Better results?

[UberSteroids]

I wonder if I could get better results with more sets of heavier weight at low rep.

Something like, bench: 6 sets of 315x3 (failure) instead of 3 sets of 245x8 (failure)?

Heavier weight = higher intensity = bigger/stronger muscle but low endurance.

Am I understanding this right ?

[timtim]

have you ever performed a routine focusing on low reps and heavy, heavy weight? if not cycle this type of training for 4 weeks on and 2 weeks off then 4 weeks on again. i had fantastic results for the 3 years i really focused on heavy lifts but i had plenty of tendinitus in the elbows, shoulders, and wrists for long periods after training like this. it works. but i am broken down now. able to still train but my joints can only go so far till they get reinjured. i dont mind it because i can always work with and around an injury but i like to not have to deal with it.

[anaBROLIC]

your idea is worth a shot. do it for a couple weeks and see how your body reacts to it.
if your not happy with results a change in something may boost you up.

[UberSteroids]

So I am checking it out. Did my first day today.
Biceps curl with olympic bar standing.

95x8
115x6
115x3
105x6
105x7
105x3

Man, only 6 sets with good 2-0-2 tempo, strict as F form and arms feel like theyre gonna explode. I couldn't do any other heavy sets after this. It hurts, overtraining type of pain so I decided to stop here.
Interesting, I need to keep this up for next month or so and see if I get stronger or if I grow faster.

[timtim]

So I am checking it out. Did my first day today.
Biceps curl with olympic bar standing.

95x8
115x6
115x3
105x6
105x7
105x3

Man, only 6 sets with good 2-0-2 tempo, strict as F form and arms feel like theyre gonna explode. I couldn't do any other heavy sets after this. It hurts, overtraining type of pain so I decided to stop here.
Interesting, I need to keep this up for next month or so and see if I get stronger or if I grow faster.

be careful with max effort stuff on bis/tris, easily get tendinitus that way.

[UberSteroids]

I never knew what it was. I just read some about tendinitus. Damn, I've had this so many times without even realizing it. Well, right now my elbows and forearms kinda hurt, not the muscle pain, feels like my freaking bones hurt or something, not even lifting, just by moving my arms. I think that's what it is.

I wonder if switching to EZ-curl bar will avoid this type of injury. It should, since it is much more comfortable.

Also, almost everytime I do my 1st heavy set, as soon as I start performing the rep I can feel this almost electrical kind of pain, like some electric charge would go from my wrist all the way to my shoulder, this is such bad pain... I hate it...

[TR'05]

Sounds like you may be pinching a nerve, bro. Shooting/intense pain all up and down your arm?

Either that, or a heart attack...lol jj.

[UberSteroids]

Sounds like you may be pinching a nerve, bro. Shooting/intense pain all up and down your arm?

Either that, or a heart attack...lol jj.

Heart attack ?! Nah, I don't have a heart, I put a baked potatoe in there instead
But the nerve thing, hmmm well after about 3 good heavy reps it goes away. I will have to warm up better, especially the shoulders.

[timtim]

I never knew what it was. I just read some about tendinitus. Damn, I've had this so many times without even realizing it. Well, right now my elbows and forearms kinda hurt, not the muscle pain, feels like my freaking bones hurt or something, not even lifting, just by moving my arms. I think that's what it is.

I wonder if switching to EZ-curl bar will avoid this type of injury. It should, since it is much more comfortable.

Also, almost everytime I do my 1st heavy set, as soon as I start performing the rep I can feel this almost electrical kind of pain, like some electric charge would go from my wrist all the way to my shoulder, this is such bad pain... I hate it...

you f'ed yourself up alittle there more than likely. if you dont watch tendinitus what happens is other joints will compensate for the injury making more room for injury in those joints. so your elbow pain could change your grip making the wrist begin to hurt, weaking the joint more causing the shoulder to tweak. you have to learn to work around the injuries and avoid ALL exercises for ALL bodyparts that affect it. use different exercises and drop the weight till the injury heals. even when i am careful with my recovery from injuries it can take months to get better. might want to evaluate what you can do to heal and still train. nothing worse than getting injured to the point of not being able to train at all.

[UberSteroids]

God, how the hell am I ever supose to get to my Ultimate fitness goal if I have all this sh!t comming up on the way there, all it does it slows me down!
Well, the more I find out about all this, the more amazed I am about people that achieved their goals.
It's a HARD work!

[timtim]

God, how the hell am I ever supose to get to my Ultimate fitness goal if I have all this sh!t comming up on the way there, all it does it slows me down!
Well, the more I find out about all this, the more amazed I am about people that achieved their goals.
It's a HARD work!

listen to your body.

[UberSteroids]

I am listetning to it, thing is... I did what it tells me, I would probably workout 1 day ON and 2 days OFF, with the lifting I do. Or in some cases not workout at all.
I am really getting tired of this... I lift like hell, I eat like hell, I sleep min 7hrs each night, what the hell is the problem, You know what I mean?
Well, well, well.... we will see how it goes. Can't wait for the cycle though.

[UberSteroids]

And seriously, I think my shoulders are WAY undertrained, because almost every exercise I do that shoulders get involved a littlebit, my shoulders give out before the muslce I am trying to focus on and get injured.
Heavy bench press, D-bells, barbell is the worst, incline flat don't matter, heavy bicep curls, hammers, preachers, barbell any. Shoulder upright rows are just killing me, can't press much.
I do believe my shoulers are just too weak for everything else, simply can't keep up.
I need to focus on these, maybe even I will dedicate next full month on shoulders, and train everything else at medium weight.

[timtim]

for the injuries, try and find a chiropractor who is ART certified (Active Release Technique). it is an effective stretching and scar tissue removal system. it is very painful and in most cases pretty pricey - my guy is good to me, $50 for 20 minutes or so but its usually more. its worth it and usually is only required for 4 to 6 sessions to really help speed up the healing process.

as for weak shoulders. make them your 1st workout of the weak and begin doing single arm movements and rotator cuff exercises to stabilize the joint.

[UberSteroids]

I will see if my chiro does this. I really appreciate the good info brother!
Thanks a lot

How often should I get these sessions performed ?

[timtim]

I will see if my chiro does this. I really appreciate the good info brother!
Thanks a lot

How often should I get these sessions performed ?

depends on the length of the sessions and if you are given stretches to perform daily. i was going every 10 to 14 days for 3 months my last stint.

[AddMoreMass]

In relation to your original question, why not try a combination of both super heavy weights with 3-4 reps for strength gain and do the 8-10 rep sets for muscle building. Bodybuilders really need to do reps to stimulate growth and build bulk. Low reps only won't build bulk and shape.

John

Edited