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> when I cannot complete 1 or 2 additional reps with proper form Thanks for mentioning the last part. That "proper form" bit is waaaaaaaaaay overlooked and eve

> when I cannot complete 1 or 2 additional reps with proper form Thanks for mentioning the last part. That "proper form" bit is waaaaaaaaaay overlooked and even the definition of "proper form" can be ambiguous. A lot of people - myself included on SO many embarrassing occasions - tend to cheat out of proper form. This resulted in injuries that have left me permanently unable to do some exercises. Like many others do, I got frustrated with lack of growth so I would try and push through extra reps or higher weights while neglecting what my body was telling me. I'd read threads like this and see somebody talk about how moving to lower rep ranges suddenly packed on way more muscle, so I'd change up my workout to do the same; except this compromised proper form which then lead to injuries due to the additional stress by heavier weights. Even after recovering from an injury, I would take caution for a few months, get frustrated, and repeat the cycle over again with more injuries. You talk about variance here and that's absolutely a topic that is not discussed enough. For example I'm a person with very low bone density. This makes heavier lifts even more dangerous when not done with proper form. Someone with good skeletal structure might cause mild injury where someone like me could end up with a permanent disability making the same mistakes. None of these articles or guides say that though. They treat all bodies like with a one-size fits all approach and it's very dangerous. These days I use a modified Bowflex Ultimate Machine (I've removed the rods and replaced with actual weights using additional pulleys), so everything is controlled by cables. This allows me to keep a somewhat better form due to the angle at which the movements are restricted. It's not as good as proper machine weights, but it's a good trade-off between free weights and machine weights. All my exercises are lighter weight and try to avoid exerting pressure on the spine or other joints. Every exercise is done SLOWLY with careful attention to how much pressure is being exerted on my muscles, tendons, etc. If I can't keep proper form, the weight is too high or I've gone to "failure". No cheat reps. The rep range is generally in the 10-15 area but varies depending on exercise and how much strain I feel during the movement. It's worked very well for me the last 5 years.

borroka 4y ago
"I'd read threads like this and see somebody talk about how moving to lower rep ranges suddenly packed on way more muscle, so I'd change up my workout to do the same" - Certain things need to be experienced with proper guidance and in the right environment. Unfortunately, many people on the nerdy side, myself included, think that you can transition seamlessly from reading or listening to applications, but this is not true; there is a large chunk of information that needs to be experienced or guided 1:1. "Train with the intensity expected of professionals" is different from "train with the intensity expected of professionals in the presence of professionals." "You talk about variance here and that's absolutely a topic that is not discussed enough" - Reflecting on variance, individual variability, and the distribution of events and outcomes is lacking in the "reasoning toolboxes" of the vast majority of people. It is remarkable how taking into account variance of responses or outcomes, individuality, and statistical/frequency distribution can improve thinking and reasoning about any kind of problem. I would say that the virulence of most conversations on sensitive topics could be softened if people thought not in terms of averages or anecdotes, but in terms of statistical distributions.

borroka 4y ago

"I'd read threads like this and see somebody talk about how moving to lower rep ranges suddenly packed on way more muscle, so I'd change up my workout to do the same" - Certain things need to be experienced with proper guidance and in the right environment. Unfortunately, many people on the nerdy side, myself included, think that you can transition seamlessly from reading or listening to applications, but this is not true; there is a large chunk of information that needs to be experienced or guided 1:1. "Train with the intensity expected of professionals" is different from "train with the intensity expected of professionals in the presence of professionals." "You talk about variance here and that's absolutely a topic that is not discussed enough" - Reflecting on variance, individual variability, and the distribution of events and outcomes is lacking in the "reasoning toolboxes" of the vast majority of people. It is remarkable how taking into account variance of responses or outcomes, individuality, and statistical/frequency distribution can improve thinking and reasoning about any kind of problem. I would say that the virulence of most conversations on sensitive topics could be softened if people thought not in terms of averages or anecdotes, but in terms of statistical distributions.