Why 1.5 Reps are the Ultimate Hypertrophy Hack
“The resistance you fight physically in the gym and the resistance you fight in life can only build a strong character.”
Most gym-goers use momentum to cheat the weight up. At Character Basketball, we use physics to our advantage. The 1.5 Rep Method is designed to eliminate momentum and keep your muscles under maximum tension exactly where they are weakest. Adding 1.5 reps to your workouts is an incredible, underutilized technique for building muscle.
Don’t believe me? Ask these guys -
What is a 1.5 Rep?
In a standard rep, you go from point A to point B. In a 1.5 rep, you double the work in the "danger zone."
The Sequence:
Perform a full ECCENTRIC (lowering) phase.
Perform a full CONCENTRIC (lifting) phase.
Lower the weight halfway back down (to the "sticking point").
Drive it back to the top.
That sequence equals ONE rep.
Why We Use Them (The Science)
Time Under Tension (TUT): By adding the extra half-rep, your muscles stay under load for nearly twice as long as a standard rep. This is the primary driver for HYPERTROPHY (muscle growth).
Owning the "Sticking Point": Most people fail a lift at the bottom or the midpoint. 1.5 reps force you to practice that specific "weak" range twice as often, building massive positional strength.
Mid-Range Overload: Science shows that muscles can produce the most force in their mid-range (the length-tension relationship). 1.5 reps target this "sweet spot" to maximize muscle fiber recruitment.
Mental Fortitude: As Tony Gentilcore says, these reps "make you hate life" in the best way possible. They build the grit required for the 300 Workout.
📝 Tracking the 1.5 Rep
When you see a workout written as 10 reps (1.5 style), you are actually performing 10 full reps and 10 partial reps.
[ ] DB Chest Press (1.5 Reps): ___ lbs ___ reps
How to log it: Count each 1.5 rep (full ROM + half ROM) as 1 rep!!! Yup! At Character Basketball we do more work than anyone else, and don’t need to take credit for it. Beware - you're not going to be able to perform the same number of 1.5 reps as single reps, so you may want to aim for about 80% of your “normal” weight, but don’t hold back on these reps!
Coach’s Character Note: "The resistance you fight physically in the gym and the resistance you fight in life can only build a strong character." — Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The 1.5 rep is about not taking the easy way out. You’re already at the top, but you choose to go back down into the struggle for one more half-turn. That’s how champions are made—one extra effort at a time.
