lift for the pump?

[youngNhungry]

Recently I've shifted my training to focus hard on using lighter poundages coupled with high reps and slow strict form. I used to train by shooting for 8-10 reps on any given excercise using heavy weights. I have found that I'm getting alot more out of my training by using the light, strict, high rep regiment. The pumps are insane, the soreness unbelievable. I really never got this much of a pump and teardown out of my other strength training regiment. I just hope the growth I'm looking for will come from it. My main concern is that I'll loose the ability to push the big iron. Anyone else find a similar routine change like this to be as effective as I have?

[redz]

Definitely you will find changing it up every once in a while is very benificial. If you stick to the exact same routine you will not gain as much.

[youngNhungry]

I always try to do a different routine each time I go into the gym to keep my muscles shocked. I never do the same exercises but had always focused on pushing the most weight I could. Its refreshing to change the poundages and reps and get such great results. I forgot to post in the starting thread that my new rep range that I shoot for is between 20-25.

[ghettoboyd]

i thinck 20-25 is too high for growth imho.id up the poundages a bit and shoot for 12-15 at most.you should still be able to use good form with a bit heavyer lbs.

[youngNhungry]

Thanks for the input. I was planning on doing just that after one more week of the high rep routine. I'm sure that dropping back to the lower rep/moderate weight range will keep my muscles in shock.

[im here to learn]

had you noticed your heavy lifts degrading/stagnating, in terms of weight or reps? dropping the weight and building some muscle like that could help you with your heavy sets, long term

[DS21]

I always get better pumps and a lot more sore when using higher reps, but my idea of high reps is 10-12. I like to switch from 4-6 reps to 8-12. I can't really tell which one helps more with growth, I've always thought switching/shocking the muscle by changing it every couple of weeks is what makes the biggest difference. I know if I stick with one for more then 4 weeks my muscle adapt and the sorness will not come, unless it's legs, they get sore no matter what

[youngNhungry]

Never noticed my heavy lifts degrading per say but, I want getting the deep pump and burn. That feeling like you've got every fiber swolen to the bone. I felt like once I dropped the poundage and increased my reps, I began stimulating fibers I hadn't touched in years. Also, my post workout pump lasted at least twice as long than my heavier routine.

[DS21]

Never noticed my heavy lifts degrading per say but, I want getting the deep pump and burn. That feeling like you've got every fiber swolen to the bone. I felt like once I dropped the poundage and increased my reps, I began stimulating fibers I hadn't touched in years. Also, my post workout pump lasted at least twice as long than my heavier routine.

Can't agree more, and the soreness last a couple extra days with the higher reps. Man, I love being sore!

[youngNhungry]

bro, I'm with ya on that note. If the soreness starts to fade then I'll switch up the routine again. I don't feel like I've done crap unless I feel like I got thrown out of a truck post workout, the next day.

[im here to learn]

I don't feel like I've done crap unless I feel like I got thrown out of a truck post workout.

quality




how has your set quantity adjusted too the much higher rep range?

[youngNhungry]

I actually am doing an average of 2 more sets per excercise to get the feeling I'm after. Some would say, "but bro, thats too many reps, too many sets, your overtraining, your gonna go catabolic, blah blah blah" but I'm not seeing any loss in mass, only leaning up and getting a good blast out of it. If I do get stagnant or catabolic, I'll change it up again.

[MuscleScience]

I actually am doing an average of 2 more sets per excercise to get the feeling I'm after. Some would say, "but bro, thats too many reps, too many sets, your overtraining, your gonna go catabolic, blah blah blah" but I'm not seeing any loss in mass, only leaning up and getting a good blast out of it. If I do get stagnant or catabolic, I'll change it up again.

Thats a pretty good answer..

[youngNhungry]

Thanks bro, I believe we gotta trust first, what our bodies tell us. Next, use the information provided by others that best suites our bodies, lifestyle and, training regiments. There are so many people on the boards that we can learn from, that are really intelligent people. And there are alot of people who like to give alot of critical advise based on generic, and often irrelevant information. If you pay attention to your body and others who are smart and responsibly informative tell you, you can't go wrong.

[medicjack]

so basically its wise to stick around 8-12 reps with lower weight for tone, and 8-12 reps at higher weight for bulk/gain? but change that routine up every so often to "shock" muscle?