A Chain Is Only As
Strong As Its Weakest Link
Failure to develop
any muscle, regardless of the goal, is a mistake that will likely catch up with
anyone at some point, and negatively affect future progress, or worse yet,
contribute to injury. Among the most common neglected muscle groups are the
abs, calves, and forearms. Actually, in regards to the abs, some people
completely overtrain their abs, while the rest seemingly forget about them.
As it relates
to strength training, every single muscle has a purpose, whether it be to
propel the body into motion, lift weight, or provide stability so other
muscles can generate force to propel the body, or lift weight. Generally the
muscles responsible for providing stability so that other muscles can lift
weight are neglected, but what a lot of people don’t realize is that if
stability is compromised in anyway, so is force production.
For example, if the rotator
cuff muscles (primarily the ones responsible for external rotation) aren’t
strong enough to stabilize the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) during
heavy pressing movements, the amount of weight that can be used will
be limited.
It’s not necessary
to devote an entire training session to develop a commonly neglected, small
muscle group like the abs, calves, or forearms, in fact, more than enough
volume can be provided by prioritizing these muscle groups either before,
during, or after training a larger bodypart.
Before
The abs and calves
in particular can be trained at the beginning of any workout, with few
exceptions.
The abs are needed
to provide core stability for any movement that is performed from a hang (pull-/chin-up),
or those in which multiple muscle groups are involved, and if any are not doing
their part, the outcome is negatively affected (squat variations, deadlift
variations), so exhausting them prior to a workout involving these movements may
prove to be counterproductive.
The calves are
needed to provide stability for any movement in which the feet are to be driven
into the ground (squat variations, lunge variations, deadlift variations, press
variations), therefore exhausting them prior to a workout involving these types
of movements may also prove to be counterproductive.
The forearms have
greater limitations in terms of being trained before a larger bodypart, as they
are required in most cases to hold onto the weight so that the other muscles
can do their work. If the forearms are fatigued, and as a result the weight
cannot be held, then any muscle trained after the forearms are exhausted will
suffer. On the other hand, if the forearms are that much of a priority,
training them beforehand will ensure they are completely taxed by the end of
the workout, and just might be an effective way to force growth upon them.
During – AKA Staggering
Staggering is the
most efficient way to increase the volume for a smaller bodypart, as it does
not tack on extra time to the total duration of the workout. Staggering
consists of performing a set for the smaller bodypart requiring extra attention
in between sets for a larger bodypart – instead of resting, that time is used
to perform a set for the smaller bodypart, and if done correctly (the same
rules apply for each bodypart above) it should not affect performance for the
larger bodypart being trained. This increases the density of the workout (more
work is performed in what would be the same amount of time), which is not only
an effective way to increase the volume for the smaller bodypart, but also
contributes to burning more calories, and creating a more visually appealing
physique (as a result of the positive effect burning more calories has on body
composition in most cases).
After
Any smaller bodypart
requiring attention can be trained after a large bodypart, but the problem with
this approach is that the sheer exhaustion of the workout can negatively affect
how much time and effort is put in to developing the smaller bodypart. In most
cases, fatigue is a determining factor, and most people simply choose to put
off doing the work needed for another day, but this turns into a habit, and
ultimately nothing gets done. That, or they will choose to do an exercise for
the bodypart they know they should be training, but since they’re doing it
because they are forcing themselves, and not because they genuinely want to do
it, the effort is minimal, and so is the result. Also, if the smaller bodypart
was worked to some degree during the workout, then it’s not possible to train
it with the intensity needed to get optimal results, therefore choosing to
train a neglected bodypart after working a larger bodypart should be the last
option chosen (although something is better than nothing).
We All Have The Same
Amount Of Time
The most common
complaint people have when it comes to explaining why they have failed to train
a certain bodypart is that they just don’t have the time, but at the end of the
day, we all have the same amount of time. No person on this Earth has more, or
less, than 24 hours, every single day. Yet some choose to use their time
wisely, while others are unaware of how much is lost doing nothing. If you’re
at the gym already to train a larger bodypart, there’s really no reason for any
bodypart to be neglected, as long as you follow the options presented above.
The smaller bodypart can be trained as a means of warming up, or staggered
between sets for the main bodypart being trained, or worst case scenario,
trained at the end since you’re already there. If absolutely necessary, and it’s
the only way in which the smaller bodypart receives the attention needed, then
an entire day of training can be devoted to it, in which all small bodyparts
are trained together.
It Doesn’t Take Much
The key is to simply
train the neglected bodypart 3-4 times a week until it is up to par, making
sure to sequence it in a way that performance for whatever else is being
trained will not suffer.
A few years back,
prior to his crowning of Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler mentioned in a bodybuilding
magazine, that in his quest to become the greatest bodybuilder on the planet,
he carried a “neglect nothing” mentality when it came to his training. This
mentality consisted of devoting just as much time to training forearms
(performing wrist curls with 185 lbs!), as he did any other bodypart.
Granted, not
everyone has the luxury of working out for a living, but the point here is regardless
of your goal, it is of paramount importance to focus on developing each
and every single muscle group to the best of your ability. From a strength
perspective a weakness will hold you back from making optimal gains, and
from an aesthetic perspective a lack of development just makes your physique
look incomplete.
If you have any questions
regarding neglected bodypart specialization, feel free to contact me at ben@paramounttraining.ca. I'm available for
online consulting and personalized program design, as well as one on one
training if you are located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
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