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Sometimes I like to mix this up, if my target for an exercise is say 15' I will start at 15 and work back, or I might break it into into fives, occasionally when I'm on the last five I'll break it down to ones.

I do whatever I can.

Breaking into fives works quite well for 20 reppers. Along with visualizing it before I commence.
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Sometimes I like to mix this up, if my target for an exercise is say 15' I will start at 15 and work back, or I might break it into into fives, occasionally when I'm on the last five I'll break it down to ones.

I do whatever I can.

Breaking into fives works quite well for 20 reppers. Along with visualizing it before I commence.
Posted via Mobile Device
I understand what 5, 20, and 1 reps are. When you say you break the 20s into 5s, what do you mean exactly? I ask because if one adds the time factor into that broken up 20 rep set, then it's no longer a 20 rep set, even though 20 reps have been completed. I'm just after some clarification if you don't mind. Thank you.
 
If I'm doing a 20 rep set of squats, rather than counting in my head; 123456789... I'll count in groups of 5.
or sometimes I'll start at 20 and countdown so to speak.

but first I visualize in my mind doing the set, these little tricks help me get through a set
 
I do the same [MENTION=3627]Goosey[/MENTION];
I do 10,5,5 or similar. Just mind tricks really.
 
If I'm doing a 20 rep set of squats, rather than counting in my head; 123456789... I'll count in groups of 5.
or sometimes I'll start at 20 and countdown so to speak.

but first I visualize in my mind doing the set, these little tricks help me get through a set

I agree and do the same. I find doing 4 x 3 mentally easier than 12 for example.
 
I think it has to do with the mental concentration thing. I might only count to 10 then restart the count from 1 again, when I'm going higher than 10 reps.

Hard to count 11, 12, 13, easier to just start at 1 again.
 
Yeah but you have to remember 2 counts. The overall and the mini count. Farrk

nah, the memory of the second set of10 comes naturally.

I also think counting in 10s stops you pussing out. Coz when you're on your second count of 3 or something, it doesn't seem as high as being on 13 so you keep pushing yourself a bit more. If your on 13 you're more likely to think "OK 13 is a high number, I can stop shortly" Can't do that when you're on 3.
 
There's the other side to this coin, and that it can actually work against you. As you get closer to completing your assigned reps, fatigue may set in quicker based more on psychological factors influencing the physical ones. An alternative (not better, just an alternative) would be to have someone count your reps and only reveal them to you when you have become truly exhausted physically.

I found when I employed that tactic, it served to spur me on and generate some more energy from a psychological point of view, feeding into the physical instead of robbing it. An example would be feeling good and wanting to go high reps (the way I did with those 120kg x50). You just crank up as many reps as you possibly can before running out of gas, then (and only then) you ask for the count to be revealed. If the man tells you (say) 23, that would be enough to regenerate whatever reserve you have to stretch it all the way out to 50 if possible. It's just another way and another side of the coin.

After the count has been revealed, then Andy's tactic would serve in a truly positive way, as you'd really want to add 1 more rep at a time to get the maximum out of yourself.
 
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I used to do the block counting stuff as well, until I fell into the trap of rushing through the end of each 'block' (of, say 5) just to get there and that diminished the quality of the reps obviously. These days what I find useful when doing AMRAP sets is to record the total number of reps using video because my training partner has worse counting skills than me lol.

These days I'm not counting reps, I'm using or counting time, between 90 to 120 seconds.
Uh so how do you know you've progressed from workout to workout if you don't count them reps?
 
lol thats assuming your tempo would be identical from workout to workout.. its like saying hey hey I'm on a cut with a 200kcal calorific deficit by simply serving tucker from a smaller plate!

What if you increase precious seconds to the set but fatigue sets in earlier, or you get the sudden terrible urge to let a massive one rip halfway? Answer: let it rip while popping out of the hole for some propulsion BUT losing abit of core/sphincteral stability = precious seconds wasted = Oops, yolo :rolleyes:
 
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