Muscle Round rep numbers

[righty]

The videos are starting to mount up around the web now, showcasing individuals' FT work.

The vast majority of the ones I have seen which show muscle round workouts show someone getting all 24 in a straight pattern - ie 6 x 4 rep, no weight drop intra-set.

Now, I'm not saying that's not optimum, nor am I saying it is optimum, but I thought I'd ask how many people find they tend to hit a true failure point in their MR set, and HAVE to reduce the weight intra-set to continue?

These drop sets (personally) lead to better stimulation (drop through failure usually hits somewhere around rep 14 to 19). Now that everything is put into these MR sets and weight drops become MANDATORY, I have HAD to drop back to tier one.

Any thoughts anyone?

[Altamir]

The videos are starting to mount up around the web now, showcasing individuals' FT work.

The vast majority of the ones I have seen which show muscle round workouts show someone getting all 24 in a straight pattern - ie 6 x 4 rep, no weight drop intra-set.

Now, I'm not saying that's not optimum, nor am I saying it is optimum, but I thought I'd ask how many people find they tend to hit a true failure point in their MR set, and HAVE to reduce the weight intra-set to continue?

These drop sets (personally) lead to better stimulation (drop through failure usually hits somewhere around rep 14 to 19). Now that everything is put into these MR sets and weight drops become MANDATORY, I have HAD to drop back to tier one.

Any thoughts anyone?

I try to hit true failure on my MRs in the 5th set. That's always the plan, doesn't always work that way. But when I am the most sore and the muscle feels worked the hardest when I'll do say 4x4, on the 5th cluster, fail on the 2nd or 3rd rep. Drop the weight anywhere between 25 to 50% and really REALLY focus and squeeze through the last set. It feels freaking amazing. The muscle is so damn fatigued and spent, and just taking through those 4 controlled reps is the icing on the cake. It's really helped with my mind muscle connection, and it doesn't have the stress that your traditional drop set does.

I think a lot of people think they are trying hard, think that "man, I just did 6x4 and that whooped me", but few really know how to push themselves to the limit and what that limit really is. I'm sure they will get decent results from the program.

I also think its hard for people to break from structure. If in their mind they see "6x4" that's what they will do. The failure point is already set in their head.

[Darkhorse0311]

I think it takes a few blasts to get the hang of it. Some exercises I've found I hit failure by the 4th set whereas others I take a big chance in weight and somehow still barely make the six sets. I'm only in my second blast and am starting to hit failure faster, but still like I said I'm taking bigger jumps in weight (+15-20 lbs) and still somehow manage to make it through which leaves me a bit perplexed since I know last time was eye poppingly tough.

Personally, as long as I continue along with those big jumps in weight (progression) and fail in the latter sets or make it through, then I'm not at all worried about a lack of stimulation lol. Progression is progression imo, and I know that eventually, in my training as my blasts continue, I WILL eventually get stapled in that third set. Just a matter of time taking more and more chances week after week.

Also, greenhorns are still adding to their list of muscle round exercises and may have no idea where they should be at weight wise in order to fail early vs later so I think you need to put that context into the equation. Now, if the trainee has half dozen or so blasts under their belt and have a big list of MR exercises they've gone back to the well with a couple of times, then IMHO they should be failing between 3-4 sets ideally. Take yesterday for example. My first two exercises were new ones so I guessed and came up hitting positive failure on my last set. Next time I make a big jump in weight and hopefully fail. Hit or miss with new exercises....

[righty]

If in their mind they see "6x4" that's what they will do. The failure point is already set in their head.

This is a real good point.

---

Some exercises I've found I hit failure by the 4th set whereas others I take a big chance in weight and somehow still barely make the six sets. I'm only in my second blast and am starting to hit failure faster, but still like I said I'm taking bigger jumps in weight (+15-20 lbs) and still somehow manage to make it through which leaves me a bit perplexed since I know last time was eye poppingly tough.

I love when this happens.
By about rep six, I'm thinking it's not going to happen.
Then, the failure point doesn't arrive by rep 10, say, as expected - it pops up six or eight reps further in.

Hard to beat that feeling of beating your own mind.

[Scott Stevenson]

This is a real good point.

---

I love when this happens.
By about rep six, I'm thinking it's not going to happen.
Then, the failure point doesn't arrive by rep 10, say, as expected - it pops up six or eight reps further in.

Hard to beat that feeling of beating your own mind.

That's exactly what your mind wants you to think happened...

I think Altamir's point here is quite applicable, in many cases. Subconciously or consciously varying rep tempo and form can dramatically affect performance. It can totally become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Last year I showed someone who is VERY versed in training how I've set up Muscle rounds. He was with a young training partner he was coaching along, so to speak and one of the first comments he made, when seeing that his training partner had probably gone a bit light with the weight, was that he could simply slow the reps down to make the weight "heavier," i.e., to conform to the 6 x 4 pattern.

I think this simply part of the ebb and flow of how training goes. Some days, the nervous system is wired up in attack mode and one is simply ready to blast through the reps. Within reason, there's nothing wrong with perhaps being a bit more ballistic if thats what feels right.

Eventually, if one's truly progressing, that progress will manifest as the ability to lift that same heavier load though and MR with perhaps a less "ballistic" (energetically expensive) style because the muscle is larger and/or more fatigue resistant.

-S