[Jihad]

FWIW:

My main goal on a daily basis, if its a weight day, is to achieve a sustained "pump". I do not achieve it and then stare in the mirror, it is most assuredly NOT for cosmetic reasons. I have noticed over many years of training that my most effective gains come after bringing myself past the point of failure (not a breakthrough, I know, and then only after proper recovery). The best indicator of moving past failure for me is the pump. If I hit a really good pump that is focused into the specific muscle I've been working, I will hurt the next day (the good kind of hurt). To get into the pump and work with/through it for a couple sets, drop sets, forced reps, and super/tri sets are the way to go for me.

OP, I think that if you trained for a week ensuring that you get a pump through your target muscle, you will see what I'm saying. As an aside, even though I have a strong back it is the hardest area/muscle group to pump, and it is the area that hurts the least the day after I hit it hard.