MYO REPS
What? How? Why?
Spoiler alert: Myo reps refers to a specific way to perform sets and reps.
Note: They’re extremely challenging but they only take a few minutes to complete, and you'll likely either love them or hate them.
THE WHAT:
If you are a client of mine, you have likely been “subjected” to this training programming intensity technique at one point or another.
If you are not, here’s how Myo Reps differ from “traditional” reps and sets.
Traditional / Straight sets would look something like this:
“3 sets of 10-12 reps @ 75% 1RM with 90-120 seconds of rest in between”
Myo-Reps:
A specific rest-pause training technique that involves taking a working set to an approximation of muscular failure (typically pretty dang close) to activate and stimulate as many muscle fibers / motor units as possible. Then, the goal is to “maintain” this activation over a sustained period of time by breaking up your intended volume with SHORT rest periods and multiple short sets TO FAILURE.
THE HOW:
The set up looks something like this:
Activation Set: as many reps as needed to come ~ 2 reps shy of failure (typically aiming to hit this somewhere in the 12-20 rep range)
Rest ~10-15 seconds (5 deep breaths)
Myo Rep Set 1: AMRAP (noting how many reps you are able to perform)
Rest ~10-15 seconds (5 deep breaths)
Myo Rep Sets 2-4: AMRAP (if you matched the # of reps from the first "rest pause set" perform another, it not, you are done)
Repeat until you can no longer match reps performed on the first rest-pause set or until you complete ~5 TOTAL sets (including the first activation set)
THE WHY:
Interestingly enough, I just saw a meta analysis …Chronic Effects of Altering Resistance Training Set Configurations Using Cluster Sets: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Davies et al. (2021)
… that concluded that “cluster sets” were NOT “superior” to traditional sets for outcomes related to hypertrophy or strength.
While Myo Reps were not specifically compared in this review of the literature, I think it’s still worth noting that, even when the science doesn’t straight up say “this is better”, it doesn’t mean it can’t still be beneficial.
We infer from Davies et al (meta analysis linked above) that cluster training can illicit just as good of a response from training as traditional sets.
And with Myo / rest-pause sets in particular, we can actually perform “the same amount of work” and get “the same results” in a shorter period of time. Traditional sets may take 10-15 minutes per exercise whereas, when utilizing this rest-pause strategy, you would be finished in 1-3 and likely accumulate equal effective volume.
So I see this strategy being VERY beneficial for my busier clients with a demanding work and life schedule who can’t train for hours on end.
This type of training is also a viable strategy to SAFELY experience what it feels like to train near and at muscular failure. I emphasize “safely” because I typically program Myo Reps on exercises that are machine or body weight based so it's more conducive to the “start / reset” or “rack and un-rack” aspect of several mini sets back to back to back.
So I see this strategy serve as a milestone that sometimes isn’t achieved for months or even years in a training career; learning what it feels like to TRULY push yourself.
Essentially, my clients are performing time efficient, safe, and effective training while also gaining valuable experience with adequate training intensity when utilizing this programming technique.
And now, potentially, you will too!
With Good Vibes - Coach John