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World Class Bodybuilding Forum
New Exercise and Fitness Review
There’s nothing like spending the Fourth of July watching a spectacular fireworks show. At first, a few intense pops of colorful pyrotechnics get your blood flowing, but the bursts and blasts grow as the display progresses. By the end, the grand finale usually includes an epic boom and monstrous ribbons of fire. Wouldn’t it be great if your workout ended the same way?
I’m talking about finishing your workout with a pump so intense it feels like your skin is about to explode. Like the blood in your veins is about to undergo spontaneous combustion. Like you threw everything you could muster into your workout and ended it with a mighty bang. Like you’re about to become a monster!
Guess what? I may have an ignition switch for you. In fact, I’m going to show you how to apply three very distinct finishing-move techniques to the end of your workouts so you can achieve the pump I’m talking about and instigate explosive growth.
What you do early in your workouts when your strength is high arguably has the most impact on your efforts to build size and strength, but your last movement—the finishing move—is your chance to finish the day off with a bang. Bodybuilders often go to great lengths to inflict maximal muscle damage to a body part at the end of a workout, and for good reason.
Pumping a muscle engorges it with blood, which brings in nutrients while stretching the muscle fascia—the sheath that encapsulates the muscle—and acutely increasing the overall dimensions of the muscle. A high-octane finish has also been shown to temporarily boost growth-hormone levels, and GH is both anabolic and lipolytric, or muscle-building and fat-burning.1,2
To help you finish off your workout with the perfect pump, I’ve got three techniques for you to try—though not on the same day!
To help you finish off your workout with the perfect pump, I’ve got three techniques for you to try—though not on the same day!
While Tabata was created as a cardio activity, it has also been adapted for use with weights as a finishing move. Essentially, you train all-out for 20 seconds, follow that with 10 seconds of rest, and repeat for a total of four minutes. That equates to eight 20-second segments of work divided by very short 10-second breaks.
The style of training may sound a lot like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which also relies on alternating high- and low-intensity bouts of training, but HIIT isn’t defined by a four-minute limit, nor does it constrain the length of the work or rest segments. While both of these have routinely been applied to cardio training, they can be adopted to the weight room as a finishing move.
A Tabata-inspired finishing move should be done with a multijoint (compound) exercise to ensure the greatest amount of muscle mass is engaged. Choose an exercise in which it’s super easy to get in and out of the starting position quickly; to that end, a 10-second break just isn’t enough time to get ready for a set of seated overhead dumbbell presses, but doing that same movement on a machine would be far easier and faster.
Because keeping reps clean becomes more challenging as you become fatigued, opting for machine movements might be safer than using a free-weight movement. You’re counting time—not reps—so use a powerful motion, pushing yourself as hard as possible. Using a 12-15RM (a weight you can lift for 12-15 reps and no more) is best because you don’t want to be struggling to complete a rep when you still have time on the clock. Go a full four minutes and call it a day!
This one was created by Hany Rambod, a contest-prep coach who has mentored many Olympia winners and has earned the title “The Pro Creator.” Rambod has written about FST-7 on Bodybuilding.com before, but never quite like this.
FST-7 is a bit similar to the Tabata-style adaptation, but here you do just 7 sets of your finishing move (not 8), and rest periods range from 30-45 seconds. Still, 7 sets is almost double what most trainers do on a last exercise for a target body part, so it’s plenty of volume to give you that monster pump.
Since there’s no time constraint, each set is done to failure with a weight you can do for 10-12 reps. Because the technique allows for a longer recovery period, there are fewer limitations on what exercises you can use it with. And it can be done with either single-joint or multijoint movements, so cable crossovers and bench presses both work. Rambod suggests the technique is effective on any piece of equipment, but he recommends that beginners stick to machines.
The technique that no one seems to want to take credit for is also one of the most punishing, and It’s called the 10-Minute Pump, and I’ve been a big fan of it for years.
Rather than limiting the length of time of each set or the number of sets like the previous techniques, this method sets a time limit of 10 minutes for the entire exercise you choose. In other words, you do as many sets as you can in 10 minutes.
Originally prescribed to hit a smaller muscle group like triceps after a larger one such as the chest, the technique can also be done as a finishing move. Because of the short rest periods and the need to change weight quickly and in small increments, it’s best done with cables on bilateral movements (using two arms at the same time).
Here’s how it works:
At the end of the day, you don’t have to wait for a team of pyrotechnic experts to put on a fireworks show. You can host your own show in the gym with these advanced techniques!
Dips may not seem like a brutal way to finish off your chest workout, but when done with negatives, you’ll find that slowing down each rep can speed up your gains.
For many gym goers, the bench press is the most basic measure of a lifter’s strength. Here’s how to fast-track your bench press gains in just 2 months!
Finish your shoulder routine with this giant set that will ignite your delts, deliver a monster pump, and send your muscle growth into high gear.
New Exercise and Fitness Review
Endocr Connect. 2015 Jan 19;
Authors: Dutta P, Mahendran B, Reddy KS, Ahluwalia J, Vaiphei K, Kochhar RK, Gupta P, Srinivasan A, Kumar M, Mukherjee KK, Shah VN, Parthan G, Bhansali A
Abstract
Introduction: The effectiveness and short-term safety of recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) in patients with acromegaly who develop growth hormone deficiency (GHD) after treatment, is not well established. Subjects and Methods: Ten subjects with acromegaly who had GHD were treated with r-hGH for six months. Control groups consisted of ten age, gender and body mass index matched healthy subjects and ten active acromegaly patients who were treatment naïve. Body composition, quality of life, muscle strength, lipid profile and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed in all subjects at baseline, and the same parameters were reassessed after 6 months of therapy with r-hGH in acromegaly with GHD. Repeat MRI of the sella was performed in treated subjects. Optical colonoscopy was done and biopsies were taken from multiple sites for proliferation indices (Ki-67). Result: The median duration of GHD was 17.8 months and dose of r-hGH administered was 5.7±1.5 µg/kg/d. There was improvement in bone mineral content (p 0.01), bone mineral density (p 0.04), muscle strength (p
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New Exercise and Fitness Review
Imagine being told that there was a switch you could flick to stimulate muscle growth, just like the light switch you turn on to illuminate a room.
After killing it in the gym for an hour, something tells me you would hit the switch faster than Uncle Bob gets drunk on Christmas Eve.
Training sets the stage for muscle growth, but it’s not enough by itself. You also need protein. No source is better than whey protein, due to its high amino acid score, and more specifically its leucine content. Leucine, one of the 9 essential amino acids—”essential” means it cannot be made by the body—is considered the “switch” that stimulates protein synthesis.
There has been a tremendous amount of research surrounding leucine, and this is information you need to know—but only if you want to grow. Let’s take a look.
Leucine, isoleucine, and valine are the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) that are highly effective for stimulating skeletal muscle protein synthesis. Interestingly, leucine has much greater power on stimulating protein synthesis compared to any other amino acid. One of the most researched pathways of muscle growth is called the mTOR pathway (mechanistic target of rapamycin), and leucine activates complex muscle-building pathways via mTOR. 1,2 In fact, mTOR is highly sensitive to concentrations of leucine.
Here’s what happens: Declining leucine levels signal mTOR that there’s a lack of dietary protein present to synthesize new skeletal muscle protein, therefore disabling mTOR. Upon ingesting increased concentrations of leucine, the elevated amino acid then signals mTOR that sufficient dietary protein exists, and switches on overall protein synthesis. An important point to remember is an increase in mTOR activity (and all aspects of the pathway with which it belongs) results in an increase in protein-building and more growth!
It really is that simple: Flick the leucine switch and you start growing, assuming you’re training and eating enough to support anabolism.
Leucine is considered the “switch” that stimulates protein synthesis.
No surprise, then, that leucine has been a name in gym circles in recent years. To better clarify the impact of essential amino acids, and in particular the impact of ingesting more (or less) leucine in comparison to the other essential amino acids, a study was completed at the University of Texas in Galveston. This study recruited young (28-30 years old) and old (66 years old) participants, and had them ingest 6.7 grams of essential amino acids dissolved in a noncaloric drink. 3 In one condition, the solution contained 1.7 g of leucine (26 percent leucine which is commonly found in whey protein). The other condition provided 2.8 g of leucine, which made its leucine content 41 percent of the total amount of essential amino acids.
The two biggest questions researchers were trying to answer were:
The combination of whey protein and added leucine maximizes muscle protein synthesis before and after resistance exercise.
They found that the amount of leucine that was given to younger participants had no particular impact on protein synthesis. In other words, the changes observed in muscle protein metabolism were similar in the young participants, whether the amount of leucine was 26 percent or 41 percent.
In the young group, when both amounts of leucine were provided, significant increases in blood levels of amino acids occurred very rapidly. In fact, within 15 minutes of ingesting each solution, blood levels of the essential amino acids began to rise rapidly, and within 30 minutes of ingestion they reached their peak levels. In addition, rates of muscle protein synthesis reached similar peak levels regardless of whether the solution contained 26 or 41 percent leucine.
The older group, on the other hand, saw an increase in protein synthesis only with the 41 percent solution. This should come as no surprise, though, as previous research has demonstrated reduced muscle protein synthesis in older individuals when only small amounts of essential amino acids are ingested.7 Due to a possible decrease in sensitively to leucine, individuals 65 years and older should aim to consume extra leucine to activate muscle protein synthesis.
Supporting these findings, a recent study published in “Nutrition Journal” highlighted the changes seen in muscle protein synthesis after older men consumed a combination of protein and amino acids.4 In one group, the study participants consumed a combination of whey protein that also contained added leucine, and in another group, the study participants ingested a drink containing milk protein. Both groups were given the same amount of calories, but what was different was the amount of protein and leucine that was delivered. Rates of muscle protein synthesis were maximized and much greater both before and after a single bout of resistance exercise when the combination of whey protein and added leucine was given.
In simpler terms, leucine turns on protein synthesis, which stimulates muscle hypertrophy. Even adding leucine by itself to protein assists to further stimulate muscle protein synthesis. A study published by European colleagues in the “American Journal of Physiology” had eight male study participants complete three separate research trials.5 During all trials, separated by one week, a single bout of resistance training involving primarily the lower body that lasted 45 minutes was completed.
During one condition, carbohydrate was consumed. In a second condition, the same amount of carbohydrate plus protein was supplemented, and in the third condition a combination of carbohydrate, protein, and leucine was consumed. Results from the study demonstrated a significant insulin response in the trial that included leucine. What’s so great about insulin in this context? Insulin has been shown to inhibit muscle protein breakdown and enhance amino acid uptake, ultimately leading to greater rates of protein synthesis—which is exactly what the authors found in the current study.8
Lower rates of muscle protein breakdown and higher rates of muscle protein synthesis were seen in the trials that provided protein and leucine in comparison to the trial that just provided carbohydrate. Less protein was oxidized for fuel and rates of protein synthesis were higher over a six-hour period when leucine was added to carbohydrate and protein.
Leucine turns on protein synthesis, which stimulates muscle hypertrophy.
A study published this year by researchers at McMaster University in Canada in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” assessed the impact of several different combinations of different doses of whey protein and individual amino acids on changes in muscle protein synthesis, both at rest and after single bout of resistance exercise.6 Forty men with an average age of 21 were recruited and underwent resting and exercise conditions. One group ingested a 25-gram dose of whey (3 g leucine), the second group ingested just 6.25 g of whey protein (0.75 g leucine), a third group ingested 6.25 g whey supplemented with leucine to 5 g total leucine, and the fourth group ingested 6.25 g of whey protein supplemented with BCAAs to total 5 g of leucine.
The results showed that 6.25 grams of whey protein plus a high dosage of leucine (5 g) was more anabolic than the same dose of whey with less leucine (3 g). What’s more, it was just as effective at increasing protein synthesis rates as a high-protein dose (25 g). In other words, increasing leucine levels can compensate for a suboptimal dose of whey protein. You’ll still get the same degree of protein synthesis.
Here are some supplementation strategies you can use to help you maximize the benefits of leucine.
Consume 2.5 grams of leucine (or 5 g of total BCAAs) within 30 minutes of training to support an anabolic stimulus.
Combine another 5 grams of leucine (or 10 g of BCAAs) in your post-workout protein shake.
Consume 5 grams of leucine before sleep to facilitate recovery from training. As previously mentioned, adding leucine to a beverage, or compensating with increased leucine in whey protein, can be very effective for stimulating protein synthesis.
Consuming leucine between meals is encouraged for accelerated recovery and enhanced protein synthesis. Individuals who are dieting and want to maintain lean muscle mass should consider adding a leucine supplement, which can certainly help reduce any potential catabolic effects and prevent muscle breakdown. Just 2-3 grams of leucine should do the trick.
Dieting down will get you shredded, but it might also shave some size from your biceps. BCAAs can help protect your muscles against the catabolic effects of dieting!
You can rest easy and recover well with this handy list of our best-tasting amino acid supplements chosen by the Bodybuilding.com community!
Move over chicken, broccoli, and steak. Here are the 9 top bodybuilding foods flying under the radar. Make them a part of your high-performance diet!
New Exercise and Fitness Review
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New Exercise and Fitness Review
Cell Oncol (Dordr). 2014 Dec 23;
Authors: Bichev SN, Marinova DM, Slavova YG, Savov AS
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations are recurrently observed in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs), and it has been found that they may serve as specific therapeutic targets. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of EGFR gene mutations in NSCLCs in an East European (Bulgarian) population in different histological subtypes, in cytological versus histological samples and in primary versus metastatic lesions.
METHODS: In this study 1427 NSCLC samples were included. DNA was extracted from either formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues or cytology specimens and analyzed for the presence of 29 recurrent EGFR gene mutations using SARMS PCR.
RESULTS: EGFR gene mutations were found to occur significantly more often in female than in male patients (19.4.% vs. 5.4.%; p < 0.001), in adenocarcinomas than in squamous cell carcinomas or other histological subtypes (12.5.% vs. 6.2.%, and 7.6.%, respectively; p = 0.009), and in never smokers than in ex-smokers and current smokers (22.9.% vs. 8.5.% and 4.9.%, respectively; p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the occurrence of EGFR gene mutations in primary tumors compared to metastases (7.9.% vs. 11.2.%; p = 0.092), or in FFPE samples compared to cytological samples (8.9.% vs. 8.1.%; p = 0.813).
CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that the overall frequency of EGFR gene mutations in lung adenocarcinomas in the East European cohort studied is within the range of that observed in North American and West European populations, but that its frequency in squamous cell carcinomas is higher than that in any population reported to date. All specimens appeared to be suitable for EGFR gene mutation analysis, irrespective nature or origin.
PMID: 25534657 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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World Class Bodybuilding Forum
New Exercise and Fitness Review
Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi. 2014 Dec;16(12):1236-1240
Authors: Zheng F, Wang X, Wang X
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) replacement therapy on glucose and lipid metabolism and thyroid function in children with idiopathic short stature (ISS).
METHODS: Forty-seven ISS children with a mean age of 10±3 years treated between January 2009 and January 2013 were enrolled. All children underwent r-hGH replacement therapy for 3-24 months and were followed up once every 3 months. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin (INS), blood lipids and thyroid function were measured before treatment and after 0-1 and 1-2 years of treatment.
RESULTS: After treatment with r-hGH, there were no significant changes in FBG, INS, insulin sensitivity index (ISI), and FBG/INS ratio (FGIR), but the FGIR showed a declining trend. The percentage of patients with FGIR
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New Exercise and Fitness Review
Theriogenology. 2014 Dec 1;
Authors: Dabrowski R, Szczubial M, Kostro K, Wawron W, Ceron JJ, Tvarijonaviciute A
Abstract
Pyometra is one of the most common diseases of the reproductive system in bitches. The inflammatory processes occurring in the uterus result in changes in concentrations of numerous serum biomarkers, which are used for monitoring the postoperative period. The aim of the present report was to study the evolution of serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in bitches suffered from pyometra and after ovariohysterectomy in comparison with the control group of healthy dogs submitted to the surgery. Our results indicate that the serum level of IGF-1 is decreased (101.6.ng/mL [73.8-177.8.ng/mL]), whereas CRP is increased (114.6.?g/mL [95.3-131.6.?g/mL]) during severe inflammation. When inflammation caused by pyometra and surgery is resolved, the level of IGF-1 is increased (186.0.ng/mL [94.6-344.3.ng/mL], P.
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New Exercise and Fitness Review
Name: Josh Bryant, CSCS, PES
Education: MS, Exercise science
Occupation: Author, coach, athlete
Website: www.joshstrength.com
When I was in eighth grade, my first powerlifting mentor, Steve Holl, took a hasty glance around the Santa Barbara Gym and Fitness Center. “Look around this gym,” he said. “It’s filled with the same people lifting the same weights, doing the same exercises, and looking the same for the past 15 years.”
After shaking his head in disgust, he added, “If you take one thing away from today, remember, you gotta put more weight on the bar. No matter what you do, you have to put more weight on the bar.”
Steve gave me my first lesson in overload.
Milo of Croton was a wrestler with several ancient Olympic titles under his belt. He’s considered to be the greatest wrestler of antiquity by most history buffs.
Despite the fact that his championship reign dates back more than 2,500 years to 6th Century BC, his name still holds weight in contemporary weightlifting circles, and he is still the quintessential example of progressively overloading for strength training.
According to the story, Milo owned a calf. Milo lifted that calf every single day and, as the calf grew bigger, Milo became stronger. Milo did this every day until the calf was a full-grown bull and Milo was the strongest man in the world. In due time, Milo carried the adult bull on his shoulders around the Colosseum.
Milo started small and used incremental microprogression to become the strongest man on the face of the earth.
The law of overload is one of the first principles in exercise physiology, and no resistance program is successful without it. Basically it means Mother Nature overcompensates for training stress by giving you bigger and stronger muscles.
A couple years ago, I was reading a 1980s bodybuilding magazine, and a quote by Lee Haney jumped out. He said, “The key to building massive, powerful muscles is to doggedly increase the training weights you use.”
“Luckily, when adding pounds hits a plateau, there are other variables you can manipulate to effectively overload your training.”
Basically, it’s what my mentor Steve Holl taught me when I was 14 years old. This tenet is undisputable. But there is a problem: the buck eventually stops.
With the logic of overload training, if someone just benches the bar and adds five pounds each week for three years, they’ll break the 722-pound bench world record by 103 pounds in that short time span. Not very realistic! While piling the weight on the bar is the most effective overload technique, it only works to a point. Luckily, when adding pounds hits a plateau, there are other variables you can manipulate to effectively overload your training.
Many fitness professionals who are more concerned with entertaining clients than getting results dismiss progressive overload with randomization. Their train of thought usually goes something like this: Why deadlift when you can do one-legged kettlebell deadlifts on a BOSU ball?
“Doing squats on an unstable surface may make sense for an advanced alpine skier, but it’s downright debauchery for anyone hoping to make serious gains in size and strength.”
My question is, how can you continually overload training if it is totally randomized? Put simply, you can’t. The idea of overload is to make training harder but keep the same end game in mind. Doing squats on an unstable surface may make sense for an advanced alpine skier, but it’s downright debauchery for anyone hoping to make serious gains in size and strength.
Why? Simply, balance is the limiting factor; you cannot produce enough mechanical tension—the primary mechanism to spark hypertrophy—when balance is the primary concern. High amounts of tension are produced by lifting heavy weights.
Be smart with your technique, and put strength training first. Trying to build huge traps with shrugs? It would not make sense to overload your training by taking off your hand straps; the goal is to build the traps, not the grip.
Overload must be approached using sound scientific training and common sense. Sure, you can do dumbbell curls while you lunge, but don’t con yourself into believing you are providing any sort of serious overload to your legs. Want real overload? Hit the squat rack.
Let’s look at seven ways to continually overload training for continuous gains. While bodybuilders may need more frequent exercise rotation, they often make the mistake of not overloading when cycling between exercises. It’s important to bump up the weight that was last used. Keeping a training journal makes that simple.
My advice is to load linearly as long as possible. As plateaus hit, start pulling these tricks out of the bag as you journey from beginner to intermediate to advanced.
This is the most obvious way, by adding weight. Newbie trainees should milk this method for as long as possible. Each session, incrementally lift more.
Some bodybuilders with low IQs and large egos only add weight to a barbell in terms of 45-pound and 25-pound plates. A 25-pound plate on each side is an additional 50 pounds on the barbell; in many core lifts, for an advanced trainee, this would require fighting tooth and nail for years to make this kind of increase. Don’t let your pride make judgment calls when it comes to loading the bar. Remember, your gym has 10-pound plates, 5-pound plates and even 2.5-pound plates; plates lighter than 1 pound can be purchased very inexpensively on the Internet.
Half-pound plates added to a bench press weekly over the course of a year would equal a 52-pound gain; 1-pound plates would equal a 104-pound gain. Think microprogression for long-term success.
“Ultimately, with proper planning, you can continually get stronger for years using periods of increased loading.”
Some Internet strength coaches point out that this pace is impossible to maintain forever, which is undoubtedly true. The late, former Soviet sports mastermind, Yuri Verkhoshansky, offered a solution called “periods of increased loading.” This means cycle training.
At the start of a new training cycle, use more weight than at the start of the previous training cycle. This means that at the midrange point, you should be ahead of your previous cycle’s midrange point. Ultimately, with proper planning, you can continually get stronger for years using periods of increased loading.
This was exactly how the greatest powerlifter of all time, Eddy Coan, did it.
Just do more; volume is increased by performing more sets and lifting more weight. Volume = sets × reps × weight lifted.
Keep in mind that, except for the rank beginner, volume with weight under 65 percent of a one-rep max (i.e. light weight) is not heavy enough to have a real training effect. And don’t go by total volume. Squatting 100 pounds for 10 sets of 10 provides a different training effect than squatting 500 for 10 sets of 2 reps, although both are 10,000 pounds of volume.
There are a number of ways to add volume to your routine. Try adding an extra set to your workout. If you benched 4 sets of 5 with 200 pounds last time, you performed 4000 pounds of volume; if you do 5 sets next week, that becomes 5000 pounds of volume. One extra set has a profound effect on total volume; imagine doing that for multiple exercises.
As long as you don’t sacrifice intensity in the process, you’ll find that higher volume is superior for increasing strength and hypertrophy.
Range of motion can have a huge impact on a movement. Doing a deficit deadlift (a deadlift done while standing on a plate a couple of inches off the ground to increase the range of motion) with 80 percent of a one-rep max is much more difficult than a regular deadlift at the same weight. Similarly, doing deep, Olympic pause squats instead of power squats can add an extra level of difficulty.
“Another alternative is to take a full range-of-motion exercise like a deadlift and turn it into an extended range-of-motion exercise like a deficit deadlift or a snatch-grip deadlift.”
The key is to increase your range of motion gradually over a series of workouts. A popular method used over a half-century ago by immortal strength legends Paul Anderson and Bob Peoples was progressive distance training. These lifters would start with a partial range-of-motion exercise lift like a rack pull (partial deadlift) and eventually work to a full range of motion over the course of weeks and months with the same weight.
Another alternative is to take a full range-of-motion exercise like a deadlift and turn it into an extended range-of-motion exercise like a deficit deadlift or a snatch-grip deadlift. Just a slight increase of one-quarter of an inch overloads the movement.
One of the fabled Weider Principles is the retro-gravity principle. This essentially says to prolong the negative portion of a rep, which increases muscular tension and prolongs time under tension—two major players in catalyzing hypertrophy.
Lifting weights faster gets you stronger. Remember when your geeky high school physics teacher taught you that Force = Mass × Acceleration? Were you even listening? Well, without adding any weight to the bar, you could produce higher amounts of force simply by lifting the weight faster. Laboratory study after laboratory study confirms superior strength gains when athletes purposefully lift a weight as explosively as possible instead of with a slow or traditional cadence. Don’t forget the acceleration component of the force equation. Lifting a weight with greater force overloads training. This method is most effectively used by controlling the negative portion of a lift and exploding the positive.
Doing the same amount of work in less time or doing more work in the same amount of time is accomplished with decreased rest intervals. This is called “density” training because you are packing more volume into less time, making the workout denser.
Performing 10,000 pounds of volume in 90 minutes will yield less hypertrophic and strength gains as lifting the same amount in 60 minutes or, better yet, in less than 45 minutes. The key to effective implementation is not sacrificing bar weight. Remember, shortened rest intervals are no excuse for lifting pygmy weights.
For powerlifters, Olympic lifters, and anyone else that competes in specified lifts, the core lifts have to remain at the nucleus of the program. But, for most bodybuilders, doing a core lift—and not a specific lift—is key.
So for legs, squats don’t necessarily have to be performed week in and week out. For bodybuilders, variations like Olympic pause squats, safety squats, squats with accommodating resistance, and front squats can be used.
More frequent changes in exercises are needed when hypertrophy is the objective. Changing exercises helps the bodybuilder not succumb to repeated bout effect (RBE). Changing exercises causes overload.
Increasing frequency simply means train more often. Squatting twice a week, for example, overloads your system more than squatting once a week. For the bodybuilder, this might mean training five days per week instead of four, or giving a double split a shot.
For the strength athlete, it could mean performing one particular exercise more frequently. For a strongman, an increase in frequency could come in the form of an extra events practice session, and for the general fitness enthusiast it could mean an extra training day dedicated to focusing on a particular weakness. The possibilities are endless, and the fact remains that training more often is an overload.
At age 22, strength coach Josh Bryant was the youngest person to ever bench press 600 pounds raw. Learn 5 key strategies he uses to turn regular guys into Herculean freaks!
You shouldn’t be able to lift heavy weights, and yet you do it again and again. Experienced strength athletes know that the secret to making big numbers move is the mindset of the lifter, not the size of his muscles!
Spend an hour with Craig Capurso as he shows you how to get the most out of 60 minutes in the gym. His Super 30 chest workout is one you and your pecs will never forget!
