Training

In my last two-part article, I described 11 principles of bodybuilding training. Now I'm going to make things a little easier for you.
I'm going to provide you with a few plug-and-play - or rather plug-and-train - templates that you can use to quickly and easily create a variety of excellent and effective training programs.
Since I generally recommend training four or five days a week, I will present both a four-day split and a five-day split so that you are prepared for all eventualities.
As with my 11 Bodybuilding Training Principles, I encourage you to either use these templates as they are described here or use them as the basis for building your own training program.
Be Flexible
"I am a man of fixed and unbending principles, the first of which is to be flexible at all times."
- Everett Dirksen
None of these templates or the following exercise options are set in stone. You may already have enormous calves, for example. If you're one of those lucky people, you might choose not to do any calf training at all.
Or maybe you're an MMA fighter who needs to work on your grip strength. In this case, you could add exercises for grip strength and your forearms to the templates below.
Whatever the case, you should always remember that even though bodybuilding is definitely a science, this sport is just as much an art - and even though you and I use the same science, your art may look a lot different than my art.
Be unyielding
"Life is indeed terribly complicated - for a man who has lost his principles."
While creative flexibility is welcome, don't go overboard. Whether you use my 11 bodybuilding principles (which have been incorporated into the following templates) or your own principles, you should definitely have some parameters guiding your decisions, because without them, it's easy to stray too far from the tried and true.
For example, if you've ever seen a leg training session that consisted of 3 sets each of leg extensions, leg presses and leg curls, then you've seen a lack of training principles in action.
Rest intervals
The topic of rest intervals is a perfect illusion of the need to be flexible and rigid at the same time.
While walking through the touristy part of San Francisco yesterday, I noticed a t-shirt that read "Some people say I have ADHD, but they just don't understand that.... Hey, look, a squirrel".
If your friends would say that this saying applies to you (or you already own a t-shirt like this), then you may well get bored between sets, which is especially true if you focus on strength during training and need longer breaks between sets. In this case, you need to be stricter and make sure you take the minimum amount of rest between sets.
On the other hand, it's important to be flexible with your rest intervals between sets - at least flexible enough to listen to your common sense.
For example, if a training program only requires you to rest 30 seconds between sets, but after that time your breathing rate and heart rate have not dropped, then it's time to be flexible and listen to your common sense - which means you should rest longer.
Having said that, here are the rest intervals you should take as long as you don't have a good reason not to - and being bored is no reason!
- Short breaks: 20-60 seconds (45 seconds on average)
- Moderate breaks: 1-2 minutes (90 seconds on average)
- Long breaks: 2-5 minutes (3 minutes on average)
Aside from using rest intervals that are consistent with your goal of performing a given exercise (which I've already done for you in the following templates), the other thing to remember is to be consistent with your rest intervals. Otherwise, your performance will be inconsistent and impossible to control.
Sets & repetitions
As a rule of thumb, we could say that there are three general repetition/set ranges:
- Low reps / heavy weight: 1-6 reps (5 reps on average)
- Moderate repetitions / moderate weight: 7-12 repetitions (10 repetitions on average)
- High reps / light weight: 12-20 reps (15 reps on average)
But I'm using these ranges more for illustrative purposes as we won't be sticking to these precisely.
In the templates described below, I will give the exact set and repetition numbers that I typically recommend for the given exercise. However, you shouldn't get too hung up on going 100% consistent with what I've described. Instead, use these numbers as guidelines to know what range you should stay in.
For example, I could tell you to use 5 x 5 (5 sets of 5 reps), but you'd rather use 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps. That's perfectly fine - you're still in the same range with heavy weight and low reps.
If, on the other hand, I specify 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps and you do 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps instead, then you've changed things up a bit too much and are generating your own training template as a result. That's fine too, but you should make sure you have a legitimate reason for changing things up so much.
When in doubt
If you're in doubt about whether to stick with the plug-and-play template I've included below or modify it, then my advice would be to stick with the template as it is.
After all, I've put over 20 years of trial-and-error experience and the same amount of time researching scientific literature into these templates, so I can say with a clear conscience that to say that these templates work would be a serious understatement.
My rule regarding modifying the following templates is the same rule Mrs. Mathews (my eighth grade English teacher) had regarding the use of commas - if you're in doubt, don't do it.
Exercise selection
It would be impossible to list every possible exercise for every muscle group, so instead I will limit myself to what I would call "serious" exercises for each muscle group.
(As an aside, I should note that when I put together workouts for clients, I rarely see a need to go beyond the exercises on this list.
Even though you probably have a few good, unique exercises up your sleeve, you should resist the temptation to use too many "fancy" new exercises or machines. Otherwise, you'll stray too far from the proven exercises we know work.
Primary and secondary exercises
To systematize everything, I divide exercises into primary (1°) and secondary (2°) exercises.
In general, primary exercises will be basic / multi-joint exercises, while secondary exercises tend to be more in the direction of isolation exercises. However, this division is based on more than just a division into multi-joint exercises and isolation exercises.
Let's take dips as an example. They are undoubtedly a multi-joint exercise, but I still consider dips to be a secondary exercise as far as chest exercises are concerned.
Don't get me wrong, there will be times when you will use a secondary exercise instead of a primary exercise. For example, you may want to pre-fatigue your latissimus with pullovers.
A more likely change would be to use another primary exercise at a point where I have a secondary exercise planned.
For example, you might decide to use lying tricep presses (skull crushers) - a primary exercise for the triceps - as the last exercise in your tricep training session. There is nothing wrong with this.
Even though this primary and secondary exercise thing is flexible, you should be more hesitant to replace a primary exercise with a secondary exercise than the other way around - otherwise your training program might not include enough hard exercises that you might hate but that are also highly effective, such as classic squats.
Without further ado, let's get to the list of specific exercises for each muscle group:
Chest
Primary chest exercises
- Incline bench press (barbell or dumbbell)
- Flat bench press (barbell or dumbbell)
- Bench press on the reverse incline bench
Secondary chest exercises
- Flying movements on the cable pulley
- Crossover cable pulls (from top to bottom, from bottom to top)
- Flying movements with dumbbells (flat bench, incline bench, reverse incline bench)
- Machine presses (flat bench, incline bench, reverse incline bench)
- Flying movements on the machine
- Push-ups
Back exercises
Primary back exercises
- Deadlifts (over the full range of motion or on the rack)
- Barbell rows (overhand or underhand grip)
- Pull-ups
- One-arm dumbbell rowing
- T-bar rowing
Secondary back exercises
- Cable rowing (neutral grip, overhand or underhand grip)
- Reverse flying movements (dumbbells / machine)
- Dumbbell pull-ups
- Lat pulldowns (neutral grip, overhand or underhand grip)
- Machine rowing
- Lat pulldowns on the machine
Shoulders
Primary shoulder exercises
- Overhead bridges (dumbbell or barbell)
- Dumbbell side raises
Secondary shoulder exercises
- Arnold Press
- Overhead press on the machine
- Side raises on the cable pulley
- Front raise (dumbbells or barbell)
- Kickbacks on the cable pulley for the rear shoulder muscles
- Dumbbell side raises (bent-over side raises) for the rear shoulder muscles
- Rowing upright (barbell, dumbbell or cable)
- Truck driver
Triceps
Primary triceps exercises
- Lying tricep press (skull crusher)
- Close bench press
- Dips
- Tricep presses on the cable pulley with a V-grip
Secondary tricep exercises
- Kickbacks (dumbbell or cable)
- Randy Press
- Tricep presses on the cable pulley with a straight bar or rope grip
- Tricep press on the cable pulley with an underhand grip
Biceps
Primary bicep exercises
- Barbell curls - (barbell or SZ bar)
- Standing alternating dumbbell curls
Secondary bicep exercises
- Spider curls
- Drag curls
- Cable curls
- Scott curls (SZ bar or dumbbell)
- Dumbbell hammer curls
- Reverse curls
- Dumbbell concentration curls
- Pull-ups
Abdominal muscles
Primary ab exercises
- Hanging leg raises
- Bicycle crunches
- Crunches on the reverse incline bench
Secondary abdominal exercises
- Crunches with rope grip on cable pulley
- Reverse crunches
- Frog kick (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCsjXhP-IkY)
- V-Up (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP2fjvG0g3w)
Quadriceps
Primary quadriceps exercises
- Classic squats
- Front squats
- Hackenschmidt squats
Secondary quadriceps exercises
- Bulgarian split squats
- Leg presses
- Leg extensions
- Walking lunges
Leg curls
Primary exercises for the leg flexors
- Deadlift / Romanian deadlift with straight legs (barbell or dumbbell)
- Seated leg curls
Secondary exercises for the leg curls
- Lying leg curls
- Leg curl ball roll
- Single leg leg curls
- Rope Pull-Through (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=danTs3bMNG8)
Calves
Primary calf exercises
- Standing calf raise (machine)
- One-legged dumbbell calf raises
Secondary calf exercises
- Calf press on the leg press
- Sitting calf raises
Training split templates
My goal in creating these templates was to eliminate any guesswork when designing your own training program. This allows you to focus your valuable energy on your training without having to think too much.
Just put in the right exercises and you're ready to go.
4-day training split
The following 4-day training split is designed for those who want to train four days a week.
Please note that I did not say "who could train 4 days a week" or "who will often train 4 days a week".
It is important that you decide in advance how many days per week you can dedicate to your training. Otherwise, you will compromise the effectiveness of this program. So if you think "I can train consistently 4 or 5 days a week", then go for 4 days as this needs to be something that is doable week in week out.
Note: You can certainly design training splits that are more flexible in nature and allow you to use a varying schedule, but that's a topic for another article.
An effective 4-day training split
- Day 1 (e.g. Monday) - chest & biceps
- Day 2 (e.g. Tuesday) - back & abs
- Day 3 (e.g. Thursday) - shoulders, triceps & abs
- Day 4 (e.g. Friday) - legs
Chest & biceps
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Break |
|
|
A |
1° chest (press) |
5 |
5 |
long |
|
B |
1°/2° chest |
3 |
6-10 |
moderate |
|
C |
2° chest |
4 |
12-20 |
short |
|
D |
1° biceps |
4 |
5 |
long |
|
E |
1°/2° biceps |
3 |
8-12 |
moderate |
|
F |
2° biceps/forearms |
3 |
10-15 |
short/moderate |
Back & abs
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Rest |
|
|
A |
1° back (vertical pull) |
4 |
6-10 |
long |
|
B |
1° back (lifting/rowing) |
3-4 |
6-10 |
long |
|
C |
1°/2° back |
3 |
8-12 |
moderate |
|
D |
2° back |
4 |
10-15 |
short |
|
E |
1° Abdominal muscles |
3-4 |
6-10 |
moderate |
|
F |
2° abdominal muscles |
3 |
10-20 |
short/moderate |
Shoulders, triceps, & abs
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Rest |
|
|
A |
1° Shoulders (vertical press) |
4 |
5 |
long |
|
B |
1° Shoulders (abduction) |
4 |
8-12 |
moderate |
|
C |
2° Shoulders |
3 |
10-15 |
short |
|
D |
1° Triceps |
3 |
6-10 |
moderate |
|
E |
1°/2° Triceps |
3 |
8-12 |
moderate |
|
F |
2° Triceps |
3 |
10-15 |
short |
|
G |
1° Abdominal muscles |
4 |
6-12 |
moderate |
Quadriceps, hamstrings, & calves
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Rest |
|
|
A |
1° Quadriceps |
5 |
6-12 |
long |
|
B |
2° quadriceps |
4 |
8-15 |
moderate |
|
C |
1° Leg curl |
4 |
6-10 |
moderate |
|
D |
2° Leg curl |
3-4 |
8-15 |
short/moderate |
|
E |
Additional leg exercise (if required) |
2-3 |
8-15 |
short/moderate |
|
F |
1° calves |
4-5 |
6-12 |
moderate |
|
G |
2° calves |
3 |
10-15 |
short |
5-day training splits
For those who can dedicate 5 days of the week to training, this is an excellent training split.
Note: If you're clever, you can also redesign the following template to use with a different 5-day training split.
An effective 5-day training split
- Day 1 (e.g. Monday) - chest & calves
- Day 2 (e.g. Tuesday) - back & abs
- Day 3 (e.g. Thursday) - shoulders & hamstrings
- Day 4 (e.g. Friday) - quadriceps & abs
- Day 5 (e.g. Saturday) - arms
Chest & calves
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Break |
|
|
A |
1° Chest |
5 |
5 |
long |
|
B |
1° chest |
3-4 |
6-10 |
long/moderate |
|
C |
2° chest |
3 |
8-12 |
moderate/short |
|
D |
2° chest (weak point isolation) |
3 |
10-15 |
short |
|
E |
1° calves |
4 |
5-10 |
moderate |
|
F |
1° calves |
3 |
10-15 |
short/moderate |
|
G |
2° calves |
3 |
12-20 |
short |
Back & abs
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Pause |
|
|
A |
1° back (vertical pull) |
3-4 |
6-10 |
moderate/long |
|
B |
1° back (lifting/rowing) |
3-4 |
4-8 |
long |
|
C |
1°/2° back |
3 |
8-12 |
moderate |
|
D |
2° back |
3 |
8-12 |
moderate |
|
E |
2° back (weak point insulation) |
4 |
10-15 |
short/moderate |
|
F |
1° Abdominal muscles |
3-4 |
6-12 |
moderate |
|
G |
2° abdominal muscles |
3 |
12-20 |
short |
Shoulders & hamstrings
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Pause |
|
|
A |
1° Shoulders (press) |
4 |
4-8 |
long |
|
B |
1° Shoulders (abduction) |
4 |
6-10 |
moderate |
|
C |
2° Shoulders |
3 |
8-12 |
short/moderate |
|
D |
Shoulder health (i.e. external rotation) |
3 |
12-15 |
short |
|
E |
1° Leg flexor (knee flexion) |
3-4 |
6-10 |
moderate |
|
F |
1° leg curl (hip extension) |
2-3 |
6-10 |
moderate |
|
G |
2° Leg curl |
3-4 |
10-15 |
short/moderate |
Quadriceps & abs
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Rest |
|
|
A |
1° Quadriceps |
5 |
6-10 |
long |
|
B |
1°/2° quadriceps |
4 |
8-12 |
moderate/long |
|
C |
2° quadriceps |
3-4 |
8-12 |
moderate |
|
D |
2° quadriceps |
3 |
10-20 |
short/moderate |
|
E |
1° Abdominal muscles |
3 |
6-12 |
moderate |
|
F |
2° Abdominal muscles |
3 |
12-20 |
short |
Biceps, triceps, & forearms
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Rest |
|
|
A |
1° Triceps |
4 |
4-8 |
moderate/long |
|
B |
1° biceps |
4 |
4-8 |
moderate/long |
|
C |
1°/2° Triceps |
3 |
8-12 |
moderate |
|
D |
2° Triceps |
3 |
12-20 |
short |
|
E |
1°/2° biceps |
3 |
8-12 |
moderate |
|
F |
2° biceps |
3 |
12-20 |
short |
|
G |
Forearms (if required) |
3 |
8-15 |
short/moderate |
Complementary exercises you can consider
Here are some exercises for smaller/more specific muscle groups that you may want to give some attention to and exercises that can help you achieve this.
If needed, simply add these exercises into your training split where they fit best, as illustrated above with the example of Additional Exercises for Legs, Forearms and Shoulder Health.
Tibialis Anterior
- Dorsiflexion with resistance
- Walking on the heels
Forearms / Wrist
- Wrist curls/flexion (barbell or dumbbell)
- Wrist curls with overhand grip (barbell or dumbbell)
- Wrist curls
- Reverse curls
Shoulder external rotation
- Cuban rotation
- External rotation with dumbbells lying on the side
- External rotation on cable
Complementary exercises
|
Target muscle |
Sets |
Rest |
|
|
Tibialis Anterior |
4 |
8-15 |
short-moderate |
|
Wrist extensor |
4 |
8-15 |
short-moderate |
|
Wrist flexors |
3 |
8-15 |
short-moderate |
|
Shoulder external rotation |
4 |
8-15 |
short-moderate |
Final words
I'll be the first to admit that there's nothing revolutionary about this article, but that's kind of the point - we're not trying to reinvent bodybuilding here.
Instead, these templates are meant to be something elegantly simple, yet effective.
With this information in mind, I encourage you to print them out and take them with you to the gym. That way, you'll always have the information you need to design a killer effective workout program on the fly.
Have fun!
By: Clay Hyght
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/tried-and-true-bodybuilding-program-template

We all know that there are some really freaky looking powerlifters out there. In general, however, powerlifters are not as muscular as bodybuilders.
Tell me your favorite muscular powerlifter and I'll show you a bodybuilder who will look skinny in comparison.
Admittedly, many powerlifters carry around way too much body fat to accurately gauge their level of muscularity. This also applies to guys like Donnie Thompson, Ryan Kennelly and Benedikt Magnusson, who are some of the strongest powerlifters in the world.
Sure, these guys are real monsters in terms of their strength and performance, but they are definitely not the most muscular guys on the planet. If they were to reduce their body fat percentage to a reasonable level, they would probably also lose a lot of muscle mass in the process.
When comparing powerlifters to bodybuilders, it is noticeable that many powerlifters have mediocre lower body development by bodybuilding standards.
In 1993, Tom Platz, who probably had the bulkiest legs in the history of bodybuilding, competed in a squat competition with Fred Hatfield, the first person to move 1000 pounds doing squats.
Even though Tom's legs were much bigger and bulkier than Fred's, he got his butt kicked by Fred, whose 855 pounds outweighed Tom's 765 by classes. But when they took a few plates off the bar and reduced the weight to 525 pounds for a lower body endurance test, Tom, who did 23 reps, dwarfed Fred with his 11 reps.
The bottom line is that bodybuilders seem to be better at higher reps with a steady cadence, while powerlifters seem to be better at explosively performed heavy reps with low reps.
Former Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler has written some very open and honest papers on the subject of strength and muscle size. He listed his all-time best performances in relation to his strength at the time.
Years ago he trained with much heavier weights, but he became more muscular by using lighter weights. Even though he continued to train heavy, he decided to focus more on quality than quantity.
Muscular differences between bodybuilders and powerlifters
Many strength athletes and trainers believe that "muscles only know tension." However, this is a far too simplistic view of things. In reality, a whole range of factors need to be taken into account.
What is the degree of tension? How long is the duration of the tension? What is the frequency of the tension? What kind of tension is the muscle exposed to? And certainly passive tension is not as effective as active tension when it comes to building lean muscle mass.
Many believe that the continuous pursuit of increased maximal strength is the key to developing massive muscles. However, even though increased strength is associated with increased muscle cross-sectional area, there are multiple adaptations that can increase strength without increased muscle hypertrophy.
Of these adaptations, an improvement in basic coordination between muscles is by far the strongest contributor to strength gains unrelated to muscle hypertrophy.
In addition to neurological adaptations, adaptations that involve increased stiffening of the tissues that connect bone to bone (including tendons, extracellular matrix, etc.) can also contribute to increased muscle-to-bone force transmission and play a significant role in strength gains.
Follicular angle
The angle that the individual muscle fibers form with the line of action of a muscle, also known as the fascicle angle, has a significant effect on strength independent of muscle hypertrophy.
An increased fascicle angle appears to have a negative correlation with muscle strength - as the fascicle angle increases, the capacity of the muscle to produce force decreases.
Interestingly, studies have shown that bodybuilders have larger fascicle angles than powerlifters, which is probably related to their training methods.
Types of hypertrophy
There are several ways in which muscles can grow without significant changes in strength. One of the ways is an increase in the amount of non-contractile elements in the muscle cell.
Non-contractile hypertrophy involves an increase in collagen, glycogen and other cellular subunits - a phenomenon commonly referred to as "sarcoplasmic hypertrophy".
Since strength production is generated by the sarcomeres, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy has no effect on 1RM weight or maximum strength. However, the increased mass generated by the non-contractile elements still has a significant effect on muscle size.
Growth of the slowly contracting muscle fibers
An increase in the size of slowly contracting type I fibers can also influence muscle hypertrophy without a strong effect on maximum muscle strength. Type I muscle fibers are endurance-oriented fibers that have a limited ability to produce high levels of force.
Type I muscle fibers can increase in size when exposed to a resistance training stimulus, but their hypertrophy capacity is about 50% less than that of fast contracting muscle fibers.
It has been shown that bodybuilders have a larger cross-sectional area of type I muscle fibers than powerlifters. This could help explain why Tom Platz had greater muscle endurance than Fred Hatfield, but was not as strong in absolute terms.
If maximal strength was all that was necessary for muscle hypertrophy, then powerlifters would be the most muscular people on the planet and bodybuilders would be performing maximal single reps instead of chasing the muscle pump.
Simply put, stronger is not the same as more muscular and more muscular does not necessarily mean stronger.
So what makes bodybuilders more muscular than powerlifters?
It's not genetics?
Sure, people naturally tend to do things they are good at.
In the strength training world, those with a better predisposition for strength will be more inclined to train like a powerlifter or become a powerlifter, while those with a better predisposition for building muscle mass will be more inclined to train like a bodybuilder or become a bodybuilder.
Powerlifting has more to do with leverage, the nervous system and improving technique, while bodybuilding has more to do with aesthetics, symmetry, muscularity and conditioning.
Strength depends on a whole range of factors, but the attachment points of the tendons to the bones play a very large role in the ability to release maximum force.
Let's use bicep curls as an example. Let's say you're curling a 60 pound dumbbell and you've moved the dumbbell up so far that your upper and lower arm form a 90 degree angle and you're moving the dumbbell very slowly.
To get a general estimate of the muscle strength requirements of the biceps, you need to divide the moment of the resistance arm by the length of the muscle arm.
This means that you multiply the resistance (60 pounds) by the resistance arm (say 15 inches from the elbow to the dumbbell) and divide the result by the muscle arm (say 1 inch from the elbow to the base of the biceps).
This would be 900 inch-pounds - a measure of torque. In this example, the biceps must produce 900 inch-pounds of force.
What happens if the strength athlete's biceps tendon attaches 2 inches from the fulcrum? Now divide by 2 instead of 1, which means that the biceps now only need to produce 450 inch-pounds of force to hold the dumbbell at a 90 degree elbow angle.
This shows how beneficial tendon attachment points can be for external force production - two strength athletes could have the same strength in their biceps, with one of them being able to move twice the amount of weight due to their better leverage ratios.
Also, the lengths and proportions of the torso, arm, femur and humerus all play an important role in force production. Obviously, the sample size of professional powerlifters and professional bodybuilders will be skewed. There is simply more money to be made in bodybuilding.
But that alone doesn't explain why bodybuilders are more muscular than powerlifters. And it's important to note an interesting observation - when powerlifters start training like bodybuilders, they almost always build more muscle!
It's not the chemical support
Sure, professional bodybuilders use large amounts of performance-enhancing compounds, but it's not much different for powerlifters. Perhaps bodybuilders use higher dosages and a wider range of compounds, but many claim to use moderate dosages and stick to the basics, so it's not known if this really matters.
Let's compare the bodies of natural bodybuilders with those of natural powerlifters. In this case, the result is quite clear. WNBF bodybuilders make WNPF powerlifters look puny from a hypertrophy standpoint.
10 reasons that bodybuilding makes you more muscular
Bodybuilders are masters of building muscle. Although everyone responds quickly to different exercises, weights, variations in volume, training frequencies, intensities, variations in training density and variations in training duration, there are certain rules that apply to bodybuilding.
If your goal is to maximize your muscle development, then you would be a fool to ignore these rules. Even though mechanical tension plays the most important role in stimulating hypertrophy, here are some candidates that could explain the superior musculature of bodybuilders compared to powerlifters.
1. higher repetitions and chasing the pump
Powerlifters generally train in a low repetition range (1 to 5 reps), while bodybuilders tend to favor a moderate repetition range (6 to 12 reps). The adaptations associated with these repetition ranges may explain at least part of the hypertrophy differences between these two classes of athletes.
Performing an exercise at the higher repetition range would theoretically result in greater hypertrophy of Type I muscle fibers. As previously mentioned, Type I muscle fibers are endurance oriented and thus respond best to prolonged time under tension.
The low repetition training used by powerlifters simply does not allow sufficient time under tension for significant development of these fibers.
The pump serves a purpose
Although the pump is often seen as a short-term training effect, it can result in better muscle development. Studies show that cellular swelling can cause both increased synthesis of protein and reduced protein breakdown.
It is hypothesized that an increase in water in the muscle cell - consistent with the mechanism associated with the pump - is perceived as a threat to the integrity of the cell. In response, the cell initiates a signaling cascade that ultimately causes the muscle to grow to protect its structures.
In addition to this, greater occlusion and hypoxia can be associated with higher repetition pump-style training, which can induce growth through increased production of growth factors and possibly fusion of muscle cells with satellite cells.
Chasing the pump with moderate repetitions promotes sarcoplasmic hypertrophy - an increase in non-contractile elements in the muscle cells. In addition to manifesting in an increase in muscle size, it may also promote an additional increase in contractile hypertrophy.
Glycogen is hydrophilic, which means that it binds water. Each gram of glycogen draws three grams of water into the muscle cell. This increased hydration could therefore lead to greater myofibrillar growth via the aforementioned cell swelling mechanism, whereby more muscle glycogen could promote increased hypertrophy gains in two ways.
2. time under tension
It's also important to consider the higher levels of total load (weight * reps) and longer time under tension in bodybuilders compared to powerlifters.
Let's say a bodybuilder performs a bench press workout consisting of 225 x 12, 275 x 10, 315 x 8, and 335 x 6, while a powerlifter performs: 315 x 5, 365 x 3, 405 x 1, and 415 x 1. In this scenario, the bodybuilder moved a total load of 9,980 pounds, while the powerlifter moved 3,490 pounds.
Assuming that a repetition lasts 2 seconds, the bodybuilder accumulated 72 seconds of time under tension, compared to only 20 seconds for the powerlifter, which is a significant difference!
3. high repetition numbers until muscle failure
High repetitions to muscle failure are better for myofibrillar, sarcoplasmic and mixed protein synthesis than low repetitions to muscle failure.
It is also interesting to note that further research is needed as acute protein synthesis does not necessarily correlate with greater hypertrophy over time and previous studies have found that very high repetition programs are suboptimal for increased muscle growth.
More repetitions also equate to more eccentric contractions, which have been shown to cause more muscle damage. There is a lot of scientific data to suggest that muscle damage is associated with increased muscle growth, although the research results in this area are inconclusive.
4 Muscle isolation and machines
Bodybuilders use a lot of isolation exercises in their training. This is in direct contrast to powerlifters who stick to a few basic multi-joint exercises.
Large muscles such as the quadriceps, pectorals, shoulders and latissimus are made up of many thousands of thread-like muscle fibers that have different attachment points. These fibers are sometimes subdivided or controlled by different nerves.
This means that muscles are not always trained evenly over their entire length during an exercise. A certain exercise can train an area closer to one or the other attachment point of the muscle more intensely. Only by training a muscle from different angles with a series of different exercises can you fully stimulate all of these fibers and maximize their development.
Using machine-based training, which reduces the involvement of the stabilizing muscle fibers and allows you to target different aspects of a muscle, can further maximize muscle development.
Machines can also be beneficial as they allow for more favorable strength curves and can help maintain constant tension on the trained muscle through the use of different technologies. Constant tension can lead to stronger mechanical signaling and a better pump, which can support muscle growth.
5. the way the exercise is performed
Bodybuilders have been saying for years that it's not just the amount of resistance used, but also the way an exercise is performed that matters.
EMG experiments have shown that bodybuilding-style bench presses with 100 kilos (wide grip, elbows out, bar lowered towards the middle chest) activated more fibers of the pectoralis major (large chest muscle) than powerlifting-style bench presses (tighter grip, elbows closer to the body, weight lowered towards the lower chest) with the same weight.
Frequently, maximal attempts at squats and deadlifts showed weaker EMG activation than submaximal repetitions. This is because the body instinctively twists and bends to move heavy weights and these postural changes often involve support from passive structures such as ligaments.
For example, a powerlifter may excessively arch their upper back to utilize their ligament structures, which increase passive support while reducing active muscle demands.
Professional bodybuilders typically control the weight and use a steady tempo, while many powerlifters allow some deflection of the movement during maximal attempts. In addition, many bodybuilders avoid an end position with hyperextended limbs to maintain constant tension on the target muscle.
For example, let's say a bodybuilder performs dumbbell incline bench presses. He will probably only move the weight 5/6 of the way up and then reverse the direction of movement and lower the weight again. During flying movements, a bodybuilder will only move the dumbbells 2/3 of the way up. This will maintain tension on the pecs to promote a better pump.
6. the mind-muscle connection
Bodybuilders are always preaching the importance of feeling the muscle working and scientific research has shown that activation training can increase relative EMG activity during workouts.
For example, a two-month focus on gluteus activation resulted in a trainee being able to use more gluteus muscles during a multi-joint exercise such as squats or lunges, while reducing the involvement of synergistic muscles such as the leg flexors.
Bodybuilders intentionally target a target muscle and manipulate their form of exercise execution to maximize tension on that muscle.
On the other hand, all powerlifters care about is moving maximum weights. Therefore, they try to use as many muscles as possible to generate maximum force.
During the bench press, for example, a powerlifter tries to maximize the pressure from the legs and the activation of the pectorals, latissimus, anterior shoulder muscles and triceps to move the heaviest weight possible. For a powerlifter, optimal mechanics are more important than actual muscle activation.
While the powerlifting method is excellent for full body stimulation, the bodybuilding method maximizes a specific area and can induce more muscle damage and a stronger pump while reducing CNS overload.
7 Instinctive training and biofeedback
Bodybuilders incorporate as much variety as possible into their training sessions and do not have a set plan when they enter the gym.
Many have a general idea of what they want to achieve, but typically leave room for spontaneity based on biofeedback. This variety and loose training structure could theoretically lead to greater muscle growth over time due to a reduced likelihood of injury.
The exerciser who can go to the gym week after week for many years and perform productive, pain-free workouts will accumulate more lean muscle mass than an exerciser who is always sore, training through pain and suffering from strains and muscle fiber tears.
Since absolute strength is the most important thing to a powerlifter, a powerlifter will often ignore any biofeedback that tells them to back off a bit. For example, it could be that the lower back doesn't feel good on deadlift day. The powerlifter will usually stick to their plan and train through any pain, whereas the bodybuilder will train around the pain.
Since the bodybuilder is concerned with training a muscle and not improving performance on specific exercises, they are more likely to listen to their body's warning signals and find an exercise that doesn't set off alarm bells.
Powerlifters are naturally obsessed with maximizing strength on the big three exercises, while bodybuilders see strength as a means to an end for building muscle, so they don't care as much about how much weight they can max on the bench press, squat and deadlift.
8. intensification methods
Occasionally, bodybuilders will use intensification methods such as training to muscle failure, negative reps, descending sets, rest-pause, burnouts, supersets, triple sets and quadruple sets to continue a set to the limit.
When used sparingly, these methods can send additional hypertrophy-stimulating signals that could theoretically lead to greater muscle growth over time. However, these methods should be properly periodized to avoid overtraining.
9. shorter rests between sets
Bodybuilders generally use fairly short rest intervals between sets - in the range of one or two minutes on average - while powerlifters often rest up to five minutes between heavy sets. Shorter rest intervals are associated with an increased anabolic response - particularly in terms of testosterone and growth hormone.
Although it has not yet been conclusively determined whether the acute hormonal effects of resistance training contribute to greater muscle growth, several studies have reported a significant correlation with the amount of growth in type I and type II muscle fibers.
In any case, shorter rest intervals will increase training density, increase pumps and improve the hormonal environment. The improved anabolic environment should promote an improved environment for increased protein synthesis and possibly also increased satellite cell activity, although the results of studies in this area are inconclusive.
10. training splits
Bodybuilders tend to arrange their training sessions to target one or two muscle groups with multiple sets of different exercises. Bodybuilders will then wait several days and often up to a week before training the same group again.
Scientific research shows that it takes up to 7 days for a muscle to fully recover from performing multiple sets and there is evidence that training too frequently can result in reduced hypertrophy.
However, further research needs to be done considering that bodybuilders who are trying to improve the appearance of a particular muscle group or compensate for a weak point in their body development usually increase the training frequency up to two or three times a week with great success.
The power bodybuilder
Can we train for powerlifting and bodybuilding at the same time and achieve a win-win situation? In other words, can we maximize strength and mass by doing a little bit of both?
The authors of this article believe that this is not possible.
As you have seen, the signals sent to muscles are very specific and if you mix these signals then you are sending conflicting messages that will affect your body's responses. Johnnie Jackson was successful as a powerlifter and bodybuilder, but to maximize his leg development, he trains like a bodybuilder.
This in no way implies that you should not periodize your training by incorporating periods of heavier training with lower repetitions into your workout - on the contrary, this is a very beneficial strategy.
For example, let's assume that you can perform 3 sets of deadlifts of 8 reps at 405 pounds and that your 1RM weight for deadlifts is 515 pounds. Let's say you spend five weeks doing heavy sets of 3 reps or less and increase your 1RM weight to 585 pounds.
After that, you go back to doing 3 sets of 8 reps, but you'll find that you're now able to do those 3 sets of 8 reps at 425 pounds. This will definitely help your muscle hypertrophy as you can generate more muscle tension within the same repetition range.
However, you shouldn't get too obsessed with your powerlifting max weights and try to incorporate too many powerlifting techniques into your hypertrophy training if your primary goal is to build muscle mass.
It seems pretty clear that it's important to never stray too far from proven bodybuilding principles if your goal is to maximize your muscle development.
By Bret Contreras, Brad Schoenfeld
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/why-bodybuilders-are-more-jacked-than-powerlifters
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A question that comes up regularly on forums and is usually asked by beginners is along these lines: "What is my maximum potential for muscle gain?"
It should go without saying that no one can say in advance what anyone's genetic potential actually is. Furthermore, worrying about such things before you even start training usually misses the point completely. At a basic level, exercisers should train and eat correctly and just let what happens happen.
Expert Lyle McDonald has looked at this issue from different perspectives. Nevertheless, in most cases these lead to a relatively similar result, as we will see below.
The McDonald model
Lyle McDonald himself has used the following calculation for maximum muscle building potential in a number of articles and papers:
| Years of correct training | Potential rate of muscle gain per year |
| 1 | 20-25 pounds (2 pounds per month) |
| 2 | 10-12 pounds (1 pound per month) |
| 3 | 5-6 pounds (0.5 pounds per month) |
| 4+ | 2-3 pounds (too little for a meaningful calculation) |
These are values for men. Women should use about half of these values.
Of course, these are average values. Some assumptions have been made about correct training, diet and the like. Age will also interact with these values - older people will not build muscle as quickly and younger people may build muscle faster. For example, it is not unusual for an underweight student to build muscle very quickly. However, these individuals usually start out severely underweight and just have a natural steroid cycle called puberty working for them.
The year of training refers to the years of proper training. Someone who has been training for 4 years and hasn't built much muscle could still have about the muscle building potential from year 1 if they start training properly.
If you now add up all these values, then you come to roughly 40 to 50 pounds (18 to 23 kilos) of total muscle mass over the course of a training career. Of course, it can take more than 4 years to achieve this. So if you started with 59 kilos of lean body mass, you may have the muscle building potential to reach a level of 77 to 82 kilos of lean body mass. With a body fat percentage of 12%, this would correspond to a total weight of 86 to 91 kilos.
Of course, these are only rough averages. You will certainly also see people who build up a little more and others who build up a little less
The Alan Aragon model
Alan Aragon has also looked into this topic. In his monthly Research Review column, he addressed the topic of rates of muscle gain in a different way, with quite similar results. He found that the following rates of muscle gain should be roughly achievable for natural (steroid-free) exercisers. However, it's important to note that this ignores things like creatine loading or temporary glycogen supercompensation, which can cause rapid changes in lean body mass that don't represent actual changes in skeletal muscle mass.
| Category | Rate of muscle gain |
| Beginner | 1-1.5% of body weight per month |
| Somewhat advanced | 0.5-1% of body weight per month |
| Advanced | 0.25-0.5% of body weight per month |
So a 150 pound (68 kilo) beginner might be able to gain 1.5 to 2.25 pounds of muscle per month (18 to 27 pounds per year). After a year, he's a slightly more advanced exerciser at 170 pounds (77 kilos) and might be able to build 0.85 to 1.7 pounds of muscle per month (10 to 20 pounds per year, with 20 pounds I'd consider exceptional gains). After another year, he is an advanced exerciser with a body weight of 180 pounds (82 kilos) and might be able to build only 0.5 to 1 pound of muscle per month (real muscle gains of one pound per month would be very rare for an advanced athlete).
He could peak at 190 to 200 pounds (86 to 91 kilos) or something along those lines after another year or two of training and have about 170 to 180 (77 to 82) pounds of lean body mass with a body fat percentage of 10%. This model comes to almost the same conclusion as my model, even though we took a slightly different path.
Casey Butt's Frame Size Model (Bone Structure Model)
Of course, both McDonald's model and Aragon's model for maximum muscle growth are greatly simplified and do not take into account some other factors. One of these factors that could influence the potential for strength and muscle growth is bone structure.
Casey Butt, a steroid-free bodybuilder, has done a thorough analysis of natural (steroid-free) top level bodybuilders and developed a calculator that predicts maximum muscle building potential. This involves looking at body size, wrist and ankle circumference in conjunction with a target body fat percentage.
Lyle McDonald then ran an exerciser with a wrist circumference of 7" (17.8 cm) and an ankle circumference of 8.5" (21.6 cm) and different body sizes through this calculator to show the predicted body weights (at a body fat percentage of 10%) and lean body mass.
| Body height | Weight at 10% body fat | Fat-free body mass |
| 173 cm | 189 lbs. (86 kilos) | 170 lbs. (77 kilos) |
| 178 cm | 198 lbs. (90 kilos) | 178 lbs. (81 kilos) |
| 183 cm | 206 lbs. (93.5 kilos) | 185 lbs. (84 kilos) |
As you can see, Casey's calculations are somewhat more conservative than those of McDonals or Aragon. Nevertheless, his values are at least close to the other values. Some may argue that bone structure has nothing to do with all this. In fact, there are scientific studies that support this idea.
Bone structure as a decisive factor?
At least one study showed that people with a lighter bone structure built less muscle when using the same exercise program compared to people with a heavier bone structure, and at a more basic level, hormones like testosterone also affect things like bone growth and bone structure. So there is a potential biological link between bone structure and hormone levels. This can contribute to training ability and ultimately to gains in muscle mass.
It is also no coincidence that the best strength athletes typically have a heavier bone structure and robust joints. Some of this is simply due to their ability to cope with the level of training required to be successful at their sport, but some of it is probably also indicative of overall hormonal status.
Martin Berkhan's muscle building model
Martin Berkhan has a slightly simpler model than Casey, which is also based on his observations of natural top level bodybuilding competitors who are in competition shape.
His equation is as follows:
Height in centimeters - 100 = upper limit for bodyweight in contest shape
So you subtract 100 from the height in centimeters to get the predicted maximum body weight in competition form. Let's look at the body weight at a body fat percentage and use the same body sizes as in Casey's calculations.
| Body size | Weight at 5% body fat | Weight at 10% body fat | Fat-free body mass |
| 173 cm | 73 kilos | 77 kilos | 69.5 kilos |
| 178 cm | 78 kilos | 82 kilos | 73.5 kilos |
| 183 cm | 83 kilos | 87 kilos | 78.5 kilos |
Even if these values are not identical, they are in the same direction as the values from Casesy's calculator. However, it should be noted that bodybuilders in competition form are often severely dehydrated. In addition, glycogen stores are usually depleted. This tends to lower the measured lean body mass. We could realistically add 5 to 10 pounds of lean body mass to the values above to account for dehydration. With this adjustment, the values are more or less identical to Casey's values.

The multi press is probably the most misunderstood piece of equipment in the gym. Granted, it can be used for dangerous and unnatural squats and press exercises, but with a few tweaks it can also be an excellent hypertrophy tool while providing some variety to your usual workout.
Why do so many people have a hatred of the multi press?
The level of exercise is fixed.
Experts argue that it is unnatural for your body to perform an exercise over a fixed plane. For example, when you perform squats, it's more "natural" to use other joints (hip and ankle) in addition to your knee joint.
Here's my perspective: what if you only want to use one joint and focus on a single muscle group?
For example, I can use squats on the multi press to focus on my quadriceps by placing my feet further forward. This is great for people with overdeveloped gluteus and overdeveloped hips (big butt/small quadriceps syndrome). By performing squats on the multi press, I create better muscle balance instead of exacerbating the existing imbalance.
Or what if someone suffers from back problems and needs to maintain a more upright posture while performing squats? The multi press can allow these people to continue performing squats despite a back injury.
It's not functional
I'm not even sure what this means. Does functional mean as in everyday life? If so, then I ask you when was the last time you used a movement like snatch or push in real life. Sorry, but I don't accept that argument. If your primary goal is to stimulate the movement patterns we use every day, then let's do some "one arm bend forward to pick up the training bag" or some "hold a weight at ear level" to simulate talking on a cell phone.
You're not developing the stabilizing muscles
Okay, so what if I don't want to involve the stabilizing muscles at all? The name of the game is hypertrophy. I want big thighs, period. I'm not saying you should skip exercises like squats, pull-ups, barbell rows, etc. that recruit the stabilizers. I'm just saying that avoiding multi press for this reason is a weak argument.
Here's something else you should consider. What if your stabilizers are injured and you don't want to load them. Do you know anyone with chronically sore shoulders? I would bet that regular flat bench and incline bench presses are painful for these people, but that they can probably do presses on the multi press.
Because someone said it sucks
This is probably the main reason why exercisers don't use the multi press. If you are the type of person who listens to others without trying things out for yourself, then you need to listen to me at this point and try the multi press in the way I will describe below.
The why
- Hypertrophy: The fixed plane of movement of the multi press is an advantage when it comes to challenging a muscle to the maximum. The constant tension is particularly beneficial here.
- Prevention of boredom: I don't know how exercisers can keep doing the same thing for years (unless they are making fantastic progress with it all the time). Training should be fun and interesting or you will eventually get bored and give up.
In addition, people underestimate the body's ability to adapt to a specific load. This is especially important for advanced exercisers. By incorporating some of the exercises I describe below into your program, you can continue to grow and progress. - Safety: Provided your form and body alignment are correct, the multi press is not as demanding on your joints as regular free weight exercises.
The when
There are no set rules regarding the frequency of using the multi press, but I use it for one in four workouts for muscle groups such as chest, legs or back. My training programs for slightly advanced or intermediate exercisers include a lot of exercise rotation, so I can slot these exercises in nicely.
The who
- Intermediate and slightly advanced exercisers only. You need to understand how to use the multi press correctly to reap the maximum benefits. Beginners should focus on learning basic barbell and dumbbell movement patterns and developing a strong base.
- "Non feelers". For those who can't feel a muscle working during exercise, the multi press is an excellent way to overcome this. The fixed plane of movement allows you to really focus on the target muscle without having to worry about balance and other factors.
The how
I follow two simple rules when using the multi press:
- Never start with the multi press except when training your back. Place it strategically in your program. In short, you should perform a multi-press workout with a muscle already pumped up.
- Master the form to get the most out of it. You need to have the eye of a trainer. You need to see the angles at which the bar should move and align your body accordingly.
Okay, let's get to work.
The multi press in a new light
Here are some workouts for specific muscle groups that include my favorite multi-press exercises, combined with some further thoughts on execution and where you should place these exercises in your training program.
Incline bench press on the multi press (https://youtu.be/6XflpxiS0SM)
This exercise should be placed second or third in your program after the machine press or dumbbell press. Barbell chest exercises should rarely be performed as the first exercise - this will not affect your growth, but will definitely keep your joints healthier.
You need to move the bar down at a perfect angle, which can be seen in the video linked above.
The bar should not touch your chest. I have seen too many times that this has resulted in pulled or overworked rotators. For best results, keep the muscle under continuous tension. Use an angle of the bench that is not too steep - like 20 to 25 degrees - to further reduce stress on the shoulders.
Reverse incline bench press on the multi press (https://youtu.be/fywiPscMvuc)
This exercise should also be placed second or third in your training program. This exercise will give you a massive pump in your chest muscles. You can see the correct path of the bar in the video linked above.
Note: The multi press will allow you to do safer descending sets and safer sets with higher reps. This is a great way to increase intensity and stimulate new muscle growth.
Example chest training programs
Chest workout A :
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
|
A |
Dumbbell incline bench press with a low angle |
3 |
8 |
|
Perform a few warm-up sets in pyramid form. Do not overstretch your arms and maintain continuous tension. Continue until you can no longer complete 8 repetitions. Count the last three sets as working sets. |
|||
|
B |
Barbell incline bench press |
3 |
8 |
|
Perform pyramid-shaped sets until you can no longer complete 8 repetitions. Do not overstretch your arms. Count the last three sets as working sets. |
|||
|
C |
Reverse incline bench press on the multi press |
4 |
8 |
|
Use a flat angle. Use a weight with which you can perform 10 repetitions. Pause for a second on the chest and then move the bar ¾ of the way up. Do three sets like this and for your fourth set use a weight that you can do 8 reps with. Perform 8 repetitions, reduce the weight and perform 8 more repetitions. Then reduce the weight again. Use another handle and perform as many repetitions until you reach the point of muscle failure. |
|||
|
D |
Push-ups with stretch |
3 |
Muscle failure |
|
Perform 3 sets until muscle failure. Keep your chin up and try to touch the floor with your chest. |
|||
Chest exercise B
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
|
A |
Pressing on a Hammer Strength machine with bands |
4 |
8 |
|
Do a few warm-up sets and then 4 sets of 8 repetitions. I don't care which machine you use. However, make sure that you tighten your chest muscles hard for one second with each repetition. |
|||
|
B |
Incline bench press on the multi press |
4 |
15,12,9,6 |
|
Use an angle of 20 to 25 degrees. Do not overstretch your arms. Keep the muscles under continuous tension. Stop the downward movement 2 to 5 centimeters before the bar touches your chest. Use a pyramid system with 15, 12, 9 and 6 repetitions |
|||
|
C |
Bench press with bands pulling upwards |
5 |
5 |
|
Use a weight that allows you to perform all repetitions. |
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Back
I love using the multi press for barbell rows and consider this exercise better than barbell rows. I have seen many exercisers perform deadlifts and shoulder raises on the multi press, but I agree with the critics of the multi press on these two exercises. These exercises just don't feel right.
Barbell row on the multi press(https://youtu.be/1spNYvdzBI8)
This is a really nasty exercise once you figure out how to do it correctly. The most important thing here is that you pull the bar towards your abs by pulling your elbows up - to a point slightly above your belly button. Don't pull the bar up with your arms - move it with your elbows.
As with any rowing variation, you should keep your back flat and tense and wear a belt. The exact execution can be seen in the video linked above.
Example back training program
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
|
A |
Rowing bent forward on the multi press |
4 |
8 |
|
After a few warm-up sets, perform sets of 8 repetitions, working your way up to a heavy weight. Once you have reached this, perform 3 sets of 8 repetitions. On the fourth set, perform 6 reps, then reduce the weight, perform 6 more reps, reduce the weight again and perform as many reps until you reach muscle failure. Concentrate on pulling your elbows up hard. |
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|
B1 |
Cold pulldown with a parallel grip |
4 |
8 |
|
Perform sets of 8 repetitions with a hard contraction in the contracted position. Use a grip with the palms facing each other. |
|||
|
B2 |
Dumbbell pull-ups |
4 |
10 |
|
C |
Reeves deadlift |
8 |
5 |
|
Work your way up to a hard 5 repetitions. Perform 5 sets of 5 reps with this weight. Then increase the weight and perform 3 sets of 3 reps. These are performed explosively. |
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|
D |
Hyperextensions with bands |
2 |
Muscle failure |
Triceps
A fantastic triceps exercise on the multi press is an incline bench version of the JM Press, popularized by powerlifter JM Blakely. Perform this exercise last to keep your elbows healthy.
Incline Bench JM Press(https://youtu.be/3Xk195Oph6I)
In the video linked above, you can see the angle at which the bar is lowered. This exercise puts enormous strain on the triceps. Perform this exercise last, when your triceps and elbows are pumped full of blood. This will allow you to reap the full benefits of this exercise.
Example tricep training program
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
|
A1 |
V-bar tricep press |
4 |
10 |
|
Perform a few sets to warm up. Perform 10 hard repetitions with a hard contraction at the lowest point of each repetition. |
|||
|
A2 |
Dips seated on a machine |
4 |
8 |
|
Perform sets of 8 repetitions with a three second negative repetition. Control the weight. Pause for only 60 seconds and then perform the next set. |
|||
|
B |
Incline bench tricep press on the multi press |
4 |
8 |
|
Similar to a JM press, your elbows should be warmed up well first. Perform 1 to 2 warm-up sets to get the right feel for the exercise. Lower the weight towards your nose and then move it explosively upwards. Extend your elbows a little, but not too far - keep them closer to your body than with a close bench press. Pause at the lowest point of each movement 5 to 7 centimetres above your nose. |
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Legs
There are many ways to incorporate the multi press into your leg workout. Here are some of my favorite exercises.
Squats on the multi press(https://youtu.be/U8KMGDvV59g)
Many exercisers can't do free squats due to back problems, but do great with squats on the multi press.
I wouldn't do this exercise first. It feels better and more effective when performed as the third or fourth exercise. The most common mistake exercisers make with this exercise is not placing their feet far enough forward. It might feel a little strange at first, but this is the right way to align your body. The shins won't move forward and you can keep your back amazingly straight.
You can also perform descending sets or the infamous 1.5 squats on the multi press. In the latter, you go down low, then move halfway up, then go all the way down again and finally move all the way up. This is one repetition. I can't count how many times I've seen exercisers curled up on the floor in the fetal position after performing this exercise correctly.
Lunges on the multi press(https://youtu.be/3RS1K92KfPY)
This has become my favorite variation of lunges. When it comes to aligning yourself perfectly - you don't have dumbbells swinging forward, excessive forward lean, momentum, etc - just move under the bar and perform your reps. In the video linked above you will see this exercise in a deadly combination as a superset with squats.
Example leg training program
Leg training session A
|
|
exercise |
Sets |
|
|
A |
Lying leg curls |
4 |
12,10,8,10(25) |
|
Have someone push your lower back down slightly as you perform this exercise to help you keep your hips down. You won't be able to move that much weight, but it will help you isolate those muscles. Perform a warm-up set followed by a set of 12 repetitions. Then start to increase the weight and perform a set of 10 reps. Increase the weight again and perform a set of 8 repetitions. Rest for about 90 seconds between sets. On the fourth set, reduce the weight to the weight with which you performed 12 repetitions and perform 10 repetitions. Reduce the weight by one pulley and perform 10 more repetitions, reduce the weight by one more pulley and perform 10 more repetitions and then perform 25 partial repetitions at the bottom of the range of motion. Simply move the weight up and then lower it back down - the weight will only move 5 to 7 centimeters, but the constant tension will have your hamstrings screaming. |
|||
|
B |
Leg press |
3 |
10 |
|
Place your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart far down on the rack. Start with a weight plate on each side - you should feel the weight in your hamstrings and inner thighs as you lower. Keep increasing the weight and perform sets of 10 repetitions until you can no longer do 10 repetitions. This will then be your working weight. During the working sets, take at least 3 seconds to perform the eccentric phase before moving the weight up explosively. Perform 3 hard sets in this way. Do not overstretch the legs to maintain maximum tension for maximum effect on the thighs. |
|||
|
C |
1.5 Squats on the multi press |
3 |
10 |
|
The goal here is to maintain constant tension, so you won't need much weight. Go all the way down, then halfway up, then all the way down again before moving all the way up. This is one repetition. |
|||
|
D |
Deadlift with straight legs on the multi press |
3 |
10 |
|
Load the machine with 10 kilo plates to achieve a better stretch and bend your knees slightly at the lowest point. Perform two warm-up sets to achieve a good stretch and then find a good weight to use for 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Tighten your gluteus and hamstrings hard at the highest point of each movement. |
|||
Leg workout B
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
|
A |
Lying leg curls |
4 |
12 |
|
Perform 2 to 3 warm-up sets, followed by 4 sets of 12 repetitions with 60 seconds rest between sets. Nothing special here, just do all your reps. You may need to pause a few times in the middle of the set to complete 12 reps, especially in sets 3 and 4. |
|||
|
B |
Leg presses with bands * * |
3 * |
8 |
|
Make sure you do plenty of warm-up sets. Perform sets of 8 repetitions and increase the weight until 8 repetitions are challenging. Then perform three sets of 8 repetitions. |
|||
|
C1 |
Lunges on the multi press |
3 |
8 |
|
Perform 4 repetitions with one leg and then quickly switch legs and perform 4 repetitions with the other leg. Then go back to the first leg and perform 4 repetitions before performing 4 more repetitions with the other leg. Each leg gets 8 total reps. This way, neither leg will be significantly more fatigued than the other when you perform squats and you will also be able to use more weight. Increase the weight after each set of lunges as you perform them in the superset with squats on the multi press. |
|||
|
C2 |
Squats on the multi press |
3 |
8 |
|
Throw a 20 kilo disc onto the bar in addition to your weight for lunges and perform 8 repetitions. For example, use 10 kilos on each side for the first set of lunges and then add a 20 kilo disc for deep squats on the multi press. On the next set, use 15 kilos on each side for lunges and add a 20 kilo plate for squats, etc. |
|||
|
D |
Barbell deadlift with straight legs |
2 |
15 |
|
Do not fully extend the legs. Only go ¾ of the way up and then back down. Maintain constant tension on the hamstrings. |
|||
Additional notes
Biceps
I don't like exercises for the biceps on the multi press. I tried drag curls, but even those didn't feel right.
Shoulders
I'm not a fan of rowing upright and rarely use the multi press for shoulder presses. When I do use it for this, it's partial reps from head height.
Final words
I don't expect anyone to ban basic exercises from their program in favor of multipress exercises, nor do I think that would be ideal. The multi press is a simple tool and, in the right context, a very effective one. My hope is that you will try some of the exercises and programs I have presented here and then decide for yourself if they are right for you.
by John Meadows
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/why-i-love-the-smith-machine

Let's face it: there's nothing better for a strength athlete than getting stronger on a regular basis!
When you first started training, you were probably able to put more weight on the bar almost every week. It was an incredible feeling, wasn't it! But as soon as the first "beginner gains" have been made, many exercisers no longer focus on increasing strength and get bogged down with so-called advanced training programs. Suddenly, periodization, exercise selection, variations and the movement of the little finger are more important than the working weight. Could this be the problem?
Strength counts when getting stronger!
Until you have reached a certain level of physical development, your sole focus should be on developing strength in the exercises that suit you best ergonomically.
Remember, if you're still lifting the same weights you were three years ago, chances are you'll still look the same. If you've lost your focus on one of the most important factors of muscle building, then use this method of goal setting to get back on track:
Choose 2-3 exercises where you can best work the target muscles. You should consider the following patterns:
- Upper body push: dumbbell incline bench press, dips, military press
- Upper body pull: bent-over barbell rows, pull-ups, dumbbell rows
- Quad focus: front squats, leg press, walking lunges
- "Back chain": Romanian deadlift, lying leg curls, hip thrusts
Once you've decided on your exercises, test your 6-8 and 8-12 maxes on each exercise. Then train hard for 12 weeks and focus on making progress on each exercise as best you can. Of course, technique should always remain perfect!
In a world full of "fancy" training techniques and muscle-building tricks, it's easy to forget that progress is the foundation of the hypertrophy pyramid. As soon as you realize this (again), you will grow again. In the meantime, don't get distracted by YouTube videos or detail-loving Instagrammers. This is primarily about you and your strength gains!