Point of Failure

[HomeschoolMom]

Is the point of failure when you start to slow down, but still maintain form or when you just can't complete that last rep? Often, I can still perform another few reps, but at a slower pace - does this mean I hit point of failure when I started to slow or when I could absolutely do no more?

 

[spyrosmom]

Not Cathe, but point of failure is when you can't do anymore with good form. Speed/pace is not the issue, if you can slow down and keep going, you're not there. You'll know it when you find it That weight just will not go up one more time

Nan

 

[kathryn]

For example, you're doing bicep curls, and on rep 12, you can't get past the lower 1/3 of the move without adding some body English or 'cheating'. That is failure. Congratulations!

 

[fit44]

What about cheat curls?
When is it OK to use cheat curls?

"CHEAT CURL | When it comes to building sheer mass, there is no better exercise than the barbell cheat curl. I would start the movement with a barbell at thigh level, shoulder-width grip, and nudge it into motion with a slight "kick" from my body. I'd choose a weight that was too heavy for me to curl using strict form, but not so heavy that I had to rely solely on body English to get the weight from point A to point B. The idea behind cheat curls is to get the barbell past your sticking points and let your muscles get stressed fully at the points where they would normally find the exercise easy. Because you're stronger during the negative phase of a lift, the heavier weight used for cheat curls also lets you work the biceps during the all-important downward half of the movement."

 

[kathryn]

I personally think a little bit of ''cheating" is fine, especially on the last 1-2 reps when you want to move up in weights (but it's similar to forced reps or negative reps, so it would be a 'high intensity' technique that shouldn't be used on every exercise). If you have to cheat on more than 1-2 reps, I'd say you're using too heavy a weight and should back off a bit.

But be careful HOW you cheat. The "upper body rock" cheat for bi curls that many people use (putting a sway in the upper body while doing dthe move) can be tough on the lower back and increase risk of injury. I prefer to let my legs (rather than more injury prone lower back) help cheat a bit. At the bottom of the bicep curl, I dip down into a shallow squat, then come somewhat explosively out of the squat while moving the weight up. The added momentum from the legs helps move the weight past that sticking point, but protects the back.

Another way of "cheating" the bicep curl (which is something many people do anyway without considcering it cheating, and is often shown as the form to do the move) is to let there be more movement in the elbows: moving them forward a bit on the lift rather than keeping them plastered to your sides (as Chalene has us do). I defiinitely used that bit of cheating when doing 20# DB curls on my last CLX workout, and it helped me do all 12 reps with my highest weight yet.

 

[fit44]

Thanks Kathryn.
You made some excellent points. I need to be careful with my lower back.
I'm currently struggling with 20lb dumbbells. 17.5 are too easy. I think the cheat method to help me move up.