I’ve started a new experiment.This one is a workout experiment where I will stop counting my reps for the next 6 weeks.Why do such a silly thing?For starters, I’m very attached to analytical training. If you’ve seen Anabolic Again, then you know I rely heavily upon percentage maxes, specific rep ranges, and specific rep progressions in my program design.However, I’m also a fan of getting the best results possible while doing as little as possible. Eat Stop Eat is a perfect example. After all, fasting is getting results from doing nothing.So when it comes to nutrition I’m not a proponent of weighing every bite you eat or tracking your food on some spread sheet, but when it comes to exercise I tracked EVERYTHING.So in a sense, my exercise approach and nutrition approach are almost polar opposites.I’ve also noticed a negative to rep counting. I rely on them too heavily.I have stopped at exactly 10 reps when realistically I know I could have done at least 3 or 4 more before even getting close to failure.I have also NOT stopped when I should have because the program called for 5, even though I knew 4 was the right amount, I pushed for another rep anyways. This almost always ends in some sort of ‘tweak’, ‘pang’ or full blown injury.The other problem I’ve encountered counting reps is that I concentrate too much on the counting, not enough on the rep or the muscle being worked.So the experiment is to simply concentrate on the exercise and keep going until I get the right ‘feel’ then stop.The idea of paying more attention to the feel than the total rep count isn’t new any means.
Taken from –
No More Reps | Brad Pilon's 'Eat Blog Eat'