Know Your Response,
And Cater Your Training To It
The act of strength training, or ‘working out’, does not build
muscle (or increase strength/endurance) – the body responds to the strength
training by building muscle (or increases its ability to generate/maintain
force). Strength training is simply the catalyst which initiates the adaptive
processes, therefore one must first know what physiological/neurological
response it is they wish to achieve in response to their efforts, so their
strength training regimen can be tailored accordingly.
Exercises are nothing more than the ‘tools’ that are used to ‘do
the job’ and trigger the response. The way in which the tools are used, as in
the weight that is used, which determines roughly how many reps can be performed,
the amount of sets, along with the rest between them, should all be based upon
the goal, as they all heavily contribute to the end result.
Because our ability to progress is limited by our ability to
recover, and the body has a limited capacity to positively respond to training,
in terms of how much ‘work’ it can recover from, it’s of paramount importance
to invest the limited amount of time and energy that can be spent training, on
the exercises which provide the greatest return (on investment). It can’t be
expected that more and more work can just be piled on without having some sort
of downstream effect.
Since there’s essentially a limited supply, or maximum amount, of
time and effort that can be invested into training, and there’s a cap on the
amount of work that the body can endure, it’s only logical to invest that time
and effort as wisely as possible – which is done by placing emphasis on making
improvements in the lifts that provide the most benefit and greatest return on
investment. After all, it’s the loading parameters that ultimately determine
how the body will respond to the workout.
Applications/Aspects
Of Strength
Some of the possible applications of strength that can be developed
in response to a workout, which are all dependent on how the loading parameters
are set up, include (but are not limited to):
Maximum Strength – the maximum
amount of force the muscle can produce (highly correlated with muscle
size/volume – cross-sectional area)
Movement Strength – the capacity to
lift weight from beginning to end of a given movement – dependent on the
coordination between the muscles involved, the strength of each muscle
involved, and technical efficiency
*Positional Strength – the capacity to
maintain proper form under load – the deadlift provides the best example of the
difference between movement strength and positional strength: it’s not uncommon
for some lifters to be significantly stronger if they allow their form to
deteriorate (and allow the upper back to round), as opposed to maintaining
stricter form – this demonstrates that their movement strength heavily
outweighs their positional strength (which is fine if the goal is to simply
lift as much as possible, irrespective of how it’s done, but consistently
training in this manner can lead to injuries, and develop muscular imbalances
which will be hard to rid later, and can ultimately prevent future gains).
Explosive Strength – the capacity to
continue to impart acceleration upon resistance after overcoming inertia, and
perform explosive motions at high speeds under load
Worth noting is that even though ‘size’ isn’t on the list above, it
certainly can be developed in response to training geared towards improving
each of the applications above. Size is essentially a side effect developed in
response to training geared around developing each, and every, application of
strength, and each one can be trained and developed by simply modifying the loading
parameters. For example:
·
Maximal/movement strength is best trained by lifting heavy (working
up to a daily 1, or 2 RM)
·
Positional strength is best developed with the inclusion of
isometric pauses (*double pause, 2 seconds each – beginning and mid-range, 3-4
x 3 w/50-55%)
·
Explosive strength is best trained using lighter loads with
traditional lifts, or with Olympic lifts which are explosive by nature (4-5 x 3
w/20-30% for ballistic, or 45-55% for explosive or 70-80% for Olympic lifts)
·
Muscle strength is best developed by recruiting and fatiguing as
many muscle fibers as possible (pump reps, bottom or top range only – whichever
places targeted muscles under most tension, 3 x 8-10)
Traditionally, multiple exercises would be performed in a given
workout, each with a different set of parameters, in an attempt to concurrently
develop multiple aspects of strength. However, considering that it’s the
parameters that ultimately determine the training effect, it’s really not
necessary to invest time and effort into performing exercises that fail to
provide the greatest return on investment since you can essentially develop
each of the applications above (and then some) with one primary exercise per
muscle group.
If there was an unlimited capacity to positively respond to
training, then sure, it would be a much more valuable use of time and effort to
perform a greater amount of exercises, but since this isn’t the case, investing
time and effort on an exercise that fails to provide the greatest return on
investment is of little value.
*A Quick Word On The
Value Of Positional Strength
It’s important to be strong at all positions of a lift – being
relatively stronger at some positions can mask relative weaknesses and permit
full range repetitions as a result of having sufficient strength reserves at
other positions/ranges of motion. Therefore, it’s important to strengthen
relatively weak positions, not just the full movement, and this is best done by
practicing holding such positions with isometric pauses to increase the time
under tension at those positions/ranges. Doing so integrates the strength
gained in each of the individual muscles during separate exercises into the
full range lift in which improvements are sought.
Slow Down, Hold It
Right There (How To Develop Positional Strength)
Isometric pauses (for 2-3 seconds if training for strength, or 5-6
seconds if training for size) can be incorporated at one, or more, range(s) of
motion to increase the time under tension where it is needed most.
Isometric pauses can increase isometric strength more than dynamic
lifting, which is important because the inability to maintain position at any
point throughout the range of motion is where form will break down during a max
effort. Therefore, isometric pauses can be used to strengthen the relatively
weak ranges of motion which are masked when using lighter loads. Pausing also
eliminates momentum, and forces the body to recruit more muscle at certain
ranges of motion than it would otherwise have to.
Because yielding actions almost exclusively activate mTOR, pausing
during the eccentric is best suited to stimulate growth, but does nothing for
strength, as it does not address the problems associated with dynamic lifting –
namely the momentum which hides potential relative weaknesses.
Pausing during the concentric is more demanding because higher
forces, at joint angles where momentum usually hides the weakness, are needed
to resume upward movement. Basically, this requires the production of higher
levels of force at whichever range of motion you choose.
Therefore, eccentric pauses should be used to turn on mTOR at the beginning
of a workout, or to finish off a muscle at the end of a workout, while
concentric pauses should be used to build strength at ranges of motion that
need it the most.
Deliberately lifting slowly throughout the entire range of motion
can be used as well to effectively develop positional strength. Like isometric
pauses, intentionally lifting slow also offers a few other primary benefits, including
(but not limited to):
·
It can help enhance the feeling of a muscle working as it
contracts. This facilitates the development of the mind-muscle connection, thus
increasing your capacity to recruit the muscle at will, which potentially
increases the effectiveness of the rest of your training for that bodypart.
·
Lifting slow can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify
relatively weak ranges of motion, which may normally be suppressed by lifting
with greater levels of force (to blow through the relative weak ranges), to
compensate for a lack of strength at certain ranges of motion.
·
Aside from diagnosing relative weaknesses, deliberately lifting
slowly also ensures that relatively weak ranges remain under tension when they
otherwise would not be – either as a result of the contribution of stretch
reflex after the turnaround between eccentric and concentric, or lifting with
greater levels of force to help bypass certain relatively weak ranges of
motion. This can increase the potential for future strength gains by
strengthening the weak links (relatively weak ranges of motion).
·
Pairing a slow eccentric motion with a slow concentric motion
(primarily when performing isolation exercises), never releasing muscle
tension, can stimulate growth by creating an occlusion effect, which
denies/reduces blood entry into the muscle during contraction, depriving the
muscle of oxygen. This results in an increase in the production of local growth
factors, thus creating an anabolic effect.
·
Eliminating the momentum that accompanies lifting with greater
levels of force teaches proper lifting mechanics (especially for multi-joint
compound exercises) by allowing focus to remain on maintaining perfect
positioning at all ranges of motion.
Practical Examples
Of Positions To Include Isometric Pauses Based On Relative Weaknesses
SQUATS
·
Pausing at the bottom range reduces the contribution of the stretch
reflex
·
Pausing just after the turnaround between eccentric and concentric
develops positional strength
·
Pausing at 90 degrees maximizes quad recruitment
Performing partials with greater loads and pausing at top ¼ range
overloads the quads as well, but can also be used to develop positional
strength for the push press (the front squat would be a more transferable
option)
DEADLIFTS
·
Pausing below the knees reinforces how to use the legs when lifting
·
Pausing above the knees teaches when to engage the hips/glutes
BENCH PRESS
·
Pausing above the chest maximizes pec activation
·
Pausing near lockout, while trying to pull the bar apart maximizes
triceps recruitment
If mid-range is problematic, pause just below mid-range with light
weight + higher rep (over 5) sets, and just above mid-range with heavy weight +
low reps (4 or less)
Double Up
Double paused lifts teach to not rely on the stretch reflex which
can further develop positional strength, and rewire the firing pattern, as long
as full tension is maintained. Using the bench press as an example, the focus
is on the back staying tensed, while the chest is lifted up, and the bar is
squeezed.
Yesterday Is Gone,
And Tomorrow Is Not Here Yet – All We Have Is Today
It’s impossible to accurately forecast how you will be able to
perform on any given day. There are just too many variables to take into
consideration that can affect your ability to perform on any given day, and
just because you were able to do something on a different day, does not mean
you will be able to today, and even if you are, that does not guarantee you
will be able to again tomorrow.
If life was controlled like a science experiment, where only one
variable was changed at a time so that the effect of the change could be
measured, then yes, following a pre-determined plan would be of significant
value. But because life is not like this, and so many different variables can
change at any moment, a more effective approach may be to attempt to identify
what your daily capacity is, and work within your daily limits. This is done by
knowing what physiological response it is you wish to develop, and adjusting
your training accordingly.
Push It To The Limit
There are basically 3 zones worth looking at when it comes to
training for the optimal blend of size and strength (both of which can benefit
the other), and they are:
The 1-2 Rep Zone – this zone is
indicative that you are working within 95-100% capacity of your daily limit
which best develops relative strength, and increases muscle hardness/fast-twitch
(superficial) fiber development, and thus increases your capacity to recruit
those fast-twitch fibers.
The 3-4 Rep Zone – this zone is indicative
that you are working within 87.5-90% capacity of your daily limit which allows
for a greater amount of mechanical work to be performed, and still has a very
similar strength building effect on maximal lifting.
The 5-6 Rep Zone – this zone is
indicative that you are working within 82.5-85% capacity of your daily limit
which is better for building muscle because of the effect it has on activating
different growth processes/pathways.
The purpose of working up to a daily max for a given amount of reps
it to activate the nervous system, increase fast twitch fiber recruitment, and
build your capacity to showcase strength. A good starting point is generally
around 40-50% of your perceived max (the amount that you believe you can do for
1 rep) and add 10-20 lbs. each set until reaching your daily limit for
whichever zone you wish to work towards. Start by performing triples (sets of
3) to practice the movement pattern while preventing fatigue from becoming a
limiting factor before switching to the amount of reps the zone you are
intending to peak at calls for after 2-3 sets, aiming to peak within 6-9 total
sets, with 3-4 being above 90% of the peak you reach.
There is an inverse relationship between neural demand and
metabolic demand between the 3 zones. The heavier the weight, the greater
neural demand there is, while the lighter the weight (performed for more reps),
the greater metabolic demand there is – muscle can be built while the nervous
system recovers, which is why the 5-6 rep zone is of great value. The greater
the neural demand, the greater the risk of overworking your body’s capacity to
recover becomes with every rep – which is why it’s ill advised to work up to
the 1-2 rep zone often.
The desired physiological/neurological response that you wish to
achieve as a result of your efforts should dictate how much time and effort, if
any, is invested into each training zone. Regardless of whether the goal is to
primarily increased strength, size, or a combination of the two, you should
always aim to work up to at least 80% of the maximum amount of weight you know
you could lift on any given day – NOT 80% of the best you’ve ever done (which
would be your personal record – PR), but 80% of what you know you can do on any
given day.
Working up to whichever zone you choose for the day is only the
beginning. Upon reaching your daily capacity, it’s time to actually move on to
the next segment of the workout and perform some work. The work you do is
obviously going to be based on what response it is that you wish to accomplish,
but regardless of the goal, the general idea is that you’re going to have to perform
more work.
Regardless of whether your goal is to get bigger or stronger, after
determining what your daily capacity is during the first segment of the workout,
you want to perform a higher volume of work that is within 10-15% of what you
peaked at. If you worked up to a max single, which would represent 100% of what
you are capable of, it’s in your best interest to follow up with some work in
the 85-90% range.
If you worked up to a max double, which would represent roughly 95%
of what you are capable of, you’re going to want to follow that up with some
work in the 80.75-85.5% range (of your max) – OR 80-85%.
If you worked up to a max triple, which would represent roughly 90%
of what you are capable of, you’re going to want to follow that up with some
work in the 76.5-81% range (of your max) – OR 77-82%.
If you worked up to a max quadruple, which would represent roughly
87.5% of what you are capable of, you’re going to want to follow that up with
some work in the 74.375-78.75% range (of your max) – OR 75-80%.
If you worked up to a 5 rep max which would represent roughly 85%
of what you are capable of, you’re going to want to follow that up with some
work in the 72.75-76.5% range (of your max) – OR 72-77%.
If you worked up to a 6 rep max which would represent roughly 82.5%
of what you are capable of, you’re going to want to follow that up with some
work in the 70.125-74.25% range (of your max) – OR 70-75%.
You don’t have to get too hung up on the EXACT percentages – they
are just a guide based on what you are likely able to do based on your daily
capacity. Don’t stress about majoring on the minors.
Get In The Zone, And
Then Get To Work
There are literally an endless combination of methods that can be
used to follow up what you accomplished during the daily capacity segment, but
a general rule is to aim to perform as high a volume of high quality work as
possible, without overworking your body’s capacity to recover. The purpose of
this segment is generally to develop the capacity to recruit, and fatigue, fast
twitch fibers with the goal of increasing both size and strength, aiming to use
roughly 90% of what was achieved in the daily capacity segment of the workout. Generally
3-5 sets of 3-5 reps performed as either straight sets, or clusters are good options
here, depending on what you worked up to in your daily capacity segment.
If performing straight sets, anywhere between 85-90% of what was
accomplished during the daily capacity segment can be used here. There is an
inverse relationship here as well, in that the lower end of the spectrum should
be used if performing straight sets, while the higher end of the spectrum is
more appropriate if performing clusters – since the intermittent rest will
facilitate the usage of greater loads. Therefore, an unwritten rule is that 85%
is a good starting point if using straight sets, while 90% is the preferred starting
point when using clusters.
With clusters, the goal is to perform 3-7 reps per set, with 10
seconds of rest between each rep, shooting for a grand total of 17-20 total
reps during this segment, divided over 3 sets. If more than 17 reps can be performed
with 90% of what was accomplished during the daily capacity segment, use a
higher percentage next time (92.5%). Clusters are best performed in a power rack,
in which the bar can rest on the pins between reps, which spares setup time,
and conserves energy that would otherwise be spent on racking, and unracking
the bar between reps. If you don’t have the luxury of using a power rack with
pins, simply tack on an additional 5 seconds between each rep to account for
the extra work needed to rack and unrack the bar between efforts, and use
slightly less weight to begin with (87.5% instead of 90% of what was achieved
in the daily limit segment).
Finish The Job
There’s only so much high quality work that can be done without
overworking the body’s capacity to recover, but that doesn’t mean that lower
intensity work has no value. In fact, after performing a great deal of high
quality work, the muscles may in fact respond better to lower intensity work
due to the enhanced level of fast twitch fiber activation, which will thus
enhance the quality of this segment of the workout. Up until this point the
goal was to recruit as many fibers as possible, but once recruited, and
stimulated to a certain degree, it’s time to exhaust them to promote the
desired physiological response that you set out to achieve in the first place.
Depending on your level of fatigue and exhaustion, you may not need
to perform many sets here to get the job done. Generally 1-3 sets of higher
reps, something around 15 per set, are all that is needed. Once 15 reps can be
performed for 3 sets, the weight can be increased, but focus should remain on
increasing the loads used for the first two segments above before ever trying
to make improvements here. The fun part in this segment is determining how you
are going to accumulate these higher reps, as there are just as many options
here, as there are in the previous segment.
Because the goal is to stimulate and exhaust as many muscle fibers
as possible, the rest-pause method lends itself as one of the more appropriate
methods here to do the job because it facilitates the usage of greater loads
while still accumulating greater durations of time under tension. There is an
inverse relationship in terms of how much weight should be used, depending on
the method used, with greater loads being more appropriate for methods in which
more ‘rest-pauses’ are used, while lower loads are more appropriate for sets in
which less ‘rest-pauses’ are used.
For example, if one was to perform just one rest-pause, a good
option would be to perform as many reps as possible (between 4 and 7 ideally,
with less than 4 calling for a reduction in weight, and more than 7 calling for
an increase in the weight) with 80-85% (starting with 80%) of what was reached
during the daily capacity segment, rest for no more than 15 seconds, and
perform as many more reps as possible. The only time in which performing more
than 7 reps during the first ‘leg’ is appropriate is if this method is being
used for an assistance exercise, or something other than the involved
musculature being trained during the first 2 segments – in this case performing
8 reps, resting 10 seconds, then performing max reps (as many reps as
possible), is ok.
Instead of performing as many reps as possible during the first
‘leg’ of the example above, one could opt to stop at a certain number of reps,
rest for 15-30 seconds, and aim to match the same amount of reps achieved
during the first ‘leg’ two more times. For example, instead of performing 7
reps, resting, and only being able to perform 4 more, you would stop at 5, rest
20-30 seconds, perform another 5, rest another 20-30 seconds, and perform a
final 5 reps. This way the quality of reps remains high, as you will be less
affected by fatigue by limiting how many reps you perform on the first and
second leg. Essentially you would be ‘managing’ fatigue to allow for a greater
workload to be performed, and the quality of reps would be better as well.
Because of the slightly higher volume of work, given that there are 3 ‘legs’
with this method, the intensity can be lowered to 70% if needed at first to
help develop work capacity.
In either of the examples above, only 3-4 (never more than 4) sets
should be needed to finish the job.
Another method would be to perform 3 rest-pause sets in
‘descending’ fashion, starting with 5 reps, resting for 10-15 seconds, then
performing 4 reps, resting another 10-15, and continuing in that fashion until
ending at 1 rep. In this case, something like 65-70% of what was achieved
during the daily capacity segment would be ideal.
The result of your performance in the second segment can also
dictate what you do here, in that, if you were able to perform more than 17
cluster reps, an option would be to perform 3 sets of ‘double descending’ rest-pause
sets in which you perform a set of 4 reps, rest 10-15 seconds, perform another
4 reps, rest another 10-15, then perform only 3 reps, rest for 10-15, perform
another 3, and continue in that fashion until completing two sets of 1 to
finish the set, for a grand total of 20 reps per set. In this case, also use
65-70% with the goal of working up to 80% for these sets over time, resting no
more than 20-30 seconds between sets.
Just as you would when doing clusters, ideally you would perform
these rest-pause methods in a power rack, resting the weight on the pins
between bouts. For variety, one option would be to select one method of higher
intensity and go with that for 2 straight weeks, then switching to a method of
lower intensity and going with that for the next 2 weeks, and alternating in
that fashion, as this segment is of lower importance in the grander scheme of
things, therefore it can be used to add variety for mental stimulation more
than anything.
Generally 1 set is all that is needed for the methods in this third
segment of the workout, but when strength gains begin to taper, an effective
approach is to reduce the higher intensity component by 40-50% and increase the
density work to 3 sets for 2-3 weeks. These methods are based on creating a
pump, therefore your blood needs to be full of nutrients for the massive influx
of blood to be effective.
Putting In Overtime
Generally, the 3 segments above are enough to promote the desired
physiological adaptation – especially considering that each segment is
performed with the same movement, which is supposed to be a compound movement
involving a vast amount of musculature. However, some may want to do more, or
may in fact be able to tolerate more, and in these cases there’s always the
option to tack on another segment to the workload.
Because fatigue will undoubtedly be a limiting factor at this stage
in the game, the sole purpose here is to either focus on pumping even more
nutrients to the trained musculature, or possibly perform some speed work for
those who are more strength oriented.
As for the pump work, a good method to really prompt the body to
flush the trained musculature with as much blood as possible is to perform a
variation of a rest-pause set, except instead of allowing the muscles to relax
during the ‘rest’ segment of the set, you keep them fully engaged by holding
the rep at the peak contraction. An example would be to hold the muscle in the
contracted position for 5 seconds, then perform 5 reps, and upon completing the
5 reps you hold the muscle in the contracted position for 4 seconds, then
perform 4 reps, and continuing in that fashion until finishing with 1 rep. In
this case, 2-3 sets using 40-50% of what was achieved during the daily capacity
segment would be used.
For the strength oriented individual who cares more about
performance, anywhere between 4 and 8 sets of 3 could be used, using 50-60% of
what was achieved during the daily capacity segment, resting for 15-30 seconds
between sets.
Putting It All
Together
To even attempt to go through all the possible combinations that
the methods above would provide would be futile – there’s just no point, or any
value in trying to illustrate every available combination. However, as long as
you understand the basic philosophy, you can essentially structure a workout in
whichever way you feel best suits your needs, and the physiological response
you wish to attain.
Regardless of what that response is, the same basic structure
applies:
·
Work towards a daily limit based on whichever zone best applies,
focusing on one main lift per workout
·
Aim to perform a high volume of high quality work based on what you
achieved during your daily capacity segment
·
Aim to further stimulate and exhaust as many muscle fibers within
the trained musculature as possible using methods best suited for that, without
decreasing performance
·
If necessary, perform a small amount of even further exhausting
work, or speed work
As it relates to the structure of the workout, there is an inverse
relationship between the amount of weight used during each segment, and the
sequence, with the heaviest loads being used at the onset, based on what you’re
able to handle on that specific day, and lighter and lighter loads being used
as the workout progresses.
Assistance Work
This ‘auto-regulatory/minimalist’ philosophy is based around
investing the limited amount of your body’s recovery resources on the exercises
that provide the most bang for your buck. It comes down to performing more work
with the movements that will have the biggest impact on changing your physique,
as opposed to investing a little bit of your resources on multiple exercises.
If I were to ask you, what’s better for building the legs – squats
or leg extensions, what would you say? Squats, I hope. Or how about dumbell
flyes/raises or barbell presses for the chest and/or shoulders? Probably heavy
presses in this case. If these are the answers, the next question becomes, why bother
investing the limited resources you have in leg extensions, flyes, and raises,
when you can use those resources to recover from performing more squats and
presses at the expense of inferior isolation movements?
Even if investing more of your resources into the movements that
will provide the most return per investment, people are naturally going to want
to do more. Even if training becomes redundant and boring, but the results are
more than you’ve had doing routines that are more mentally stimulating and
exciting, people will always strive to do more. For this reason, it would be
incomplete to not at least touch on the use of assistance exercises.
Because of the high volume of work performed during the first 3-4
segments of the workout, it would be wise to limit the amount of assistance
work to 3-6 sets of 4-6, or 6-8 reps if performing traditional movements, or
3-4 sets of 3-5 reps if using an explosive lift as an assistance exercise. In
either case, the only type of work that should be performed is pump or speed
work is best at this stage of the workout to prevent interfering with recovery
from the main neurologically demanding work.
Alternative
Treatment
While it doesn’t get more accurate than working up to a daily limit
in determining what your body is capable of on any given day, it can be
demotivating if it’s not possible to beat your personal best in either of the 3
zones. In these cases, a better option may be to just jump straight into high
quality work based off numbers you are confident you can hit on any given day.
For example, instead of working up to a daily limit, perform 5 sets of 1-3
starting with a weight that represents at least 90% of what you’re confident
you could lift for 1. When you can manage 3 reps for all 5 sets, increase the
weight and start over.
Instead of performing 5 sets of 1-3, which would equate to anywhere
between 5 and 15 reps, you could opt to perform one giant cluster set with 85-90%,
or even up to 92.5% of what you are positive you could manage for 1 rep aiming for
10-12 total reps, taking 30-45 seconds of rest between reps (set a timer to add
a density component).
Partial reps, which allow for greater intensities to be used, can
be used during the first segment of the workout as well, aiming for 4 sets of
1-3 reps, using a weight that is greater than that which you would be able to
handle for 1 full range rep. Ideally the load would be 100-110% of your full
range max, but you only perform the top range of the movement.
As for the second segment, clusters and straight sets aren’t the
only option here as well. As long as near max efforts with roughly 85-90% of
your daily capacity are being used, then any other rep scheme can be applied.
For example, if positional strength was the focus, 3-4 sets of 3 with a double
concentric range pause for 2 seconds each is a good method to use here. Could
also perform 3-4 sets of 3 with a super slow 5 second eccentric to develop
positional strength.
Or, if you chose to perform 5 sets of 1-3 during the first segment,
than something like 4 more sets of 3-5, using the same progression model
(increase weight when all sets can be performed for top rep range). If the goal
was to exhaust the muscles through their full range, something like 3-4 sets of
3 full range reps, followed by as many top range partials as possible to
exhaust the muscles through the range they are strongest as they fatigue is a
good option. In this case, using a weight you could manage 5 times, but
stopping at 3 before performing max rep top range partials would be effective.
The third segment is the one in which there is the most applicable
variety. The general goal in this segment is to perform a high density of work
– performing the same, or more, work in less time. To create a sense of
urgency, a timer can be used, and sets and reps are thrown out the window –
just perform as many reps as you can in the allotted amount of time, aiming to
use at least 70-80% of what was achieved during the daily capacity segment. Rest
intervals should be 15-20 seconds to be considered ‘density work’, with
occasional 30-45 seconds if fatigue begins to accumulate. Some good options
here are:
·
10 or 20 reps with 90% as fast as possible, or as many reps as
possible in 4, or 5 minutes.
·
30 reps with 80-85% as fast as possible (or 40 reps with 80%), or
as many reps as possible in 8, or 10 minutes.
·
10 reps with 90% as fast as possible, then 30 reps with 80-85% as
fast as possible.
·
10 reps with 90% as fast as possible, then drop down to 80% and
perform 10 as fast as possible, then drop down to 70% and perform 10 more as
fast as possible.
·
As many reps as possible with 80% in 5, 6, 8, or 10 minutes –
aiming for no more than 20 seconds between efforts.
·
As many reps as possible with 80% in 4 minutes, then drop down to
70% and perform as many reps as possible in another 4 minutes.
·
20-30 reps, or as high as 50 reps with 70-80% as fast as possible.
30 with 70%, or 20 with 80% - there is an inverse relationship between
intensity in volume – more reps are expected with lighter loads, and vice versa.
50 reps in 10 minutes is ideal.
·
3 reps with 80% every minute on the minute (EMOM) for 5 straight
minutes, or 70% for 6 straight minutes.
·
1 rep with 80% EMOM for 12-15 minutes or 90% for 6-8 minutes, or 2
reps with 80% EMOM for 8-10 minutes.
·
Perform a set every 30 seconds on the second for 10 minutes. If
performing singles, you’ll end up with 21 total reps. If performing doubles,
you’ll end up with 42 total reps, and if performing triples you’ll end up with
63 total reps. You could also perform triples for the first 10 sets, then doubles
for the last 11 (52 total reps), or perform triples for the first 5 sets,
doubles for the next 10 sets, and singles for the last 6 sets (41 total reps).
The options are endless.
·
Perform 5 sets of triples every 30 seconds on the second with 65%
(or 70%) of what was achieved during the daily capacity segment, then increase
the weight to 70% (or 75%) and perform 5 doubles on the second every 30
seconds, and finish by increasing the weight to 75% (or 80%) and perform 5 singles
on the second every 30 seconds.
·
Perform 20 sets of 2 with 60-70% of what was achieved during the
daily capacity segment, aiming to complete them within 9 minutes.
·
10 sets of triples with 70-75% as fast as possible – aiming for
under 6 minutes, increasing the weight the next time if completing all 30 reps
under 6 minutes.
·
As many sets of 3-5 reps with 75-85% in a set amount of time (4, 5,
6, 8, or 10 minutes).
·
Perform as many reps as possible with 90% for 3 min, then 80% for 3
min, back up to 85% for 3 min, and back down to 75% or 80% for 3 min.
·
Ascending-descending complexes can be used in the density segment
as well, an example using the bench press pattern would be: bench press for 3-5
reps, then push press for 3-5 reps, then speed bench presses with 50-60% and
the option to add bands or chains for 3 reps, then med ball throws for 10 reps,
finishing with plyo pushups for 10 reps, performed for 3 rounds. The order can
be reversed as well, depending on the goal.
If the numbers above are unachievable, the weight is either too
heavy, or the muscle is too pumped (lactate and hydrogen ions are interfering
with contraction), or you’re just not in good metabolic condition. If the
muscle is too pumped, reduce the reps per set, not the rest intervals – this
will improve the density aspect. Then focus on increasing the reps per set
while keeping the rest intervals consistent. Another solution is to alternate a
set of higher reps with a set of lower reps – ex. 4 reps, 20 second rest, 1
rep, 20 second rest, etc, and each week or two, increase the low rep set by 1
(4 reps, rest, 2 reps, rest, 4 reps, rest, 2 reps – next time 3 instead of 2)
until reaching sets of 5.
Worth noting, for each of the ‘on the second’, or ‘on the minute’
examples means to perform a set every minute, or every 30 seconds on the clock.
This does NOT mean a set with a minute, or 30 seconds of rest, it means that
when 30 seconds, or a minute of real life time has passed, it’s time to perform
the next set.
Also worthy of mention is that the method selected should be based
on what zone you decided to work towards during the daily capacity segment –
the higher the zone, the more intense method that should be chosen, while the
lower the zone, the less intense method should be chosen (ex. if working up to
a daily single or double, select a density option that uses loads above 80%,
while if working up to a daily triple or more, select a density option that
uses loads below 80%).
If you chose to perform 5 sets of 1-3, and/or 4 sets of 3-5, you
could follow the same progression in this segment of the workout as well by
performing 3 sets of 6-8 using the exact same progression model (increase
weight when all sets can be performed for top rep range).
Or, if positional strength is somewhat of a priority, but not that
much that it was addressed in an earlier segment, then 3-4 sets of 3 with 3
pauses during the eccentric rep is a good method here. And another good method
would be 3 sets of 5 with a mid-range (or end-range depending on the movement) isometric
upon completion of the last rep using 75% of what was achieved during the daily
capacity segment.
You Can’t Connect
The Dots Looking Forward – You Can Only Connect The Dots Looking Backward
Here are some practical examples of how to structure a workout
using all of the principles and methods outlined above.
STRENGTH – #1
·
Select an exercise that allows for multiple mechanical adjustments
to be made to facilitate gradual increases in load while working up to a daily
max.
·
Work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Upon reaching a daily max, reduce the weight 70% of what you
accomplished and work back up to a max single or double, performing the top
half of the range of motion only, or switch to a more mechanically advantageous
position for the same movement pattern (from front squat to back squat for
example), until reaching a max single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Upon reaching a max single or double with a partial range, or
mechanically advantageous position of the same pattern, reduce the weight to
70% of what you accomplished during the second segment, and perform partials
through an even smaller range of motion, until reaching a max single or double
(1-2 rep zone).
·
Reduce the weight to 50% of what was accomplished during the first
segment and perform 6 sets of 3 speed reps, or 3 sets of 6-8 regular reps (if
performing an exercise not geared towards speed work like a Romanian deadlift),
or 1-2 cluster sets with 80% of what was accomplished during the first segment.
STRENGTH – #2
This option can succeed the previous option as part of a
progression pattern, in which case you would use the second exercise used
during the first option – for example, if you were using the front squat for
option #1 above, you would use the back squat here.
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone).
·
Perform 6-8 sets of 3 with 90% (use 80% for high coordination lifts
like a push press) of what you accomplished during the first segment (there is
an inverse relationship between the amount of sets performed and the systemic
effect of the chosen exercise – for example, 8 sets can be performed for a lift
like the bench press or overhead press since it is less taxing on the body than
a squat or deadlift, which should be limited to 6 sets).
·
Perform 4 sets of 3 with 80% of what was accomplished in the first
segment, but switch to a position of mechanical disadvantage by extending the
range of motion, but only perform partials to target other muscle groups
involved in the same pattern. For example, narrow the grip used when pressing
but only perform top range to increase the demand on the triceps. For other
patterns like squats and deadlifts, perform 4-5 sets of 4-6, or 6-8, or 8-10
reps of a different exercise that targets the same involved musculature (shoulder
press if the bench press was used for the first 2 segments, deadlifts or
Romanian deadlifts if squats were used for the first 2 segments, etc).
STRENGTH – #3
This option can succeed the previous 2 options above as part of a
progression pattern, in which case you would use yet a different variation of
the lifts used in the first 2 options – for example, if you were using the
front squat for option #1, and the back squat for option #2, here you would use
the back squat, but elevate the heels to cater the movement to the quads, since
this option is geared more towards size than the last 2 methods (so it only
makes sense to modify the way in which the exercises are performed to direct
more tension onto the targeted areas). If using the decline press for the first
2 options, then increasing the angle of the bench to flat or incline is
applicable here.
·
Work up to a 5 or 6 rep max (5-6 rep zone).
·
Perform 4 sets of 6 with 90% of what was accomplished during the
first segment.
·
Perform 4 sets of 6 with 80% of what was accomplished during the
first segment, performing partials through the top range only to further
exhaust the muscles that aren’t optimally stimulated when performing a full
range of motion due to leverages – for example, if using the bench press,
switch to a floor press here.
·
Perform 4-5 sets of 8-10 reps of an isolation movement targeting
the same muscles involved in the lift that was used during the first 3 segments
– for example, if using the bench press, something like triceps pressdowns can
be used here.
The first 3 methods can be cycled a few times without switching to
other methods as a form of auto-regulatory periodization.
STRENGTH – #4A Leave
No Zone Untrained, High Intensity, High Volume
If using this auto-regulatory approach for extended periods of
time, a method like this can be used every 4-5 weeks. Clusters are preferred,
but if a power rack is not available then straight sets of 3 with 90% are
applicable (ex. non-dead-stop movements like bench presses and squats –
obviously deadlifts can be performed in cluster fashion since the bar is at a
dead-stop when resting on the floor).
·
Work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Perform 2-3 cluster sets with 90% of what was achieved during the
first segment, aiming for 3-6 total reps per set, decreasing the weight if 3
are not possible, and increasing the weight if more than 6 are performed, or
perform 2 sets of 3 with 90% if no power rack is available to perform clusters,
or just perform 1-2 sets of 3-5 reps with 85% of what was achieved during the
first segment.
·
Reduce the weight to 70% or 80% of what was accomplished during the
first segment and work up to a max triple or quadruple (basically work up to a
max for the next zone – 3-4 rep zone).
·
Perform 2 cluster sets with 90% of what was achieved in the third
segment, or 2 sets of 3 reps with 90% if no power rack is available to perform
clusters, or just 1-2 sets of 3-5 reps with 85% of what was achieved during the
third segment.
·
Reduce the weight to 70% or 80% of what was accomplished during the
third segment and work up to a 5 or 6 rep max (basically work up to a max for
the final zone – 5-6 rep zone).
·
Perform 1 cluster with 90% of what was achieved during the fifth
segment, or 1 set with 80% using one of the rest-pause methods (ex. max reps,
15 seconds rest, max reps), or just 1 set of 3-5 reps using 85% of what was
achieved during the fifth segment. If the goal is to work on speed and
performance of the trained lift, then 3-4 sets of 3 performed for max speed
with 60% of the weight achieved during the fifth segment, or 1 set of 3-5 with
85% are good options to finish the workout here (this should be the final
segment if you choose one of these final 2 methods, and the most mechanically
advantageous position of the pattern should be used – for example, use back
squats for speed work instead of front squats, even if front squats were used
for the rest of the workout).
·
Perform 1 set with 70% for of what was achieved during the first
segment using the same rest-pause method as in the sixth segment (ex. max reps,
15 seconds rest, max reps), or 4 sets of 3 with the same amount of weight that
was achieved during the third segment, but for a mechanically easier variation
of the same movement – for example, use the back squat if the front squat was
used for the first, third, and fifth segments.
Straight sets are preferred over clusters if using an explosive
lift like push presses.
In the rare occasion when the first exercise used is a traditional
strength movement, but the mechanically advantageous variation of it is an
explosive movement, the structure of a workout (using the military press, and
push press) would look like this:
·
Work up to a max single of double (1-2 rep zone) with the military
press
·
Perform 2 military press cluster sets with 90% of what was achieved
in the first segment.
·
Using the same weight that was used for the clusters, work up to a
max single or double (1-2 rep zone) with the push press.
·
Perform 2 push press straight sets of 3-5 reps with 85% of what was
achieved in the third segment.
·
Reduce the weight to 70-75% of what was achieved during the third
segment and work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone) with the push
press.
·
Perform 1 push press straight set of 3-5 reps with 85% of what was
achieved in the fifth segment.
If performing an assistance exercise after this workout, limit the
amount of sets to no more than 3-6 of either 4-6, or 6-8 reps
STRENGTH – #4B Leave
No Zone Untrained, High Intensity, Low Volume
·
Work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Reduce the weight to 70% or 80% of what was accomplished during the
first segment and work up to a max triple or quadruple (basically work up to a
max for the next zone – 3-4 rep zone).
·
Reduce the weight to 70% or 80% of what was accomplished during the
third segment and work up to a 5 or 6 rep max (basically work up to a max for
the final zone – 5-6 rep zone).
·
Perform 6 sets of 3 with 50% of what was achieved during the first
segment.
STRENGTH – #5 Basic
Mechanical Advantage
·
Work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Perform 1 cluster set with 90% of what was achieved during the
first segment.
·
Using the same weight which was used for the clusters, perform a
mechanically advantageous variation of the same pattern and work up to a max
single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Perform 1 cluster set with 90% of what was achieved during the
third segment.
·
Using the same weight which was used for the clusters, perform a
mechanically advantageous variation of the same pattern and work up to a max
single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Perform 1 set using one of the rest-pause methods using 80% of what
was achieved during the fifth segment (ex. max reps, 15 seconds rest, max reps).
STRENGTH – #6
Mechanical Advantage Plus Increased Volume For One Position
·
Work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Upon reaching a daily max, reduce the weight 70% of what you
accomplished and work back up to a max single or double, performing the top
half of the range of motion only, or switch to a more mechanically advantageous
position for the same movement pattern (from front squat to back squat for
example), until reaching a max single or double.
·
Upon reaching a max single or double with a partial range, or
mechanically advantageous position of the same pattern, reduce the weight to
70% of what you accomplished during the second segment, and perform partials
through an even smaller range of motion, until reaching a max single or double.
·
Pick one variation of the trained lift used during the first 3
segments and perform 3 sets of 2-4 reps (if using an explosive movement like a
push press), or 3-5 paused reps (if using a traditional strength lift), with 30
seconds of rest between sets, using 80% of what was achieved in the respective
segment – for example, if using the front squat for the first segment, and back
squat for the second segment, use 80% of what was accomplished when working up
to a daily max single or double of the back squat if using back squats during
this segment.
In the event that you aren’t able to reach anywhere near the peak
you were expecting during the first segment, which may be indicative that your
body needs rest, simply cut the workout short after the first segment by
performing 3-5 sets of 3 70-80% of what you achieved during the first segment,
and get out of the gym.
STRENGTH – #7 Mechanical
Advantage Plus Increased Volume For Two Positions (Positional Density)
·
Work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Upon reaching a daily max, reduce the weight 70% of what you
accomplished and work back up to a max single or double, performing the top
half of the range of motion only, or switch to a more mechanically advantageous
position for the same movement pattern (from front squat to back squat for
example), until reaching a max single or double.
·
Perform 30 full range reps as fast as possible using 80% of what
was achieved during the first segment.
·
Perform 30 partial range reps as fast as possible using the same
range of motion that was used during the second segment, and 80% of what was
achieved during that same segment.
STRENGTH – #8 Low
Volume
·
Work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Perform 3 sets of 5 cluster reps with 85-90% of what was achieved
during the first segment.
·
Perform 5 sets of 3 every 30 seconds on the second with 65% or 70%
of what was achieved during the first segment, then 5 sets of 2 with 70% or 75%
every 30 seconds on the second, then 5 sets of 1 with 75% or 80% every 30
seconds on the second.
STRENGTH – #9 Low
Volume Positional Emphasis
·
Work up to a daily max paused single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Work up to a daily max unpaused single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Perform 3 sets of 8-10 rhythmic ‘pump’ reps with roughly 50% of
what was achieved during the second segment, performing only the bottom half of
the range.
·
Perform 2 sets of 5 explosive/ballistic reps with 20-30% or what
was achieved during the second segment, or perform one of the alternative density
options listed above.
STRENGTH – #10 Low
Volume High Intensity And Density
·
Work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Perform 5 singles with 95% of what was achieved during the first
segment.
·
Perform 10 or 20 reps as fast as possible with 90% of what was
achieved during the first segment
STRENGTH – #11 Low
Volume Contrast
·
Alternate sets of near maximal efforts as you work up to a max
single or double, with sets of 3-5 reps, using 85-90% of what was used for the
previous set. For example, perform a set of 2, then a set of 3-5 with 85-90% of
what you did for 2. Then perform a heavier set of 2, followed by a set of 3-5
using 85-90% of what you were able to lift on the most recent set of 2, and
continue in this fashion until reaching a max single or double, and finish with
one final set of 3-5 with 85-90% of what was accomplished on the final max
effort set.
SIZE and/or
PERFORMANCE – #1 Low Volume Positional Density Emphasis
·
Work up to a max unpaused triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone).
·
Work up to a max paused single or double (1-2 rep zone).
·
Perform 3-4 sets for 3-5 or 4-6 reps with a 2 second pause in the
fully contracted position.
·
Perform triples every minute on the minute for 5 minutes with 80%
of what was achieved during the first segment.
SIZE and/or
PERFORMANCE – #2 Speed Emphasis
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone).
·
Perform 10 singles with 90% of what was achieved during the first
segment.
·
Perform 5 sets of 3 with 70% of what was achieved during the first
segment with as much force/speed as possible.
·
Perform 3 sets of as many reps as possible (AMRAP) in 12 seconds with
50% of what was achieved during the first segment.
SIZE and/or
PERFORMANCE – #3 High Volume
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone).
·
Perform 3 sets of ‘stage’ sets with 90% of what was achieved during
the first segment. A ‘stage’ set in this case consists of reps being performed
through a full range, then a partial range, and finishing with even shorter
range reps – perform 3 full range reps, 3 partial range reps, and 2-4 very
limited partial range reps
·
Perform 3 rest-pause sets of 5 reps, resting for 10 seconds, and
then performing as many reps as you can with 80-85% of what was achieved during
the first segment
·
Perform 3 sets of 5 reps with 15-20 seconds of rest between each
set, using 70-75% of what was accomplished during the first segment
*Here are some examples of how to modify a movement to effectively
perform stage sets:
·
Close-grip bench press/normal grip bench press/top ½ bench press
·
Military press/push press/ bottom ½ push press (AKA jerk drive)
·
Deadlift/top ½ deadlift (AKA rack pull)/power shrug
·
Front squat/back squat/top ½ squat
SIZE and/or
PERFORMANCE – #4
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone).
·
Perform 3 cluster sets of 6-8 reps with 90% of what was achieved
during the first segment.
·
Perform 3 rest-pause sets with 80% of what was achieved during the
first segment (max reps/15 seconds rest/max reps = 1 set).
·
Perform 3 sets of 6-8 reps with a slow eccentric component (5
seconds) using 70% of what was achieved during the first segment.
SIZE and/or PERFORMANCE
– #5
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone).
·
Perform 3 cluster sets with 90% of what was achieved during the
first segment (aiming for 5-7 reps per set, with 15 seconds of rest between
reps)
·
Perform 1-3 rest-pause sets with 70% of what was achieved in the
first segment in descending fashion (5 reps, rest 10-15 seconds, 4 reps, rest
10-15 seconds, and continuing until finishing with 1 rep).
·
Perform 3 sets of 3-5 contrast reps (lower for 5-6 seconds, pause
for 2, and then lift explosively) with 60% of what was achieved during the
first segment.
SIZE and/or
PERFORMANCE – #6
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone).
·
Perform as many reps as possible with 80% of what was achieved
during the first segment in 5, 8, or 10 minutes, aiming for a set every 20
seconds, or perform 30 or 50 total reps with the same amount of weight as fast
as possible, or just perform something like 3 sets of 6 reps then 3 sets of 3
reps with a heavier load before finishing with a 1-3 sets of 10 reps.
SIZE and/or
PERFORMANCE – #7
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone).
·
Perform 3 sets of 6 with 80% of what was achieved during the first
segment.
·
Perform triples every minute on the minute for 6 minutes with 70%
of what was achieved during the first segment.
*This method is better suited for exercises that are better suited
for multi-rep sets as opposed to rest-pause sets – for example, since fatigue
can dramatically alter the effectiveness of high coordination explosive
movements, straight sets are better suited for them than rest-pause sets.
SIZE and/or
PERFORMANCE – #8 Blueprint To Activate mTOR
·
Perform 3-4 sets of 4-6, or 6-8 reps with a slow eccentric
component (5-8 seconds) to activate mTOR.
·
Work up to a max single, double, triple, or quadruple (1-2, or 3-4
rep zone), or simply perform sets of 3-6 with a high percentage of what you are
capable of (85-90%).
·
Perform pump work using any of the density or rest-pause protocols
listed above to pump nutrient rich blood into the muscles and increase GH and
IGF-1.
·
Perform movements that allow the trained musculature to be
stretched under load (AKA loaded stretching) to further promote mTOR activation
and increase IGF-1 receptor sensitivity.
ACTIVATION – #1
·
Activation work prior to working up to a daily max can facilitate
improved performance by ramping up the nervous system, increasing your
potential to hit a higher peak weight than would otherwise be possible. Below
are some options of activation work that can be performed prior to the daily capacity
segment.
·
Perform 3 sets of 2-3 reps of power snatches with 60-70% of your
max snatch, and/or perform 3 sets of 2-3 reps of power cleans with 60-70% of
your max clean, or perform 6 sets of 2 for the either the power snatch or power
clean, before performing something like strength method #6 above with a more
traditional lift like squats or deadlifts.
ACTIVATION – #2
·
Perform 5 sets in ascending order with an explosive lift related to
the movement pattern you are training that day, starting with 5 reps, using 82.5-85%
of what your previous max was, then 4 reps with 85-87.5%, 3 reps with 87.5-90%,
3 reps with 90-92.5%, and 1 rep with92.5-95%, then perform 3 sets of 5 with 80%
of the weight used for 1 rep, rest 30-45 seconds, then perform 1 set of 10 with
70% of the weight used for 1, or just begin the daily capacity segment with a
traditional lift of the same movement patter. Some examples of explosive lifts
and their associated movement patterns are:
·
Push press before bench press and overhead press
·
Power clean before deadlifts
·
Power snatches or power cleans before squats or front squats
ACTIVATION – #3
Isometric Dynamic Contrast
·
Perform 3-4 sets of isometric supports related to the movement
pattern you are training that day – for example, prior to an overhead press
workout, perform ‘overhead supports’ by setting up the pins in the power rack
high enough so that you can fully extend arms and squat down beneath the bar,
then stand up and hold the bar with the arms locked out for 3-5, or even 6
seconds, gradually increasing the weight until it’s not possible to hold for at
least 3 seconds (which you should be able to figure out by the third or fourth
set).
·
Perform a few sets of 5 after with an explosive movement related to
the movement that you are training that day – using the overhead example above,
push presses would be applicable here
·
Isometric supports can also be used at the end of a workout to
stimulate growth by performing 3 sets of 30 second holds at a time to further
expose the trained musculature to high levels of tension for prolonged periods
of time.
BONUS! ACTIVATION
and SIZE
·
Perform 4 sets of max effort isometrics (pressing a bar into the
pins of a power rack – or trying to lift an immovable bar off the pins in a
power rack) related to the movement pattern you are training that day – for
example, squatting with the knees bent at roughly 100 degrees before squats, or
pressing a bar that is 2 inches above where it would be if your arms were bent
at 90 degrees before presses.
·
Perform a 5-7 sets of 1-2 working up to a daily limit while
maintaining perfect/proper form
·
Perform 3 sets of 4-6 cluster reps (performing one rep at a time
with a brief 10-12 seconds of rest between reps) using 90% of what you achieved
during the daily limit segment – increase the weight if you’re able to perform
6, decrease if you can only perform 4
·
Perform 3 sets of 6-8 reps using a slow eccentric tempo using 70%
of what was achieved during the daily limit segment
·
Perform 1-2 sets of as many reps as possible, while only performing
the mid-range of the movement to keep the muscles under constant tension, using
50% of what was achieved during the daily limit segment
Progression Models
A lot of people assume that because auto-regulation is based on
working within your daily capacities, there is no form of strategic planning
involved. After all, if it’s impossible to forecast how your body will respond
on any given day, why bother planning in the first place? This is not the right
mentality to have, because even though it is impossible to forecast exactly how
your body will perform, a calculated approach can still be taken to attempt to
prevent overworking the body’s capacity to recover. An example of a progression
model would look like this:
In week 1, work up to a 5 or 6 rep max (the lowest of the 3 zones),
perform 3 sets for whichever method is chosen for the second segment, and 3
sets for whichever method is chosen for the third segment.
In week 2, work up to a higher zone (3 or 4 rep zone), perform 1
more set for whichever method was chosen for the second segment (4 total sets),
and 1 less set for whichever method was chosen for the third segment (2 total
sets).
In week 3, work up to the highest zone (1 or 2 rep zone), perform 1
more set for whichever method was chosen for the second segment (5 total sets),
and 1 less set for whichever method was chosen for the third segment (1 total
set).
In week 4, work up to the highest zone (1 or 2 rep zone), perform 2-3
sets for whichever method was chosen for the second segment (same as week 1),
and 1 set (or just end the workout after the second segment) for whichever
method was chosen for the third segment (same as week 3), or after working up
to a max single or double, perform 3 sets for whichever method was chosen for
the THIRD segment (SKIP THE SECOND SEGMENT), and perform 2 sets with the max
pump method that was outlined as a fourth segment method above.
Instead of performing the fourth week, you could start back at week
1, and perform the first 3 week cycle twice (for a total of 6 weeks) before
moving on to a different block of training.
Follow this 4-6 week block with a 4 week block focusing on strength
– methods #4A, #4B, or #5 are good options here. Upon completion of the
strength focused block, there’s nothing that says you can’t run the cycle
again. In fact, a good option would be to run it 3 times, and each time select
a method that uses higher intensities for the third segment.
For example, during the first 4-6 week block, select a method that
calls for 70% (higher volume) of the daily capacity segment to be used. The
second time through, select a method that calls for 75-80% (higher intensity)
of the daily capacity segment to be used, and the third time select a method
that calls for 80-85% (higher quality) of the daily capacity segment to be
used. This structure alone will provide roughly 24-30 weeks of training, should
you wish to follow through with it all.
Microwaves Aren’t
All Bad
For those who opted to work up to a 1-2 rep max, or even 3-4 rep
max, one method of progression to accumulate volume, while constantly forcing
the nervous system to adapt on a set to set basis, is to use what can be
referred to as ‘microwaves’.
A microwave consists of performing several sets within a certain
intensity zone, while adjusting the weight from set to set but still remaining
in that zone, but keeping the reps the same from set to set. For example, let’s
say you reached a daily double, which would represent 95% of what you are
likely capable of. You would then begin the work for the day by performing sets
of 2-3 (aiming to perform the same amount of reps that you peaked at, or one
lower to account for fatigue), starting at the lower end of the range you want
to work within – in this case it would be 80% of max since that’s roughly 15%
lower than a max double. An example looking like this:
Daily capacity = 2 reps performed with 315 lbs.
Set 1: 2-3 reps with 255 lbs. (80%)
Set 2: 2-3 reps with 260 lbs. (82.5%)
Set 3: 2-3 reps with 265 lbs. (84%)
That would be an example of a microwave. A progression, for those
who would like to follow that structure to see how it works out for you, would
be to perform 2 sets of each wave the next time through, using the percentages
based off the limit reached during the last workout – it is not necessary to
work up to a daily limit each time if following this progression. For example:
Week 2
Set 1 & 2: 2-3 reps with 255 lbs. (80%)
Set 3 & 4: 2-3 reps with 255 lbs. (80%)
Set 4 & 5: 2-3 reps with 260 lbs. (82.5%)
And a third week looking like this:
Week 3
Set 1, 4, 7: 2-3 reps with 255 lbs. (80%)
Set 2, 5, 8: 2-3 reps with 255 lbs. (80%)
Set 3, 6, 9: 2-3 reps with 260 lbs. (82.5%)
There is a slight difference between week 2, and week 3, in that 2
sets are performed consecutively in week 2, whereas only 1 set is performed at
a given intensity in week 3. The reason for this is because performing the same
set twice can enhance performance, while performing the same set more than
twice greater contributes to fatigue and can lead to subsequently poorer
performance. By waving up and down in week 3, fatigue is less likely to
accumulate, while performance is more likely to improve because the lighter
sets are used to potentiate the nervous system, while the heavier sets make the
lighter ones feel easier by contrast.
Should one want to continue with a microwave progression, after 3
weeks, simply start over with 5-10 more lbs. and do it all again, or perform
the daily limit segment, and base the percentages off that.
This method of progression is better suited for those who don’t
want to work up to a daily limit, or find that doing so is too demanding to
recover from, and therefore would rather avoid it altogether, opting to perform
more high quality work, and allowing that work to be the cause of improvements.
Daily Capacity
Volume Manipulation
The amount of sets that it takes to reach a daily peak can, and
should be periodized, to prevent overworking the body’s capacity to recover.
Generally you would want to reach your daily limit in 8-12 sets – the more
steps you take to reach your limit, the easier it is on the nervous system,
while larger jumps between sets are more demanding and harder to adapt to, but
challenging the nervous system in this way can enhance the end result, while
also reducing the workload the body is facing. An example of a periodized
approach to the daily capacity segment would look like this:
Week 1: start at 60% and work up to 90% in 5 sets
Week 2: start at 60% and work up to 95% in 9 sets (higher
metabolic/moderate neural demand)
Week 3: start at 60% and work up to 95% in 5 sets (moderate
metabolic/higher neural demand)
Week 4: start at 60% and work up to 100% in 5-8 sets
Week 5: Just perform 3 sets with 80-85% of whichever zone you’ve
been working up to each day
The percentages above are based off the zone you’ve chosen to work
towards (1-2 rep zone, 3-4 rep zone, 5-6 rep zone) – for example, if the 3-4
rep zone is chosen, then 90% above would reflect 90% of your 3-4 rep max, NOT
of the maximum amount you can perform for 1 rep.
High Intensity Volume
Manipulation
The second segment in most cases is the segment that is the most
daunting (especially if using clusters), and the one in which is hardest to
recover from because the combination of intensity and volume is greatest during
this segment of the workout. It’s for this reason that, if nothing else, the
volume of this segment specifically should be periodized, to prevent
overworking the body’s capacity to recover.
An example of a periodized second segment for a 4 week block would
look like this:
Week 1: 3 sets
Week 2: 4 sets
Week 3: 5 sets
Week 4: 2 sets
And an example of a periodized second segment for a 6 week block
would look like this:
Week 1: 3 sets
Week 2: 3 sets
Week 3: 4 sets
Week 4: 2 sets
Week 5: 5 sets
Week 6: 1 set
Once again, if nothing else changes, at least manipulate the amount
of work performed during the second segment, since it is the most demanding of
them all.
If giant clusters (density work) are selected for the second
segment, then a periodized approach for a 4 week block would look like:
Week 1: perform as many triples with 80% in 20 minutes
Week 2: perform as many doubles with 85% in 20 minutes
Week 3: perform as many singles with 90% in 20 minutes
Week 4: perform HALF as many singles with 90% in 20 minutes as you
did in week 3
Regardless of whether you’re performing triples, doubles, or
single, aim 8-12 sets per giant cluster, with 12-15 being considered, and 15-20
elite. Follow giant clusters (if they’re chosen) with no more than 3-4 sets
during the third segment, selecting a higher qualitative method (one in which
higher intensities are used – in the 80-85% range).
Undulating Volume
Whichever zone you choose to work toward at the onset of the
workout is generally the zone you would work towards every day of the week,
irrespective of what body part you are training, but constantly working towards
a daily max single or double can begin to take its toll on the brain and the
body. In these cases, an undulating approach may be more forgiving, an example
looking like:
Week 1
Day 1: work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone) for
whichever lift is being trained
Day 2: work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone) for
whichever lift is being trained
Day 3: work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone) for
whichever lift is being trained
Day 4: work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone) for
whichever lift is being trained
Week 2
Day 1: work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone) for
whichever lift is being trained
Day 2: work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone) for
whichever lift is being trained
Day 3: work up to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone) for
whichever lift is being trained
Day 4: work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone) for
whichever lift is being trained
Assistance
Progression Models
For those who intend to perform more work after the main work has
been completed, it’s important to also modulate the amount of work being
performed to prevent overworking the body’s capacity to recover. While you
could just perform 3-4 sets of 4-6 or 6-8 reps, a periodized approach may be
more favorable to account for recovery. An example of a periodized approach for
assistance work would look like this:
Week 1: Perform 3 sets of 3, followed by 3 sets of 6, using roughly
10% less for the sets of 6 than what was used for the sets of 3. An example
would be to use 90% of what you can confidently lift on any given day for the
first 3 sets, and 80% for the last 3 sets, or you could wave the intensity up,
starting at 87.5% for the first set, 90% for the second set, 92.5% for the
third set, then dropping down to 77.5% for the fourth set, 80% for the fifth
set, and 82.5% for the sixth set.
Week 2: Perform 2 ‘5/4/3’ waves, using 80% for the first set of 5,
84% for the first set of 4, 88% for the first set of 3, then repeating the wave
with 2% more weight. Therefore using 82% for the second set of 5, 86% for the
second set of 4, and 90% for the second set of 3, or you could simplify it by
performing the same wave twice – 80% for 5, 85% for 4, 90% for 3, repeat.
Week 3: Perform 5 reps with 70%, 4 with 75%, 3 with 80%, 2 with
85%, and 1 with 90%, with the percentages based off what you can confidently
lift for 1 rep on any given day.
Week 4: Perform 2 ‘3/2/1’ waves, using 85% for the first set of 3,
90% for the first set of 2, 95% for the first set of 1, then repeat the wave
with 2-5% more weight. Therefore using 87.5% for the second set of 1, 92.5% for
the second set of 2, and 97.5% for the second set of 1, or you could simplify
it by performing the same wave twice – 90% for 1, 95% for 2, 100% for 1,
repeat.
If assistance work for some reason is a priority, one option is to
use the second segment to perform assistance work, performing 3-5 sets of 4-6
reps, then going back to the main lift for the third segment, using 70-80% of
what was achieved during the daily capacity segment at the onset of the
workout, and performing one of the density options (ex. 30 reps as fast as
possible).
Plateauing And
Deloading
Working up to a daily limit can definitely become taxing over the
long haul, and when this day confronts you, you have to make a decision and
either keep working hard (which is about the dumbest thing you can do – your
body is trying to tell you something, and ignoring it will not be beneficial),
or take the hint and back off a bit. One thing you don’t want to do is stop
going heavy, so that pretty much leaves only one option – reduce the amount of
higher volume work that is generally performed in the third segment. An example
would look like this:
PLATEAU/DELOAD #1
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone)
·
Perform 2 sets of clusters with 90% of what was achieved during the
first segment
·
Using the same weight that was used in the second segment, work up
to a max single or double (1-2 rep zone)
·
Perform 2 sets of clusters with 90% of what was achieved during the
third segment
·
Perform 4 sets of 3 for max speed with 60% of what was achieved
during the third segment, taking 30 seconds rest
PLATEAU/DELOAD #2
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone)
·
Perform 3 sets of clusters with 90% of what was achieved during the
first segment, stopping at 5 reps even if more could be performed
PLATEAU/DELOAD #3
·
Work up to a max triple or quadruple (3-4 rep zone)
·
Perform 3-4 sets of 3 with 90% of what was achieved during the
first segment
·
Work up to a 5 or 6 rep max (5-6 rep zone)
·
Perform 3-4 sets of 6 with 90% of what was achieved during the
third segment
PLATEAU/DELOAD #4
·
Instead of working up to a daily limit, remove this segment
altogether and simply perform 3 sets of 3, followed by 3 sets of 6, using
87.5-92.5% of what you can confidently lift for 1 rep for the sets of 3, and
77.5-82.5% for the sets of 6.
Training Splits
Everything thus far has focused on how to auto-regulate and
structure a single training session, but that’s just one piece of the puzzle.
If you were to perform training sessions for body parts that overlap, you’ll
undoubtedly overwork your body’s capacity to recover in no time. Therefore,
it’s crucial to divide up your workloads over the course of a week to ensure
that everything is trained at maximum capacity. An example of a weekly split
would look like this:
Day 1 – Lower body push emphasis – squats = primary exercise, front
squats secondary for 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps with 80%
Day 2 – Upper body push emphasis – decline press = primary
exercise, incline press secondary for 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps with 80%
Day 3 – Lower body pull emphasis – explosive Olympic variant –
primary exercise, deadlift secondary for 3-5 sets of 1-2 with 80-85%, or 2-4
with 70-75%
Day 4 – Upper body push emphasis – military press = primary
exercise, overhead supports secondary for 3-5 sets of 6-9 seconds
Day 5 – Upper body pull emphasis = back/lats work
Day 6 – Arms = biceps and triceps work (minimal triceps work since
they are heavily involved in all upper body compound presses)
Lats and biceps can be performed after the lower body pull day,
while quads (3-4 sets) can be performed after the lower body push day, in the
event that one would rather not devote an entire day or two, to training those
muscles separately, and would rather use their training days to perform more of
the higher intensity, high quality work.
For those who simply don’t have the luxury of devoting 6 days a
week to strength training, there’s always the option to divide up the workload
based on what you can devote the strength training. In such cases, one option
is to alternate the patterns you wish to train most from workout to workout. An
example would be to perform one of the variations related to the pattern being
trained that day first, followed by 3-4 sets of 4-6 reps with 70-75% a
different variation of the same movement pattern.
For example, let’s say that the decline press and incline press are
the lifts in which you wish to improve the most, but you don’t have the time to
make it in to the gym and hit each pattern weekly. In this case, on the first
upper body pressing pattern day, perform the decline press first, working up to
a daily limit based on your goal, and follow through with the rest of the
workout one segment at a time based on your goal, then finish the workout with
some direct work for the incline press. The next time through, perform the same
workout, but swap the movements, performing incline presses first, and decline
presses second.
For those who find the daily capacity segment to be too demanding,
an option would be to alternate days in which the workout is performed in full,
with days in which the first 2 segments are skipped, and only the third segment
(density work) is performed for the main lift AND the assistance work.
An example would be performing the daily capacity segment, followed
by highly intense high quality work, followed by density/pump work as usual on
one day, but the next time start by performing as many sets of 3-5 with 80% of
what was achieved during the first segment the last time the workout was
performed and then doing the same for the assistance work, and finishing with
3-5 sets of 6-8 reps for another assistance exercise (this is one of the rare
exceptions to performing more than one assistance exercise).
What About
Beginners?
Beginners (or those who can lift around 200 lbs. or less, on a
given lift), are better off avoiding the 1-2 rep zone, instead working up to a
5 or 6 rep max for 3 weeks, and then working up to a max triple or double for
the next 3 weeks, still using 90% for methods like clusters, but expecting
anywhere between 7-12 reps per set, and doing 4 sets for the second and third
segments, instead of the 3 that are generally recommended.
It’s All About
Progression
At the end of the day, the real reason that any of us gets up and
goes to the gym every day, is to get results. This philosophy allows for
progress to be made every single time you train, because of how many variables
there are, and they can all be quantified, among them being:
Increasing the amount of weight you reach during the daily limit
segment (1-2, 3-4, or 5-6 rep zones)
Increasing the amount of weight used during the second and third segments,
or the amount of reps performed with the same weight, or even increasing the
amount of sets performed with the same weight (density)
Performing the exact same amount of work, with the same amount of
weight, but in less time, or by simply performing the exact same workout, but
applying more force – dominating the workout more than the last time it was
performed
If you have any questions about this philosophy of training, 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).
No comments:
Post a Comment