Is it common to drop 9 reps between the first and last set of an exercise?

[R0nald0]

I find it amazing how my reps can drop so much from fatigue after just a few sets. As an example, in my last triceps workout on db lying extensions my first set was 15 reps and I stopped 1 or 2 reps before failure. Then the second set I could only get 9, then 7 and in the forth set only 6 reps, these last three sets to failure.

[gcoulson]

Shouldn't be that drastic.

What's your rest between sets look like?

Typically see steep drops like that when going to failure though which I avoid.

[S4lm9vvMn]

That can be caused by short rest times. In my experience it also happens when working out smaller muscle groups and when done after compound exercises utilizing the same muscle group.

[WolfRose7]

No...

I drop maybe 9 running a myo rep protocol.
You shouldn't be close to that running straight sets

[R0nald0]

I rest a minute between sets and I do this exercise after performing 16 sets of chest and shoulder exercises.

I was checking my logs and I noticed that this huge drop in reps also happens in some other exercises: DB curls and DB presses.

In my last workout on DB curls I did 15-8-7-7, this was after doing 7 sets or rows. And on DB Press I did 15-11-8-7, and it was the first exercise of the routine.

I do all my sets close to failure to the point that if I wanted to do another rep I would struggle a lot and it would take me like around 5 seconds just doing the concentric, except for the first set where I stop about 2 reps short of failure.

[Galiron]

You could rest more than a minute, especially on compound exercises.

[GeneralSerpant]

So why are setting out to go to failure so often?

Even if you're doing higher frequency it's good to pace so that you can get in necessary volume.

[R0nald0]

So why are setting out to go to failure so often?

Even if you're doing higher frequency it's good to pace so that you can get in necessary volume.

I don't know, I just do as many reps as I can with good form. If when lifting I feel that the next rep is going to be so hard that there's a chance that I couldn't finish the concentric then I stop the set. Only on certain exercises and just in the last set I actually lift until reaching failure.

And by the way I use moderate loads. On DB curls for example I only use 12kg.

[sunsean]

Something is off...if you can do 15 clean reps, you shouldn't have such a steep drop...maybe try 4x8 at a higher weight? I rarely go up to 15 reps on anything, but I also do isolation arm work at the end of my workout, and I do 4x8 or 4x9 progressively, with 60-90 seconds rest, and usually only the last couple reps of the last set are nearing failure. Maybe 4x15 is too high volume at the end of your workout.

[GeneralSerpant]

I don't know, I just do as many reps as I can with good form. If when lifting I feel that the next rep is going to be so hard that there's a chance that I couldn't finish the concentric then I stop the set. Only on certain exercises and just in the last set I actually lift until reaching failure.

And by the way I use moderate loads. On DB curls for example I only use 12kg.

So you usually just do 4 sets of 15, going to failure each time?

Going to failure is known to drastically reduce your output on the next set. You seem not to be aware of this.

[FallingBridge]

No...

I drop maybe 9 running a myo rep protocol.
You shouldn't be close to that running straight sets

Did you notice an improvement doing a myo protocol?
According to the research I found, there was no benefit...

[FaIIen]

Did you notice an improvement doing a myo protocol?
According to the research I found, there was no benefit...

No benefit in doing myo reps to what? The protocol itself isn't magical, but it allows you to do a decent amount of volume in a relatively short time.

[WolfRose7]

Did you notice an improvement doing a myo protocol?
According to the research I found, there was no benefit...

I noticed a pump and DOMS

What ever that signals

I could get 4 to 5 sets of volume on lighter work done in a few minutes instead of 10.

Can't say anything conclusive.

[IroncraftP]

Not that extreme, unless you aren't resting in between sets enough.
You are going to failure though, remember on those last sets.

But, if you keep trying to go to failure more often your body will get use to it and you'll be able to progress and push out more reps.

[R0nald0]

So you usually just do 4 sets of 15, going to failure each time?

Going to failure is known to drastically reduce your output on the next set. You seem not to be aware of this.

I don't aim for 15 sets. In the first set of those specific exercises I can get to 15 reps and in some cases I could get a few more but I always stop at 15. Then the next sets I do as many reps as I can with good form, which I thought was the norm. Is that really going to failure though? Because I don't actually fail a rep, since when I feel that I'm getting fatigued and that I possibly wouldn't be able to finish the next rep then I stop.

[R0nald0]

Not that extreme, unless you aren't resting in between sets enough.
You are going to failure though, remember on those last sets.

But, if you keep trying to go to failure more often your body will get use to it and you'll be able to progress and push out more reps.

I have been training like this for a while and this always happens in certain exercises as I described above.

From the responses I'm getting so far I assume that you guys don't do as many reps as you can in a set but instead stop at a certain number, even if you could get some more in without sacrificing form. Is this correct?

[GeneralSerpant]

Yeah I can't really remember a time of me lifting close to failure each set and steadily progressing. People will chime in here that they do 3 sets of 10 to failure each time. And given what Ironcraft is saying, I suppose it's what people do.

I kinda feel like a 15 rep max can be kind of exhausting in its own way. Probably because it's just a lot more overall volume than lower rep maxes.
Shorter rest times will exaggerate the fatigue.

What happens when you do like 8-10 reps of your 8 or 10 rep max?

[R0nald0]

Yeah I can't really remember a time of me lifting close to failure each set and steadily progressing. People will chime in here that they do 3 sets of 10 to failure each time. And given what Ironcraft is saying, I suppose it's what people do.

I kinda feel like a 15 rep max can be kind of exhausting in its own way. Probably because it's just a lot more overall volume than lower rep maxes.
Shorter rest times will exaggerate the fatigue.

What happens when you do like 8-10 reps of your 8 or 10 rep max?

I think a while ago in DB curls I chose a weight that let me do 10 reps on the first set while being 1 or 2 reps close to failure, and then on the forth set could only get 5 or 4. Felt it was too little volume so I picked a lighter weight.

[IroncraftP]

To be honest, I train to failure with heavy weights first and also with endurance high rep work.

But it is normal, you want your workload to get harder the more you go into your workout, and be able to perform less the more that muscle gets trained and fatigued.

The only thing I would say is that the stronger you get the weight will increase, but being stronger at the start and being able to do less and less reps is normal.

[AThreeFitness]

If your hitting tris after chest, your tris are activated during compound chest exercises.

Shouldn't matter how many reps your dropping after 4-5 sets. If it works, keep at it.

I train similarly. However, I always like to add a drop set at the end.

[kingHanley]

It burns op, but you gotta push through it, even if you rest like 4 seconds after each rep, gotta finish the set