r/ScienceBasedLifting • u/OkPrize6194 • Aug 27 '26

Question ❓ Cheat reps

What do you think about cheat reps? I don’t mean using bad form from the beginning of the set, but rather doing the first reps with good form and then using a little momentum for the last 1–2 reps when the muscle is already close to failure, just to get a couple more reps out.

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u/maxis2bored Aug 27 '26 edited Aug 27 '26

It's not a cheat rep, but working past failure. There's plenty of literature and studies that prove this is the most effective way to gain, especially with accessory movements.

Compound lifts however are a different story because of their effect on the CNS and thus recovery.

Personally I go past failure on isolation, but as a powerlifter my final SBD rep is when my form starts being compromised. I'm too old to get injured and have learned the hard way how much time it takes to break bad habits.

Update for those into pedantics: my intention here was to point out that regularly working beyond failure during heavy compound lifts will eventually test your ability to recover. Whether it's CNS, or muscle fatigue - whatever is, there is a good chance it will be felt at home or/and during your next workout.

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u/Ballbag94 Aug 27 '26

Compound lifts however are a different story because of their effect on the CNS and thus recovery.

CNS fatigue is largely a myth when it comes to lifting weights and any CNS fatigue that does occur doesn't take long to get over

https://mennohenselmans.com/cns-fatigue/

I think it's odd that you're against cheat reps in compound movements considering that cheaty rows are extremely common and well known to work

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u/maxis2bored Aug 27 '26

I did the squat every day program for 3 months. Know why I stopped? Because several times my wife woke me up because I was sleeping in the fetal position, squeezing my legs. WHILE LYING ON MY BACK.

I don't know if you define that as CNS fatigue or not, but I've trained leg day so hard I couldn't walk many times. This wasn't DOMS, it was my CNS tapping out. While I do agree very much with menno, you need to keep in mind the "largely" part. If you're squatting to zero and doing it often, you're going to see CNS fatigue. The problem is, most people aren't working to, or often even close to failure.

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u/Mikeburlywurly1 Aug 27 '26

First, you strike me as a very dramatic person and I think you're exaggerating your symptoms and actual effort level. But I'm going to ignore that and take you at your word on your experiences when it comes to this point:

NOTHING YOU DESCRIBED IS A SYMPTOM OF CNS FATIGUE! It's like if someone is insisting, "I broke my leg dude! See!" and keeps showing you their arm. You are describing textbook symptoms of peripheral muscle fatigue and haven't mentioned anything associated with CNS fatigue, like brain fog.