Quick question regarding the number of sets

If it is just muscle soreness, I agree that you should just continue. What concerned me was you said your joints were aching. I assumed that was caused by heavy loads. If so, you should rest them before the aches become chronic. If it is more on one side than the other, for example an achy left shoulder, you could have a serious tendon problem brewing and should look into rehab type exercises for 3 months for the bothersome area. If you are feeling tired and "off" and the pain is deep and is neither muscle or joint, like restless legs, it could be your CNS telling you to back off but that is pretty rare. Muscle soreness though is common and should be worked through.

Congrats on the increased flexibility. That is very important in keeping your back injury free.

"Dr." O&G
(A proud member of the on-line ITT and Phoenix Hipocrite Medical Societies)
 
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I appreciate the feedback. It's primarily the left knee that gets sore (it feel's like runner's knee is described though I am not running) and the deep low back (though this has mostly gone away). I do believe it is tendon based but I was thinking it's from muscle imbalances and tightness rather than heavy loads. I have/had classic white-guy-butt, my hamstrings were super tight and my quads were larger. Since working on these areas my legs look much better now and they are starting to get more balanced. however my posterior chain down to my achilles are still really tight but getting better. Based on Google/youtube I was self-diagnosing that since when the muscles are warmed up and stretched I feel fine but then when I am sitting for long periods (I work in an office) everything is tightening back that it's the tightening that is causing the joint soreness. So my conclusion was that I need a balance in strengthening these muscles (the work out) and increasing their flexibility (the stretches) without over aggravating them (decreasing the volume at the highest weights). finally I am not a pro so if these ideas sound retarded let me know.
 
adpowah said:
I appreciate the feedback. It's primarily the left knee that gets sore (it feel's like runner's knee is described though I am not running) and the deep low back (though this has mostly gone away). I do believe it is tendon based but I was thinking it's from muscle imbalances and tightness rather than heavy loads. I have/had classic white-guy-butt, my hamstrings were super tight and my quads were larger. Since working on these areas my legs look much better now and they are starting to get more balanced. however my posterior chain down to my achilles are still really tight but getting better. Based on Google/youtube I was self-diagnosing that since when the muscles are warmed up and stretched I feel fine but then when I am sitting for long periods (I work in an office) everything is tightening back that it's the tightening that is causing the joint soreness. So my conclusion was that I need a balance in strengthening these muscles (the work out) and increasing their flexibility (the stretches) without over aggravating them (decreasing the volume at the highest weights). finally I am not a pro so if these ideas sound retarded let me know.
Click to expand...

Just as a thought, your stated goals include fixing your butt wink in the squat, and when added to knee pain and low back pain above, I think a potential culprit for both is a failure to really shove the knees out hard enough in the squat. Chest squeezed to chin (setting a neutral spine), knees out hard (to opposite walls). Your weight should feel sort of evenly balanced between your heels and the outside of your feet at the bottom if you are doing this properly.
 
I am with Totentaz... I will be giving this 2 full body workouts deal a try. I plan to work in the rep ranges of 12 - 8 - 5. I have worked out off an on the past 23 years and most of it was lifting Max OT style (AST) with crazy heavy weights and always trying to add that extra 3lbs, 5lbs or 10lbs. I am no expert, but I am starting to feel that for me the good rep range is between 8 - 12. I do believe that for me, I need to work in the 5 rep range, but I plan to spend less time in that range (probably the 3 weeks of weight progression and then maybe 1 week at 5 rep max. Will consider this on how I find the new workout arrangement. Great thread!

On another note, I think I have pushed through the plateau with my arms... They are now starting to get close to 17.5"...

Thanks.
 
When applying the program (layed out in this topic) would it be smart to keep the muscle under constant tension during a set? We basicly have 2 differnt RMs:- With the muscle under constant tension every rep (no pauze)- With the muscle under tension during the set, but with a pauze in the lift (especially at the end of the set when fatigue kicks in)It also depends a lot per exercise. For the squat it's much harder to keep constant tension throughout the set than for an isolation exercise. So the two RMs are much further apart.Any thoughts? Thanks guys!
 
No, according to the paper cited during this discussion, you don't want to do your reps that way. Have you read the paper?
 
Ah, no sorry. I haven't read it. I was basicly just asking this because the question appeared to me when I was reading this thread. I really liked the program layed out in this topic and I basicly want to give it a try.

If I undertstand correctly I should train with a pauze (lockout) to have the best stimulus?
 
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