What is the point?

[rickerred]

Question.... What is the point of loading on a ton of weight on the bar and only doing 10 reps moving the bar 2 or 3 inches. Example At the gym a guy loaded 10 plates per side on the leg press machine did 3x10 reps only moving the weight 4 -5 inches at most. Does this accomplish anything?

[steve_d]

Honestly, I think it accomplishes something...but for the typical person who does this type of thing, they could be accomplishing way more by getting some more range of motion. There are select few who actually benefit from shorter range of motion. These types are looking to improve specific points of their lift. EX. bench pressing to 3 boars, deadlifting off a rack, squating only to about 18 inches depth. I would guess this is not what the guy was going though :)

[Talo]

Over load the CNS. Not done all the time , but has it's benefits - As Steven mentioned it's used in many different ways not just squatting.

[Frostbite]

I've seen a guy do something similar at my local gym too. This guy though would break a bicep curl into two separate parts though. Kind of like partial reps. Than do ten reps for each. Kind of seemed pointless to me. Why not just do the whole rep at once?

[TT Eric]

'Curl 21' was popular 25 years ago in my gym, 7 curls from bottom to mid, 7 curl from mid to up top position and ended with 7 full curl at the end of the training, give a good pump.

Do you guys go 90+ degree with your knees (like full squat) on the leg press 45 ?

I always went low, making sure the knees are bent enough, but I often see those big bodybuilders with 20+ plates doing partial reps... it feel to me they leave some results on the table for the showing off...

Eric

[JonnyO]

On the leg press, I'd say pointless and he was training his ego more than anything.

[steve_d]

I've seen a guy do something similar at my local gym too. This guy though would break a bicep curl into two separate parts though. Kind of like partial reps. Than do ten reps for each. Kind of seemed pointless to me. Why not just do the whole rep at once?

Another movement that can have its advantages...Honestly, my motto is there is no such thing as a BAD exercise - as long as you are doing it in such a way that has minimal risk of injury.

[cog]

Apparently Coleman would sometimes do limited range leg press?If you apply a strict rule of the knees not moving ahead of the shins you don't get too much ROM.If we look at what kind of weight people can pile on the leg press,most people can surpass their adjusted squat poundage.Your average light duty leg press holds 720x.707=509 lbs.Jonnys 1200x.707=848...Paul Anderson liked overloading the CNS.

[rickerred]

Thanks for all the input, just looked weird all kinds of weight little movement.

[JacktheThriller]

No problems with overloading CNS but this training does nothing if done every time. Trainers seem to be teaching this pussy rep range to all clients so their clients can always lift more. YEA LOOK AT YOUR PROGRESS!!!! YOU MONSTER!! Are those 15 inch chubby thighs I see. Coochee coochee coo

[amkawi]

I can't go extremely deep on leg press ever since I damaged my knees pretty bad from a motorcycle accident years ago. People usually understand when they see the nasty scars on my knees.. haha

[#8]

was this guy wearing a skin tight under armour shirt by any chance or tap out clothing while he did it?

to the ELITE lifter or athlete this stuff probably has its place, i guarantee this guy was neither. people like to cool in the gym.

[JacktheThriller]

yes a shadow boxer lol

[RagingRandy]

There is a couple big guys at my gym that drop less on squats as the weight goes up. Not sure if this is by design or ego training. I have been trying to find a way to ask without seeming judgmental as I believe partials are useless unless for very specific purposes.. For instance, the Dr. Squat routine includes 120% overloads. Which is simply unracking and reracking. From what I have read this is to get the CNS used to holding that kind of weight.

Edit for clarity.....

[cog]

Paul Anderson could unrack huge loads one inch.

[steve_d]

There is a couple big guys at my gym that drop lower on squats as the weight goes up. Not sure if this is by design or ego training. I have been trying to find a way to ask without seeming judgmental as I believe partials are useless unless for very specific purposes.. For instance, the Dr. Squat routine includes 120% overloads. Which is simply unracking and reracking. From what I have read this is to get the CNS used to holding that kind of weight.

I am the opposite. I progressively get deeper as the weight goes up...In fact, when I first get into the gym, I don't think I CAN get below parallel with a plate. I really need to properly warm up before I can get deep. And I feel stronger with each warm up. Perhaps this is part of the problem...people aren't adequately warming up (I rarely see people do proper warm ups), and therefore jumping right into the heavier sets they really can't push themselves to go deep or proper range of motion. And at the end of the day, if someone bugs them about range of motion they will reply "I havve limitted flexibility and I can't bench to my chest, or I can't squat past this depth because of my knees", and so on....

The fact is, there isn't a tun of people in your average gym that are knowledgable about training. So you are bound to spot bad technique on a day to day basis. Even most so called "trainers" don't know right from wrong...but usually its not their fault - they simply learned the wrong way was the right way...

[cog]

Just curious Steve,do you perform stretching exercises for your squat and can you do an overhead squat?