when people do this type of a high intensity program, they shoot for high(er) rep sets, 8 or above on the exercises. While I agree that doing something like a db press with 130 pounds for 8 reps is cool, I think that I am more suited to lower rep training. Case in point, I struggle big time once I pass about 6 reps in a set, here's an example, I did chest supported rows today and managed 7 reps at the same weight as my last time, which is the same amount of reps I did that last time, while I was shooting for 8 or more today. I feel confident that if I had upped the weight by 10 pounds, I would have hit a minimum of 5 reps with the higher weight. So I struggled for the same result as last time, when I could have bumped up the weight and made progress.
Can this one set to failure high intensity stuff be adjusted to a lower rep scheme and still produce good results? I was thinking of a goal of 6 reps on a first "set", followed by a 30 second rest pause and then bang out however many more reps as possible, so therefore, the total reps would be up around 8-12 per exercise, but broken up by a rest pause, rather then a straight set of 8-10.
so in my example, I did 190 pounds for 7 reps today, and I feel I could have done 200 pounds for at least 5 reps, followed by maybe another 2 or 3 after a rest pause for 7 or 8 total reps. Obviously, the second example is better progress weight wise, but does it have the same effect as a straight set of 8 with the lower weight?