put my back into it?

[junkfoodbad]

Is it better to fail on my last few reps of bicep curls or to finish it off by using my back a little to assist?

I try to keep myself as close to failure as possible without actually reaching it, but sometimes, when i go up in weight, the last 2 or 3 reps are just too much.

 

[AJP]

I would put the bar down and focus on form.

 

[malkore]

infrequently, you'll find it useful to cheat on those last couple reps, especially if you decide to employ negative reps (very slow eccentric movement).

when I say infrequently, I mean every 3 weeks.

as long as your form is perfect the rest of the set, cheating on a few reps can help with strength.

 

[junkfoodbad]

infrequently, you'll find it useful to cheat on those last couple reps, especially if you decide to employ negative reps (very slow eccentric movement).

when I say infrequently, I mean every 3 weeks.

as long as your form is perfect the rest of the set, cheating on a few reps can help with strength.

yeah if it occurs more than twice in a week i will just lower the weight and stay there for a little longer and try to bump up the weight in another week or so.

 

[xtonymarsx]

JFB, that's when it's great to have a spotter, but if memory serves me correctly, you work out alone, right?

 

[junkfoodbad]

i do work out alone yes. how does having a spotter help?

 

[xtonymarsx]

When you have a spotter, then they can assist with those last few reps to keep you from breaking form. Spotters and lifting partners are a big help in reaching that "next level" in general though.

Just the mental aspect of having a spotter really makes a difference at times. You go heavier and push yourself when you know that you have a "safety net".

 

[malkore]

Junk,

how do you do your weight progression on biceps? do you bump it up each set, start heavy and work down, or keep it the same weight on all working sets?
there may be strategies we can use.

either way, if you could only get 4 reps of a weight for all sets, that's still enoguh to trigger strength gains, so you'd eventually be pulling 6 reps, 8 reps, etc, even without any 'fancy' trick to break through it.

 

[junkfoodbad]

im currently doing 3x10 with the same weight for each set, and still progressing slowly. its my last exercise and im not too terribly worried about it since its an iso.

just wasnt sure if it was better to just not finish, or to finish but assist with my back. either way, i still advance the weight. If i ever fail to complete more than 4 reps on my last set, i go back down in weight.