To those of you who feel you've mastered pushing to true failure, do you get grindy reps no matter the exercise?

[jacob40524]

I push to failure on pretty much every exercise. And yes the reps get somewhat slower towards the end, but I find only a handful of exercises got me grinding hard. Stuff like preacher curls, c.g. Bench, overhead tricep extensions.

Are proper grinding reps something to aim for on every exercise(disregarding the scariest compounds), or is it specific to the exercise?

 

[austin998877]

@jacob40524 Some exercises I can grind out final reps. Others seem to just go “lights out” - OHP is one of those for me

 

[ladycherise63]

@austin998877 Only person who actually answered the question lol. Agreed 100%, sometimes the muscle just fails. No super slow concentric

 

[holoman]

@austin998877 Same here, for me on a lot of back movements I just randomly get stuck and that’s it. On the other hand I’ve had reps on leg extensions take over 10 seconds

 

[auxier587]

@holoman I get this with Bent-over Rows and Upright Rows. How do you gauge RIR on these types of exercises?

 

[holoman]

@auxier587 Id say either performing the movement enough times to become familiar with how your strength drops off or just going to failure. On something like a close grip bench, where for me the difference between 1 RIR and 0 RIR is drastic, I’ve developed a sense over time of what 1 RIR looks/feels like and can almost always say ‘the next one will be a grinder’. On the other hand I just take most back movements to failure or beyond. It doesn’t diminish my set to set performance that much (at least compared to other movements/body parts) and I don’t need to worry about RIR

 

[auxier587]

@holoman Hmm, so basically for things that are more shortened-biased (which for me seem to have more unpredictable failure points), going to failure is probably best while other exercises with predictable failure points use the RIR-system?

 

[holoman]

@auxier587 That’s one way to look at it yes. I think the actual decision of how hard to push each set will be individual based on personal preference, the movement and body part in question, and your overall program.

 

[luke2334janel]

@austin998877 I feel like on the rare occasions I can grind through the rep I end up pulling something in my neck lol.

 

[lishanaidoo]

@austin998877 OHP is 100% lights out. Happened this morning. Thought “yeah 1 more rep let’s go!!” And went to push and the bar was heavier than mjolnir.

 

[timelesstim]

@austin998877 Back extensions for me. They just stop working.

 

[francis2]

@austin998877 Experienced this literally today with my OHP for the first time lol

 

[ladycherise63]

@jacob40524 Sometimes failure doesn’t look like a 4-5 second concentric, veins bulging etc. sometimes your reps slow a little and then all of a sudden you can’t move the weight.

 

[kukla]

@jacob40524 It's going to depend on the resistance curve of the exercise. You are most likely going to fail on the hardest part, so for some exercises you might just "stop".

 

[frustratedhusband]

@jacob40524 Pullups are really hard to grind out, second last rep gets pretty hard and the next one is dead stop at halfway

 

[heyjoewhereyagoin]

@frustratedhusband Last time I tried to grind out 1 more pull up I my form broke down and I injured my elbow.... ugh.

 

[frustratedhusband]

@heyjoewhereyagoin Haha exactly the same! Got golfers elbow that way over a year ago and it's still not gone. Have to use straps on everything and warmup the elbow thoroughly before heavy pulling

 

[diciplinbyjesus]

@frustratedhusband This is me currently as well. I can’t hit a pull-up with out a strap. Then even worse is lat pulldowns, cable pullovers, even seated rows are currently all being done using Versa Grips.

 

[frustratedhusband]

@diciplinbyjesus How are versa grips? I only have straps and they work I guess

 

[diciplinbyjesus]

@frustratedhusband Agree with the other guy. Kinda pricey but they do the job. I enjoy them for machine work more than deadlifting where I prefer a traditional strap. They also get better as you use them. They are kinda stiff to start.