# STRANGE WORKOUT



## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

I am one of those trainers who aims to add 1/2 kg to an exercise every time i workout. I obviously dont manage this every time or i would look like Arnie but i do try. So basically what im saying is i allways train on the 3 x 8 reps max system and if i manage this i will add weight next time so i can only do 6 or 7 reps until i hit 8 again and so on. So i am allways training at my maximum strengh.

I trained today and seemed to find the weights easier than normall as if i got stronger over night, i know this is not possable but has any one else exsperianced this. It wasnt on one exercise either it was on all the sets. VERY STRANGE:confused:


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## ChefX (Jan 10, 2005)

that works very well

we use a strange way of getting a running start (think pile driver)

if you fail don't get the target) we lower the wieght

if you succeed we rais eth weight

at scheduled intervals we reset the weight lower to get that running start again aka periodization


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

Yeah but i struggled with the weights last week so find it weird, as for lowering the weights i have never done this before as i strive to go forward permantly never backwards


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

You might have had a much needed rest somewhere.

Recouperation is vital for strength.


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## big pete (Mar 23, 2004)

periodization as chef says is a WONDEROUS thing!! youd be surprised how well it works.

but christ, i be well chuffed if id hit through weights like that!! maybe "mentally" you had it totally right and you were set up for the lifts?? who knows


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## SD (Sep 3, 2004)

Rest, Diet , hormones, metabolism, supplements, any of these could be the answer to your sudden improvement or a combination of all.

To truly discover the cause of a specific training effect you have to be thorough in your recording, food, supps, AAS, rest, mood, training, it all has an effect. If you havent recorded these things then it is just guesswork and even then....Personally, I would just enjoy it!

SD


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

Well my last training day was Friday but thats the same every week but cant complain....The trouble is i have added weight in that session as i do keep weight records but will i struggle next week when i train chest and tris again or will the strengh still be their. Would be gutted if not as i would step back again and as i said i dont like that,


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

TYSON said:


> I trained today and seemed to find the weights easier than normall as if i got stronger over night, i know this is not possable but has any one else exsperianced this. It wasnt on one exercise either it was on all the sets. VERY STRANGE:confused:


Was your cheat day on Sunday? You have been dieting, right? Loosing 2 pounds a week. All I can say is your busted...........You cheated on your diet.............lol Thats a good thing.


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## big (Sep 14, 2004)

In a gym, 20kg plates can actually probably range from 19kg to 21kg each - maybe even a wider range. Weigh some and see.

It's entirely possible that you could have been using slightly lighter plates this time than last time - even though they're all marked as the same weight.

But aside from that, you should be able to put your weights up each and every session. If you can't, then something's wrong with your training routine.


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## SD (Sep 3, 2004)

big said:


> But aside from that, you should be able to put your weights up each and every session. If you can't, then something's wrong with your training routine.


SUrely reps should go up first Big? or else people would overtrain if on low volume high intensity for example.

SD


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

My cheat days are saturdays and sundays as they are every week, the weights are the ones i allways use as i have built a gym at home and have many weights. The barbell for bench press does not move and i only add weight to it so the weights never get moved around as i have a different barbell for squats and a different one for shoulder press ect: same as dumbells i have around 20 different dumbells with the weights on them for a particullar excerise so the weights can only get higher as i add and cannot possably get mixed up so that a plate may way slightly less than another but good idea. I have changed nothing from any other week from weights to diet. i allways have sat and sun as cheat days and still loose weight and very slightly also adding muscle as i measure every week SAD i know but thats how i train.


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## big (Sep 14, 2004)

SportDr said:


> SUrely reps should go up first Big? or else people would overtrain if on low volume high intensity for example.


No, for most exercises with heavy weights, it's easier to increase the weights than the reps.

Here's why:

Say you can do 100kgx6 on bench. Using a random 1rm calculator from google (the first one in the search), this gives a theoretical 1rm of 116kg.

If you wanted to do 100kgx7 on your next workout, that's a theoretical 1rm of 120kg - a 4kg increase.

If you wanted to do 102.5kgx6, that's a theoritical 1rm of 119kg - a 3kg increase which is more achievable.

Therefore, it's easier to increase the weights than it is to add an extra rep. By trying for an extra rep, you are more likely to miss your target (and therefore just repeating the theoretical 116kg you got last time) than by loading extra weight.

Of course, for smaller starting weights, it's easier to increase reps than weight.


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## DB (Oct 31, 2003)

big said:


> In a gym, 20kg plates can actually probably range from 19kg to 21kg each - maybe even a wider range. Weigh some and see.
> 
> .


lol no way mate...

a company's product would not be used if they used a 1kg +-tolerence in there manufacturing..ur probably looking at 100g +- mate... and the scales at gyms are not very accurate not within 500gs anyway


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## big (Sep 14, 2004)

dirty barry said:


> lol no way mate...
> 
> a company's product would not be used if they used a 1kg +-tolerence in there manufacturing..ur probably looking at 100g +- mate... and the scales at gyms are not very accurate not within 500gs anyway


Seriously.. try putting some on an accurate set of scales.

Plates also get bashed around, dented, chipped etc as well as the manufacturing tolerences.


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## ChefX (Jan 10, 2005)

dirty barry said:


> lol no way mate...
> 
> a company's product would not be used if they used a 1kg +-tolerence in there manufacturing..ur probably looking at 100g +- mate... and the scales at gyms are not very accurate not within 500gs anyway


dirty barry I weigh all the plates in gyms when I go to them with a postal scale and the marker the actual weight on the back its give or take 2kg at the 20kg plate level.

I have a set of plates that will kill ya and I pulled this one from a powerlifting gym ,see if you can spot the problem


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## big (Sep 14, 2004)

ChefX said:


> I have a set of plates that will kill ya and I pulled this one from a powerlifting gym ,see if you can spot the problem


They look pretty standrad to me!!


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## SD (Sep 3, 2004)

big said:


> No, for most exercises with heavy weights, it's easier to increase the weights than the reps.
> 
> Here's why:
> 
> ...


Thats an interesting theory Big, it will only hold true if the formula used to predict the 1rm are accurate and that the individual being trained complies to the asumptions made by that formula. That being said, I am gonna test it!

thanks

SD


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## big (Sep 14, 2004)

SportDr said:


> Thats an interesting theory Big, it will only hold true if the formula used to predict the 1rm are accurate and that the individual being trained complies to the asumptions made by that formula. That being said, I am gonna test it!
> 
> thanks
> 
> SD


Yes - I've done the calculations with probably a dozen different 1rm calculators at lots of different weight levels. In fact normally the difference is even greater - that increasing by 1 rep gives about double the theoretical total load difference to increasing the weight by the smallest amount. The time when increasing reps is easier is when you're lifting very small weight. Say lat raises with 12kg for 12 reps - it's easier to do 13 reps with that than to move up to the 14kg's and hope to hit 12 too.

It also seems to work in practice for me anyway.


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

ChefX said:


> I have a set of plates that will kill ya and I pulled this one from a powerlifting gym ,see if you can spot the problem


LOL, that at first glance seems like a joke. I wonder how many plates are like that floating around?


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## ChefX (Jan 10, 2005)

Winger in 22 years this is the first I ever found like this. Now how in the world they missed it when setting the sand molds ????

But that plate is suppoed to be 45lbs and weighs in at 41.35 thats over 3 and a half pounds off.

I have pulled certified competition weights an found them to be off before (not that much)

Olympic max athletes can feel as little as a one ounce difference in the lifts!!!

Weigh the plates and then get some micro plates. I have weights that go down to 1/8 of a lb in 4 sets + olympic and standard, worth every exepensive penny I spent for them.


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

We used to weigh them also and chalk the correct weight on the side of them.

Some plates I have seen have been shaved on the flat side.


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

Just to add to this thread as i said i had a power boost for some reason on mondays workout, wednesdays was normall but todays was the opposite i have just had the worst workout for 6 months  I couldnt complete my normall reps and the weights were to heavy but these are what i used last week... I admitt i am not on form today as im a little unwell but judging by what happened on monday and whats happened today i suppose their aint an answer for it


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## big (Sep 14, 2004)

TYSON said:


> Just to add to this thread as i said i had a power boost for some reason on mondays workout, wednesdays was normall but todays was the opposite i have just had the worst workout for 6 months  I couldnt complete my normall reps and the weights were to heavy but these are what i used last week... I admitt i am not on form today as im a little unwell but judging by what happened on monday and whats happened today i suppose their aint an answer for it


See - you must have used the heavier weights this time!


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

lol but as i said i have so many barbells and dumbells that i have the weights set on each of them for their own exercise. When i put the weights down for biceps last week the dumbells are not touched again until i use then again as i have other dumbells for other exercises and so on do you see what i mean


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## Stv_BABES (May 1, 2004)

TYSON said:


> Just to add to this thread as i said i had a power boost for some reason on mondays workout, wednesdays was normall but todays was the opposite i have just had the worst workout for 6 months  I couldnt complete my normall reps and the weights were to heavy but these are what i used last week... I admitt i am not on form today as im a little unwell but judging by what happened on monday and whats happened today i suppose their aint an answer for it


this happens to me all the time, some sessions me strong like bull (hehe), others im weak as a lil kitten.

i do go to the gym at different times each week, and i know that im actualy stronger on a morning but this isnt the problem, it may be part of it, but not all of it.

it could be phsycological i guess.


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

You could be right about the different times of the day but i didnt think that would matter that much, also i am ill so you could be right on all counts but honestly didnt think it would make that much difference


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

TYSON said:


> also i am ill


TYSON, you are dieting. You had cheat days over the weekend. You work your ass off during the week. Your best day will always be monday.

You carb up during the weekend. You get allot of sleep on the weekends. Monday will always be your good day.


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

Fair point m8


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## ChefX (Jan 10, 2005)

Things should not fluctuate like that.

Having 2 cheat days on your diet could be one reason, by the second day the hormonal advantage I use in my diatia is gone hence I use only one day, you loose the consistency needed for continued results and besides you need to periodize some, step back and get a running start again.


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

I am loosing the 2lbs weekly though admittadly it was only 1 this week but i have been thinking about going to the one cheat day but weekends are hard with a family lol CHEERS FOR ADVICE


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

TYSON said:


> I am loosing the 2lbs weekly though admittadly it was only 1 this week but i have been thinking about going to the one cheat day but weekends are hard with a family lol CHEERS FOR ADVICE


At 2 pounds a week, maybe you should be giving the advice.


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

If thats a compiment then CHEERS, if you are taking the **** then F"!* off lol

ONLY KIDDING M8


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

TYSON said:


> If thats a compiment then CHEERS, if you are taking the **** then F"!* off lol
> 
> ONLY KIDDING M8


It was a compliment. Not sure what a compiment is though.............lol.


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

I am in a rush sometimes and type fast, dont bother checking for mistakes 

Ive got a COMPLIMENT for you.

NICE ASS.


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## TYSON (Aug 30, 2004)

I think you were bang on winger, another very good workout today after a weekend of rest and junk food lol, weird how this hasnt happened before but like i say who cares as long as i carryies on


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