May 25, 2014

The Jettison Technique - How To Use The Resources Available To Maximize Tension, Thus Results

Meet the Jettisons

The Jettison technique is where two different forms of resistance (free weights, cables, machines, resistance bands, lifting chains, etc) are combined during the same exercise to create a variation of a mechanical drop set/improved leverage set aimed at maximizing muscle recruitment and fatigue. An example would be a barbell with a resistance band wrapped around it (which you would be standing on to anchor the band), curled till failure, remove the band, pick up the bar and curl to failure once more, put the bar down, pick up the band and curl that till failure.

While performing exercises with two forms of resistance coming from different planes may not be practical, it is extremely beneficial, regardless of your goal (building muscle, increasing strength, etc), because of the enhanced effect that it has on the nervous system, specifically motor unit recruitment.

May 18, 2014

Clusters - How To Maximize Both The Load AND Time Under Tension

Take your pick, load or time under tension? BOTH!

The goal with any training program should always be to try and maximize the load, as well as the time under tension, at least if making positive strides towards putting muscle on your frame, burning fat off of it, or increasing your strength is the desired result. Obviously various goals will favor lifting a heavier load at the expense of time under tension, or favor a greater time under tension at the expense of the load, but the most effective techniques are those that capitalize on maximizing both.

Equally obvious is (at least it should be), the more weight you lift, and the more times you lift it, the better result you’re going to get regardless of the goal (obviously the amount of weight and reps performed is predetermined by the goal). This becomes problematic however, because the heavier the weight, the less reps that can be performed, therefore limiting the time under (near maximal) tension. Therefore, to lift the heaviest weights for prolonged times under tension, intermittent breaks are needed to allow for partial ATP regeneration, the clearance of metabolites, and neural recovery.

May 11, 2014

Partials - That Horrible Form You See In The Gym Can Actually Be Beneficial... If You Use It Right

A primer on strength curves

Every exercise has a specific strength curve, which basically means that they either get harder (descending), easier (ascending), or harder and then easier (concave), throughout the range of motion because of the biomechanics of the body.

Not a single exercise requires an identical amount of force to be produced throughout a full range of motion. Some machines have been developed with the hopes of creating a delicate balance in which the amount of force required matches the amount of resistance provided, but even the most technologically advanced machines still have their flaws.

Because of this, muscles are not thoroughly stimulated through a full range of motion with a given amount of weight, because the amount of weight that can be lifted through a full range of motion is limited only by how strong weight can be lifted through the weakest range of the movement. Therefore, to fully stimulate a muscle throughout its entire range, a different approach is going to need to be taken than the traditional method in which you select a weight and perform a full range of motion till failure, as this will only ensure that the muscles are fully fatigued through the range in which they’re weakest.

May 4, 2014

Ladders - Maximize Performance While Minimizing Fatigue To Allow For A Greater Volume Of Work

What are we really doing here?

If one thing’s for sure, it’s that there’s definitely no shortage of training programs out there for those wanting to build muscle, get stronger, or transform their body. Hell, some programs are promoted to do all those things simultaneously. Generally these programs consist of the same exercises (because the same movements that provided the most bang for your buck before, are still the same now), with slight alterations to the parameters (sets, reps, rest, intensity, etc) to achieve the desired result. After all, that’s all training really is. It’s management of the parameters combined with showing up to the gym and working your ass off, and as long as you do the right amount of work (no more, and no less), then you’re in a good position to get the best result for your time and effort.

The way you structure that work though, is entirely up to you, and there is a ton of room for interpretation. Typically, people like to have a predetermined amount of sets and reps in place, whether it be 10 sets of 10, 8 by 8, 6 by 6, 5 by 5, 3 by 3 (you get the point), as it makes it easier to quantify progression, and also pinpoint what exactly you need to focus on, and what changes, if any, need to be made.