A question of strength - Part 9

Q: I have a question that you might be able to answer. A few days ago I was at the gym with my brother on chest day and used the multi press instead of free weights on the bench press as a change of pace. I was able to use almost 20 kilos more on the multi press and still do the same number of repetitions. How could that be? I suspect it might have something to do with the fact that the multi press took my stabilizing muscles out of the movement, which allowed me to use more weight. I also felt a much better pump with the heavier weight compared to the bench press.

A: The reason you can use 20 kilos more weight on the multi press is because most multi presses have counterweights that reduce the total weight moved slightly. You're absolutely right about the stabilizers - on the multi press you take them out of the movement, which allows you to use more weight. However, if you continue to use the multi press, then you increase the likelihood that you will suffer a shoulder injury sooner or later. Habitual use of the multi press leads to something called movement pattern overload syndrome. In other words, the multi press forces your muscles, ligaments and tendons to work with the same movement pattern over and over again, increasing the risk of injury.

Q: I have a friend who is a weight training coach at a university. As I was watching his players train, I noticed that they were not controlling the eccentric movement on the bench press. When I asked him about this, he claimed that he had observed that his players often complained of shoulder pain, reminiscent of tendonitis, when they reduced the bench press movement. What could be the reasons for this?

A: It is completely impossible that slowing down the eccentric part of the movement causes or mimics symptoms of biceps tendonitis. His athletes simply aren't able to bench press any reasonable weight unless they use their chest as a "launching pad".

The best powerlifters in the world lower their bar slower than these athletes without having any problems of this nature.

Q: I was looking through an anatomy manual recently and realized that I could use some help developing the lateral muscle head of my triceps. Do you have any tips for me?

A: The best exercises for developing the lateral head of the triceps are probably the following:

1. Close bench press on a reverse incline bench with a 10 degree incline*
2. Dips with V-shaped bars
3. Overhead tricep presses on the cable pulley

*Keep your elbows under the bar.

A good superset to grow your lateral triceps would consist of overhead cable tricep presses (4 x 6 to 8 reps at a 4110 tempo) in superset with close bench presses on a reverse incline bench at a 10 degree incline (4 x 6 to 8 reps at a 3210 tempo).

Rest only two minutes between supersets, and you can expect to have to reduce the weight by 5 to 10% after each superset. If you suspect that your muscle fiber composition consists primarily of fast contracting fibers, then reduce the repetitions to 4 to 6 and increase the length of the rests to three minutes.

Q: You have to train heavy to get big and strong, but I get muscular when I train with moderate reps (8 to 10). I am 175 cm tall, weigh 92 kilos and have a body fat percentage of about 10%. When I start training in the 6 repetition range, I don't experience any muscle growth. All I feel is pain and yes, I control the weight.

I know guys who are half as muscular as me but can bench press twice as much and it makes me feel like a weakling. Everyone thinks I should bench press 140 kilos, but I can't do it. I would like to get stronger, but my main goal is to look like a bodybuilder.

In short, I can get muscular without eating much while only moving moderate to light weights. Am I a freak? And can you help me?

A: You seem to suffer from the "it's all for show" syndrome. You are probably capable of doing a lot of reps with a high percentage of your 1RM weight. You are someone who is able to hypertrophy low threshold motor units for a number of reasons. You could also have the muscle building gene that about 8 of the top 22 IFBB pros have.

If low reps cause pain, then you're not meant to be strong but just bulky and non-functional - like my ex-mother-in-law. Of course, if bodybuilding is your primary goal, then you shouldn't worry too much about this. Most guys would be happy to at least be able to get muscular.

Q: I don't understand why power cleans and deadlifts are considered leg exercises instead of back exercises. If one were to incorporate these exercises into a training program based on your principles, then one would train back and chest one day and then do cleans and deadlifts the next day. Wouldn't that be training the back two days in a row?

A: The quadriceps, gluteus and hamstrings are the primary muscles involved in deadlifts and power cleans. Therefore, these exercises are typically performed on the leg day. The back day is usually designed to work all the muscles of the upper back.

Q: I train late in the evening and finish my training session about an hour before going to bed. Should I still have a post-workout drink at this time?

A: Of course, otherwise you will end up in a catabolic state during the night. This drink will also help you sleep better. You can also take some ZMA to help you get even more restful sleep (while making sure your body is producing all the testosterone it's supposed to).

Q: I've never managed to get a good visible serratus before. Which exercise would you consider to be the ultimate serratus exercise?

A: To achieve a good visible serratus anterior, your body fat percentage needs to be below 6 percent. There is no such thing as an ultimate serratus exercise, as different muscle fibers of the serratus have different tasks. The lower fibers are responsible for pulling the scapula down, while the upper fibers rotate the scapula, lift the shoulders and cause abduction of the arm.

Therefore, if you want to achieve complete hypertrophy of the serratus anterior muscles, you need to perform overhead presses and pull-ups.

Q: Could I use your "training with maximum weights" program for the rest of my body at once, using the same repetition ranges, tempo and rest intervals for legs, chest and back? If so, what type of training split would you recommend?

A: For those who haven't read the original article, the nervous system is the forgotten component of bodybuilding and training with maximal weights targets this area by improving the connection between the nervous system and the muscular system. This is what German exercise physiologists refer to as intramuscular training. By using this method, the exerciser will learn to access a greater percentage of their motor units.
You can use the same load parameters for other muscle groups, but you can't train at this intensity for more than three weeks in a row without moving on to slightly higher repetitions for another three weeks.
Of course, you could start your training with a maximum load pattern and end it with hypertrophy training. Here is an example for the quadriceps:

A) classic squats with a 5110 tempo and four minutes rest between sets, 1x3, 1x2, 1x1, 1x3, 1x2, 1x1.

This is followed by a superset of exercise B1 and B2:

• B1) Barbell hack squats, 3x6-8 reps with a 3020 tempo
• B2) Barbell lunges, 3x6-8 reps with a 30X0 tempo Rest 2 minutes between supersets.

Q: I would like to know the best way to train my shoulders. Do you have any tips or recommendations?

A: Over the years, strength athletes and bodybuilders have used both high loads and high volume to develop round, powerful shoulders. On the one hand, powerlifters and Olympic weightlifters have built impressive shoulders using multiple sets of multi-joint exercises such as presses and rowing upright with low repetitions. On the other hand, there are many bodybuilders with fantastic shoulder development who have used high reps, short rest intervals and mainly isolation exercises. I personally believe that you will achieve better shoulder development if you alternate both approaches. I have also found that descending sets and the pre-fatigue method are particularly effective in promoting shoulder growth. I guess it should be clear at this point that I recommend exposing the shoulders to a wide range of stimuli. You could experiment with multiple sets of multi-joint exercises with low repetitions for a short period of time (around six sessions) and then move on to isolation exercises with higher repetitions for a similarly short period. Here's a sample training program you can try. It involves high volume and a shift in strength curves:

1. Single arm dumbbell side raise (6-8 reps with a 3021 tempo)
2. 10 seconds rest
3. Incline bench side raises (10-12 reps with a 3010 tempo)
4. 10 seconds rest
5. Single arm side raises on cable (12-15 reps with a 2010 tempo)
6. Howl in pain and curse the gods

Repeat steps 1 to 6 with the other arm. Then rest for two minutes and repeat the entire triple set twice more.

Q: My wrists hurt when I do upright rows. Is there a way to do this exercise without pain?

A: There are three things you can do to reduce the pain in your wrists when doing upright rows:

1. Use a SZ bar and grip the bar where you would grip it when performing curls (the angle of the bar will allow for pain-free movement)
2. Use a rope grip (which you would normally use for tricep presses.
3. If you are using a normal barbell, do not lift it higher than your collarbones.

Q: I hope you can tell me what would be better for muscle growth. In the past, I have trained each muscle group twice a week. Here is an example:

• Monday and Thursday: chest, triceps
• Tuesday and Friday: back and biceps
• Wednesday and Saturday: shoulders and legs

I wonder if I could achieve the same training effect if I trained each muscle group once a week. What if I trained chest and triceps on Monday, back and biceps on Wednesday and shoulders and legs on Friday?

A: You are using far too high a volume and frequency. You would be best advised to use one of the following training splits (your choice should be based on factors such as recovery ability, weak and strong points, schedule, gym hours, etc.):

Split Option A

Day 1: Chest and back
Day 2: Legs and abs
Day 3: Workout-free
Day 4: Shoulders and arms
Day 5: Workout-free

Split Option B

Day 1: Back and triceps
Day 2: Upper thighs and abs
Day 3: Workout-free
Day 4: Chest and biceps
Day 5: Shoulders and calves
Day 6: Workout-free

Split option C

Day 1: Leg curls and calves
Day 2: Back and shoulders
Day 3: Workout-free
Day 4: Quadriceps and calves
Day 5: Chest and arms
Day 6: Workout-free

Split Option D

Day 1: Back and calves
Day 2: Chest
Day 3: Leg curls and abs
Day 4: Shoulders and arms
Day 5: Quadriceps and calves
Day 6: Workout-free
Day 7: Workout-free

Q: What is the best way to perform bent-over rowing with a barbell? Dorian Yates says that he uses an angle of around 70 degrees, while other people say that a steeper angle (in the region of 30 degrees) is better. What is your opinion?

A: Both camps are right. Varying the angle changes the line of pull and therefore affects muscle recruitment. Vary the angle frequently. If you need proof of this statement, look at the impressive back development of judokas and gymnasts who routinely use a whole range of different angles.

Q: Should you train the trapezius on back day or shoulder day?

A: That depends entirely on what split program you are using. For example, if you are using a shoulder specialization program, then you need to reduce the amount of work for other muscle groups - especially the pecs. This is because chest training also recruits the front shoulder muscles. If your trapezius is one of your weak points, then you should train it at the beginning of a training session and the best way to train it is to use power cleans and shoulder lifts (shrugs) using a wide range of different equipment such as barbells, dumbbells and cable pulleys.

Interestingly, using a trapezius specialization program can often increase elbow flexor strength in exercisers who find it difficult to increase their weights on curls. One way to determine if your arms can benefit from a trapezius specialization program is to look at how the exerciser holds their head. If they hold it bent forward as if they are looking for lost change on the floor, then they should definitely do additional training for their trapezius.

Q: I suffer from the common problem of lifting my heels when I perform squats. This affects my progress on all variations of squats and related exercises - classic squats, front squats, power cleans and even deadlifts. I don't think tight calves are the problem as I have good natural flexibility in my calves and stretch them regularly. If I really focus on it, then I can keep my heels on the floor when doing squats. However, when I do this, I bend my upper body forward and I can't do squats efficiently. What should I do to correct this problem?

A: You probably have tight psoas and rectus femoris muscles, which you can correct with the following stretching exercise known as the three-step hip flexor stretch. Place one foot on a padded surface behind you (e.g. a weight bench) and perform the following steps:

• Step 1) Move your butt towards your foot.
• Step 2) Now move your knee backwards so that it is under the padded surface (you will need to bend the other knee slightly)
• Step 3) Lean backwards with your hands on your hips.

Hold this stretch for 15 seconds. Pause briefly and repeat the stretch. Do this stretch three times a day until your problems have disappeared.

Source:

https://www.t-nation.com/training/question-of-strength-19, https://www.t-nation.com/training/question-of-strength-20, https://www.t-nation.com/training/question-of-strength-21, https://www.t-nation.com/training/question-of-strength-22