Are Cheat Reps Worth It?
by John Meadows on May 17, 2011Last week a young lifter asked me to spot him on a set of lying triceps extensions.
He had the bar loaded with what I’d consider a moderately heavy weight – about 140 lbs. plus the EZ bar. At first glance, his arms didn’t appear big enough to match this load, but I thought maybe he was just one of those freakishly strong guys you encounter from time to time.
Our lifter starts his set. He lets the weight drop behind his head before doing a hybrid lying extension/lat pullover back into the starting position. He maintains decent control, but as the set progresses, momentum and a few other muscles kick in to help him complete each joint-straining rep.