hypertrophy I question

[ark]

I have found that 3 sets of 15 is nearly impossible for me. I can do the first set to 15, then the second 12, the third 10. Is it okay or should I use less weight and hit the 3 sets of 15.

[jtnRN]

Is that for every exercise, or just a few (say - deadlift with shrug!)? The general answer is that you should use a weight that allows you to just finish all of the reps, or at least only miss a couple on the last set. I have a confession, though: when I did H1, for the deadlift shrugs I used 135 pounds but I could not do all three sets either. I could lift, but my ability to shrug would end at some point. I would just stop trying to shrug and would continue to deadlift until I hit 15. Each workout I made sure I increased my successful reps. On all of the other exercises though I used a weight that would allow me to complete 3x15.

[ark]

Originally Posted by jtnRN

Is that for every exercise, or just a few (say - deadlift with shrug!)? The general answer is that you should use a weight that allows you to just finish all of the reps, or at least only miss a couple on the last set. I have a confession, though: when I did H1, for the deadlift shrugs I used 135 pounds but I could not do all three sets either. I could lift, but my ability to shrug would end at some point. I would just stop trying to shrug and would continue to deadlift until I hit 15. Each workout I made sure I increased my successful reps. On all of the other exercises though I used a weight that would allow me to complete 3x15.

I was having trouble finishing benchpress 15 times... and that was w/ the bar alone! I'm a wimp! I could do it one time, but then the second was 10 - 12, and the third was 8!

[cdkrug]

What I've done in the past was used used paused sets.

Set 1 15 reps
Set 2 10 reps (pause) 5 reps
Set 3 8 reps (pause) 4 reps (pause) 3 reps

Another alternative is to use a broomstick handle for the last set. A women's Olympic bar is (iirc) 15kg rather than 20kg (45lb-ish) for men, or something like an EZ-curl bar.

You can also switch to dumbbells. Try a pair of 15s. The difficulty stabilizing will make up a bit of the lack of mass. To sub for the close-grip bench now, I'm using dumbs with a neutral grip, keeping my elbows close to the bench, for more tri-involvement.

From what you're saying, you're almost there. I'd keep cracking with the empty bar, breaking up the sets as need be with pauses, but finishing the reps before moving on the the second part of the superset. I'm doing something similar with pullups, using assist bands that ALMOST get me through all the sets, then using jumping negatives to finish out the set.

[MindPower]

I dont think it matters which option you choose, as long as your progressing
in the next workout (either number of reps or weight)
I like to set a minimum and max number of reps (say 10-15) per set, then make sure you can get the 10, but aim for 15, when you can complete all the sets with 15 reps, up the weight and start again.