How to Start Velocity-Based Training - Part 5
The Velocity Blind Spot: Why Intent Matters More Than You Think
Velocity-based training gives you objective data. Numbers on a screen. No guesswork.
But there's a blind spot that most people miss entirely.
Velocity tells you how fast the bar moved. It doesn't tell you how hard you were trying to move it.
This matters more than you might think. Two reps can produce the exact same velocity for completely different reasons. One, because you pushed maximally, and the weight was heavy. One, because you held back, and the weight was light.
Without knowing the intent behind each rep, velocity data becomes difficult to interpret.
The Final Set Effect
Here's a scenario you'll probably recognise.
A lifter does Set 1: 3 reps on 100kg. Feels like 2 reps left in the tank. Set 2: same thing. Both sets feel like RPE 8.
Then Set 3 is an AMRAP (as many reps as possible). They end up hitting 7 reps.
If they really only had 2 reps in reserve after Sets 1 and 2, where did the extra reps come from?
The answer is intent. They attacked the final set differently. Knowing it was all out, they pushed harder from the very first rep.
How This Ruins Your Data
Here's the problem. That final AMRAP set often produces faster velocities on the early reps than the previous "easier" sets.
Rep 3 of Set 3 might be faster than Rep 3 of Set 1, despite significantly more accumulated fatigue.
Why? Because the lifter's intent changed. They pushed harder because the context changed. The parameters of the upcoming set altered their approach.
If intent varies randomly between sets and sessions, velocity comparisons become meaningless. You're not measuring fatigue or adaptation. You're measuring how hard someone felt like trying that day.
The Fix: Prescribe Max Force
For velocity tracking to work properly, you need to control intent.
The simplest approach is to prescribe "Max Force" on every rep you want to track:
Move the bar with maximum force on every rep. Do not sacrifice technique.
This removes the guesswork. Every rep gets maximum effort. The only variables left are fatigue and genuine adaptation, which is exactly what velocity tracking is designed to measure.
Not max weight. Max intent. Push the bar like you mean it, every single time.
The Takeaway
Velocity data is only as good as the conditions under which it's collected. If intent isn't controlled, you're adding noise to your data, making it harder to spot real signals.
Prescribe max force. Push every rep. Let the numbers tell the truth.
Want the complete system?
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