Intense exercise stimulates the body to change, not necessarily additional reps. When muscles perform intense work that is more than those muscles are used to doing those muscles will make a positive change. Muscles become stronger as a form of self-protection. That intense work does not necessarily come for doing additional reps.
I have seen amazing things in the quest for one more repetition.
Lifters will lift through just a part of the intended range. “Look, I improved! I did eight reps with more weight.”. “Big deal, you only lifted part of the distance you did when you were lifting the lighter weight. That is an exercise in self deception, not real improvement.”
Those strength training will lift weights using their whole body. When that happens other muscle groups will do much of the work that was intended for the targeted muscle group. When you throw your whole back into doing bicep curls your back is establishing the momentum, and your biceps are doing less work – lower intensity and minimal results. It is also unsafe. People injuring their backs doing bicep exercises – it happens.
Locking out is when your knees or elbow are totally straight will take the load off the muscles and put the load mainly on the bones. That is a rest. Exercise and rest are mutually exclusive. Resting between repetitions makes for less improvement. Some strength trainers will lock out on each and every repetition of certain exercises – dips, overhead press, bench press - to name just a few.
On the last repetition of the leg extension try holding the weight motionless at the endpoint of the rep where your quadriceps are fully contracted for a second – just one second. Some lift for years and have never (yes never) experienced that intensity. They essentially kick the weight up to the point where the quads would be fully contracted, the weight quickly falls from the top, and the weight is basically caught at a lower point on the eccentric part of the repetition. You will not experience the intensity associated with a fully contracted muscle when you throw and catch a weight.
Strength trainers will bounce the weight of their chest with such force that they injure their shoulders or bruise their chests. The purpose for the bounce is to get the momentum to get that extra rep. Establishing momentum requires rapid acceleration. Momentum unloads the targeted muscle and lowers the intensity and lessens results. Rapid acceleration also produces great force that can lead to injuries. I have one trainer who used to train in this fashion. By age 23 he had already had both shoulders operated on. This shoulders will be compromised the rest of his life. The irony is he was trying to improve his fitness. Those old injuries really do come back to haunt you.
A sticking point is the point in a repetition where your muscles are at a mechanical disadvantage and moving the weight is more difficult. Many lifters will ride momentum through those sticking points. Try moving in a smooth deliberate fashion without momentum and also avoid the hazards discussed above. When you lift in such a manner you will not get nearly as many repetitions because the exercise will be so much more intense. Imagine that – less reps, higher intensity, more improvement, and a safer workout.
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