4 Questions About Myo Reps And Clustering

A

a.s.arghmatey

Member
1. How is clustering different from myo reps?

2. Are myo reps and clustering better suited for linear progression, or would 15, 10, 5, perhaps with some zig-zag still be recommended?

3. How high have you taken your starting rep range when using myo reps or clustering?

4. What are the benefits and drawbacks of myo vs cluster?

Thanks in advance for any replies!
 
Clustering is just a different way of achieving a rep total.

Why break your reps into specific rep-set matrices? Instead of doing 5x5 squats, you just keep doing sets until you hit 25 reps, never going to failure on individual clusters. On a good day, it might look like 8,7,7,3. On a bad day it might look more like 6,6,6,5,2 - or whatever.

There's nothing magic about any number of reps; 3,5,6,2,7,4,10 ... muscles don't work on human numeric theories. Clusters are just an RPE-derived method of achieving a rep total.
 
HST_Rihad said:
Nonetheless muscle work taken closer to failure has been demonstrated to achieve more growth.
Here's just one: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15947720
There was another one involving 6RM loads performed either fully or with 30 second rest (3+3) by two groups, again showing better growth for the "no rest" group.
Click to expand...

I would argue that inducing the metabolic stress using drop sets or high-rep sets is preferable to achieving true failure on heavy compounds.
 
I agree with Jester but would also say that myo reps is an excellent way to maximize muscle stimulation in the least amount of time but only for initial sets in excess of 5 reps.

Also, 5X5's are really only effective with relatively long rest periods or your initial sets are, in reality, merely warm up sets.
 
HST_Rihad said:
Nonetheless muscle work taken closer to failure has been demonstrated to achieve more growth.
Here's just one: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15947720
There was another one involving 6RM loads performed either fully or with 30 second rest (3+3) by two groups, again showing better growth for the "no rest" group.
Click to expand...
It would seem with myp reps you end up doing a larger portion of the reps close to failure.

I have another question about 'leaving one in the tank'. Is the point just that you'll be able to get in more reps in the next set? I often go right up to failure, but I bail as soon as I am on the failing rep, as opposed to trying to push through to see if I can use all of my might to complete it. I usually find I can get 3-5 more after 4 resting for 4 breaths.
 
@a.s.arghmatey, it seems like going very close to failure (RPE-10) isn't contraindicated with higher reps (12+) and doesn't tend to mess with one's training frequency and progression. So you may either pick a load and do it very close to failure (judged by when rep speed slows down considerably) + several total myo-reps past that (normally a series of singles in my case), or stop the activation set a rep or two earlier and do more myo-reps after that (a series of 2-4 reps). I prefer the former since it looks more straightforward and definitive. At first it may look like more work with a given load would provide more stimulus, but this isn't necessarily the case - the group who lifted more explosively and had almost twice as little cumulative TUT gained twice as much strength in the end than the group who did controlled slow concentrics. %RM was identical and repsXsets were matched (unfortunately the graphs on which the difference was easily visualized are missing, although the numbers are still there).
 
I read that article a few weeks ago. I've been lifting explosively ever since.

My real question is more generally about the reasons for staying one rep short of failure, be they 15rm's or 5rm's. Is it to avoid CNS fatigue, muscle fiber fatigue, injuries. All of the above? And if I bail on the last rep (5th rep of a 5rm for example) would that be much different than stopping one rep short?
 
With Myo reps, I use auto regulation so only the last set is even close to failure.

a.s.arghmatey said:
Is it to avoid CNS fatigue, muscle fiber fatigue, injuries. All of the above? And if I bail on the last rep (5th rep of a 5rm for example) would that be much different than stopping one rep short?
Click to expand...

Yes, all of the above.

No, but much less chance of injury.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top