Repetition effort

[ThomasG]

Ok first off is it Repetition effort or repeated effort because I hear both terms getting tossed around.

Now, what is repetition effort? I've seen it prescribed several ways. For example

4x8-12-Joe Defrancos WS4SB

Timed movements such as Squats/Bench 225x3:00

Or pick a weight that you can do for a triple for multiple sets like 5x3


If any westside gurus could chime I'd appreciate it thanks!

[AdamBAG]

My interpretation is this: If you aren't doing max effort or dynamic effort then whatever you are doing is repetition effort. Also, there are many ways to do RE work: Defranco's style, timed sets (as you see Louie talk about a lot), 5 sets of 10, etc.

I have always thought of all assistance work being "repetition effort" work.

In the scheme of things it doesn't really matter...

[gmen5681]

im no westside guru at all. but i did do a timed squat set today. went 2 mins with 135 (30% 1RM). it was horrible. definitely great for conditioning though. i will probably do it every 4-5 weeks or something on a DE day. i don't think it would be considered a ME type of workout, i never hit a muscle failure i was just winded and sort of wanted to die. i didn't count but i did 25-30 reps in the 2 mins.

[danki]

"2. Lifting a maximal load to failure; during the final repetitions the muscles develop maximum force possible in a fatigued state- that is, the [B]repeated effort method.[B]" (zatsiorsky, kraemer)

They go on to explain "submaximal effort" vs. "repeated effort". Basically submaximal effort might be something like 8-10 reps with a 12RM while repeated effort would be 12 reps with a 12 RM...

This is the textbook definition though, and its different than Ive seen it being used by others in the field.

I beleive Defranco uses it in a similar manner, but basically say something like pick a certain weight dumbell and do three sets of AMRAP. Or, do similar to bodybuilding type stuff and do 4x8-12.


And the way Ive seen the Westside guys mention it, is more longer duration times sets (up to 3 minutes) more for recovery and blood flow. BUT, I also see it suggested often that beginners might want to switch RE work in for DE work, and I doubt they are suggesting these long sets. I think they are probably using it interchangably with the "submaximal effort" method, or just plain "hypertrophy work".

Hope this helps.

[jbrin0tk]

"2. Lifting a maximal load to failure; during the final repetitions the muscles develop maximum force possible in a fatigued state- that is, the [B]repeated effort method.[B]" (zatsiorsky, kraemer)

They go on to explain "submaximal effort" vs. "repeated effort". Basically submaximal effort might be something like 8-10 reps with a 12RM while repeated effort would be 12 reps with a 12 RM...

This is the textbook definition though, and its different than Ive seen it being used by others in the field.

I beleive Defranco uses it in a similar manner, but basically say something like pick a certain weight dumbell and do three sets of AMRAP. Or, do similar to bodybuilding type stuff and do 4x8-12.


And the way Ive seen the Westside guys mention it, is more longer duration times sets (up to 3 minutes) more for recovery and blood flow. BUT, I also see it suggested often that beginners might want to switch RE work in for DE work, and I doubt they are suggesting these long sets. I think they are probably using it interchangably with the "submaximal effort" method, or just plain "hypertrophy work".

Hope this helps.


This is what I was going to say. Zatsiorsky's definition calls them two different things (submaximal effort vs. repeated effort).

I think most people refer to the submaximal effort method because they are generally talking about doing reps but not going to failure.

Repeated effort method would be more like your 5 x 3 example, if you think you would fail after the third rep.

But yeah, typically when people refer to the RE method, they are talking about doing multiple reps with a weight, kind of like Defranco's example.

[danki]

Ya, I think Zatsiorsky pretty much implies that unless you are training ME, or DE, then sets of 5-10 repetitions are the best as far as hypertrophy goes. His example, is that sets of 10 with a 12 RM would be SE, while sets of 10 with a 10RM would be RE.

So really there isn't that big of a difference, just a few reps and failure. The way defranco is using RE is pretty similar, but still different, and the way Louie uses it is completely different.

Its all very confusing.

I guess the moral of this, is to know what you are trying to accomplish and not worry too much about what your method is called.