Well here is my take on percentage lifting.
I read several post of work outs that describe lifting by percentage. 50%x10-60%x8-70%x6-80%x4-90%x2. Now say I follow this routine. Lets say my max is 200lbs. I would be doing sets of 100x10-120x8-140x6-160x4-180x2. Now what if I blow through the set of 10 and 8. Fail on 6. Hit all on 4 and totally blow 2. How has this benefitted me? It has not. Not one bit. Now because I follow this method, do I continue to lift these numbers or not. If not what do I do? Do I re-scramble the percentages? Me personally I set my work outs for a method I call until failure. I constantly push my self to the highest limits. I feel it does me no good to continually try to lift numbers I blow through or numbers I can't get. This is one of the keys to big bench numbers. Always lift heavy.(except burn out day and speed day) If I'm doing the reverse pyramid. The final 1 or 2 presses will be very difficult. To the point of failure with out a touch from the spotter. A touch, not a pull. I must do at least 85% of the lift with out help. So. If I'm doing 8 reps. 7 may be slow and rough 8 will be a grinder to 15% failure.
If we go back up and record what I did before. 10 and 8 rep I may add 5-10lbs depending how easy I went through them. On 6 reps, did I fail on 6 totally or just needed a touch. If I needed any kind of help I lower the weight. Why? Because I have raised the 8-10 rep weight. Just continue with this method. After 3 sessions you should have it figured out. So for the reverse pyramid. Starting with percentage is OK. Just don't make it gospel and totaly stick with it.
Now for sets of 3 and 5. According to percentages with my 200lb bench. My 3 rep set should be. 170lbs and my 5 rep set should be 150lbs. What if I can hit the 5 reps and not the 3 reps? What if I hit the 3 reps set on the first set but miss a little on the second? What I would do is stick with that weight until I bomb on it. Then lower the weight. Don't be afraid to adjust your lifting as you go. You do not have to get 5 sets of 5 with 150. You can hit one set with 155 the second and third with 150 and the fourth with 145 and finally the fifth with 135 if needed. Just don't have a set number of pounds per rep per set. Move the numbers accordingly. Remember. It does not pay to lift the weight if you can get them all with out struggle. Your muscles need to struggle to get stronger. One reminder. If you are struggling with a weight and you loose form to try achieving the lift. Your weight is to heavy. Only push yourself to lift the weight that you can struggle with and continue your form. The key is to lift heavy but stay healthy.
Friday, May 29, 2009
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Keeping from is great advice. So many lifters think a rep is just getting the weight up. If the form is not correct it shouldn't count. Keeping form correct, like you say, keeps you healthy.
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