Saturday, January 29, 2011

Training to failure is training to fail.

I read this online a lot. That when you work out you shouldn't push any set to the point where you can't do any more reps ("failure") because it's training your body and mind to fail. That instead you should quit every set a few reps before you fail, for example three reps with a weight you could have done five with or one rep with a weight you could have done three with. Well, that's for chickenshits. You should give everything you have when you work out. Practice like you play. I'd rather be trained to fail than trained to quit.
Maybe that means you won't get to work out every day because you'll be too sore. Well suck it up, buttercup! Try getting in shape instead of deliberately pussifying your workouts. If you're afraid of discomfort find a new hobby because this one ain't for you.
Most of the dickheads who are actually training this way in the gyms are doing five reps with weights they should be doing 10 with and could be getting 12-15 with if they put any genuine effort into it. What the fuck?! Half your effort? That's the very definition of half-assed.

Who do you think is going to quit first?
It won't be the one willing to go until there's nothing left.

8 comments:

  1. I did my first high rep weighted squat session today and hit 75 reps with 50 lb's. I guess I'll keep doing sets of around 75 until I'm using the 120 lb dumbbells at the Y. I'm a beginner but it seems pretty fucking simple. Have to figure out how to hold some dumbbells without banging them against my knees. Or just deal with it. Every time I let down a deadlift it slams against my knees anyways.

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  2. How are you holding the dumbbells? There's no reason for them to be hitting your knees.

    Dumbbell deadlifts are one of my favourite exercises right now. I typically do them by setting a kitchen timer for five minutes and then do as many reps as I can within that time limit.

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  3. I started off just holding them right by my side, where they started bopping against my knees coming up and going down, and so about a third of the way into the set I moved my feet into a wide stance and held them inbetween my legs.

    I don't know about super high rep deadlifts, but after my regular sets of deadlifts I load it to 275 and do as many reps as I can. My last set was eight reps, hoping to eventually hit 20 and just work up in weight with that.

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  5. I did 30 minutes of dumbell deadlifts yesterday and managed 185 reps with a pair set made up to 50lb (disc weight ),I hold them out in front of my legs but with the bars angled at about 45 degrees (which is about how my hands are angled when at my sides) and had no problem with em hitting my legs

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  6. When I do them I've got them to the side, like when you would do farmer's walks. This seems to be the most natural carrying position anyway. Bend your knees and lift straight up and down.

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  7. My squats in general look like good mornings, which is a probable reason for that effect.

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  8. I love it, could not have said it better!

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