Rest pause is such a perfect teacher of failure.
Do as many as you can.
Oh, you can’t do any more? Well do more anyways.
Now do it again.
Watching reps performed drop from like 20 down to 5 in a matter of a minute or two is quite humbling. But not so humbling as when you realize you have to add at least one rep next time you train.
Is JP Full Body supposed to be done to failure?
Or do you just keep solid technique and do 1 more rep/5 more pounds than last time?
Every session the set is taken to failure.
-Log weight and reps
-Next session progress by either adding weight, reps or both.
I haven’t read it in a while but i think its technical failure not failure failure (if that makes sense).
@Andrewgen_Receptors and @rugby_lifting how long do these JP sessions take in the gym including warm ups?
Depends which training split you do. For me, i got 45-1hr 15min on PPL but Full Body typically took 90-120mins, machine availability pending.
I like it overall, big fan of form or technical failure vs the grinding total muscular failure most people associate going “to failure” with.
Johnny-Come-Lately Here: I see specific exercises for chest, back, and delts. And then, it says “Biceps Work” and “Triceps Work” (same thing for Calves). Are the arms done differently?
P.S. The idea of 10% for the dropoff set is off. If, after an all-out set of 6-9 reps, you rest and then only drop the weight 10%, you will wind up with about the same number of reps as the 1st set — maybe even less. I would drop the weight 20-25% for that 2nd set. Caveat: I am only resting 1 minute for most exercises, except probably squats or deads…
If you’re training for +1s on every exercise every session, 1 minute rest isn’t ideal (it isn’t ideal for this style of training at all really - it’s almost like adding a super long res-pause or trying to increase density on a low volume program). Resting for 3-5 minutes will allow you to hit a slightly higher rep range most of the time.
…or maybe my assumption of JP principles has been wrong all this time.
No, you are correct. He alludes to this in his training videos…Not explicitly, but he and his wife are shown taking long rest breaks. With my time and my schedule – and frankly my ants-in-the-pants manner – 3-5 min rests just are not going to happen. I realize the strength gains will be somewhat (to greatly) reduced.
I’ve spent 20+ years resting 15-30 secs between sets of an exercise. 1 min is practically a lunch break for me! But seriously, I do realize what I am doing by not taking the full 3-5. However, I will try it next workout and then see if I can do 10-12 reps with only a 10% drop.
JP actually details the rest periods in his programme so just follow those.