Same Old Dumb Questions

I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.

Is this common? Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
failure? Or is the goal in powerlifting -- increasing the poundage in
any particular lift -- to NOT exercise to exhaustion EXCEPT in the
last set for a max single?

Is my working every set to exhaustion killing my max? Obviously
everyone is different to some degree, but is a workout to increase
one's max single lift so very mutually exclusive with general fitness
or stamina workout that I should NEVER work a set to exhaustion EXCEPT
when I'm at the end of a workout? Or perhaps NEVER work a set to
exhaustion except, say, once a week or so?

The recommendations of some to work out every set to exhaustion never
seem to be mentioned when folks are describing powerlifting routines.
Only these rigid 8-6-4-2-1 or pyramid routines. So am I to assume that
they really DON'T assume that any set but the last (or the middle
maximum in a pyramid routine) is a set (of one rep) to exhaustion?

I can't seem to find an answer to this rather basic question anywhere.

Mark

gmark wrote:
> I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
>
> Is this common? Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> failure? Or is the goal in powerlifting -- increasing the poundage in
> any particular lift -- to NOT exercise to exhaustion EXCEPT in the
> last set for a max single?
>
> Is my working every set to exhaustion killing my max? Obviously
> everyone is different to some degree, but is a workout to increase
> one's max single lift so very mutually exclusive with general fitness
> or stamina workout that I should NEVER work a set to exhaustion EXCEPT
> when I'm at the end of a workout? Or perhaps NEVER work a set to
> exhaustion except, say, once a week or so?
>
> The recommendations of some to work out every set to exhaustion never
> seem to be mentioned when folks are describing powerlifting routines.
> Only these rigid 8-6-4-2-1 or pyramid routines. So am I to assume that
> they really DON'T assume that any set but the last (or the middle
> maximum in a pyramid routine) is a set (of one rep) to exhaustion?
>
> I can't seem to find an answer to this rather basic question anywhere.
>
> Mark
>
That's because you're too tired to type in 'failure' and '1RM' into the
little google groups search box and come up with this reading list that
should keep you off the streets and out of the gym for a few days:

http://groups.google.com/group/misc....rch+this+group

On Jul 25, 9:14 pm, gmark <gm...@svs.com> wrote:
> I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
>
> Is this common? Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> failure? Or is the goal in powerlifting -- increasing the poundage in
> any particular lift -- to NOT exercise to exhaustion EXCEPT in the
> last set for a max single?
>
> Is my working every set to exhaustion killing my max? Obviously
> everyone is different to some degree, but is a workout to increase
> one's max single lift so very mutually exclusive with general fitness
> or stamina workout that I should NEVER work a set to exhaustion EXCEPT
> when I'm at the end of a workout? Or perhaps NEVER work a set to
> exhaustion except, say, once a week or so?
>
> The recommendations of some to work out every set to exhaustion never
> seem to be mentioned when folks are describing powerlifting routines.
> Only these rigid 8-6-4-2-1 or pyramid routines. So am I to assume that
> they really DON'T assume that any set but the last (or the middle
> maximum in a pyramid routine) is a set (of one rep) to exhaustion?
>
> I can't seem to find an answer to this rather basic question anywhere.
>
> Mark



Specificity of training: your training dictates your abilities.

What are your goals?

I think you're getting caught up on "rocket science" and missing the
forest for the trees. Heck, I'm not even sure what you're question is
-- that's me missing the forest for all your trees.

If you're asking whether it's normal for capabilities to drop
precipitously, yes, yes it is, particularly when working to failure

But listen to your body: what does it want to do?

If it really wants to lift, let it.

I like putting on heavy poundage, and I like doing many reps and sets,
too. I'm on-track to reclaim my personal best of 315 on the bench
press soon, and will explore new territory as I try for 405 by the end
of next year. And my plan is simply to lift what I would like. Some
days I warm up with 135-lbs., other days it's 225-lbs. Sometimes I
give it my all (going to exhaustion), other times I just sort of go
through the motions, so to speak, just to "remind" my muscles what
some weight feels like and to keep them on track...nothing very
scientific, and perhaps it's slower than what it could be, but I enjoy
the sheer act of exercising, and not just its results.

So, anyway, not to get preachy on you or anything: just lift. Enjoy.
Repeat.

On Jul 26, 1:13 pm, Prisoner at War <prisoner_at_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Jul 25, 9:14 pm, gmark <gm...@svs.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> > failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> > 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> > singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> > exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> > lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
>
> > Is this common? Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> > like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> > failure? Or is the goal in powerlifting -- increasing the poundage in
> > any particular lift -- to NOT exercise to exhaustion EXCEPT in the
> > last set for a max single?
>
> > Is my working every set to exhaustion killing my max? Obviously
> > everyone is different to some degree, but is a workout to increase
> > one's max single lift so very mutually exclusive with general fitness
> > or stamina workout that I should NEVER work a set to exhaustion EXCEPT
> > when I'm at the end of a workout? Or perhaps NEVER work a set to
> > exhaustion except, say, once a week or so?
>
> > The recommendations of some to work out every set to exhaustion never
> > seem to be mentioned when folks are describing powerlifting routines.
> > Only these rigid 8-6-4-2-1 or pyramid routines. So am I to assume that
> > they really DON'T assume that any set but the last (or the middle
> > maximum in a pyramid routine) is a set (of one rep) to exhaustion?
>
> > I can't seem to find an answer to this rather basic question anywhere.
>
> > Mark
>
> Specificity of training: your training dictates your abilities.
>
> What are your goals?
>
> I think you're getting caught up on "rocket science" and missing the
> forest for the trees. Heck, I'm not even sure what you're question is
> -- that's me missing the forest for all your trees.
>
> If you're asking whether it's normal for capabilities to drop
> precipitously, yes, yes it is, particularly when working to failure
>
> But listen to your body: what does it want to do?
>
> If it really wants to lift, let it.
>
> I like putting on heavy poundage, and I like doing many reps and sets,
> too. I'm on-track to reclaim my personal best of 315 on the bench
> press soon, and will explore new territory as I try for 405 by the end
> of next year. And my plan is simply to lift what I would like. Some
> days I warm up with 135-lbs., other days it's 225-lbs. Sometimes I
> give it my all (going to exhaustion), other times I just sort of go
> through the motions, so to speak, just to "remind" my muscles what
> some weight feels like and to keep them on track...nothing very
> scientific, and perhaps it's slower than what it could be, but I enjoy
> the sheer act of exercising, and not just its results.
>
> So, anyway, not to get preachy on you or anything: just lift. Enjoy.
> Repeat.

I hear ya'. And it's pretty much what I do. But you know, every once
in awhile,
that "anal retentive demon" gets to me and says, "hey, how about some
rocket science!" ya' know?

So, like I said in an earlier post --

If I look at a formula for a recommended training method, it USUALLY
does NOT
say "do this to exhaustion", but rather, something like "8 x 50% max".
So my
conclusion is that either the numbers are intended to be REALLY rough,
or most
folks don't lift to exhaustion in every set, or even any set EXCEPT
the last.
But we all know that "that last rep is supposed to be nearly
impossible", so...
which is it?

Thx for the response, BTW, for my otherwise pretty boring question!

(Seems like ever 5-10 years I have to retread this same territory, but
you never know...)

Mark

On Jul 26, 8:09 am, "Richard (the original)" <Vidasdu...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> gmark wrote:
> > I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> > failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> > 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> > singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> > exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> > lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
>
> > Is this common? Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> > like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> > failure? Or is the goal in powerlifting -- increasing the poundage in
> > any particular lift -- to NOT exercise to exhaustion EXCEPT in the
> > last set for a max single?
>
> > Is my working every set to exhaustion killing my max? Obviously
> > everyone is different to some degree, but is a workout to increase
> > one's max single lift so very mutually exclusive with general fitness
> > or stamina workout that I should NEVER work a set to exhaustion EXCEPT
> > when I'm at the end of a workout? Or perhaps NEVER work a set to
> > exhaustion except, say, once a week or so?
>
> > The recommendations of some to work out every set to exhaustion never
> > seem to be mentioned when folks are describing powerlifting routines.
> > Only these rigid 8-6-4-2-1 or pyramid routines. So am I to assume that
> > they really DON'T assume that any set but the last (or the middle
> > maximum in a pyramid routine) is a set (of one rep) to exhaustion?
>
> > I can't seem to find an answer to this rather basic question anywhere.
>
> > Mark
>
> That's because you're too tired to type in 'failure' and '1RM' into the
> little google groups search box and come up with this reading list that
> should keep you off the streets and out of the gym for a few days:
Yeah, that must be it.

I've been reading stuff about this for going on 45 years now, and
there's
so dang must "information" that it's hard to wade through it all and
get a
straight answer. I'm simply asking what folks experience has been to
increase
a lift. There's no way the minimal poundages at the beginning of a
routine
can exhaust me, or for that matter, everyone, based on the figures
given. The
logical conclusion is that "8x50%" must either be wrong or a wild
approximation,
or that the set is not intended to cause exhaustion.

So do you have an answer or opinion, or do you just ignore the advice
literature
and go your own way? Which is fine, I guess, but man... there is a LOT
of crap
written out there, and it seems it's largely self-contradictory.

Now, if it's that way because "everybody's different", fine. But that
just means
that an even larger percentage of the stuff is, essentially, "of
marginal value".

Mark
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/misc....rch?group=misc...

"gmark" <gmark@svs.com> schreef:

> I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
'
Rest longer in between sets.

> Is this common?

Yes.

Most people go to fast...

> Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> failure?

If you work your way up to a 1RM max. i would skip the sets going to
failure.

--
Pete

On Jul 26, 3:39 pm, gmark <gm...@svs.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> I hear ya'. And it's pretty much what I do. But you know, every once
> in awhile,
> that "anal retentive demon" gets to me and says, "hey, how about some
> rocket science!" ya' know?

Yeah, I read the muscle mags at the store, too! I chuckle every month
over Ironman's "x-rep" routine or "d.c. routine" or whatever flavor
they happen to be testing out. I swear, it's like reading the
horoscopes...could mean anything, apply to anyone!

> So, like I said in an earlier post --
>
> If I look at a formula for a recommended training method, it USUALLY
> does NOT
> say "do this to exhaustion", but rather, something like "8 x 50% max".
> So my
> conclusion is that either the numbers are intended to be REALLY rough,
> or most
> folks don't lift to exhaustion in every set, or even any set EXCEPT
> the last.

Who knows -- maybe there's some kinda legal liability issue we don't
know about that's making them pull out such numbers.

I think these routines are like the horoscopes -- for entertainment
purposes only. I seriously mean that. They're a helpful way to think
about your own workouts, but not to be taken literally...kinda like if
you call your sweetheart a rose, she shouldn't get super-feminist on
you and getting offended that you think she has the IQ of a wallflower
or something....

> But we all know that "that last rep is supposed to be nearly
> impossible", so...
> which is it?

Don't forget that their readership ranges from young teens to old
geezers...they might also be deliberately vague and ambiguous for that
reason....

> Thx for the response, BTW, for my otherwise pretty boring question!

Not at all -- it's one of the fundamental questions of strength
training, a FAQ-type question that isn't addressed enough. We can all
stand a good reminder, I think, when confronted with all the hype
about this routine or that routine...the ancient Greeks developed
great physiques without fussing about reps and percentages.

> (Seems like ever 5-10 years I have to retread this same territory, but
> you never know...)

Indeed, there's always a sense that some great big secret is out there
and everybody else knows it except we ourselves! Just human nature --
curiosity. It's one of the great advantages of our species, that we
question and re-think things. And you're right: I myself had written
off nutritional supplementation, having done very well without it, but
now that I'm 35 and starting to feel "vulnerable" I'm looking into all
kinds of "esoterica" and have found some of that stuff to be true --
perhaps (going by the studies cited, anyway; I'm putting together a
"diet" right now and will try it out soon to see)...so it could be
good to keep poking to see if that possum's really dead!

> Mark

gmark wrote:
> On Jul 26, 8:09 am, "Richard (the original)" <Vidasdu...@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>>Snipped<<
>
> I've been reading stuff about this for going on 45 years now, and
> there's
> so dang must "information" that it's hard to wade through it all and
> get a
> straight answer. I'm simply asking what folks experience has been to
> increase
> a lift. There's no way the minimal poundages at the beginning of a
> routine
> can exhaust me, or for that matter, everyone, based on the figures
> given. The
> logical conclusion is that "8x50%" must either be wrong or a wild
> approximation,
> or that the set is not intended to cause exhaustion.
>
> So do you have an answer or opinion, or do you just ignore the advice
> literature
> and go your own way? Which is fine, I guess, but man... there is a LOT
> of crap
> written out there, and it seems it's largely self-contradictory.
>
> Now, if it's that way because "everybody's different", fine. But that
> just means
> that an even larger percentage of the stuff is, essentially, "of
> marginal value".
>
> Mark
>> http://groups.google.com/group/misc....rch?group=misc...
>
>

Mostly figuring out what works for your schedule, level of fitness, age,
lifestyle, etc., is what it takes. 8X50% might be enough if someone
(like a lot of the gym rats I see) don't have any kind of systematic
approach to training starting with simply recording their lifts from one
day to the next. They instead pound set after set of moderate weights
8-12 times and never try a heavy lift (as evidenced by the sloppy form,
i.e., slinging and overall lack of definition and/or size).

But for starters you might search this group for posts by Hobbes if
you're looking to build strength.

HTH

On Jul 27, 8:11 am, "Pete" <phouts...@wanadoo.nl> wrote:
> "gmark" <gm...@svs.com> schreef:
>
> > I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> > failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> > 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> > singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> > exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> > lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
>
> '
> Rest longer in between sets.
>
> > Is this common?
>
> Yes.
>
> Most people go to fast...
>
> > Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> > like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> > failure?
>
> If you work your way up to a 1RM max. i would skip the sets going to
> failure.
>
> --
> Pete

Thanks, Pete! Now, are you recommending using the formulas more-or-
less
as they are -- i. e., say, 60% x 8, just stopping at the 8 rather than
to
failure? Almost like an extended warm-up until the last failure (1RM)
set?
Have you had success with that, if so?

Mark

gmark wrote:
> On Jul 27, 8:11 am, "Pete" <phouts...@wanadoo.nl> wrote:
>> "gmark" <gm...@svs.com> schreef:
>>
>>> I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
>>> failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
>>> 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
>>> singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
>>> exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
>>> lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
>> '
>> Rest longer in between sets.
>>
>>> Is this common?
>> Yes.
>>
>> Most people go to fast...
>>
>>> Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
>>> like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
>>> failure?
>> If you work your way up to a 1RM max. i would skip the sets going to
>> failure.
>>
>> --
>> Pete
>
> Thanks, Pete! Now, are you recommending using the formulas more-or-
> less
> as they are -- i. e., say, 60% x 8, just stopping at the 8 rather than
> to
> failure? Almost like an extended warm-up until the last failure (1RM)
> set?
> Have you had success with that, if so?
>
> Mark
>
He juices, legally.

Now, do you plan to do yourself?

Richard

On Jul 28, 9:07 pm, "Richard (the original)" <Vidasdu...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> gmark wrote:
> > On Jul 27, 8:11 am, "Pete" <phouts...@wanadoo.nl> wrote:
> >> "gmark" <gm...@svs.com> schreef:
>
> >>> I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> >>> failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> >>> 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> >>> singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> >>> exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> >>> lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
> >> '
> >> Rest longer in between sets.
>
> >>> Is this common?
> >> Yes.
>
> >> Most people go to fast...
>
> >>> Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> >>> like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> >>> failure?
> >> If you work your way up to a 1RM max. i would skip the sets going to
> >> failure.
>
> >> --
> >> Pete
>
> > Thanks, Pete! Now, are you recommending using the formulas more-or-
> > less
> > as they are -- i. e., say, 60% x 8, just stopping at the 8 rather than
> > to
> > failure? Almost like an extended warm-up until the last failure (1RM)
> > set?
> > Have you had success with that, if so?
>
> > Mark
>
> He juices, legally.
>
> Now, do you plan to do yourself?
>
> Richard

No -- chances are, there's a lot of room for improvement in what I
do now. Like I said, every 5 years or so, I get the bug to look
into it again. One thing I find is that I no longer heal every
48 hours after all lifts, and I'm still sore after two days if
I get some brain-fart that causes me to get really enthusiastic
about some particular body part. I did some heavy squats (for me)
on Wednesday, and I still had a little soreness in my outer hip
adductors -- whatever they are -- and I finally figured, "Hey -
that might mean 'don't do that again for a couple days, idiot!'"
I got the first signs of that after I passed 40, and closing in
on 55, I've wised up a bit and sometimes skip a movement I'm
still a bit sore from after 2 days. Still have a bug to get
back even the next day, but I'm realizing that more work does
not necessarily equal more progress.

Mark

On Jul 28, 9:07 pm, "Richard (the original)" <Vidasdu...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> gmark wrote:
> > On Jul 27, 8:11 am, "Pete" <phouts...@wanadoo.nl> wrote:
> >> "gmark" <gm...@svs.com> schreef:
>
> >>> I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> >>> failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> >>> 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> >>> singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> >>> exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> >>> lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
> >> '
> >> Rest longer in between sets.
>
> >>> Is this common?
> >> Yes.
>
> >> Most people go to fast...
>
> >>> Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> >>> like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> >>> failure?
> >> If you work your way up to a 1RM max. i would skip the sets going to
> >> failure.
>
> >> --
> >> Pete
>
> > Thanks, Pete! Now, are you recommending using the formulas more-or-
> > less
> > as they are -- i. e., say, 60% x 8, just stopping at the 8 rather than
> > to
> > failure? Almost like an extended warm-up until the last failure (1RM)
> > set?
> > Have you had success with that, if so?
>
> > Mark
>
> He juices, legally.
>
> Now, do you plan to do yourself?
>
> Richard

As a matter of fact -- how do you juice "legally"? Aren't the various
supplements basically in two groups -- 1) adding to the stuff you
already
need, like protein, and 2) BS, hype, and placebo? Or were you
kidding?
Or (most likely) I've stepped into the raging supplement debate again
this
decade :-)

Mark

On Jul 29, 2:02 pm, gmark <gm...@svs.com> wrote:
> On Jul 28, 9:07 pm, "Richard (the original)" <Vidasdu...@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > gmark wrote:
> > > On Jul 27, 8:11 am, "Pete" <phouts...@wanadoo.nl> wrote:
> > >> "gmark" <gm...@svs.com> schreef:
>
> > >>> I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> > >>> failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> > >>> 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> > >>> singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> > >>> exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> > >>> lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
> > >> '
> > >> Rest longer in between sets.
>
> > >>> Is this common?
> > >> Yes.
>
> > >> Most people go to fast...
>
> > >>> Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> > >>> like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> > >>> failure?
> > >> If you work your way up to a 1RM max. i would skip the sets going to
> > >> failure.
>
> > >> --
> > >> Pete
>
> > > Thanks, Pete! Now, are you recommending using the formulas more-or-
> > > less
> > > as they are -- i. e., say, 60% x 8, just stopping at the 8 rather than
> > > to
> > > failure? Almost like an extended warm-up until the last failure (1RM)
> > > set?
> > > Have you had success with that, if so?
>
> > > Mark
>
> > He juices, legally.
>
> > Now, do you plan to do yourself?
>
> > Richard
>
> As a matter of fact -- how do you juice "legally"? Aren't the various
> supplements basically in two groups -- 1) adding to the stuff you
> already
> need, like protein, and 2) BS, hype, and placebo? Or were you
> kidding?
> Or (most likely) I've stepped into the raging supplement debate again
> this
> decade :-)
>
> Mark

Well it helps if you live in the Netherlands, where, according to
Pete, the juice runs down the streets in gutters, free for the taking,
along with all the well booty endowed young lasses.

Sigh.

We live in such a hypocritical country run by fatuous fools. At least
I didn't vote for Wanker and Charnalhouse Cheney (this time).

On Jul 26, 11:14 am, gmark <gm...@svs.com> wrote:
> I've been lifting for a long time. I've generally always lifted to
> failure in each set. I've always seen typical formulas of, say, 1x8 @
> 60% max, 1x6 @ 70% max, 1x4 @ 80%, etc., etc., until some max
> singles. In general, at 60% max, 8 reps won't get me close to
> exhaustion. And after 80%, my max single is going to be plenty low --
> lower than 90% of my rested max, for sure.
>
> Is this common? Are these workout formulas really general, so folks
> like me would change the percentages and reps so that each set was to
> failure? Or is the goal in powerlifting -- increasing the poundage in
> any particular lift -- to NOT exercise to exhaustion EXCEPT in the
> last set for a max single?
>
> Is my working every set to exhaustion killing my max? Obviously
> everyone is different to some degree, but is a workout to increase
> one's max single lift so very mutually exclusive with general fitness
> or stamina workout that I should NEVER work a set to exhaustion EXCEPT
> when I'm at the end of a workout? Or perhaps NEVER work a set to
> exhaustion except, say, once a week or so?
>
> The recommendations of some to work out every set to exhaustion never
> seem to be mentioned when folks are describing powerlifting routines.
> Only these rigid 8-6-4-2-1 or pyramid routines. So am I to assume that
> they really DON'T assume that any set but the last (or the middle
> maximum in a pyramid routine) is a set (of one rep) to exhaustion?
>
> I can't seem to find an answer to this rather basic question anywhere.
>
> Mark

"Just lift some weights" - that is not my reply, which is not
credible, but the reply of some hot show pro power lifter. Don't make
this a physics experiment. Just go into the gym and lift some weights,
and train hard. But be sensible about your training (i.e. don't
OVERTRAIN).