What if you can't get last rep up?
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What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/16/2007 4:45:36 PM
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danmac75
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Joined: 11/26/2006
From: Beantown
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Not just the last rep. What if you're on your second set, or even the first set of an exercise and you can't even complete half of it?
I know it comes back to "What did I eat today that could have short circuited my energy" and a number of things you can do to make sure it doesn't happen next time you go to the gym.
However....I'm curious as to what I should do that time I'm at the gym. How do I move forward? DO you guys just drop the weight to something you can accomplish just so you at least do the exercise you were trying for? I mean maybe I'm missing the big picture here, but any advice would be helpful. Even a stern smack in the head if need be.
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RE: What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/18/2007 11:48:05 PM
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DanyInternational
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Joined: 3/15/2007
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good question man. i experience this and am never quite sure how to handle it.
typically, i've been lowering wieght, or maintaining and moving on to my next set (which in my program is lower rep).
sometimes i find if i aloow a few minutes for rest, I can pick up where i left off and finish the set.
but i remain mystified.
(in reply to danmac75)
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RE: What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/20/2007 9:08:21 AM
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Coop
Posts: 1012
Joined: 5/18/2006
From: Tucson, Az.
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I stay on track and weight of what I was doing... So I may only 2 1/2 the sets I did last time...
Something to look at was the time before you form worse than now? Is it early, late..
In the end... you only did 1/2 the reps... mabe let the weight up a bit... But next time, remember that you did less, and exceed it...
This could also be a sign of overtraining.
_____________________________
Eat...Lift....Sleep......Repeat
Enjoy the process.. but crave the goal.
(in reply to DanyInternational)
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RE: What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/23/2007 9:14:14 AM
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richard82
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Personally if I feel a set hasn't gone too well it's usually down to some distraction in the room or something similar. When lifting heavy weights you need 100% focus, and if something distracts you, that can be the end of the set. It is often that way for me anyways.
Getting a bit angry can sometimes work wonders!
Rather than unnecessarily dropping the weight, I find its to step back for a few minutes to get some composure and try and get yourself mentally prepared for the lift again. Dont think about how it was a struggle a minute ago. think about how you were able to lift this weight without any fuss last week.
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(in reply to Coop)
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Eating and lifting - 3/23/2007 9:31:19 AM
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danmac75
Posts: 267
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From: Beantown
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I agree that your mentality has a huge part in how much you can put up. That's not to say that it's all about the numbers, but just about getting max muscle fiber effort with a weight you deem to be doable. Sometimes it is, in fact, an outside distraction, even if it's just me thinking about what rep I'm on or if my form is right. Those are good thnigs to think about as long as you stay in a rhythm, but if you pause at all it can throw you off and steals a little bit of energy.
Sometimes, however, it's more phyisological. The lactic buildup get's near unbearable which in turn, as you said, causes you to think negatively. The combination of your physical limits and your mind locking up and saying "We can't lift this" can be looked at like what came first, the chicken or the egg.
The more and more I read on here, the more my outlook on working out changes for the better. I realize some of the biggest mistakes I've made. Mainly, I wasn't eating enough to gain muscle. Can you blame me? I'm 5'10" and don't know my BF% but it's pretty high, probly like 35%. I find it hard to justify eating to gain weight, even though you have to to gain muscle. I am starting to accept that and gain confidence, knowing I could possible gain weight but lower my BF%, in turn looking more lean even though I've gained weght. Furthermore it's just hard to eat all those calories sometimes!
What I'm saying is, I think that when I used to have trouble with that sort of thing, it was actually 100% physiological. I had really made myself weaker because I had trained my muscles without feeding them enough for growth.
From what I know about lifting weights, it seems completely possible that you could actually do more harm than good. I'm not talking about injuring yourself, although it's always a threat. I'nm talkking about lifting and not eating enough. Wouldn't you actually be losing muscle if you did that?
(in reply to richard82)
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RE: What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/23/2007 9:57:41 AM
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Cawz
Posts: 101
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From: Toronto
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What i do is, hope i have a spotter.
(in reply to danmac75)
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RE: What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/23/2007 1:09:38 PM
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danmac75
Posts: 267
Joined: 11/26/2006
From: Beantown
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yeah I've *cough* dropped a few heavy barbells on myself before. Not proud of it, and hopefully won't ever happen again. I got to that "I've been lifting for a few months" phase and thought I was super man. Too bad, like I said before, I wasn't training right or eating right to begin with so I wasn't nearly as strong as I felt.
Watch out on spotters. I read in an article on t-nation.com , i think, that spotting will increase how much weight you can lift but it's bad to do. The article itself was how pro sports and college sports weight training programs revolve around numbers way way too much, so guys are lifting way more than they should, and their trainers are pushin them too hard. It almost seems like players get injured during training as much as they do on the field.
It's your call. Anyways. Is my thinking correct that you can actually lose muscle if u lift weights and not eat enough?
(in reply to Cawz)
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RE: What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/23/2007 3:46:17 PM
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fresha
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quote:
ORIGINAL: danmac75
Not just the last rep. What if you're on your second set, or even the first set of an exercise and you can't even complete half of it?
That would suggest that your workout isn't planned effectively, if at all.
Trial and error to find your managable poundages.
(in reply to danmac75)
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RE: What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/23/2007 6:47:21 PM
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danmac75
Posts: 267
Joined: 11/26/2006
From: Beantown
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Not quite. As I said, these are exercises and weights that I had no trouble with the previous week. I do plan my workouts. However, I'll take your advice. I'll start keeping closer track of my actual weights an keeping a log.
(in reply to fresha)
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RE: What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/23/2007 7:25:17 PM
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fresha
Posts: 748
Joined: 2/8/2007
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You shouldn't be failing on a second set.
If your workout is planned effectively you should have a gradual increase in poundage working to the final set, or a fixed poundage you are pushing throughout all sets.
Unless of course you are one of the gifted few who think they have an indestructable CNS, performing (or at least trying to perform) all sets to failure, in which case the "short circuit" your mention, is indeed that; a fried central nervous system - Your mind to muscle circuit.
(in reply to danmac75)
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RE: What if you can't get last rep up? - 3/26/2007 3:42:26 PM
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Black_Hole22
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Joined: 3/7/2005
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"I'll start keeping closer track of my actual weights an keeping a log"
I do this and that alone has helped me gain more strength than anything. In regards to your question, it really depends on what you mean by your "last rep". For example, if you are doing 3x8, that doesnt always mean do 8 reps no matter what (for me atleast). If you can do more, do more and up the weight the next set. If you cant get there, lower the weight till you do get there. I take a journal with me to the gym. I record the weight I use and the number of reps I do for every set of every exercise. But I have a range of reps, 6-8. Whenever I reach 9+ reps for an exercise I up the weight. After a set or two I might not be able to reach 6 so I have to lower the weight. Then the next week I can look back and see where I left off and try for a bit more.
(in reply to danmac75)
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