I do sets of 3-5 for some and sets of 6-8 for others, but I don't accentuate the negative - just control it, and I lift as fast as I can so 3 secs per rep if that. Most of it in the negative.
I lift pretty ballisticly, I use CAT on just about every exercise I do.
I personally think total time under load is the real cause for growth, and the magnitude of the load. Perhaps TUL over a period of time such as a week.
The next day I am not as sore even though I went to failure.
Here is my reasoning:
when you pick a weight you can get 10 times you actually have a better chance to go closer to failure. here's why:
let's say you get 3 reps clean but need help for the fourth. how much help did you need? maybe 10% worth. you still had 90% of a final rep in you.
But when you do 10 reps you probably need a lot more help to do that last rep.
It's hard to put into words but there is more resolution as far as how close you actually get to failure on higer rep sets. However for other reasons (that I have trouble articulating) I don't like going much over 15. Definitely never over 20.
Also with more reps you are doing more work in the mechanical sense of the word.
IE 165# raised 25 inches 10 times represents more work than 185# raised 4 times.
Again my goal is not 1RM and I also switch things around every few months so I do do low rep training just for a changeup.
CAT training can give just as much stress if not more than a controlled rep. explosive training will recruit tons of white fibers as well. i think more than "superslow".
I guess that I am just finding that anything and everything is working for me at the moment. I get better every training session because my technique is improving and I am feeling more comfortable with the implements...
CAT training can give just as much stress if not more than a controlled rep. explosive training will recruit tons of white fibers as well. i think more than "superslow".