Are there any exercises where it's not a good idea to go heavy on?

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alondrakayy
alondrakayy Posts: 304 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
For example, leg extensions. I've been adding 5-10 pounds each week on all exercises I've been doing and on leg extensions I can do 8-10 reps with 60 but can only do 2 good reps with 70 and rest are done in horrible form (using my back more than anything). Probably a dumb question but I want to make sure I'm not killing myself for nothing.

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  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    Generally speaking, I'd recommend not going "heavy" on isolation exercises - I'd suggest moderate weight. This would include leg extensions, leg curls, bicep curls, and shoulder raises, among others. There are a few exceptions, but that's my general rule.

    That said, how many sets of 8-10 can you do at 60 lb? If 3-5, then you could try 65 lb, or keep at 60 lb until you can do 12-15 reps, then try going up 5-10 lb.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Agreed. I wouldn't go heavy on isolation movements and/or ones that you break form easily on. And certainly not poor form on an isolation movement.
  • Lizarking
    Lizarking Posts: 507 Member
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    Leg extensions at 0lbs is about perfect.


    Good mornings... big asterisk - you really got to know your limitations. Ask Bruce Lee about it.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    i always go heavy on isolations, but that "heavy" is relative for whatever rep range i'm in , usually 8 or 10 or 12 reps. I make the last few reps very challenging. when doing isolations, i don't do any weight that causes me to break form. i want it to be challening but doable.
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    It depends on the rep range for me.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    If you are losing that many reps by adding 10 lbs, add 5 lbs instead. Or add another set.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    SonyaCele wrote: »
    i always go heavy on isolations, but that "heavy" is relative for whatever rep range i'm in , usually 8 or 10 or 12 reps. I make the last few reps very challenging. when doing isolations, i don't do any weight that causes me to break form. i want it to be challening but doable.

    Heavy is definitely relative I guess. I wouldn't call that heavy, I'd call it "that's how you're supposed to do it".
  • alondrakayy
    alondrakayy Posts: 304 Member
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    If you are losing that many reps by adding 10 lbs, add 5 lbs instead. Or add another set.

    Most (like leg extensions) only give me the option of adding ten.

    Thank you all for your input. This really helps!

  • mreichard
    mreichard Posts: 235 Member
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    alondrakayy wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    If you are losing that many reps by adding 10 lbs, add 5 lbs instead. Or add another set.

    Most (like leg extensions) only give me the option of adding ten.

    Thank you all for your input. This really helps!

    You may want to look and see if your gym has fractional weights that you can add to the machines. I know mine does. Going up 10lbs is really tough for many exercises.

    For barbell overhead press, I have 1.25 lb plates that I put on the bar for weight increases, so I go up by 2.5 at a time. I couldn't do even 5 lbs. and certainly not 10.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    Yeah. Every leg extension I've seen outside of the newer Cybex Eagles and plate-loaded varieties - which obviously isn't every single one - has had an extra weight hanging off the side that you could put on the stack that was in between weights. Usually 5 lb, although many of the older Cybex units had 15 lb per plate stacks, so the removable/addable weight was 7.5 lb.

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