Quote:
it is ok for me to NOT push myslef in this cruise period, right? only lift light weights for less than optimal reps?
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That's the whole idea. You can still push it pretty hard hitting 15 reps per bodypart! I'm not advocating using your 12 RM, but heavy enough to really get a
tough workout in. Additionally, feel free to do different exercises than you were doing during your blast. For example, if a certain exercise or machine catches your eye, feel free. Perhaps something like standing OHP's since they cannot be rest/paused. A cruise is a perfect time for those.
Cruising while using a lot less weight than you can do IMO will hurt you coming back into your next blast (unless you're resting joints). Usually, doing a straight set of 15 reps hard is obviously quite the deload after doing 11-20 RP for that exercise!
A cruise would be the only time I'd advocate going by "feel".

After you walk into the gym, have an idea of what you want to do, but nothing balls to the wall. For example, for OLY squats, I'd probably do a set of 10-15 reps and be done. If I was used to blasting with [365 x 8, 250 x 20], I'd probably pick something like 315 x 15 good hard reps and be done. Just to give you an idea. The 315 would be challenging of course!..But it's not a weight you'd cheese-dick like if you picked 275 lbs. Get me?