Comments on: New Plateau Smashing Technique! How To Set a New Personal Best Today!

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:26:38 +0000

Hey guys,

1 rep is not a set, right? So I need to lift my max just one time and wait 7 mins and then hit my chest routine?

By: matt

matt — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:35:36 +0000

@ Mark Mcmanus
Thanks Mark, I’ll try seated for the first three sets (1ST Set and both pre fatigue sets) and then go to standing for the 4th and 5th sets

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:50:09 +0000

@Jason. You might as well try it on all major lifts. I’m all for experimentation. Use a smith machine for squatting a 1 rep max in case you get into trouble.
@matt. Go back to seated, at least for your initial heavier sets. That’s what I’m doing.
@Dan Cravens. Interesting questions, actually. You’d have to use total weight I guess for the most accurate answer.
@mikey. For hypertrophy/growth, 5×5 sucks in my opinion. I cover this more thoroughly in my free THT book.
@Mike Huber. Thanks, bud.

By: Mike Huber

Mike Huber — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:42:31 +0000

Sure enjoy reading the MuscleHackers comments. A Great group of people!! Defenitly going to try this PAP technique in my workouts. Sounds like it works very well. Thank You Again Mark!!!

By: mikey

mikey — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:17:52 +0000

Hey mark, what do you think of power bodybuilding.. keeping heavy heavy wieght and low reps..about five reps.. i quess like a 5×5 workout..primary focus is to get super strong.. thus your body gets bigger to compensate..

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:55:50 +0000

@Mario

I waited the 7 minutes to start with. I’m going to scale it back as I progress and compare my progress.

By: matt

matt — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:48:17 +0000

@ Dan Cravens
When i calculate my weight increases i always include the weight of the bars (then remove on spreadsheet so i know what plates to use).
If i was doing weighted dips/pullups then i would include my bodyweight when calculating 1 rep max (but i may be wrong)

By: John A Davis

John A Davis — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:46:45 +0000

@matt
I did the same thing. I fould that I was using my back to push off with the seated presses and could thus lift more. Moved to standing, took the hit, and now I’m back and even better especially because of PAP.
@Dan
What I did with the weighted dip machine is that I put on more than possible, and then asked a guy in the gym to give it a little help if/when I asked. Afterwards he told me he figured 5 lbs help. so that is where I will set it if I do it alone.

By: Dan Cravens

Dan Cravens — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:19:48 +0000

Definitely want to try this out. Any thoughts on calculating a 1 rep max for weighted pullups, or weighted dips? Would you plug in strictly the additional weight, or your combined weight and then subtract out your bodyweight from the result?

By: Mario

Mario — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:11:02 +0000

@Kris

Did you wait a full 7 minutes before starting your regular sets after warming up and using this technique or did you find it wasn’t necessary?

By: matt

matt — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:42:00 +0000

I changed from seated overhead press (week 1 and 2) to standing (week 3 and 4), i am stuggling to hit the same reps now that i had before, i planned to drop the weight back a little to help make progress but i might try this first……what you guys think?

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:12:41 +0000

@matt & @John A Davis: Thanks!

Btw, practiced this technique today and saw unbelievable results. It was biceps day, and after my 1-rep max I couldn’t believe how many more reps and weight I could lift. I busted previous highs on all my routines. Kudos to Mark for sharing this awesome insight.

By: John A Davis

John A Davis — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:41:29 +0000

my warmup:
I leave my coat on and gloves off and grab bar and do 10-15 reps.
then I immediately add something and do another bunch.
then I click on my stopwatch to do a normal rest, and add several more warmup quantities in increments until I’m 80% or more of last weeks mass.
Then I bust my gut.
sometimes I do like others and put on 50% and do that amount twice.
But I always just walk in, and pump the bar without any other weight.

By: JaSoN

JaSoN — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:32:28 +0000

so this is only used on sticking body parts, not all the sets in say..the mass routine?

By: Aaron

Aaron — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:01:34 +0000

Like Mark said, the key is to warm-up well, otherwise this is a sure fire route to SNAP CITY! 😛

By: matt

matt — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:27:21 +0000

@Kris – THT Warm up is:
Warm up 1 – 50% of weight – 10 reps
Wait 1 minute then
Warm up 2 – 70-75% of weight – 4-5 reps
Wait 1 minute then
Warm up 3 – 90% of weight – 1-2 reps
Wait 1 minute then hit your first set

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:34:15 +0000

Speaking of warming up, anyone willing to share their warmup routines? I usually just do three reps of my first exercise at 50% weight. Any advice or tips are appreciated.

By: John A Davis

John A Davis — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:03:30 +0000

@Mark M
You go! I am living proof this works
@Mark #2
I am 61 and this PAP works like a charm.
You HAVE TO WARM UP AS NORMAL WORKOUT FIRST.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR FORM PERFECT.
if not, then the joints and ligaments get in the way. warmup at lower rates should help you adjust.
It works for me for abs, back, biceps, triceps, chest, and shoulders.
And it makes my head muscle HUGE!! They have to shut me up at the gym these days.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:35:34 +0000

I would like to give this a try, but I’m an older lifter with battle injuries from heavy lifting. I’ve pretty much been forced by my own body to lower the weight and use a 10-12 rep range. When I try heavy low rep ranges, I pay the price with joint and ligament pain.

By: Muhammad Fawaz

Muhammad Fawaz — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:56:32 +0000

Awesome stuff!! No plateaus yet (was on THT Volume) and second day of TSPA hehe! (Very pleased with my results btw) Amma keep this in mind and bust it out when I need it.
Thanks Mark!