better way to train?

[GrownlikeaGorilla]

I was thinking of a more efficient way of workn out. we all agree that the 6-8 rep range is the way to go for upper mass. we also agree on micro-trauma to the muscle is what ultimately causes the muscle to grow....provided the right environment exists. instead of doing countless sets, different exercises, etc.

what if one was to hit barely, just barely the 6-8 rep range, take enough rest in between reps and the next set, and use the exact same weight for another set for that same exercise. but this time, one would obviously not make it to the 6-8 mark, usually, if done correctly, but would do fewer reps. this process would be continued until the weight could not be budged.

this would accomplish 2 things:

1. the individual would know they recruited every single muscle fiber in that muscle group from that particular angle and

2. enough damage was sustained to each fiber, more or less, that the muscle cannot do what it was able to do the first time around.

that would be it. lots of eating and rest and we know the muscle has no reason not to grow. the point of so much rest in between is to guarantee the fatigue is NOT from lactic acid or a deficiency of ATP, O2, etc. the fatigue should mostly be due to micro-trauma, physical damage to the fiber. no other reason.

now something like the back would need several exercises b/c therein lies more than one muscle group. otherwise, i would think this method should work.

what do u guys think? smart? dumb? half-ass good?

 

[skaman607]

it might be hard to implement, because the workout might go over 1 hour if you do more than 2 exercises

 

[coolcolj]

just do drop sets.

 

[GrownlikeaGorilla]

hmmmm

but if u did just drop sets at what point can u say enough? i mean one could in theory keep droppn until your at 2.5 lbs dumbells. here, u'd do one set for say, biceps, but it's extended....so during the 1st set u just make it to 7 reps, again just barely with a huge struggle, and take a breather. after your arms have cooled off, u give it another shot, slow and steady, no swingn stuff, and make it to say 5. do another after a decent break, maybe u can do 4 or less.

at that point u know u've decimated something b/c it's not lactic acid or the burn stopping u. the physical weight of the dumbell cant be overcome b/c the muscle fibers are traumatized. any further training on the arms starts to, i assume, do more damage than good b/c u are eating into your reserves.

there should be a feeling of "weakness" and that should be the cause of ending the set, not b/c of the burn or lack of energy. a set shouldn't end b/c of an arbitrary number one is going for, 1 set or 3 sets, or end b/c the arms are burnin' up...it should end b/c the person cant move the weight anymore. that seems more logical. it's kind of the feeling when u try your 1 rep max and after that 1 rep, u cant move the weight, u've decimated the fibers.

the reason it wouldn't work well with a 1 rep max is b/c u just damage some of the fibers and even if it's only say 20%, well that's enough to not be able to move the weight, thus why u can only do 1 rep. where with 6-8 sets, u damage way more fibers and so when they heal, they all come back much larger.
also by not doing drop sets [i'm guessing] u make sure all of the fibers are constantly being recruited and not just a few.

for this method to work [again, i think i havent tried it yet] the weights would have to be very heavy so as there is a struggle from the very 1st rep to the very last. if one was to try it with a 5lb weight, u might never get out of the gym.

 

[coolcolj]

Personally I don't think you need to go that far

Think about this bone grows with just 10% of it's strength applied to it as stress.
So the same thing would apply to muscles, you don't need to annihilate them

Eccentric tarining is pretty intense, so much so that muscle fibers can actually die. Too much of a good thing can be bad.

 

[edgecrusher]

Essentially, what you are attempting to do, is make as many inroads into your muscle as possible, then maximize your recovery. In a sense you are reinventing H.I.T. training. The only difference, is you are adding more volume and taking a longer route.