Originally Posted by W8isGR8

I can "plan" all I want to increase the weight everytime, that doesn't mean it's going to happen

It's one of those chicken or egg things. If you get bigger, you'll lift more weight. But if you lift more weight, will you get bigger?

Obviously not, as strength and hypertrophy are two different animals.

I believe everyone should have a plan, and not just lift aimlessly, but there's more too it than just "adding weight to the bar"

Originally Posted by EME

W8,

Nowhere did I say that you would increase the weight every time. Obviously, you won't go up every time. However, if you have plan that leads you down the path of progression, you are going to make gains.

I used the plan that I described to add 290 lbs to my bench over a period of 6 years.

Progress is about having goals, and something to work toward.
I have been training consistently for more than 20 years now.

During those years, I have had many different goals, and trained many different ways, depending on those goals.

I have trained and competed successfully in Powerlifting, and I have trained and competed successfully in Bodybuilding. The one thing that has remained consistent throughout all my training, progress, and success, is that I have set goals and approached every training day as an opportunity to further those goals.

Muscle and strength grow through progressive resistance. There are many techniques and approaches you can use to create this resistance, but the bottom line is progressive resistance builds muscle.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume you weren't intentionally trying to be derogatory, but either way, the principal of progressive resistance is not a "cute" theory, it's a proven way to build muscle and strength.

- EME

Originally Posted by W8isGR8

......BTW how much bodyweight did you add in those six years?

Originally Posted by Just_Shruggin

Ok, so I'm just gonna ask the darn question because everyone else seems to be too scared to...w8, whos in the avatar?

-Shruggin

Originally Posted by W8isGR8

You're 100% correct in the idea of progressive resistance being needed, but there are other ways to accomplish that besides adding weight.

Originally Posted by aqua-beowulf

I rarely go to total muscular failure anymore. That would require a constant spotter to be done effectively on a lot of exercises, and I personally believe it would fry your CNS after a while. I generally stop when I know I cannot get another rep without assistance... so like a rep from failure, I guess you could say. Since I use a power rack for almost everything, I do occasionally keep going until I fail, but I don't do it on a consistent basis.

Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe

In response to a guy complaining that his leg curl weight hasn't increased since he started dead lifting:

"That's like bitching about masturbation not being fun anymore since you started dating a porn star"

Originally Posted by aqua-beowulf

I rarely go to total muscular failure anymore. That would require a constant spotter to be done effectively on a lot of exercises, and I personally believe it would fry your CNS after a while.

Originally Posted by DarkFalcon

I think EME made that clear. He said to increase reps within a target range at the same weight until you are able to hit your targets then the weight can be increased. This is the main principle in 5x5 and very effective I might add. It's the backbone of my training. If your not increasing your weight then you should be pushing for the next rep.

Originally Posted by W8isGR8

That's still assuming that you'll be able to make constant progress. You'll still hit that point in which you won't be able to increase either. But that is a good goal to shoot for.

Originally Posted by DarkFalcon

That's when you employ shock tactics to get you moving again. Your right that eventually you'll reach a point that is beyond human ability to perform but I think it's safe to say 99% of us are nowhere close to that limit.

Originally Posted by EME

I pick a weight that should put my point of failure within my target rep range for a particular exercise.

For instance, let's say my goal is to hit 3 sets of 6-10 reps on Dumbbell press.

I'll pick a weight that should get me as close to the top end of my target rep range as possible, without going over. ( Kind of like the Price is Right. )

If I get 9, cool.

If I get 10 on the first set, I stop there for that set.

If I get less than 10 on either of the next sets I will keep the same weight for my next training day, and work until I get three sets of 10.

When I get three sets of 10, I take the weight up an amount that should put me back around three sets of 6.... and I'll start working toward three sets of 10 again.

So, to answer your question,..... if I get my goal reps, on the first set.... I don't continue repping until I can't get any more... I go for my goal reps on set two, and set three also.

If I get my goal reps on all three sets.. I end it there, and then take the weight up the next workout.

My rep scheme may change on different exercises... maybe it's 7,5,3 in pyramid fashion.. or maybe it's 3 sets of 12-15... but the premise is still the same.

I do have a few exercises where I purposely plan on going to failure.

An example is when I do drop sets for leg extensions and curls...

I try to get about 10 on the first set... then immediately drop the weight in half and go to failure... then drop the weight in half again, and go to failure again...

For most exercises though, I try to rely on a planned rep goal that is part of a bigger master plan to progressively move up in weight over time.

I feel this carefully mapped out plan of progressively working to increase your training resistance is the real key to building muscle, rather than just going to failure on every set.

Originally Posted by ZackMurphy

Failure? Almost never. I do drop sets, as EME does, but I never actually fail on a rep. I push my intensity as often as I can ("3 more reps!") but not to actual failure.