Describing the "high weight low rep" burn out

[BFGUITAR]

When doing high reps, we know when we've worked our muscle. We can feel the burning sensation, our muscle has the pump. Eventually if you keep going you cannot do any more.

When doing low reps high weight, our muscles react differently. I am trying to describe what it is. For me, it feels like my muscles are weak and depleted. There is no pump, but they just feel tired in a sense. After a PR squat my legs feel worked but not in the same sense as high reps.

How would you describe it?

[Jorge Sanchez]

Sometimes, if I really push myself, my hearing goes a bit, and I feel dizzy/light.

[youngguns]

after my 5x5 for squats today on the drive home it felt like my brain was being pushed inwards, hard feeling to describe.

[BFGUITAR]

Sometimes, if I really push myself, my hearing goes a bit, and I feel dizzy/light.

That's due to lack of oxygen, im talking more about muscle fatigue.

But in terms of general feeling, your not far off.
High weight=dizzy
High reps= puke!

[Keith]

Sometimes, if I really push myself, my hearing goes a bit, and I feel dizzy/light.

I get those two feelings everytime I squat and deadlift.

[MPB]

I get the same feeling whether I do high or low reps. Some muscle groups will get a HUGE pump regardless of how many reps I'm doing. I guess that's just me, though. The only difference I really feel is the recovery rate between each set.

[Klotz]

It's more like your nervous system fails. I feel like a shell or husk, deflated like you said.

[BFGUITAR]

It's more like your nervous system fails. I feel like a shell or husk, deflated like you said.

Yes! Like a shell. I like it.

[powerboy93]

when I am doing a high weight bench I feel like my heads gonna blow up also my neck gets really stiff. my muscles feel tired but not really "pumped"

[drew]

Lifting higher weight for fewer reps is using a different energy system than low weight/high reps. You're relying primarily on ATP/CP when talking about a max lift. This lasts about 10 seconds, then you are talking about anaerobic energy which is mainly used in bodybuilding (when talking about weightlifting) and lasts about 2-5 minutes. After this point, you're relying mainly on aerobic energy for endurance; this (in conjunction with the anaerobic) is the energy system being used when you get into higher reps.

This is why the feeling is different. Different energy pathways, different feelings.

Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks.

[AJ_H]

For me its not so much higher reps, its isolation moves: e.g. the biceps will feel 'pumped' during a curl but not so much during a pull-up. Of course, I don't say a curl is better. The chest will never feel pumped because the triceps are usually involved (except flies which I don't do anyway). However I can feel a pump in the glutes and hams during good mornings so its only really a rule of thumb. During the compound lifts, I feel more fatigued but pumped rarely comes into the equations.

[rbtrout]

Heavy deads or squats - after the heaviest set, last rep - feel like I'm going to shoot a testicle across the room, so if you hear a loud "ping", duck or I'll shoot your eye out. Once finished, light-headed and needing oxygen; dizzy because of it. Pulse rate as high as 170; I run to the bathroom to puke. Head pounding so hard I think everyone can hear my heart beating. I feel my pulse in my feet. Try to sit down to catch my breath, but instead of a controlled motion of sitting, I basically fall onto the bench I've got setting there. My muscles so worn out and tired, they just feel completely empty. No gas in the tank; at all. Go to stand up, but I'm wobbly because my legs/back feel like they can't even move. Spend the next 5 minutes just unloading the bar because I'm still huffing and puffing to get oxygen. No pump, just complete and utter exhaustion.

Then I move on and go to the next exercise.....and dig deep to get it done.

[brihead301]

After I'm done lifting for a day, I am BEAT THE F*** UP!!!!

My hands are too tired to make a fist. It takes effort to get my ass up off the couch and over to the fridge to get a beer.

When I used to do the high rep training, I didn't get that extreme fatigued feeling that I do now. Heavy training really takes a toll on your body (in a good way though).

F*** that pump, I'll take the ass-whooped feeling any day.

[rbtrout]

While you're at the fridge, get me a beer, too, please.

My sentiments exactly - F*** the pump, I'll take the ass-whooped feeling any day.
Every workout I open up a can of whoop-ass on myself.

[Balbumperchunk]

I was thinking about this the other day and considered starting a topic like this so good for you for doing it.

I read recently (in John Little's Advanced Max Contraction book) about how very intense training depletes the system. Especially if you do static holds in the maximum contraction position, which I started doing over the last 2 weeks. Not only am I drained after each workout, I'm actually drained for several days thereafter. I'm having to reduce working out now to once every 4 or 5 days. I have to give each body part over a week's rest, sometimes 9 days just to have gains in strength. I never had this with the lower weight, higher rep. And the lower weight, higher rep never gave me the strength and mass gains I've got now.

Whle my body is repairing itself, I actually feel some chemical changes going on. It was a little freaky at first. I really like when the adaptation cycle starts many days later and and I wake up one morning feeling stronger and looking noticably bigger in the mirror.

Exhaustion is the right word.

[AJ_H]

After I'm done lifting for a day, I am BEAT THE F*** UP!!!!

My hands are too tired to make a fist. It takes effort to get my ass up off the couch and over to the fridge to get a beer.

When I used to do the high rep training, I didn't get that extreme fatigued feeling that I do now. Heavy training really takes a toll on your body (in a good way though).

F*** that pump, I'll take the ass-whooped feeling any day.

precisely my thoughts