Heavy Set (by mistake!)

[MRSAFFERTY]

Hi,

I've recently reset my squat and am working my way back again. Yesterday I accidentally set the weight to 10kg heavier (poor plate maths) which was around 5k (11lbs?) heavier than my previous heaviest set.

I obviously noticed straight away that it was heavier, but decided to try it anyway (worst case the safety bars are there right?). The first 3 reps were fine (although heavy) with the last 2 being real grinders, but nevertheless I did the full set.

For the subsequent 2 sets I set the weight back to what it should be as I knew I wouldn't have been able to do another 2 sets at that weight.

The next two sets felt much lighter as a result, although my legs do feel a bit stiffer today.

My question is is this sort of thing (a heavy set first) part of intermediate (or advanced) training? I'm still very much in the novice phase so this is really more out of interest than something I'm planning on trying anytime soon.

thanks

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

As a general strategy, a lot of advanced/intermediate lifters use a heavy top end set and then get their volume done using lighter weight back off sets.

[MRSAFFERTY]

Thanks Andy!

[pgoreham]

The "next two sets felt much lighter as a result" is an interesting phenomenon.

I have found, with pressing in particular, that a challenging set of 3 or 5 is easier if I 'over warm up'. Meaning I work up to a heavy single 5 - 10 lbs more than the work set weight. I haven't been able to decide if its a there is a physiological or phycological but it seems to work. Both maybe?

[Eric Schexnayder]

I haven't been able to decide if its a there is a physiological or phycological but it seems to work. Both maybe?

I would guess both. But specifically I would think it was neuromuscular. To lift heavier weights than we have before, we must call not only on bigger muscles, but on more of them, especially as over time these weights approach an XRM.

When warming up, you're not really calling on this extra muscle mass; you do one heavy set and you "wake it up" and prime it for the next set.

Plus you have to dial in your technique to lift a heavy set (I do, at least). Makes repeating good technique for the lighter set easier (for me).