So something I’ve been wondering about how bodybuilders train. I starting working out in the mid to late 90s where muscle mags and bodybuilder programs were the most available sources for training. I never heard about RPE but most of the reps/sets were based on going to failure, with tripple sets, drop sets, forced reps, plus 2 assisted reps, negatives etc. It seemed the theme was to go to absolute failure for the best gains. It seems to me like this is how bodybuilders train, and if so, what does this say about the effectiveness of hypertrophy training at RPE 7-8 vs RPE 9,5-10? Or, is it that bodybuilders actually most of the time train at RPE 7-8 and only go to absolute RPE 10 failure around thier peak? I’m basically trying to find out how effective a bodybuilding routine is for hypertrophy. It obviously works (mexican suppliments aside).
day 1: anterior triceps head, mid delts, trapezius descent, serratus anterior, and peroneus triple drop sets to failure? so it’s the isolation work that allows these kind of reps to failure?
Yes. They tend to do this sort of thing on smaller, isolation-type movements (which are less fatiguing, even when taken to failure). Frequency of exposure is also likely a relevant factor here.
Imagine, in contrast, performing squats or deadlifts to failure, then forced reps to failure, then drop sets to failure, etc.
[quote=“Austin Baraki, post:4, topic:3425, username:Austin_Baraki”]
Imagine, in contrast, performing squats or deadlifts to failure, then forced reps to failure, then drop sets to failure, etc.
[/quote]This sounds terrible.