Hit
the weights hard! You've gotten this advice over and over-it's been
drilled into your head. But even after putting in hour after hour at
the gym you have little to show for your efforts. What the heck is
wrong? “Is my form bad?” you ask. “Am I training hard enough?”
“Am I training too hard?”
Unfortunately,
this scenario is all too common. To determine what is wrong we have
to look at all aspects of our training. How many sets are we doing
for each muscle group? Which exercises are we using in our training?
Are we overtraining? Or could it be that our muscles and central
nervous system(CNS) have become used to all of the training we have
been doing and now refuse to add even an ounce of new muscle to our
physique?
The
fact is our bodies are incredibly skillful at adapting to the
training stimulus that we subject them to. This is because our
ancestors hunted for their food and exhausted themselves physically
to survive or they would have starved. While weight training we
subject our bodies to a similar stress. So it goes without saying we
are destined to hit a sticking point if we train the same way week in
and week out. We need to change things up to continue to improve.
One of the ways to do this is to modify the intensity of effort and
volume of our training.
If
your training is the high volume variety, try increasing the
intensity and trimming the amount of sets. For example, if your arm
routine consists of 15 sets each for biceps and triceps, stopping all
sets 2 reps before failure, reduce the sets to 8 and end all sets 1
rep before failure. Do this for four weeks then change things up by
ending all sets at failure using a set count of 2-3 per muscle group.
This cyclical training changes the intensity of effort and volume of
training to prevent the body from becoming acclimated to the current
training demands. The best gains in muscle size and strength will
come at the higher intensity phases because of the higher demands
placed on the muscles.
The Formula For
Successful Bodybuilding
The
formula that is the basis of the strategy in this article states: The
higher the intensity of effort the lower the volume. As a bodybuilder
increases his/her intensity of effort through “To Failure Training”
or HIT variables, the less sets are needed to maximize gains and
prevent overtraining. Conversely the opposite is true, if the
intensity is decreased the volume, or set count should be increased
slightly.
Failure To Improve When
Over-training Is Not The Culprit
If
you haven't been making the progress you feel you should be and have
determined that over-training isn't the culprit, there are a number
of other reasons for the lack of results you've been experiencing.
They are:
Age
(can no longer improve; focus on maintenance or slow regression)
Genetics
(reached a peak; can no longer improve in muscle size or strength)
Over-adaptation
(mentally bored; lack of motivation; physically adapted to stimulus)
Previous Demands (each set performed diminishes subsequent workout
capacity) Insufficient Demands (lack of stimulus -i.e., intensity,
sets, or frequency to cause a sufficient alarm reaction)
Pay
attention to what your body tells you and keep a realistic set of
goals. It could be that you have attained all of the muscle size and
strength your body is capable of.
Wrong Selection of
Training Routines
Many
of us attempt to follow top champion bodybuilders' routines because
we feel since they have achieved much success in the sport by
training using these routines we should use them too. The truth of
the matter is many of these routines are not what the bodybuilder is
actually using. They appear in articles meant to impress the reader
with the bodybuilder and to further his career.
These
bodybuilders are using chemical-enhancement, that is steroids, human
growth hormone, insulin and other anabolic drugs. These drugs allow
the champion to over train on a regular basis because they increase
the body's recuperative abilities and cause positive nitrogen
balance, causing the muscles to rapidly grow. Unfortunately they also
lead to many health problems such as heart disease, kidney failure
and cancer, to name a few.
The
ideal training routine is one which is designed around the present
conditioning, the recuperative abilities and the goals of the
bodybuilder. Remember to design it around the intensity principle
outlined above.
Sample Variable
Intensity Program For Arms
Phase 1
The
first phase is similar to what is done by beginning bodybuilders.
Emphasis is placed on form and the learning of proper exercise
technique instead of heavy, intense training.
Complete
the desired exercises using good form, stopping the set two reps
before hitting failure (the point where no more reps are possible).
- Barbell curls-1x10
- concentration curls-1x12
- seated palms-facing pull-downs-1x12
- standing triceps push-downs-1x12
- standing triceps kickbacks-1x12
- standing bar dips-1x12
Phase 2
The
second phase increases the intensity of effort by ending all sets one
rep before failure. We will keep the set count at three each.
- machine curls-1x10
- seated incline curls-1x12
- seated palms-facing pull-downs-1x10
- lying triceps extensions-1x10
- seated triceps overhead extensions-1x12
- close-grip bench presses-1x12
Phase 3
The
third phase is where we take all sets to the point of muscular
failure. Load the bar or weight machine with a weight that causes you
to put all-out effort to complete the desired amount of reps. Don't
stop when you hit your rep count; attempt to grind out more reps.
This causes you to overload your muscles and add weight every workout
which will lead to additional muscle growth. Since we are increasing
the level of intensity we will be reducing the set volume to two sets
for both muscles.
- concentration curls-1x12
- bent over palms-facing barbell rows-1x10
- angled-forward cable triceps extensions-1x12
- seated machine triceps dips-1x8
Now
that I've outlined all three phases of this HIT periodization
schedule, begin to use it in your training by working with each phase
for 3 weeks before progressing to the next one.
Now
hit the iron!
He
has authored several books on the subject of high intensity training,
which are available at: http://www.amazon.com/author/davidgroscup
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