NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/misc/fitness/9234

Text File | 1993-01-01 | 3.3 KB | 70 lines

Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Path: sparky!uunet!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!noc.msc.net!uc.msc.edu!jwabik
From: [e-mail] (Jeff Wabik)
Subject: Re: Building Muscle
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Organization: Minnesota Supercomputer Center
References: <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 00:35:47 GMT
Lines: 59

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Scot Mcintosh) writes:
> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jeff Wabik) writes:
> >
> >NO MATTER WHAT your rep scheme is..  if you're doing 6's, or if
> >you're doing 15's..  the ONLY way you're going really obtain the
> >results you want is by TRAINING TO FAILURE.  That is, if you're
> >doing 6's, that 6th rep should KILL you to complete.  If you get
> >7, next week its time to up the weight.  Same is true for 15's.
>
> Something I've been wondering: if I'm doing multiple sets of an
> exercise, should I reduce the weight for the second set so that
> I can get out the same number of reps before failure, or should I
> extend the rest period until I can get out the same reps at the
> same weight as on the first set? Or, should the early sets not
> be taken to failure?

No matter what answer I give here, someone is going to flame me..  but
let me try anyhow.  :-)

I believe that selecting and hitting a target rep count per set per
bodypart is the best way to achieve the desired result.  So, select the
number of reps that best satisfies your goals (generally lower for mass
and strength, high for firming/toning) and then hit that rep count for
EACH set.  This means that your first set (after a warmup) is your
HEAVIEST set..  for subsequent sets, you're not going to have the
strength/energy you had for the previous, so the weight will most
likely need to drop.   Evaluate the situation after each set, though.
There is no hard rule.  I believe that as long as
you're working to failure at the desired rep count, you WILL get the
appropriate results..  Personally, I prefer to work more quickly
through an exercise, which means that I am forced to decrease the
weight on subsequent sets more rapidly than if I had taken longer
periods of rest between sets.

The key is being able to know your body well enough to select the
weight for the next set appropriately.   I've come to the point where
I've become very good at making that choice, based upon my mood, energy
level, the atmosphere, if I have a spotter, etc, etc.. Of course, that
only comes with time.  If you're just starting out, some sort of "I
rested 1 minute, that means I drop 5 pounds" scheme is probably best
until you learn to "feel" what your body is doing.

I suggest you experiment with rest periods [and everything else!] of
varying lengths until you find a "groove" that suits you best.  Studies
I've read indicate that from the strength perspective, the short-term
strength restoration threshold is 3 minutes..  [That is, after 3
minutes, your musculature is not going to make any additional
recovery wihtout extended periods of rest.]  .. so I wouldn't go
any longer than 3 minutes..  I also note an incredible loss of
intensity if I take any longer than a few minutes between sets.

Train hard..

    -Jeff

--
Jeff Wabik                E/Mail:     [e-mail]
Minnesota Supercomputer Center         AT&T:    [phone]
Minneapolis, MN              FAX:     [phone]