# 5 or 12 - an OCD dilemma



## Viduus (Aug 11, 2019)

So I’ve stumbled on one of life’s great mysteries... hopefully somewhere here is ocd and has an advanced calculus degree.

I got the “5 more reps” from Tom Platz and have successfully used it to extend my sets. Basically 5 reps is mentally achievable so you lie to yourself and say 5 more reps. Then when those are done, you lie again and tell yourself 5 more reps.... until you’re dead.

Well lately I’ve watched Jay Cutlers training style and he does everything in sets of 12.

so now... what do I do? How am I supposed to live like this? When you get to 10 reps, do you say “5 more reps” and power through it or do you say “2 more” so you end on an even 12?



1 guy has the best quads ever.
The other guy has 4 titles and bad ass quads too. Does that mean 12 is a more anabolic number then 5?

I went to do another set and I’m to mentally confused to even start. What’s the lowest number evenly divisible by 5 and 12? Does this mean I have to do 120 reps on each set?


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## Trump (Aug 11, 2019)

Find out what works for you and not necessarily the same as 2 genetic monsters


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## DNW (Aug 11, 2019)

Do 18 and when you become famous, someone else will be confused af on 12, 15, or 18.


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## German89 (Aug 12, 2019)

I go to 12 then, tell myself. 5 more. Okay G, five more. And then... 5 more!


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## snake (Aug 12, 2019)

Get what you're scheduled to get. No more, no less. If all of a sudden you pull a few more reps out of a set compared to last week, you laid up last week and were a pussy. If you get a few less reps this week, you're a pussy.

Don't be a pussy.

5 or 12, I have done okay with both. 5 reps does require some heavy weight and that normally increases the risk of injiry.

Young Snake: 5
Old Snale: 12


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## German89 (Aug 12, 2019)

Here is a thought.

2 sets of 12
2 sets of 5
1 or 2 sets of 20


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## Viduus (Aug 12, 2019)

German89 said:


> I go to 12 then, tell myself. 5 more. Okay G, five more. And then... 5 more!



I knew Germans were smart! I was mostly joking but I actually like this thought process 

Though snake might have trump’d them all. Now all I’ll hear is:

”Don’t be a pussy”


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## TODAY (Aug 12, 2019)

Are you familiar with the RPE scale?

https://barbend.com/how-to-use-rpe-scale-strength-training/


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## Viduus (Aug 12, 2019)

TODAY said:


> Are you familiar with the RPE scale?
> 
> https://barbend.com/how-to-use-rpe-scale-strength-training/




Yes. Curious where you’re going with it though.

Sadly I think almost everyone missed the silly humor in my question.

Just trying to keep things light and interesting for myself and anyone else who has fun overthinking everything.

(Hence the right forum. No touch Spongy!)


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## German89 (Aug 12, 2019)

Just so you are aware. I knew it was a joke. I too get conflicted but... I do a set or two with 12 and do tell myself 5 more.  So. It's just how you feel like training that day. And, your overall goal at the moment


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## motown1002 (Aug 12, 2019)

I have the same issue.  5 -12 - 17 - 20?  What rep range.  lol  What I do now, which seems to be effective for me is that I take my first exercise and go heavy with 5 sets of 5.  After that, all sets are to 12.  Im not as old as snake so I don't have the joint issue, oh wait, yes I am and yes I do.  But I remember his words "Don't be a pussy!"  

I may or may not smell like Bio Freeze after words.  lol


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## Seeker (Aug 12, 2019)

Who says you even have to count reps?? lol put some weight on the bar and go balls to walls till you can't go no more...then go a little more. Haha


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## Uncle manny (Aug 12, 2019)

weeks 1-4 Training style A 
weeks 5-8 Training style B
weeks 9-12 you combine the two


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## El Gringo (Aug 12, 2019)

If you’re only working for 5 reps, it’s probably some heavy weight. How do you squeeze out 5 more, then another 5 on top of that?

i could maybe believe it if you’re talking about 12 reps, then 5 more reps. At 12+ reps people stop from the lactic acid burn and can maybe push themselves past the pain for 5 more. But at only 5 reps there isn’t much lactic burn, people give out because they simply can’t push any further.


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## German89 (Aug 12, 2019)

Am I the only one that gets what V is saying. 

You guys are forgetting the Tom platz, 5 more, approach. That's what V is getting at. Do you stop at 12 like Cutler. Or. Do you pump 5 more out like platz?  Which is a greater method?


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## dk8594 (Aug 12, 2019)

German89 said:


> Am I the only one that gets what V is saying.
> 
> You guys are forgetting the Tom platz, 5 more, approach. That's what V is getting at. Do you stop at 12 like Cutler. Or. Do you pump 5 more out like platz?  Which is a greater method?



Put simply.....do you continue to say 5 more until you can’t possibly do one more rep or do you stop once you reach your rep goal.


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## German89 (Aug 12, 2019)

dk8594 said:


> Put simply.....do you continue to say 5 more until you can’t possibly do one more rep or do you stop once you reach your rep goal.



Until you cant any more. Duhhhh!!!


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## Straight30weight (Aug 12, 2019)

This thread is hurting my head


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## dk8594 (Aug 12, 2019)

German89 said:


> Until you cant any more. Duhhhh!!!



Yeah, so like 14, right?


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## German89 (Aug 13, 2019)

dk8594 said:


> Yeah, so like 14, right?


Dont forget, and a half!


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## The Tater (Aug 13, 2019)

However you want to reach progressive overload is up to you. I do dropsets till I die on one exercise each workout. Basically 5 more reps until I can’t.

My wife is CDO...OCD in alphabetical order.


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## Viduus (Aug 13, 2019)

dk8594 said:


> Put simply.....do you continue to say 5 more until you can’t possibly do one more rep or do you stop once you reach your rep goal.



Glad German and DK get it 

I was being dumb and joking that they “five more” technique is hard to mesh with 12 reps. Though 

- I guess a heavy 7 with one “five more” works too. (Equals 12)
- German’s 12 then x number of “five mores”
- my initial 120 reps is ten continuous cutler sets and equal to 12 “five mores”

I’ll just go play by and with myself....


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## Deadhead (Aug 13, 2019)

I just go untill I cant... if I'm doing more than 12 reps I add weight till I cant do more than 8 when I get to the point I cant do 6 I grab some light weight and hit about 25 reps for a solid muscle pump


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## German89 (Aug 13, 2019)

Viduus said:


> Glad German and DK get it
> 
> I was being dumb and joking that they “five more” technique is hard to mesh with 12 reps. Though
> 
> ...


Damn. Not even gonna ask if dk and I want to play. 

I see how it is


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## dk8594 (Aug 13, 2019)

I like the sounds of Tom Platz’s approach. I may try starting with a weight I can’t do once and then squeeze out 5.

Leg day is Sunday. I will load up the squat bar with 500lbs and report back.

Are hernias anabolic?


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## bigdog (Aug 13, 2019)

I shoot for 8-12 reps. if I hit 12 its time to add weight and start back shooting for 8-12 LOL


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## Viduus (Aug 13, 2019)

dk8594 said:


> I like the sounds of Tom Platz’s approach. I may try starting with a weight I can’t do once and then squeeze out 5.
> 
> Leg day is Sunday. I will load up the squat bar with 500lbs and report back.
> 
> Are hernias anabolic?



Heres your motivation for the 500#. It starts at 6:24 only you won’t have spotters...


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## German89 (Aug 14, 2019)

Viduus said:


> Heres your motivation for the 500#. It starts at 6:24 only you won’t have spotters...



Dude was probably sore for a week!


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## The Tater (Aug 14, 2019)

Looks brutal! I was watching a video of Hany Rambod pushing someone past failure the same way. Your body will have to grow!


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## dk8594 (Aug 14, 2019)

Viduus said:


> Heres your motivation for the 500#. It starts at 6:24 only you won’t have spotters...



Yeah, I plan to do it without spotters, a belt, or a rack.  I don’t see how anything could go wrong.  I just have to keep telling myself “5 more” right?


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## Viduus (Aug 14, 2019)

dk8594 said:


> Yeah, I plan to do it without spotters, a belt, or a rack.  I don’t see how anything could go wrong.  I just have to keep telling myself “5 more” right?



yes but when it gets real bad you break the five into a set of 3 then 2.... that’s when you know things are getting real. (Not the previous 35 you didn’t know you were planning on doing!)


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## dk8594 (Aug 14, 2019)

Viduus said:


> yes but when it gets real bad you break the five into a set of 3 then 2.... that’s when you know things are getting real. (Not the previous 35 you didn’t know you were planning on doing!)



What about going by fractions? 1/8 rep, 1/3 rep, 1/2 and so on?


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## German89 (Aug 14, 2019)

dk8594 said:


> What about going by fractions? 1/8 rep, 1/3 rep, 1/2 and so on?


That would be John meadows style 

Get on the hack squat do a 1.5 rep, and continue with the 5 more method. Enjoy


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## Viduus (Aug 14, 2019)

dk8594 said:


> What about going by fractions? 1/8 rep, 1/3 rep, 1/2 and so on?



I think those are called “21s”.

.. which raises another good question. Why aren’t they called “14s”? Since 7 half reps plus seven half reps plus 7 full ones only equals 14 complete reps. Not the 21 claimed...

This violates the Snake rule of “don’t be a pussy”. I think we need to do 14 reps at the bottom then 14 at the top before finishing with 7 full reps. That’s a proper “Snake 21”.




German89 said:


> That would be John meadows style
> 
> Get on the hack squat do a 1.5 rep, and continue with the 5 more method. Enjoy



I love that you said this... I do my hack squats this way thanks to him. Everyone just thinks I have a learning disability...

(It was also the inspiration for my double pump thing on seared calf raises)


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## German89 (Aug 14, 2019)

Viduus said:


> I think those are called “21s”.
> 
> .. which raises another good question. Why aren’t they called “14s”? Since 7 half reps plus seven half reps plus 7 full ones only equals 14 complete reps. Not the 21 claimed...
> 
> ...


I can only do like 50lbs doing hacks like that. I even do my Bulgarian split squat like that too


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## dk8594 (Aug 15, 2019)

Rumor has it that when they found Mentzer’s lost journals he was working on aa zero rep theory that focused on mental imagery. I think it works. I tried it last night and benched a thousand.


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## German89 (Aug 15, 2019)

dk8594 said:


> Rumor has it that when they found Mentzer’s lost journals he was working on aa zero rep theory that focused on mental imagery. I think it works. I tried it last night and benched a thousand.




Rotflmfao 

You fauckin' guy, eh!


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## Viduus (Aug 15, 2019)

dk8594 said:


> Rumor has it that when they found Mentzer’s lost journals he was working on aa zero rep theory that focused on mental imagery. I think it works. I tried it last night and benched a thousand.



Is this why Hany has people pose between sets? Is he trying to prove the zero rep theorem? He’s athletes do win a lot... I’m starting to think you’re on to something with this...


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## German89 (Aug 15, 2019)

Viduus said:


> Is this why Hany has people pose between sets? Is he trying to prove the zero rep theorem? He’s athletes do win a lot... I’m starting to think you’re on to something with this...


Isnt there a saying. If you visualize it. You'll get it?


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## Jin (Aug 15, 2019)

German89 said:


> Isnt there a saying. If you visualize it. You'll get it?



Yes. So why aren’t you at my door in that outfit I like?


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## German89 (Aug 15, 2019)

Jin said:


> Yes. So why aren’t you at my door in that outfit I like?


Hmmm.. good question?


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