Training

Here's what you need to know...

1. Your body doesn't really want to build a lot of muscle. You need to force it to adapt to the right kind of training.
2. One of the most important factors is mechanical tension. Tension is generated when you move heavy weights and contract your muscles against resistance.
3. The more mTOR is stimulated, the more protein synthesis is stimulated and there is a direct relationship between mTOR and mechanical tension. The more tension you expose a muscle to, the more mTOR is stimulated.
4. Load and time under tension are the key factors that need to be balanced. Use a sufficiently heavy weight and maintain tension for close to one minute.
5. Descending sets and unilateral assistance exercises are excellent hypertrophy tools and different machine variations have their merits when it comes to building muscle.

The best way to get more muscular?

Ask a hundred trainers or bodybuilders about the best way to increase your muscle mass and you'll get a hundred different answers.

Unfortunately, much of it will border on the ridiculous. The volume in typical bodybuilding programs is often so high that the only way to recover from this is to use chemical assistance.

However, if you're looking for a more natural approach to getting more muscular, then you need to understand the science behind hypertrophy and how to use it to your advantage.

The science of hypertrophy

Hypertrophy is the end result of increased protein synthesis that occurs in our muscles as a result of training and proper nutrition. Our body adds protein to muscle fibers, making them thicker. Ideally, this "thickening" continues, making our muscles bigger and stronger.

But this doesn't just happen. Our body does not want to change. We have to force our bodies to adapt and the way we train is very important.

A literature review on hypertrophy shows that the most important factor in training is mechanical tension. Tension is generated when we move heavy things and contract our muscles against this load. The actin and myosin strands working against tension in our muscle fibers trigger a series of reactions in our bodies.

Brad Schoenfeld, one of the leading experts in the scientific study of hypertrophy, wrote "Mechanical tension is believed to disrupt the integrity of skeletal muscle, causing mechanochemically mediated molecular and cellular responses in myofibers and saddle cells."

This means that the tension in our muscles increases protein synthesis in the muscle fibers. If you are trying to get muscular, this is a good thing.

Recently, Dr. Keith Baar investigated the p70S6K relationship to hypertrophy. He discovered that the key regulator of muscle protein synthesis is something called the mTOR pathway.

He also found that the more mTOR is stimulated, the more protein synthesis occurs and that there is a direct relationship between mTOR and mechanical tension. The more tension a muscle is subjected to, the stronger the mTOR stimulation.

Tension

There are two parts of tension that are important for stimulating mTOR:

• Load
• Time under tension

As the load increases, so does the tension, which stimulates mTOR and thereby increases protein synthesis, which will make our muscles bigger.

So all we need to do is move really heavy weights, right? Not quite.

We must not forget the time under tension. Time under tension also stimulates mTOR, which means that the longer our muscles are under tension, the more we ultimately increase protein synthesis.

Okay, so all we need to do is perform more repetitions, right? Again, not really.

After about 60 seconds under tension, inhibition of mTOR starts to take place and if the weight is too light, we reduce the tension. So the trick is to find the right balance of load and time under tension.

Doing a really heavy repetition will generate a lot of tension, but the time under tension will be very short. So we need to find the heaviest weight we can move for a little less than 60 seconds.

If a repetition lasts 4 to 5 seconds (1 second up, 1 second hold, 2 to 3 seconds down), then you should aim for 6 to 12 repetitions to maximize both load and time under tension.

It's debatable whether 6 or 12 reps is better, but that's for everyone to decide for themselves. In fact, it may not really matter as the two factors (load and time under tension) add up equally at both ends of the range.

Metabolic requirements

Dr. Baar has also found that mTOR is deactivated by too much work or too high metabolic demands.

We know that testosterone levels drop significantly with workouts lasting longer than an hour, which is not good for muscle growth. It appears that mTOR acts in the same way.

It has also been discovered that workouts that use a lot of ATP also lower mTOR levels, which means that we should use as little energy as possible during maximal tension workouts if hypertrophy is the goal.

In short, we need to fully recover between sets to prevent too high metabolic demands during the training session, otherwise mTOR activity will start to decrease, which would reduce the hypertrophy effect of the training session.

This is the reason why training programs like P90X or CrossFit make people lean and defined, but not particularly muscular. They are so metabolically demanding that mTOR is deactivated, limiting protein synthesis.

This is great if you want to lose weight and look lean, but bad if you want to wear bigger shirts.

If you are using a hypertrophy training program, then scientific research suggests that there should be full recovery between sets so that:

• You can give it your all on each set.
• Your heart rate can drop back to normal to reduce the metabolic demands.

If all this rest almost sounds like you're wasting your time dawdling around, take a look at how many top bodybuilders train. They take a lot of time between sets, during which they talk, pose, crack jokes and prepare for the next set.

Does Ronnie Coleman seem to be in a hurry when he shouts "Yeah buddy" around the gym? And he definitely seemed to be on to something when he said "Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to move those heavy weights."

No matter how genetically blessed and doped up Big Ronnie may be, he understood the principle of mechanical tension.

Negative reps: Another aspect of hypertrophy

Performing sets of 6 to 12 reps is a good start and limiting the metabolic demands is even better, but let's use all the available science to our advantage.

Numerous studies have clearly shown that eccentric contractions (negative repetitions) are very important for hypertrophy. This has been demonstrated by MRI studies that show how much a muscle is stimulated during negative repetitions compared to purely concentric training.

Eccentric repetitions have been shown to generate greater motor unit fatigue and increase both protein synthesis and p70S6K more than concentric repetitions or isometric contractions. We can also move heavier weights (about 120% of what we can move concentrically) during eccentric repetitions, which means that heavier loads can be used, generating greater tension.

Heavy eccentric repetitions also cause localized muscle trauma, which has been shown to activate more extensive tissue repair and protein synthesis. They also place greater demands on type II muscle fibers, and these rapidly contracting fibers exhibit greater hypertrophy potential than type I muscle fibers.

Eccentric repetitions are demanding, which means that you cannot perform too many negative repetitions or too frequent negative repetitions without risking injury or overtraining. Make sure you fully recover between workouts.

There are a few more problems with heavy eccentric repetitions. One is that you often need a training partner to perform them. Another problem is that the eccentric repetitions, which generate the most tension, must be performed at high speed.

Fast eccentric repetitions generate enormous trauma to the tendons - which we definitely don't want - and can be dangerous. Repairing tendon trauma takes a lot more time than repairing muscle trauma, which means you need to rest longer between workouts.

Machines for muscle growth?

To safely reap the benefits of eccentric repetitions, set aside a day or two each week for eccentric training and get ready to use some machines.

Machines are obviously not as "functional" as free machines, but they are a great way to incorporate eccentric training into your exercise program. Remember that our muscles don't care where the tension comes from - they simply respond to the tension. Go ahead and continue to use free weights and other functional methods most of the time, but use machines for this one specific purpose to your advantage.

Two great ways to combine science and machines for hypertrophy are descending sets and unilateral assistance.

Descending sets

Machines - and especially machines with a weight stack - are perfect for descending sets as you don't need a training partner - you can change the weights easily and very quickly, and machines are safer than free weights as you can't drop anything on yourself as your fatigue builds.

We want to generate maximum tension and keep the time under tension below 60 seconds. This makes it necessary to start quite heavy for more tension and only do 1 to 2 weight reductions. Furthermore, you should reduce the weight as quickly as possible so that your muscles are not left without tension for long.

Descending sets work because you always use the heaviest weight possible at the moment. You generate maximum tension with each repetition, which is especially true at the beginning of the set when you are fresh and rested.

Start with a weight that you can perform 2 to 4 repetitions with (which allows a huge amount of tension) and reduce the weight as you tire to increase the time under tension.

You are also stimulating a maximum number of motor units. While some motor units will fatigue during the first set, other more fatigue-resistant motor units will continue to be fresh. When you reduce the weight, you force these fresh motor units to continue working without the help of the already exhausted motor units that have already given up.

This means that we can stimulate muscle fibers that would otherwise not be engaged in a standard set, generating a stronger effect on the muscle.

Unilateral support

The basic idea is to focus on one limb/side at a time and use maximum weight for that side. Use both limbs to move the weight up, but only lower it with one. Use the "supporting side" only as much as is necessary to move the weight up.

Let's use a bicep curl machine as an example. Let's say you can move 50 kilos upwards with your right arm for one repetition. This would generate maximum mechanical tension, but the time under tension would be very short.

Here's what you do: load the machine with 50 kilos and move the weight up with both arms, but only use the left arm to the minimum extent necessary to move the weight up. Hold the weight at the highest point for one second and release the bar with your left arm. Then lower the weight slowly and evenly (over 2 to 3 seconds) using only your right arm. At the lowest point of the movement, use your left arm again to move the weight upwards and repeat the movement.

You will eventually reach a point where you can no longer control the weight during the negative phase of the movement - usually within the critical 6 to 12 repetition range. Don't exceed 60 seconds and don't let it get out of control - use your support arm if necessary to prevent the weight from moving down dangerously fast. The support arm will provide a little more support with each repetition as fatigue sets in.

Excellent machines for this type of training include:

• Leg curl variations
• Bicep curl machines
• Tricep machines
• Machines for seated dips
• Bench press machines
• Rowing with supported chest
• One-sided lat pulldown
• Leg extensions
• Calf raises
• Leg presses with a limiter that stops the weight carriage at the lowest point

Unilateral assistance works best on machines where both sides are connected (meaning that both sides move even if you only press on one side), but with a little creativity you can use this principle on almost any exercise.

With unilateral machines such as Hammer Strength chest press machines or lat pulldown machines, you can place the supporting hand on the same side as your working hand during the concentric phase of the movement and then release it before performing the eccentric phase so that you only use one side.

One of the best applications is a leg press with a range of motion limiter. This is one of the few ways to use high eccentric loads in a lower body multi-joint exercise in a safe manner. It is not safe to load a barbell with a heavy weight and perform heavy eccentric squats or heavy eccentric deadlifts and this is a safer alternative.

Amino acids

Without going too much into the nutritional side of hypertrophy, it's important to note that Dr. Baar's research on mTOR has also shown that elevated levels of amino acids in the blood immediately after exercise also stimulate mTOR production.

This means that your training nutrition can make a big difference in your ability to grow. If you skimp on muscle-building protein during the training window, then you risk sabotaging the whole muscle-building process.

What you can do

If you're looking for a viable and natural way to maximize your gains, science has the answer. Use the research on mTOR and hypertrophy to your advantage by doing the following:

• Focus on a repetition range of 6 to 12 reps.
• Use the heaviest weights possible to increase tension.
• Maintain maximum tension on the muscles for up to 60 seconds.
• Use eccentric repetitions and weight reductions to your advantage.
• Reduce the metabolic demands of your hypertrophy workouts by fully recovering between sets.
• Make sure you have enough amino acids flowing through your veins in the form of sensible training nutrition to maximize the effects of mTOR.

If you're used to following training plans from bodybuilding magazines, then this type of training will feel a lot different. You won't necessarily achieve the same pump as with other training programs and you'll feel fresher and more rested due to the long rest intervals between sets.

Don't be fooled. Eccentric training will leave you with extremely sore muscles the next day, so make sure you get plenty of rest before training those muscles again.

Training for mass deserves a scientific approach, just like training for strength. Apply these principles and grow.

By Jim Kielbaso | 07/18/12

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/getting-big-through-tut

Related blog posts:

>> The push-pull workout

>> Train long, not hard

>> Full-body training vs. split programs: An analysis

Train long, not hard

You hear it all the time. It's one of the favorite sayings of high intensity experts and other exercisers who believe that short and sweet is better. This saying goes along the following lines:

"You can either train long or you can train hard, but you can't do both."

You know what? That's a damn good quote, a quote I would use myself when talking to different strength athletes who ask me for advice. The problem is that everyone seems to assume that the answer is to train harder. I don't really agree with that. Rather, I believe that training longer rather than harder is a better option.

Unfortunately, the majority of exercisers haven't figured this out yet. However, bodybuilders have not always thought this way. In fact, old-time exercisers knew the benefits of training long and not hard. Bill Pearl, for example, always advised finishing all sets one or two repetitions before reaching muscle failure. Why? Because it allowed him to train longer!

There have been many good authors in the field of strength training and muscle building over the years, but I believe that Anthony Ditillo was one of the best. Unfortunately, this name has been forgotten by many.

Ditillo believed in training each muscle group three days a week, performing multiple sets with a low repetition count - and never to muscle failure - during each training session. He also stuck to the basic exercises - squats, bench presses, deadlifts, barbell curls and neck presses. There's something else you should know about him: he was insanely muscular and strong!

When I first tell bodybuilders, powerlifters and other strength athletes that I believe it's better to train longer, not harder, they look at me like a weird puffer fish in the local aquarium. "You're kidding," they'll say. "I've gotten much better results since I started working out for just one hour instead of two." But longer doesn't necessarily refer to the actual length of the training sessions, but more to the amount of sets and repetitions.

Most exercisers use set/repetition schemes like three sets of 10 reps (why the hell is this always the favorite?), two sets of 15 reps, four sets of 8 reps, etc., etc. However, I think everyone could get better results by reversing their set/repetition sequence. In other words, you should do 10 sets of 3 repetitions, 15 sets of 2 repetitions, 8 sets of 4 repetitions, and so on. I think you understand what I'm getting at. At this point, the first method (the one usually used) is the harder method and the second is the longer method.

Even if the workload is the same for both methods, longer is better for a number of reasons:

1) You get the most out of each repetition and your form doesn't get worse.

2) Each repetition is much faster. Let's say you can do 10 reps with 100 kilos on the bench press. How much more strength do you think you can produce on the last few reps? I can guarantee you that it won't be much. And how much strength would you produce on each repetition if you did two sets of 5 repetitions? And what about 5 sets of two repetitions? The bottom line is that the "longer" training method is much better for producing speed and maximum strength - not to mention the muscle gains that come with it.

Okay, I hope that by this point I have been able to convince some readers to train longer and not harder. Now it's time to get down to the essentials, the good stuff: the training sessions.

The basic program

If you've been doing short, irregular, hard workouts, then these first workouts will be a good introduction to longer workouts and prepare you for the more advanced workouts I have in store. Even if you've been training longer, it may make sense to do this basic program first before moving on to the more advanced stuff. It should be a change of pace compared to almost anything you've done before.

These workouts are similar to the type of workouts Anthony Ditillo used to recommend. It's a training program with three training days per week, which I've listed as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, although any combination of three non-consecutive days will work.

Monday

Squats - 5 to 7 sets of 5 to 7 reps. Each set should be progressive, meaning that you increase the weight on each set (without causing muscle failure). If you choose to perform seven sets of five repetitions, then you should perform seven progressively heavier sets. Regardless of the repetition range you choose, stick with this for all sets

Dips with additional weight - 5 to 7 sets of 5 to 7 repetitions. Use the same set/repetition pattern as for squats, using an additional weight in the form of a belt with additional weight or a dumbbell held between the feet.

Neck press - 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 7 repetitions

Barbell curls - 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 7 repetitions

Abs - 3 to 5 sets of 30 to 50 repetitions. Use an ab exercise of your choice - one where you can do 30 to 50 reps (but stay away from crunches).

Wednesday

Deadlift - 5 to 7 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions. Use a conventional stance. Work your way up through five to seven progressively heavier sets. I want you to use a lower repetition range on this exercise to prevent form deterioration.

Flat bench press - 5 to 7 sets of 5 to 7 reps. For this exercise, use the grip that allows you to use the most weight. For most exercisers, this is a medium wide grip. If you want to start using heavy weights, start by increasing the grip width with each session while keeping your elbows close to your body.

Rowing bent over - 5 to 7 sets of 5 to 7 repetitions. Stick to the same weight for all 5 to 7 sets.

Dumbbell tricep press lying down (skull crushers) - 5 to 7 sets of 5 to 7 repetitions. Use the same technique as for bent-over rows.

Abdominal muscles - 3 to 5 sets of 30 to 50 repetitions

Friday

Repeat Monday's training session using the same set/repetition sequence. During the next week, swap the training sessions. On Mondays and Fridays, perform the training session from Wednesday. On Wednesday of the following week, perform the training session from Monday/Friday.

Additional tips

Remember not to perform a set to muscle failure. In your progressive sets, you should work your way up to a final set in which you come within 1 to 2 repetitions of muscle failure. For an exercise where you use the same weight for all sets, stick to a weight that allows you to complete all your repetitions. You should only approach muscle failure on the last sets.

Stick with this program for four to six weeks and then move on to the advanced program below.

An advanced program

This program is also performed three days a week. However, now you will follow a heavy/light/medium system. The difference with this program is the volume. This training program is a high-volume, low-intensity program, even though it won't feel like it if you've been using a typical bodybuilding program - and it will kick some serious butt on other hypertrophy programs!

I'll describe a three week training block below. After three weeks with this program, you should understand the parameters and be able to make the necessary changes yourself.

Week 1

Monday

Squats - 8 sets of 5 reps. Place the barbell at a medium height (not too high and not too low) on your back and use a medium-wide stance. Work your way up through five progressively heavier sets to a weight that brings you to within two or three repetitions of muscle failure. Stay at this weight for the last four sets.

Deadlift - 8 sets of 3 reps. Use the same system as for squats, using sets of three reps instead of sets of four reps. Use a conventional stance to make this a full back exercise.

Flat bench press - 8 sets of 5 reps. Same system as squats. Use whichever grip you find most comfortable.

Lying tricep press/overreach - 8 sets of 7 reps. Perform three progressively heavier sets and stay with the same weight from the fourth to the eighth set. If you are not familiar with this exercise, here is a brief description: Use either a SZ bar or a barbell and perform the same movement as the lying triceps press. When the bar reaches your forehead, keep your elbows in position and perform an overhead pulldown, stretching until the weight plates touch the floor. The concentric (lifting phase) should follow the same path. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj8COtDL6Xo)

Wednesday

Squats - 6 sets of 5 repetitions. Two warm-up sets followed by four sets with the same weight (about 80% of the max weight you used on Monday).

Good Mornings seated - 5 sets of 5 reps. Place a barbell on your back as for squats and sit on a bench with your feet the same distance apart as for squats. Bend forward until your forehead touches the bench. Work your way up through five progressively heavier sets until you reach your maximum weight for 5 reps (one to two reps before reaching muscle failure).

Incline bench press - 8 sets of 5 reps. Use the same set/repetition sequence as Monday's bench press, using 80% of the weight you used on your last four sets of bench presses for your last four sets. No set should be too heavy.

Barbell curls - 7 sets of 5 reps. Perform two warm-up sets of five repetitions, followed by five work sets of five repetitions. Again, use a weight that brings you to within one or two repetitions of muscle failure on the last sets.

Friday

Squats - 8 sets of 5 repetitions. Use the same set/repetition sequence as Monday, only working up to 90% of the weight for the last four sets compared to Monday.

Power Snatch - 7 sets of 3 reps. These should be seven progressively heavier sets. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvu5krlKwdM)

Bench press with rest - 8 sets of 5 reps. Use the same format as Monday's flat bench press, pausing for one second at the lowest point of the movement when the bar touches your chest. Work your way up to 90% of your weight from Monday.

Wide grip pull-ups - 5 sets of 5 reps. Increase the weight on each set and work your way up to your max weight for five reps.

Dumbbell curls - 5 sets of 5 reps.

Additional considerations

Perform some type of abdominal exercise during each session of this advanced program. You could perform exercises that primarily work the "upper" abdominal muscles in one workout and then choose ab exercises that primarily work the "lower" abdominal muscles in the next workout.

You should also not be afraid to do some extra calf training and/or a few sets of high reps on the leg extension machine and/or leg curl machine. Refrain from this additional training if you feel exhausted.

Week 2

Monday

Squats - 10 sets of 3 repetitions. Use the same stance and position of the bar on your back as during the first week. The first four to five sets should be progressively heavier. The last five or six sets should be "straight" sets. No set should be performed to muscle failure. Use a weight in the range of 80% of your maximum weight for squats.

Flat bench press - 10 sets of 3 repetitions. Use the same technique as for squats. If you wish, you can change your grip every three sets. For example, use a narrow grip for the first three sets (with which you warm up). Then use a medium-wide grip for the next three sets and a wide grip for the last four sets.

Power cleans - 7 sets of 3 repetitions. Perform three progressively heavier sets followed by four sets with your working weight.

Superset barbell curls with dips on parallel raises - 8 sets of 3 reps. Warm up with just two sets followed by six working sets with the same weight. Do not take a break between the two exercises in the superset.

Wednesday

Front squats - 8 sets of 3 repetitions. Use the same protocol as Monday's squats, omitting the last two sets. You shouldn't have to worry about calculating percentages. The nature of this exercise will make it a light weight.

Bench press for upper chest (feet in the air) - 10 sets of 3 reps. Use only 70% of the working weight you used on Monday. You can use this weight for up to nine sets if you want. Lower the barbell to your upper chest almost to your neck while trying to keep your elbows at the side of your body. Keep your feet in the air during this exercise.

Good Mornings with a rounded back - 6 sets of 5 reps. Remember that Good Mornings are something similar to deadlifts with your legs straight, with the barbell on your back like squats. If you suffer from any back problems, you should stick with the rounded back version. Everyone else should prepare to work their lower back to the max. Perform three progressively heavier warm-up sets followed by three sets of 5 repetitions, finishing each set one to two repetitions before reaching muscle failure.

Friday

Squats with a close stance and bar placed high on your back and pause at the lowest point - 10 sets of 3 reps. Use 85 to 90% of the weight you used for regular squats on Monday. Perform the squats as low as possible and pause at the lowest point for one second before straightening up again.

Incline bench press - 10 sets of 3 reps. Work your way up to 90% of the weight you used for your last five to six sets on Monday.

Barbell shoulder raises (shrugs) - 8 sets of 3 reps. Work your way up to your maximum weight for three reps over three or four sets. (Place the weight on a power rack so you don't have to lift the weight far). Try to touch your ears with your trapezius and don't roll your shoulders!

Dumbbell curls seated superset with tricep presses lying on the floor (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7j2dnr5lHs) - 8 sets of 3 reps. Perform two warm-up sets followed by six working sets. Perform each set to a point just before reaching muscle failure, resting only about one minute between supersets. Use a SZ bar for the tricep press.

Additional considerations

As you did last week, perform some ab work during each training session. Don't be afraid to do some extra calf-leg training if you feel like it. None of these sets should be demanding.

Another option you can consider is adding some type of accessory resistance with bands and/or chains to your squat and bench press workouts. However, be careful with bands. These offer better results than chains, but will be more taxing on your recovery system.

Week 3

Monday

Squats - 3 sets of 3 reps, followed by wave-loading sets of 3,2,1 and 3,2,1 reps. An example of the sets (for a strength athlete with a max weight for squats of 400 pounds) might look like this:

• 135 x 3
• 225 x 3
• 275 x 3
• 340 x 3
• 360 x 2
• 380 x 1
• 340 x 3
• 360 x 2
• 380 x 1

Flat bench press - 9 sets of 3,3,3 repetitions, followed by 3,2,1, and 3,2,1 repetitions. Use the same undulating pattern as the squats.

Sumodeadlift - 7 sets of 5,5,5,4,3,2,1 repetitions. Sumo deadlifts are performed with a wide stance and the arms between the legs. The first two sets are warm-up sets and the last five sets are your working sets. If you feel you need it, you can do another warm-up set, but your muscles should be ready after just a few sets due to the squats you did earlier.

Cable curls - 4 sets of 6, 10, 16 and 20 repetitions. These are so-called "breakdown sets" - descending sets in which the repetitions are increased with each subsequent reduction in weight. I chose cable curls because the nature of this intense technique requires an exercise where you can change the weight quickly. So you perform six reps on your first set, then reduce the weight and perform 10 reps on your second set, and so on.

Tricep press on cable - 4 sets of 6, 10, 16 and 20 repetitions. Use the same "breakdown" technique as for the curls.

Wednesday

Squats (varying bar placement on back and varying stance) - 7 sets of 3 reps. Work your way up (by your third set) to a weight that is about 45 kilos lighter than the weight you used for your single reps on Monday. Vary your stance and the positioning of the bar on your back with each set. In other words, perform a few sets with a close stance & bar placed high on your back, a few sets with a conventional stance and bar placed conventionally, and a few sets with a wide stance and bar placed lower on your back.

Overhead seated press - 3 sets of 3 reps, followed by wave-loading sets of 3,2,1 and 3,2,1 reps. Use the same system as Monday's bench press. The nature of this exercise will automatically make it "easy".

Snatch Grip High Pulls (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBFlAXybM_Q) - 3 sets of 3 reps and wave-loading sets of 3,2,1 and 3,2,1 reps. If you are experienced at this exercise, you should not work your way up to 95% of your maximum weight (as you did with the other exercises), but stop at around 80% of your maximum weight.

Friday

Squat - 3 sets of 3 repetitions, followed by six single repetitions. Your first three sets should be followed by six progressively heavier sets, as on Monday, where you work your way up to your max weight (or a weight very close to it). The sets for our hypothetical exerciser with a max weight of 400 pounds on squats would look like this:

• 135x3
• 225x3
• 275x3
• 300x1
• 315x1
• 350x1
• 375x1
• 390x1
• 400x1

Even though you are using more weight than on Monday, your number of reps and total workload is lower, which qualifies this workout as a "medium-heavy" day.

Flat bench press - 3 sets of 3 reps, followed by six single reps. Use the same method as for the squats.

Round back deadlift - 5 sets of 5 reps. Use a conventional stance and keep your back rounded throughout the exercise. This means that you cannot move the weight all the way up. Lift the weight up as far as you can before lowering it back to the floor. Work your way up over five progressively heavier sets.

Dumbbell curls superset with dips on a bench (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfU498Ps4O4) - 3 sets of 20 reps. After three weeks of heavy training, your muscles and their attachments could do with a little rest, which is the reason for the high repetition numbers. I don't want to reach muscle failure on any set of this exercise either. Finish the sets two to three repetitions before reaching muscle failure.

Additional considerations

After the third week of this program, you should know what you can (and can't) handle in terms of additional training for abs, calves and legs. Do some stretching exercises after each training session or on non-training days. You can also try doing some extra light workouts on your off days.

Summary

After following the above program for three weeks, you should understand how this type of system works. When the first three weeks are over, you have a few different options. You can go back to week 1 and try to beat your weights from that week, or you can use a completely different set/repetition scheme in combination with other exercises.

Some other good set/repetition combinations include 15 sets of 2 reps, 6 sets of 4 reps, 8 sets of 8 reps, etc. What you choose should be a question of your training experience. If you have been training for less than a year, you should repeat the three-week training block at least twice. If you've been training intensely for a long time, you can use a few more weeks using different combinations of set/repetition schemes before repeating anything.

I toiled away for years with hard and short workouts, wondering why I wasn't making the kind of progress I was reading about in the bodybuilding magazines every month. Sure, Arthur Jones knew what he was talking about when he said "You can either train long or train hard, but you can't do both." Too bad it took me so long to discover the answer. You don't have to go through years of trial and error like so many other exercisers. Try these workouts and you'll find the answer for yourself.

From CS Sloan | 05/30/03

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/train-long-not-hard

Related blog posts:

>>> Muscle-specific hypertrophy: biceps, back and lower body

>>> A simple program for complex results

There has been a lot of discussion lately about whether it is better to use a full body workout or some version of a split program where different parts of the body are trained during different workouts.

There are adamant advocates for both approaches and usually every discussion ends with people shouting at each other as if they are talking politics or religion. Sometimes, to avoid serious discussion, people focus on what these two systems have in common instead of addressing the important differences between the systems. My goal is to avoid both of these situations and to point out the pros and cons of both training methods so that you can decide for yourself which method is most appropriate for you at this time.

The definitions

First of all, we need to define what we are talking about. I think most people will recognize a full body training program when they see it, but for the sake of clarity, I'll define a full body workout as performing at least one of each of the following exercises during a training session:

• Upper body push exercise (chest and/or shoulders)
• Upper body pull exercise (latissimus)
• Multi-joint exercise for the lower body (gluteus, quadriceps and leg flexors)

A split program is defined as performing two or fewer of the exercises listed above. Examples would include a lower body/upper body or push/pull split program or training only one or two muscle groups per session.

When looking at these two systems, it is critical that we do everything possible to analyze only the systems themselves and not other variables as well. How can we do this? By simply making everything else equal.

The real question when comparing full body workouts and split programs is: what frequency is best for muscle stimulation? Frequency in this case refers to how often - usually per week - each muscle group is stimulated. The vast majority of exercisers fall into one of three frequencies. Those who train each muscle group three times a week, those who train each muscle group twice a week and those who train each muscle group only once a week.

The first thing we should ask ourselves is whether this is a fair question. Does it really matter? I believe the answer to both questions is yes. This is a fair question because basically all trainers and exercisers agree that the right frequency is critical to success in the gym. It matters because this question attempts to address one of the key training paradigms: if a person's fitness level increases, then that person needs to do more work to further improve their fitness. The flip side of this paradigm is that the more work you do, the more recovery time you need. I therefore believe that any attempt to solve this puzzle is an endeavor well worth the effort.

The variables & the training sessions

What we are really talking about is frequency and to assess only this, all other variables must be equal. This means that over the course of the week you use the same exercises, the same sets, the same reps, the same weights, the same rest times, the same total training time and the same number of training sessions per week. Everything is the same. The only thing that changes is the frequency.

I mentioned above that most people train each muscle group either once, twice or three times a week. Training each muscle group twice a week is kind of a compromise. The total body training devotees seem to agree that sometimes twice a week is good, and even the "once a week" guys agree that sometimes twice a week is good.

That's all well and good, but we want to see the differences between these two plans, which is why we leave out twice a week. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that training each muscle group twice a week is bad in any way, but the following discussion will focus on the pros and cons of training each muscle group three times a week or just once a week. Twice a week is basically somewhere in the middle between these two frequencies, trying to bridge the gap between the two.

We said before that both workouts are the same apart from the training split. Since most people are visual learners, you can see both workouts side by side below. The full body workout program follows Chad Waterbury's recommendations for a full body workout program. The exercises are listed in the order in which they are performed. In general, this workout would be performed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgLinau1oxg

If you look at the workout programs above, you may see something you particularly like or don't like at all. Let's say you hate leg curls and think people should do glute ham raises instead. Just substitute any exercise you want. To maintain balance, all you have to do is substitute the same exercise on both programs.

If you feel something is missing - let's say ab workouts, for example - feel free to add it, keeping in mind that whatever you do on one program, you'll need to do on the other. The purpose of comparing the workouts in the above way is simply so that people can see the differences.

Now that we've put the workouts together, let's start analyzing them. First the positive:

The benefits of a full body workout

• Higher frequency might be better for increased neuromuscular coordination - this is a crucial component of strength and therefore a great benefit. Exercise makes perfect and generally you get a better exercise effect from shorter and more frequent executions rather than a long session.
• You are relatively rested with each exercise as you train one area of the body and then move on to the next, so there is no accumulated fatigue.
• It's easier to incorporate full body exercises like Olympic weightlifting exercises, gymnastics exercises and strongman stuff into this type of training program.
• Basically, all fitness experts agree that a full body workout is ideal for beginners.
• A full body workout can prepare an athlete better than a split program to deal with body-wide fatigue that occurs in team sports during a game.
• A full body workout trains a higher percentage of the total motor units in the body per day than a split program.
• Since you are training your entire body, a full body workout may be better for burning calories and promoting fat loss.
• A full body workout is good for recovery after an injury or a break from training, as in these cases the intensity is reduced by default, so you can get more out of the workout if you train more frequently.
• If you miss one or two training sessions of the week, you will still get some training stimulus for the whole body rather than neglecting certain muscle groups that week.
• A higher training frequency can help prevent "undertraining".
• It's easy to incorporate supersets (antagonistic sets) into your workout, which saves time.
• Light full body days are harder than light split days (e.g. full body vs. arms).
• You won't get the kind of pronounced muscle soreness from a full body workout as you would from a split program.
• You can get a good full-body workout with just three training days per week.
• My personal opinion: I have found for myself that it seems to be easier to do a hard full-body workout without a training partner than a hard split program without a training partner.

Advantages of a split program

• A split program allows for maximum intensity regardless of how advanced you are.
• Repetitive sets with a fatigued muscle will build muscle endurance better (especially endurance over multiple sets).
• A split program allows you to easily train more than three days per week.
• Additional training days allow you to pay more attention to weak areas in your body development or performance.
• Split training gives your muscles more time to recover, which can help prevent overtraining.
• Basically, all fitness experts agree that split training is better for bodybuilders and fitness athletes.
• Split training trains a higher percentage of the body's total motor units per week than a full body training program. When one is exhausted, you recruit more motor units, which is better for hypertrophy (muscle mass).
• The hardest split day is usually harder than the hardest total body day (e.g. legs vs. full body workout).
• It's easy to incorporate intensity techniques (e.g. descending sets, compound sets, etc.).
• Could be better for learning to train intensely.
• You will tend to get very sore muscles and will feel every muscle you worked out for several days after the workout (some people like this feeling, others don't).
• Split training is better if you need to train several days in a row (e.g. if Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the only days you can train).

Disadvantages of a full body workout

• High frequency combined with high intensity could overtrain certain areas of the body (e.g. shoulders, pushing three days a week, tendonitis in the elbows, etc.).
• Most split programs allow the exerciser to train 4 to 5 or more days per week. It is difficult to do more than three full-body workouts per week, otherwise you would have to start working out on consecutive days.
• A full-body training program may not allow enough recovery time, especially if you train at a high (relative) intensity or move a lot of weight (high absolute intensity).
• A full body workout may not allow enough work to compensate for or improve weak areas. Furthermore, addressing weak points in combination with regular training can lead to overtraining.
• Exercisers may be tempted to reduce intensity as they will essentially be doing the same thing again in a few days.
• A full body workout might not improve local muscle endurance or resistance to fatigue (lactate threshold) as much as a split program.
• It is difficult to incorporate most intensity techniques (e.g. descending sets, compound sets) into a full body training program due to the short recovery time (in days) before the muscle is trained again.
• You don't get that strong muscle pump in a specific muscle group that some people like (and that Arnold says is the greatest feeling you can feel).

Disadvantages of a split program

• A lack of frequency might not improve neuromuscular coordination as much, which could limit strength.
• You will be exhausted to some degree after your first exercise for a muscle group, so continued training of that area will force a slight reduction in weight.
• Splits must be properly planned to avoid overtraining muscle groups or areas that are prone to this (e.g. lower back, front shoulder muscles, etc.).
• It is difficult to incorporate full body exercises or combination exercises (Olympic weightlifting exercises and the like) into a split program.
• Splits do not promote body-wide fatigue, so the exerciser will not be prepared for this.
• The exerciser may not stimulate the muscles hard enough to require such a long recovery time (in days).
• They may feel the need to train 4 to 5 days a week, which requires more time.
• My personal opinion: You may need a training partner to be able to do really good split training sessions on a regular basis.

Anecdotal experiences

If you look at athletes from the present and past, there is anecdotal experience in favor of both training systems:

• Total body training programs have been used successfully in the past to produce muscular and strong athletes.
• Olympic weightlifters, gymnasts, some athletes and some strength coaches continue to use total body training with good results.
• Basically all bodybuilders and fitness athletes use a split system.
• Most people who move weights in a gym use a split system.
• Split training seems to be more fun for most people (at least in my experience) and this should not be discounted. The main reason people do something for a long period of time is because it's fun.

The bad arguments

In addition to the pros and cons listed above, both sides have made some claims that don't have much merit and should be debunked as worthless. Some of these claims are as follows:

Bad Argument #1: "Muscles always work together in real life and you can't separate muscles in the gym."

The body is an amazing entity and we still don't fully understand it to this day. However, the idea that not always doing a full body workout will result in less functional muscles doesn't make sense.

Take another look at the workouts described above. To say that the person doing the total body workout will get a better training effect for sprints because they train latissimus and gluteus together - as opposed to the person doing a split program and training gluteus and latissimus on different days - doesn't make sense.

If I develop strong biceps in the gym - and even if I only have a single training day for biceps - then those biceps will help me in any activity that involves the biceps, be it rope climbing, tug-of-war or arm wrestling. The frequency component of the training program has very little to do with how transferable the skills in the gym are to other skills outside of the gym.

Bad argument #2: "Many muscles are involved in an exercise (such as the obliques in side raises, the abs in standing barbell shoulder presses, and the calves in squats). So how can you find out exactly which muscles an exercise really trains?"

This reasoning basically says that something like a chest day or a back day makes no sense. I'm not sure where this assertion comes from, as this question was addressed and answered years ago and is now coming up again.

Sure, an exercise usually involves many muscles and muscles rarely work in complete isolation. The problem, however, is the definition of "working". Many muscles contract during an exercise, but a pure contraction is different from receiving a training stimulus from an exercise. A training stimulus means that the muscles respond to an exercise by getting stronger, getting bigger, increasing their endurance, etc.

Here is an easy way to realize this. When performing an exercise, ask yourself: "If I only perform this one exercise and no more, which muscles will respond to this?" For example, are the biceps working on the bench press? And if by "working" you mean contracting, then the answer is "yes", because the biceps contract during the bench press.

However, will doing only bench presses help you get stronger and bigger biceps? Here the answer is "no". The biceps will not receive much training stimulus from the bench press. The triceps and shoulder muscles will certainly receive training stimulus, but not the biceps. If bench pressing is all you do and you still expect to perform well on biceps curls (a measure of biceps strength), then you will be disappointed.

Going back to the original example, the idea that performing side raises will train your obliques to the extent that you'll get better at side crunches or upper body rotations has no hand or foot. Similarly, standing barbell shoulder presses won't make you better at crunches, and just doing squats won't develop great calves either.

Bad argument #3: "A total body workout is too easy and only used by wimps."

This is simply not correct. It's load, exercises, sets, repetitions and rest periods that make a training session easy or hard. Look at the workout above: deadlifts, followed by good mornings and then board press and dumbbell rows - all of these are hard exercises. Doing them all in a row with heavy weights would be brutal.

Ask a powerlifter if a powerlifting competition (a total body workout) is easy and you'll obviously get a "no" answer. You can make a total body training session light, which is also true for any split training session, but will such a training session automatically be light? Definitely not.

Bad argument #4: "A full-body workout may be good for beginners, but that's it."

Again, this doesn't have to be the case. Look at Olympic weightlifters at an elite level. They are constantly loading the entire body and you perform excellently. Sheiko-oriented powerlifting programs have exercisers training at a very high frequency on a regular basis. While it's true that you need to balance the intensity of the workouts with the frequency of the workouts, there are enough examples to prove that full-body training can work for advanced athletes.

The conclusion?

So what is the conclusion? I hope you can see that both methods have significant benefits and most people would benefit from spending time with both of these methods. A key point to remember is that the ideal frequency for you is not static. Rather, it is dynamic because you are changing and your exercise intensity will change as well.

In general, it is true that many people start with a full body workout and then move on to training each muscle group twice a week for a period of time before moving on to training each muscle group only once a week, with this being done in line with increasing their training intensity. However, training each muscle group only once a week is not what everyone is aiming for. You should periodically re-evaluate where you and your training are at to see if your training frequency is still appropriate.

The bottom line

To the full body guys

Full body training, as you know, can be very effective, but as you progress, you may find that your body would benefit from training hard with a more direct, intense stimulus to the muscles and giving the muscles more time to recover, which is especially true if you are striving for muscle growth or if you are moving very heavy weights.

You may also find that a split program will allow you to focus more on weak areas that you couldn't prioritize with a full body program. You can always try a split program (training each muscle group once or twice a week) for a while and go back to your full body workout if you don't like it. You won't lose the gains you've made.

To the split program guys

A split program, as you know, can be very effective. However, when you reach very intense levels of training, you may find that your ability to train exceeds your ability to recover even if you only train each muscle group once a week. Lee Haney once said, "Train to stimulate, not to destroy."

You may find that your training intensity has decreased somewhat over time as you've gotten stronger and more muscular, or perhaps because your training partner has moved away. Your body may now be ready to respond better to a higher frequency and a (slightly) lower intensity. You can always try a higher frequency (two or three workouts per muscle group per week) for a while and go back to your split program if you don't like it. And no, you won't lose your gains.

The bottom line

How will your body respond if you train each muscle group or exercise X times per week? If you don't know the answer to this question, then it could be a sign that it's time to change things up.

You can always try a month of training one muscle group three times a week, a month of training one muscle group twice a week and a month of training one muscle group once a week to see how your body responds. Think about it, try it out and see what happens!

From Tim Henriques | 12/27/06

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tbt-vs-splits-an-analysis

Related blog posts:

>> The Single Repeat Club

>> Ten HAMMER STRONG killer split programs