04-05-2016, 11:53 AM
(04-05-2016, 11:44 AM)Scott Stevenson Wrote: LOL! I'm literally cracking up over here...
"Grinder" is just a term for a rep that is really slow that you need to "grind" out to finish. (The set grinds to a halt...)
I do those nearly every time I hit failure, for the most part. Sometimes, when the fatigue sets in at the right time, I'll not fail during a rep but grind out the last full rep (like in that video) and the next attempt at a rep is pretty much fruitless b/c the last rep was just *barely* accomplished.
The slowing of the rep speed indicates fatigue is setting in and, even at the slower speed (reduced velocity of contraction means greater force intrinsically in skeletal muscle) the weight is barely moving: So fatigue comes to match force production due to slowing, the biomechanics of the lift, etc and the rep is a "grinder."
So, if you've got a good control of the weight, are not (overly) relying upon body sway or momentum to perform the reps and you fatigue resistance is decent, you should be doing "grinder reps" pretty often when you hit a failure point for your muscle rounds, those Loading sets where you intentionally take the set to failure and probably at the end of some (but not all) pump sets. (Pump sets might finish with partial reps, as you're not counting reps or doing full reps for the sake of monitoring progression, just trying to generate metabolic stress via time under tension.)
Hopefully, you're already doing grinder reps.
-S
Dammit... I thought it was some elaborate technique you had with new, groundbreaking evidence behind how it would increase muscle gains by 800%
