Bar Velocity | Is there an "optimum"?

[DoubleJ]

Could someone pls advise me on this?

Introducing 303 Squats has got me thinking about Bar Velocity; what difference does it make to the effect of a lift, and is there an “optimum” i should be aiming for?

ALL my lifts are currently pretty slow, as i’m being mindful of technique and control. Should i be shooting for something a little more explosive wherever possible?

As an adjunct, how does Bar Velocity correlate to RPE? Can it be useful in gauging intensity?

Thankings

[Austin_Baraki]

There’s no optimal velocity for these. As long as you’re consistent week to week, you’ll be fine.

Bar velocity’s correlation to RPE is a fairly individualized phenomenon, depending on their neuromuscular efficiency/explosiveness. It can be useful if you have a well-calibrated velocity measurement device and have enough long-term data to correlate it to RPEs … which you probably don’t have.

[MSupply]

@Austin_Baraki

There’s no optimal velocity for these. As long as you’re consistent week to week, you’ll be fine.

Bar velocity’s correlation to RPE is a fairly individualized phenomenon, depending on their neuromuscular efficiency/explosiveness. It can be useful if you have a well-calibrated velocity measurement device and have enough long-term data to correlate it to RPEs … which you probably don’t have.

That sounds like a study waiting to happen.

[DoubleJ]

@Austin_Baraki

… which you probably don’t have.

LOL! Damn right

@Austin_Baraki

There’s no optimal velocity for these. As long as you’re consistent week to week, you’ll be fine

Thanks Austin

If i can frame the question slightly differently then:

Back in Feb, at @Alan_Thrall 's Seminar, you talked about looking for a bar speed that slows down a little on the last rep of a set, to indicate that the working weight is heavy enough, versus a fast bar speed throughout the set indicating that the weight is too light

So i aim for consistency week-on-week, but note decreasing speed as an indicator of having sufficient weight on the bar, yes?

​​​​​​​Thanks!

[Austin_Baraki]

@DoubleJ

Back in Feb, at @Alan_Thrall 's Seminar, you talked about looking for a bar speed that slows down a little on the last rep of a set, to indicate that the working weight is heavy enough, versus a fast bar speed throughout the set indicating that the weight is too light

So i aim for consistency week-on-week, but note decreasing speed as an indicator of having sufficient weight on the bar, yes?

Well, sort of … but the amount of decrease in bar speed you’re looking for will depend on the RPE prescription. @6 will still move pretty fast at the end … @7 slightly less so … etc.