Friday, March 23, 2012

The 65 pound barbell challenge

These things are fun.

Over the weekend or whenever you want, slap a 10 on each side of the barbell and try this out.

Do 6 sets of 12 reps of curls.  You can only rest 60 seconds between sets.  60 SECONDS.  No longer.

Keep the reps strict.

It's only 65 pounds for the love of God, don't turn it into cheat curls.  And don't shorten the ROM.  Full curls.  From the bottom to the top.  Again, it's only 65 pounds.

Report back to me how you did.  No bullshit.  I know it's the internet and people can make shit up, but show some stones and report back how you actually did, and what all you noticed.

49 comments:

  1. 1 set of 10 max , fu***

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  2. I made it through two sets, had to rest pause the last few reps on the second set. 'Twas a very humbling experience.

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  3. Very much so. I presume you can make it through the whole thing, Paul?

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  4. Look forward to trying this tomorrow but I expect to get 3 sets...

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    1. OK I got to the 4th set and completed the 5th rep.... OI have new respect for "pansy" volume trainers , seriously I do. On that 4th set 65lbs. felt like 135 lbs.....

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  5. Damn it Paul. I was looking forward to slacking after week three of strong 15, but I'll have to do this tomorrow.

    Btw, hit 255x12 with a few in the tank on the squat. Definite improvement for me at ~178lbs. Pause squats are amazing.

    Keep up the good work man.

    Bryce

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  6. I'm lookin forward to you guy reporting back in on this.........

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  7. Managed 4 full sets, and made it 6 reps into the 5th before my arms stopped working.

    It's harder than it sounds!

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    1. I think this is about right for me too.......

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    2. It's been 24hrs, and the DOMS is starting to set in.

      Goodbye arms, it was nice knowing you.

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  8. 1 set + 9 reps, what's the point of this again?

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  9. I usually cant maintain that amount of reps for more than 3 sets, even moreso when taking such short rests. Wish i had seen this yesterday though, I love a good challenge.

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  10. slowfuse - When enough people chime in we'll talk about it.

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  11. Got 2 sets in and had to rest-pause the 3rd set and still only got 6 reps.

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  12. Got four sets, thought was gonna breeze this after set two, about three reps in set three realised it wasn't gonna happen ha ha.

    Luke

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    1. Those first two sets make you think "pssssh, this is nothing!"

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    1. i felt as though i actually worked my biceps for the first time

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  14. Didn't try the challenge. I do EZ Bar Curls 8x8 with 55lbs and 45 sec rest. That gets my arms pretty damn pumped/exhausted. The first 5 sets are usually pretty good, the last 3 are a grind. I think it's a testament that form/feel trumps weight used in these smaller exercises/muscles. I'm definitely not trying to say that 10 perfect squats with 315lb is more impressive than a 450lb 1rm, but no one gives a shit how much you curl.

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    1. Daniel that's spot on the money. Again, the more guys try this the more "aha" moments they are going to have.

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  15. I got a whopping 11 before my arms said "nay."

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  16. 12 reps, 12 reps, 7 reps, barx12 reps, barx11 reps, barx8 reps

    ego...crushed!

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  17. I pushed through the 6 rather easily, some really nice burn last two reps pf last two sets. The catch for me isn't completing it. It comes down to connection with the muscle, feeling it a bit more because the weight is so light and feeling it at every angle through the ROM. Rather than full animal mode trying to get heavy weight up and sacrificing form it was a nice slow relaxing burn of muscle. Last two sets I slowed the descent of the bar just to kick it a little more. A zen like workout. The weight and reps were predetermined, focused on nothing but the form.

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    1. I haven't done this in a while but I don't remember making it through all 6 sets with a strict 1 minute rest, so kudos to you.

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  18. Glad I'm not the first one to make it through. Got all 6 sets rather easily, but the pump did not feel good. It hurt quite a bit, and I will not be doing this again. Good times!

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    1. It's quite a different feeling than going in and putting more weight on the bar, lolly gagging around through sets, then doing some more shitty reps isn't it?

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  19. Made it through all 6 sets first 4 weren't to bad but the last 2 sets were tough tho did slow down and took a little longer on the reps.

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  20. 3x12 then a set of 8-10. I forget the exact number because the pain in my biceps distracted me from counting. Sure as shit wasn't a full set of good reps.

    Horrific. The 'failure point' seems to come really sudden, too.

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  21. I had to stop set five at 10. That final set, I had to hold the bar at my chin every three reps so I could get my mind off of how horrible my biceps felt. Fuck you, Paul!

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  22. x12
    x12
    x9
    x5
    x5
    x6

    yuck... guess I need to curl more :o)

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  23. I did 11 reps the first set. Thinking it was a fluke, after the one minute rest I cranked out a whopping 3 more reps until failure.

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  24. I love everyone getting fucked up over this! YUSSSSS!!!

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  25. Those last 2 reps of sets five and six gave my biceps some pretty nice cramps!

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  26. x12, x12, x7 (near complete failure here).
    Finished out the 6 rounds by doing BTN presses with the same weight/time/rep scheme.

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  27. x12, x8, x4, x4, x4, x4, x3 hmm
    nice sunday workout for biceps in only 10 minutes. My strength decreased quickly after first set but tended to stay constant after this

    Marius

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  28. X12
    X12
    X12 (started pausing for a breath at the top of each rep beginning with this set)
    X12
    X6
    X7
    I didn't expect to do even this well, actually. I was at a good place for this, though, because my only assistance work on this conditioning phase has been BW Chins, Inverted Rows, and assorted curls.

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  29. Shit barely got the fourth set! Humbling experience for sure!

    Paul regarding volume training, is doing 2 sets of 20 (40 reps total) the same as doing 4 sets of 10? Assuming you keep <60sec intervals of course. Will they get the same effects on building mass? Was always curious about that.

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  30. Barely managed 3 sets. Then death.

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  31. Just "finished" the attempt. I knew I was in trouble when the 12th rep of Set 2 was a grinder. Sets 3-6 were as follows:
    5, 4, 3, 4.
    I dug deep for rep #4 on that last set. My forearms may not look like Popeye's, but they sure feel like them.

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  32. Tried it with six reps instead as I'm fairly weak in comparison. Last set was definitely a grind but afterwards the forearms felt nice.

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  33. Got the first four sets clean, fifth set 4.5

    FACK!

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  34. Damn how did I miss this. I will try it wednesday after I deadlift.

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  35. I did 3 sets, and cheated the 11th rep of the 4th set. Goddamn, that was crazy.

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  36. 4 sets of 12, then 10 and 8. Sick awesome pump.

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