Myo-reps

[ratty]

Ive been reading about myo-reps and it seems the technique maximises fibre recruitment to achieve a high effective volume without the the initial ineffective reps during a traditional set...

so using a 10RM with traditional sets lets say i would do 3 sets of 8 to equal 24 reps with each set stopping just short of failure

so would myoreps used like this be just AS EFFECTIVE???

1st set 8reps..next mini set - 5 reps..next mini set - 3 reps.

So using myoreps i have achieved full muscle fibre recruitment during all 3 sets but using less total reps (16) than traditional sets...

 

[leegee38]

That is not the way I understand it.

In a set of 10 reps to failure chances are maybe the last 3 reps actually activate all of the fibers. (It might be one more or less, but this makes for a good example). So, if you take your 10RM and do a set of 8 you probably only got full activation on the last rep. Since you accumulate fatigue the second set might get you 2 more reps at full activation and then the third set 3. So, doing 3 sets of 8 reps got you a total of 6 reps at full activation.

With Myo-Reps you have to take the initial set close to failure to make sure you are achieving that activation, so you don't arbitrarily stop at 8 ... You can probably do at least 9 before your form breaks down. Since we said a set of 8 gave you a single rep at full activation we can assume this 9 rep set will give you 2 reps. You take your 10-15 second rest and grind out 4 more until you form breaks down, and it is fairly certain that all 4 of these reps were at full activation. Rest 15 seconds and do 3 more ... rest 15 seconds and do 2 more ... You have now done a total of 18 reps instead of the 24 when you did 3x8, but of those 18 reps 11 of them were at full activation instead of 6 with the 3x8.

That is my understanding of how Myo-Reps work. You can't just stop a set when you want to, though. In order for this to work you have to take each set and RP set near to failure, or to the point where your rep speed slows down.

 

[omega99]

It's all explained quite nicely right here. The string panties probably distracted you. 

Myo-reps, the revolution continues, part 2 - Amount of Training

 

[BenReffell]

Ratty, not 100% clear on what you mean, but I think you mean will doing those 16 reps Myo style be equal to your normal 3x8. Yes, this is the claim.

Assuming you are going to failure on each of your 8rep sets, in particular the first set. The way I understand it is you should then stop at 7 reps as this will be the first one that is "quite slow", yes you can do another but this would be failure, you should not go to failure on a set with Myo reps. So take a breather (e.g. 10 breaths) after the 7th, then you may be able to do another 4 (again don't go to failure, stop at 4 even though you could do a 5th), take a breather, go for some more maybe 4 or 3, again don't go to failure.

Exactly how many total reps and how many you do in each "cluster" depends on your conditioning, the weight you are using how many other exercises that muscle has been used for etc.

Aim for a total number of reps based on the guide they give, e.g. you might aim for 25reps if using your 10RM weight and only doing 1 exercise for that muscle group. If using a heavier weight you'd do less total reps, if doing multiple exercises you'd aim for lower total reps as you don't want to hit failure.

At least this is what I understood it to mean, it's not always easy with google translation

(could also try http://babelfish.yahoo.com/ it used to be better than google for most languages, I thought)

 

[quadancer]

I saw nothing about doing anything other than 3 rep sets after the 10-11 rep activation set, unless you get to where you can only get 2 rep clusters, then if only one, you stop.
Did I miss a page somewhere?

 

[trump]

There are rough guidelines for how many "after activation reps per set" done in the mini sets that follow. Its relative to the reps you hit in the activation set.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">20-25 reps: 5-4 or 4-3
15-20 reps: 4-3 or 3-2
12-15 reps: 4-3 or 3-2
10-12 reps: 3-2 or 2-1
8-10 reps:3-2 or 2-1 </div>
[activation set reps] : [reps in mini sets until UP1] - [reps in mini sets until UP2]
10-12 reps             :              3                       -                   2

So yeah, if you hit 11 reps in activation, then you might follow that with say 3, 3, 2, 2, 2 and be done.

 

[quadancer]

I see. Well, I'm only interested in lower reps for SST, but I try my best to keep 3's going - we're just now beginning to have some 2's to get through the set.