Advanced Training Essentials Intensity methods to forge greater growth: part 1 Teaching exercise and nutrition fundamentals and establishing a physical and attitudinal foundation upon which to forge ultimately greater results are what all good trainers are enlisted to do for their clients. However, when it comes to addressing programme modification, to further boost their clients’ success rate, many trainers falter. After an initial period whereby adhering to fixed set/rep schemes and developing a sound strength and aerobic fitness base are likely to produce impressive results (the duration of which may depend on training stage, fitness level, mindset, and a host of additional variables) a training plateau may ensue. Your client is now ready to up their training game; strength and/or hypertrophy-focused workloads must be changed to overcome inevitable training stagnation and a focus must be placed upon progressively employing further training strategies to provoke continued adaptation, supercompensation, and growth. Rather than strictly drilling the same standard training protocols (with perhaps a few changes made to rep ranges and the requisite increasing of resistance), as many trainers do, it is smart practice to incorporate a succession of intensity methods to further challenge your clients both physically and mentally, increase the enjoyment and satisfaction they may derive from each workout, and, most importantly, boost their success rate. Three intensity methods I have employed to great effect are: 1: Drop sets As with all intensity methods, drop sets are used to compound the effort our muscles must exert to complete their task. It must be noted that degree of difficulty, weight lifted, reps completed and overall intensity of effort are not necessarily to be correlated with optimal muscle fiber recruitment, stimulation, and growth. What is most important is the amount of tension we are able to place on our muscles from extension to contraction on all reps of a given set. While heavy resistance is a crucially important facilitator of the muscle growth process, it is Time Under Tension (4 seconds down and 2 seconds up, with a total, ideal, TUT of between 48-72 seconds per 8-12 rep set) and sustained force (or mechanical tension) that produce the muscle building results our clients seek. Instead of completing one all out set with a back breaking weight, which may result in displaced muscle tension, especially on the final few reps, do one set with a weight that will allow your clients to fail at the 12th rep while utilising good form, before stripping 20-30% from the bar and completing another set. A further drop may also be done to extend workout intensity. Drop sets encourage greater tension to be placed on our working muscles by allowing just enough resistance to be used. The trick is to drop down to a lighter weight as soon as maximum muscular failure as been reached on the first set. Instead of going too far on our first set (always a temptation when a rest period is forthcoming), we may stop, lighten the load, then crank out another 8-12 with good form, to boost overall workout intensity. About the author David Robson is a specialist health and fitness writer who has written professionally for such publications as Muscle & Fitness magazine, FLEX, bodybuilding, New Zealand Fitness, Inside Fitness, ALLMAX Nutrition, and Status Fitness magazine. As Founder and Managing Director of the New Zealand Wheelchair Body Building Federation (NZWBBF), Fit Futures Charitable Trust (both not for profit organisations set up to provide sporting and exercise options for people with physical disabilities), and Advanced Personal Training, David also doubles as a trainer, health and fitness educator and mentor to both established elite athletes and novice trainees alike. A competitive bodybuilder, David believes in leading by example.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 21:39:23 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015