Muscle memory

[WantingMuscle7]

I mean the whole thing your muscles remember last set you did. you start low then go high and then back down to low and say you ended it at like 10lbs wouldnt your muscle remember that?

[WantingMuscle7]

By whole thing I dont mean keep adding weight thats for him to progress through the max-ot. I mean the whole concept like his first post says.

[Darkhorse]

Originally Posted by WantingMuscle7

I mean the whole thing your muscles remember last set you did. you start low then go high and then back down to low and say you ended it at like 10lbs wouldnt your muscle remember that?

During Max-OT you never work your way up in weights used then lower what you use. Side laterals for example. You wouldn't use 2 sets of 50 lb dumbbells, then use a set of 40's. That's what you sound like you're saying. This program's design is to start your next workout with the same weight that you ended with the last time you were in the gym.

[WantingMuscle7]

Nah I mean pyramid (start low go high then low) if you applied the muscle memory thing wouldnt they then remember that last set of low weights? im sorry if this is coming out confusing.

[Darkhorse]

Oh, well again, in utilizing a pyramid you don't go low/high/low. You start low and end high excluding the occational drop set. You're taking the muscle memory too literally. You're muscles will "remember" the heavier weights. Most cases that means the final set.

BTW, pyramids are great for beginners IMO but the more advanced you get, the more you need to stimulate your muscles with the same weights/reps. It's easier to keep track of and keeps the overall volume the exact same.

Example:
3x12
3x10
4x8
5x5
4x6
All the while adding more and more weight while at the same time decreasing rest.

[Darkhorse]

Oh, I think I finally understand what you're saying...No, your muscle's will likely remember the heaviest load you did. Throughou the program I did dropsets for my deltoids (side laterals) as per my journal. I still progressed week to week regardless. Matter of fact, my drop sets gradually got heavier as well.

[WantingMuscle7]

I thought pyramid was Ex:dumbbell curls
20Lbs-25-30-35-40-45-50-55-then back down to 20 going down 5 lbs every set

like a pyramid lol

[hrdgain81]

naw man, pyramid is going high rep lower wieght, up to higher wieght lower reps. the only time i've ever goin up then back down is when i'm running the rack for bi's or something, doing crazy 8's. and even then i do that once or twice a year just to shock the muscles.

I dont know how much i buy into this muscle memory thing. Unless its linked to muscle fiber trauma in some way i dont see how this works out. I mean if i hit 115lb dumbells for chest on tuesday, then on friday I happen to be smashing my 115lb girlfriend, and push her up off of me, are my chest muscles gonna be weaker from that? hell no.

but if your speaking in terms of healing then it makes sense, you hit chest hard and heavey on monday, and because of the trauma your muscle "remember" having to deal with, they repair the fibers stronger then before. Isnt this the basis for all strength training?