Basically I need to
address an area I feel is lacking in my gym. Very common I hear people say I am
working up to my 85% for a number of reps. The reason I have problem with
this is the percentages is a template to guide you. It does not dictate your
workout.
For instance I will throw out percentages nearly every workout to give some one a guide to what type of workout it is. For instance today was a speed day for me. So I told my training partner that we were working on 50-60 percent. To me that makes it clear that we are not going heavy but we are going to work on speed. Now with this workout we did eccentric pressing.
Here is an interesting story. To save her humiliation I will call her lifter X. Lifter X says I will need to squat 85% for 5 reps. I look over and she is calculating it on her phone. I screamed stop. But of course I was too late. She already had the number in her head and that is all she had to do.
For instance I will throw out percentages nearly every workout to give some one a guide to what type of workout it is. For instance today was a speed day for me. So I told my training partner that we were working on 50-60 percent. To me that makes it clear that we are not going heavy but we are going to work on speed. Now with this workout we did eccentric pressing.
Here is an interesting story. To save her humiliation I will call her lifter X. Lifter X says I will need to squat 85% for 5 reps. I look over and she is calculating it on her phone. I screamed stop. But of course I was too late. She already had the number in her head and that is all she had to do.
I look at percentages
like my gas tank in my truck, I can give you a rough idea of how much gas I
have in my truck. But I can not go to a gas station and say my meter reads 37%
here is 31 dollars that is all your getting fill it up.
So Lifter X worked up to 200lbs which is more like 93 ish percent. First set of 5 looked horrible. I told her to speed up the lift. Next set was better but on the 5th rep it was slow. The light bulb clicked in my head she was capping her self. She is going to walk away from here not hitting her potential. Now I thought 200lbs was a good 5 rep 85% squat. Until I looked at her and told her what if I told you to do 10 reps. She began to squat and didn't stop until 10. Now mind you the 10th rep was as slow as the 5 th rep the set before.
I am not taking away from the concept of using percentages. But do not look at the number and make it set it stone. It is a guide or a template to get you in the ball park of where you should be.
In conclusion do not cap your self. Push your self every workout. There are enough variables that play a part in lifting than to add another and cap your self. Use it as a guide not a GPS.
So Lifter X worked up to 200lbs which is more like 93 ish percent. First set of 5 looked horrible. I told her to speed up the lift. Next set was better but on the 5th rep it was slow. The light bulb clicked in my head she was capping her self. She is going to walk away from here not hitting her potential. Now I thought 200lbs was a good 5 rep 85% squat. Until I looked at her and told her what if I told you to do 10 reps. She began to squat and didn't stop until 10. Now mind you the 10th rep was as slow as the 5 th rep the set before.
I am not taking away from the concept of using percentages. But do not look at the number and make it set it stone. It is a guide or a template to get you in the ball park of where you should be.
In conclusion do not cap your self. Push your self every workout. There are enough variables that play a part in lifting than to add another and cap your self. Use it as a guide not a GPS.
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