Decreasing reps until you can only do 1?

[joea9]

For a while now I've been doing as many reps as i can of a particular exercise (let's say I get to 10 reps). Then for the second set I do as many as I can again (let's say I only get to 8), then I just continue doing sets with as many reps as I can until I can only do one rep.

It might end up looking like this:
1x10
1x8
1x5
1x3
1x2
1x1

I don't know if this is a thing or what it's called if it is, I've tried googling it but only get back info about pyramid training and reverse pyramid training.

Just wondered, is it a thing? And if so, what do you think of it? Any thoughts?
I've been doing ok with it, so I'm not particularly concerned. Just wondered...

[air2fakie]

So your entire workout is AMRAP for AMSAP for every exercise?

[joea9]

Ah it's called AMRAP/AMSAP, thanks.
I've only been doing it for bicep curls, chinups and pushups but yep I keep going until I get to 1x1, typically it looks like the above set/rep sequence.
Now that I know what it'a called I can Google it a bit, but aside from that, any thoughts on it?

[SuffolkPunch]

I find if I try that, I reach a certain point and the reps don't drop any more. Say I start with a set of 12 - once the reps drop to 5 or 6 I can just keep cranking them out.

I think there is a per-session diminishing returns associated with volume. It would probably be better to aim for a less severe 'fatigue drop' - say from 10 reps to 6 (usually in 3-5 sets). The upside of this more conservative approach is that you can repeat the same session again sooner - say 2-3 days later. Frequency needs to be considered too.

[joea9]

I think there is a per-session diminishing returns associated with volume. It would probably be better to aim for a less severe 'fatigue drop' - say from 10 reps to 6 (usually in 3-5 sets). The upside of this more conservative approach is that you can repeat the same session again sooner - say 2-3 days later. Frequency needs to be considered too.

Yeah that is a really good point that I hadn't considered. I do aim to get everything done twice a week as part of my current schedule but it doesn't always feel like enough recovery time, not a problem for push ups necessarily but definitely for curls and chinups, as that's hitting the biceps pretty hard.
I'll try out what you suggested.

[air2fakie]

Ah it's called AMRAP/AMSAP, thanks.
I've only been doing it for bicep curls, chinups and pushups but yep I keep going until I get to 1x1, typically it looks like the above set/rep sequence.
Now that I know what it'a called I can Google it a bit, but aside from that, any thoughts on it?

I literally just made up that name (AMSAP part) so not sure if it's an accepted term. I don't think that's going to be helpful for consistent progress overall as part of a routine.

You may not be able to do this in quarantine, but I think something like doing a drop set for the last set of an exercise would be more useful if you want to do something like that (dropping the weight down set after set AMRAP without rest).

[OldFartTom]

Air2fakie, sorry but right there and then I realised you'll never make a career in exercise industry, you just don't have what it takes.































When you invent a great sounding term like AMSAP, you should never have admitted you just made it up. Instead you should've quietly gone away and patent or franchise it somehow. Ideally have it linked to a bogus supplement or exercise equipment of some kind for the real bucks

[air2fakie]

Air2fakie, sorry but right there and then I realised you'll never make a career in exercise industry, you just don't have what it takes.

....

When you invent a great sounding term like AMSAP, you should never have admitted you just made it up. Instead you should've quietly gone away and patent or franchise it somehow. Ideally have it linked to a bogus supplement or exercise equipment of some kind for the real bucks

You mean trademark. Thankfully I don't rely on my crappy exercise advice to pay the bills.

[blue9steel]

It's going to create a large stimulus, it will also create a lot of fatigue. The stimulus to fatigue ratio will be poor. I wouldn't use this technique across the board or for large muscle groups. You might be able to get away with it for something smaller like rear delts.

[bemegc]

You are simply lifting to failure with any given weight and stop when you fail at 1 rep. There's no name for that.
The (CNS) fatigue will be very high, and you probably won't be able to keep it up for long before losing strength between workouts.

[xilk]

Doesn't seem like an effective routine...

[Seanbroadie]

You're gonna spend so much time in the gym if you wanna do that for every exercise. Also diminishing returns are real.