Question 1: I have changed my workout splits and volume 2 months ago because I was suffering too much mental fatigue (or possibly under-resting) or some other common beginner mistake. But I decided in March 2026 to try a "grease the groove" idea from Huberman's podcast episode with the famed kettlebell guy Pavel Tsatsouline.
The tl;dr of his GTG protocol is to do sets of 3 reps for whichever weight is your 6-rep-max. I tend to have a very slow eccentric phase of about 3-5 seconds in all my exercises with a faster, controlled concentric when possible. However, I don't want to create misleading strength gains by comparing 6-rep-max data if those exercises are not done exactly the same way. I want to be self-consistent in my note taking so I'm basically asking which way is better? Should I measure my 6-rep-max based on how I do my sets every day normally? Or should I have a faster eccentric phase (like most people at my gm) so that way I can do a slightly heavier weight? Both ways make sense as long as I'm internally consistent when taking my notes, but just wanted to ask how other people do it? (especially if they naturally have very slow eccentric phases like me)
Question 2: From an old gym book, the following is written:
- The first number after the weight refers to the reps and the second to the sets. Thus, 160kg x 10/8 means 8 sets of 10 reps with 160kg.
How common is this format/notation from this old gym book? In my own notes, I would just write all 8 sets as follows:
10 reps x 160kg
10 reps x 160kg
10 reps x 160kg
(etc...)
He's telling you what weight to do these reps at. Why would you change the way you do them just for this... That changes the weight to someone he wasn't suggesting.
And why write it 8 times? That's so much unnecessary writing. 8 x 10 160 kg is so much easier.
Personally, I will break out sets like this if I am recording each set as I go. Doesnt take any additional time to write, since that is rest time anyway. And it means if I don't make a set, I have a record of it.