Do you want to get bigger and stronger over the long-term? Do you want to last a long time at weight training? If so, my advice is to use perfect form on all of your exercises, and to stay within your capacity to maintain a smooth even rep speed when doing a set of reps. Of course, you may want to test your strength by going for max reps. When going for max reps, you will probably be forced to decrease your rep speed by the end of the set, but this should be an occasional practice that is done when testing yourself, instead of a frequent practice that is done on a regular basis.
Discipline to Use Good Form and an even Rep Speed
There are bodybuilders and powerlifters who are very disciplined to stick with the use of perfect form and a steady even rep speed for the vast majority of their training. The use of perfect form distributes the lifting stress across the working muscles without over stressing one muscle while under stressing the others. The practice of pushing to your capacity of repeating reps within the context of maintaining a steady even rep speed ensures that you utilize the correct amount of effort that is neither too hard nor too easy.
In the following video’s you will see Phil Heath maintain a steady even rep speed on every rep of every set. He stops his sets before he starts to grind. Every rep looks the same as the previous rep. The same is true of Andrey Malanichev when he performs a set of squats.
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Don’t Me Misled by Social Media
I think one of the unfortunate things that can happen when lifters post videos of themselves going for max reps and Personal Records is that the viewers get the impression that it is necessary to push for max reps in every training session. They believe that this the normal way to train in order to improve and get stronger. However, what they are seeing is a lifter who is testing his strength, which is often different than the way a set looks when training. Your training and the way you perform your reps should look more like the videos of Phil Heath and Andrey Malanichev.
Check yourself to see if you are aware of your form and your rep speed. Many lifters become so obsessed with the amount of weight they are using that they lose a conscious awareness of their form and their rep speed. If this is true of you, consider tuning in to your form and think about training within your capacity to maintain a steady even rep speed. May God bless you with the best of training.