Cheat Reps vs. Full Reps: What Builds More Muscle?

Liam always thought that doing every rep perfectly was the secret to big muscles. He never skipped a rep and always followed the rules. But then, one day, he noticed his friend Tom doing “cheat reps”—using a little momentum to help push the weights up. “Aren’t cheat reps cheating?” Liam thought. But Tom’s muscles were growing faster than Liam’s! “Why is that?” Liam asked. His coach explained, “Sometimes, cheat reps can actually help you lift heavier weights and push your muscles harder. They allow you to do a few extra reps that you wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.” Liam was surprised. “So cheat reps aren’t bad?” he asked. “No,” the coach said, “But you have to be careful. They should only be used when you’re close to failure and can’t do any more reps with perfect form. If you always use cheat reps, you could hurt yourself.” Liam decided to try using cheat reps occasionally, when he felt his muscles couldn’t push any harder. He saw that using a little help from momentum sometimes helped him grow, but he made sure to balance it with perfect reps for safety. Liam felt stronger, knowing he could use both methods for muscle growth.