Pulsing

[Curt]

Should I follow the principle of progressive load when doing pulsing during the 5s? Or should I use the max weight I can do 15 pulses with all throughout the 5s?

Also, when should I do pulsing. For example, for calf raises if I'm doing a normal set, then a loaded stretch, should I do pulsing before or after? Or does it really matter?

 

[savagebeast]

Pulsing (at least the kind you're doing) is about creating metabolic stress, not about placing the muscle under a hypertrophy-inducing load. Therefore you don't need to increase the weights. The goal is just to create a lot of metabolic stress, as indicated by burn, pump, etc. Also, the rep count for partials isn't set in stone. You may need to do more or less than 15 reps in order to induce enough metabolic stress.

 

[Curt]

Thanks for the reply.

At what part of the ROM should I be pulsing at for machine bicep curls, tricep pushdowns and leg curls?

 

[Louno]

id like to know this too, i just started my 5s , and i want to get the most out of it, do i do pulsing before or after drop sets ... i used to do drop sets, isnt it the same ? puts metabolic stress ? which is best ? ( sorry dont want to hi-jack this post )

 

[Curt]

Quote[/b] (Louno @ July 07 2005,10:22)]( sorry dont want to hi-jack this post )

No problem, I'd like to know that too. I'm going to wait until negatives for drop sets..

 

[savagebeast]

From Vicious' "Pimp My HST":

"Partials, particularly pulsing, with isolation movements are by far the most effective way to generate metabolic stress in a specific muscle. A true pulse is really a very short partial (1-3 inches) done at near peak-contraction (but not lock-out.) The idea is to just get enough ROM in order for the target muscle to palpably shorten. A pulse is performed slowly (but not so slow as to turn it into a static contraction) during the concentric and quickly at the eccentric."

Pulses are basically a replacement for dropsets; simply perform them whenever you would perform a dropset. The advantage with pulses is that you can create the same amount of metabolic stress as dropsets while inducing less fatigue.

 

[Curt]

Is there any added benefit to doing both drop sets and pulsing, or is there a limit to the amount of metabolic stress you can induce?

In the "pimp my hst" e-book it says that the weight for pulsing should be somewhere in the 15s. I've been finding that the weight has to be higher than that, or I can do 25+ reps. Since it's such a short range of motion I find I can do a lot more than I normally would be able to, but I'm not really getting a good burn. Also, I'm not supposed to pulse to failure am I?