How hard do you push yourself?

[yoop33]

I have never really had a work out partner to push me so I have always left it up to what I thought or think I can do. I mean I progressively get stronger with more weight. But the other day a buddy and I were talking about not pushing hard enough. Last night I went to the gym and told myself I was going to work as hard as I could. I ended up doing a lot more weight then I was used to and at the same time watching veins pop out of my arms that I never noticed before and it feelt like my head was going to pop off. After only a couple sets I felt like a completly different person. My arms felt as if they were as big and heavy as they normally are at the end of a work out.
How hard do you guys push?

 

[yoop33]

Perhaps this is a stupid question?
How about..... How many of you have someone to work out with?

 

[swaptrex]

i workout solo, but find if i work out w/ a friend i train more intense.

 

[b fold the truth]

I try not to break a sweat when I train...

 

[thelion2005]

The experience you had can not be repeated again and again. Your nervous system will not allow it. I don't believe it is required for steady, lasting growth.

What is required is failure on the final set and steady progress beyond that mark... be it a rep or even 2 1/2 more pounds. Along with this must be a diet that allows you to gain weigth and full recovery.

 

[chicknlegs]

If you have a strong focus, you can sometimes have training days that leave others for dead. But this could also be related to a lot of other factors such as: good night's sleep the night before, energetic and not stressed etc.
I always try and push out more reps or higher weight than the previous workout. I never train with a partner, but I know that if I don't at least push, I might as well go home because if there is one thing I have learnt:
People who train the same day in day out and wonder why nothing changes are never going to see a change - you do need to continually improve (weight or reps) or nothing will ever change.

 

[silver_shadow]

I try not to break a sweat when I train...

for b fold that would mean 600lb deads for reps

 

[Behemoth]

I've seen a lot of guys around the gym that simply can't produce intensity.

They have what I call the "give up" factor. To those guys heavy weight is of no benefit it seems. Because when they are on a lift that they might get 2 reps...they quit before squeezing it out...

True intensity is veteran ground.

 

[Guinness5.0]

I can totally relate to having 'one of those days' where you get pushed and great things happen. I was squattiig for singles one day and asked a guy I've spoken with in the past to spot me (I train alone and with my headphones on, so I don't really talk to anyone, generally).

He spots me w/ 455 on the bar and I get it. I was planning to do another set with like 475 or so. He said "Just plate it" and because he pushed me, I tried it and got it, and then got 515 right after that.

I probably would have stopped at 475 had it not been for someone giving me that extra push.

 

[djeclipse]

I train alone as there is no one else I know that doesn't buy into the typicla BB'n bull shit.

I train as hard as it takes to complete all my reps.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

I dunno, I try to always get my planned reps, anything over that is gravy. Doesn't matter if it takes me 5 mins to catch my breath, long as the deads go up, I'll keep training the way I have been. Some days I leave the gym drenched, other days, barely a drop.

 

[mm107]

i make sure to push it hard. i train w/ partner so we push each other very nice

such as

benching, got 5 need 7, almost out of gas, Partner telling me "you got it bro push" makes me push even harder because some1 else is assuring me they are there to spot for 1 and for 2 because its a challenge against myself....

ME V.S. IRON I WIN, for the most part lol, unless i get pinned by iron.

 

[yoop33]

I like having a spot too yelling at you to get it. I think that does help but like I said I don't have anyone there. Today while working out I was doing as many reps as possible until failure. It felt pretty good like I was accomplishing something more then just ending my reps as usually.

 

[TheOak84]

I try not to break a sweat when I train...

lol, im the guy who reads the paper while i do heavy half squats.

 

[b fold the truth]

lol, im the guy who reads the paper while i do heavy half squats.

You got some serious skill there brother man!!!! I can't read the paper with anything beyond 1/4 squats. Hurts my wrist and left knee.

It was 35 C outside on Sunday...or 95F. I miss winter!!!!!

 

[Lee]

Out of everyone in my gym I don't see many people more intense then me. I train solo, I don't talk to anyone, I just lift as much as I can. Biggest problem most people have is a mental barrier.

 

[silver_shadow]

You got some serious skill there brother man!!!! I can't read the paper with anything beyond 1/4 squats. Hurts my wrist and left knee.

It was 35 C outside on Sunday...or 95F. I miss winter!!!!!

i hear ya bro... it's like an oven already here... i feel like i'm being dessicated..

 

[blut wump]

Mostly, I do my planned workout and go home. If I have some spare energy then I might end up doing some extra work via back-off sets or extra core work.

I rarely intend to lift to failure.

 

[yoop33]

I rarely intend to lift to failure.

So is it not a good idea to lift until failure all the time? I would assume it would eventually get hard and tiresome.

 

[mm107]

yoop, yea it gets bored and tiresome, but i love going till failure. I keep getting stronger and stronger. 3-5 Rep range for me.