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The current fitness program I'm on right now says that milking the last rep out of your weight lifting sets is the way to go as it triggers signaling of the muscles to develop more fibers. However, another fitness program stresses the importance of form citing that maintaining the right form during all your lifts is more important than milking out the last rep.
So I'm confused now guys. Which is the way to go? I'm no fitness expert, just another guy trying to use the gym to stay in shape.
The current fitness program I'm on right now says that milking the last rep out of your weight lifting sets is the way to go as it triggers signaling of the muscles to develop more fibers. However, another fitness program stresses the importance of form citing that maintaining the right form during all your lifts is more important than milking out the last rep.
So I'm confused now guys. Which is the way to go? I'm no fitness expert, just another guy trying to use the gym to stay in shape.
I agree with the view that you do not need to get that last rep in order to gain strength and muscle. Leave a rep or two in the tank. You want to maintain good form to minimize the risk of injury.
But experiment for yourself and see for yourself which works better.
The current fitness program I'm on right now says that milking the last rep out of your weight lifting sets is the way to go as it triggers signaling of the muscles to develop more fibers. However, another fitness program stresses the importance of form citing that maintaining the right form during all your lifts is more important than milking out the last rep.
So I'm confused now guys. Which is the way to go? I'm no fitness expert, just another guy trying to use the gym to stay in shape.
The second view is the correct one. You should be maintaining proper form throughout your sets. If form is falling apart, you need to back off on the weight and/or the sets/reps. The people who believe in the first view are at best using secondary muscle groups to "cheat" the rep (which reduces the stimulus on the targeted muscle anyways and is thus self defeating) at best or risking injury at worst.
As to arching the lower back during bench presses, it is perfectly acceptable and even beneficial if you don't have any pre-existing injuries.
The current fitness program I'm on right now says that milking the last rep out of your weight lifting sets is the way to go as it triggers signaling of the muscles to develop more fibers. However, another fitness program stresses the importance of form citing that maintaining the right form during all your lifts is more important than milking out the last rep.
So I'm confused now guys. Which is the way to go? I'm no fitness expert, just another guy trying to use the gym to stay in shape.
I don't arch my back doing bench presses. I do every set to near failure. I rarely have a spotter and I know that if I get stuck, I can always arch my back and finish that last rep. The people I usually see arching their backs are high school boys.
Last edited by villageidiot1; 06-01-2023 at 01:34 PM..
The second view is the correct one. You should be maintaining proper form throughout your sets. If form is falling apart, you need to back off on the weight and/or the sets/reps. The people who believe in the first view are at best using secondary muscle groups to "cheat" the rep (which reduces the stimulus on the targeted muscle anyways and is thus self defeating) at best or risking injury at worst.
As to arching the lower back during bench presses, it is perfectly acceptable and even beneficial if you don't have any pre-existing injuries.
I don't mean to use the arched back as a starting position. I mean allowing it as a traumatic reaction to the heaviness/pressure of the weight during the last set.
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