Thoughts on whats effective

[jminis]

Okay I'm looking for thoughts and opinions on the subject. I'm going to use today as an example. I did Back today and I noticed that I really felt seated rows and Freemotion lat pulldowns in the target areas. When I mean I felt it I mean I felt it dead on the muslce in which I was focusing on.

If this is the case do you feel it's beneficial to just rock out like 6-8sets of those two exercises or do the traditional 3 sets and move on eventually doing 5 or so exercises even though those other exercises you don't really feel much isolation instead just multiple muscles coming into play?

Also keep in mind that this changes, some days I feel these exercises and some days it might be a bent over bb rows ect.... So it's not like I would do the same two exercises every back workout.

What do you think AM?

[Travis]

I've always wondered this as well. My experience with certain lifts seem to be the same.

In my mind it would be better to do the lifts that are really hitting the muscle your aiming for, but I dont think that is standard practice.

I still think those lifts that are using multiple muscles are beneficial for size. Good question though...

[beebab]

i would say just do whatever you feel like doing on any given day. lifting for hypertrophic purposes is primarily about stimulating the muscles with a tight contraction. it's beneficial to go heavy-compound every now and then, especially if your goals are more powerlifting-related, but generally speaking if you're hitting the muscle thoroughly and you feel/ squeeze the contraction then your workout will definitely be productive. i guess it ultimately depends on your individual goals, though.

[jminis]

Thanks for the feedback. I"m not into powerlifting i'm more of a bodybuilder so i'm really all about isolating and developing my muscles. It just makes me wonder whats best, some say listen to your body why others are more methodical in there approach. I do notice that when I stick with the exercises I'm really feeling I def feel it a lot more the next day. More hypertrophy?

More thoughts? Experiences?

[beebab]

Thanks for the feedback. I"m not into powerlifting i'm more of a bodybuilder so i'm really all about isolating and developing my muscles. It just makes me wonder whats best, some say listen to your body why others are more methodical in there approach. I do notice that when I stick with the exercises I'm really feeling I def feel it a lot more the next day. More hypertrophy?

More thoughts? Experiences?

it's not such a bad thing to be methodical. i often follow different training protocols, but i don't follow them to a T. in my training i often take the essential elements of different training styles and apply them to my own custom program. i go by feel each day and do whichever exercises i feel will most benefit me mentally and physically each day. i always change things up and alternate volume, but keep intensity constantly high. i prefer to follow HIT principles; i utilize rest-pause, dropsets, supersets, multiple rep sets, extreme stretches, etc. i've experimented with GVT and DC training. all my workouts are always under an hour and with every rep i emphasize the contraction and feel the rep, even with the heavier weights.
it's all about learning your body and understanding what works best for you. i still haven't completely discovered my body but i'm working dutifully at reaching that end.

[jerm]

Just because you don't "feel the burn" doesn't mean you're not getting a good workout. Upping your sets to 6-8 likely won't do anything productive except tire you out. Put more weight on. Decrease your rest time. The longer you are in the gym, the more cortisol your body will release.
Stop doing rows and machines. Start doing wide-grip pull-ups, overhanded.
Do them until you can use a belt and knock out sets of 12.

[Rodja]

Thanks for the feedback. I"m not into powerlifting i'm more of a bodybuilder so i'm really all about isolating and developing my muscles. It just makes me wonder whats best, some say listen to your body why others are more methodical in there approach. I do notice that when I stick with the exercises I'm really feeling I def feel it a lot more the next day. More hypertrophy?

More thoughts? Experiences?

Better tension on the muscle for longer periods of time. There is nothing that is set in stone that says only this and this lift work. Learning what works best for you is a huge battle and I say to go for it. Incorporate other exercises in your routine, but there is no harm in making these 2 lifts your base.

[jminis]

Thanks for the input fella's. Keep in mind the exercises that I feel change. Yesterday it just happened to be two "machines". Some days it's my wide grip pullups or maybe db rows. What I'm saying is if your feeling a certain exercise on that day do you all think it's a good idea to just pound those out? I guess no one can give a yes or a no as everyone is different I'm just trying to see what people out there are doing?

[natedogg]

I'm actually the same way J. I hardly ever go into the gym anymore with an idea of what I'll be doing. I usually think about it when I'm doing my warm-up cardio. lol. It just depends on how I feel and what sounds good at that given time. I'm usually doing something different every workout (for the most part). Maybe that's why I'm pretty strong at most exercises, but not super strong at any one particular exercise. Also, I tend to stick to 2 to 4 exercises depending on the size of the bodypart. Catch my drift?

[jminis]

I hear ya brother. I've played sports all my life and I've always been a "feel" player so it doesn't surprise me that I would be that way in my weight training. As I get older I'm learning to listen to my body more instead of sticking to my weight training journal to a T. My body doesn't give a $hit about my journal, LOL