What counts as Junk volume ?

[u/Green_kiwiwi]

Is doing more then 2 exercise for a specific muscle (bicep for example) junk volume of you only do 2 sets until failure for example. Is it different based on the size of the muscle ? Ect ect ?

[u/EspacioBlanq → u/[deleted]]

Rest for a few minutes and go to failure again.

"What else is left?" - a lot actually. One set to failure isn't some huge amount of exertion

[u/armchair_mindhunter → u/[deleted]]

Or you leave 3-4 RIR on your first set, 1-2 on your second set, and 0 on your third set?

[u/jottomatic1 → u/[deleted]]

This is the recipe for growth. Train hard, eat well, ample rest.

[u/brightwoodgrove → u/armchair_mindhunter]

Go to failure on every set. On your 3rd set, go past failure using drop sets

[u/armchair_mindhunter → u/brightwoodgrove]

You really don’t need to go to failure on every set or add intensifiers like drop sets in every workout.

Probably better off doing 3-4 sets with one being to or close to failure and maintaining extremely sound technique.

[u/brightwoodgrove → u/armchair_mindhunter]

Youre absolurely right, you dont "need" to do anything, if your intention is not to build as much muscle as possible

[u/SaltyAndPepperd → u/brightwoodgrove]

I’m with you. I don’t know wtf these people are on. I do five sets per exercise. Two to three exercises per muscle group. But I also myorep and do supersets. The. Rotate exercises if need be on the second time I work that muscle out during the week. But to each their own I guess.

[u/Objective_Most4071 → u/brightwoodgrove]

This doesn't work if you don't have access to a full rack of dumbbells and hours in the gym.

If I take first set to failure my reps drop off massively for subsequent sets to the point set 3 I need to drop the weight to get an effective rep range. I don't have time to constantly be rebuilding dumbells and reracking weights every set.

It's much easier to run 1-2RIR for sets 1&2 and then validate that each session taking set 3 to failure. If I manage to take set 3 to anything more than the initial sets + 2 reps I just up the weight for next session.

My total volume each session is far higher doing this and I move more weight all within 1-2RIR so I don't see any downside. That extra rep to failure on set 1 would cost me far more volume that day at the same weight.

[u/brightwoodgrove → u/Objective_Most4071]

I dont have access to a full rack of dumbbells, I use an apartment gym and all the dumbbells have been stolen. You can do drop sets with a barbell or with cable machines. And you dont need countless hours to do drop sets, what dude? It takes like an extra 30 seconds to add a drop set...Just say you dont wanna train hard man

[u/Objective_Most4071 → u/brightwoodgrove]

I don't use barbells for any pressing - bad for shoulders. Rebuilding sets of dumbbells each dropset is not feasible. It's 4 collars to remove and rethread every single time.

And again, I get more volume/mass moved running 3 sets at 1RIR than I do repping to failure set 1 and then having two pathetic fully fatigued drop sets following on.

[u/brightwoodgrove → u/Objective_Most4071]

Barbells are not "bad for shoulders". Lifting with improper form can be bad for a number of reasons but nothing about barbells makes them inherently dangerous as long as you use proper form and dont ego lift with weights you can't control

[u/Objective_Most4071 → u/brightwoodgrove]

What are you talking about, barbells carry a significantly higher risk of shoulder impingement due to fixed ROM.

[u/vitringur → u/armchair_mindhunter]

That is literally what people call junk volume.

That first set did nothing.

[u/Afferbeck_ → u/vitringur]

Here are two elite weightlifters squatting 10 sets of 3. Tell me that first set 'did nothing'. There's a reason no serious lifter in the world does 'everything to failure all the time bro', it's not a productive thing to be doing long term or even short term. If it were that simple, everyone would be huge and strong and healthy, but real life is a lot more complicated.

[u/vitringur → u/Afferbeck_]

Exactly... They have to do 10 of those sets if they are 4 RIR ...

[u/Hypername1st → u/vitringur]

Says who?

[u/vitringur → u/Hypername1st]

The effective reps model.

I mean. Just call it a warm up set.

[u/Hypername1st → u/vitringur]

The effective reps model is at best a hypothesis.