Training

[OLD FORUM ARCHIVE]

Hi Kerry,

I have just watched a dvd of one of youre seminars from a few years back,in it you adocate training with an isolation 1st then 20 rep warm up followed by heavy set of 12, then triple drop of 4 reps followed by negatives!! And thats the body part done. Do you still advocate this stlyle of training?? I,m training for Britain this year and am wondering wether to give this a go!! cheers Micky

[OLD FORUM ARCHIVE]

kk - There are many various training methods that have been tried and tested but questions are asked regarding how many sets and reps are best including forced, negative and drop sets to best to achieve your goals.

Unfortunately the answer is never that simple, it depends on your sport, ability and how advanced you are obviously a beginner can stimulate growth and strength by performing basic exercises without to much effort (intensity) in any training regime. As you progress your gains (size or strength) will be harder to achieve this is know as “Diminishing returns”.

Bodybuilders normally use a rep range between 6-12 reps, starting with warm-up sets, the first using 12 reps and as they increase the weight the reps go down until they perform their last heaviest set, known as the “Working Set” (complete failure about 6 reps). This way there is a lot less chance of injury as they increase the workload/intensity.

Some trainers and athletes believe that 6 reps and lower will stimulate more strength than performing higher reps. This belief has come from powerlifters as in a powerlifting competition the competitors perform 1 rep, so in their training regime before the competition they progressively work down to single lifts. In fact it is more about time under tension.

The muscle has two types of fibres, known as “fast and slow twitch” but the fast fibre is categorised into two types.

Type 1 – Slow twitch Above 2 minutes
(SO – Oxidative)

Type 2a – Fast twitch 30 seconds and below
(FOG – Fast Oxidative Glycolytic)

Type 2b – Fast twitch Above 30 seconds and below 2 minutes
(FG – Fast Glycolytic)

We are all born (Genetics) with varying amounts of slow and fast twitch fibres and it is believed that people with more type one slow twitch excel in endurance sports and people with more fast twitch fibres excel in explosive sports. Obviously some sports make a demand on both types of fibres, example - boxing, football etc.

It is reported that in the 70’s, 80’s eastern block countries that excelled at sport tested the type of muscle fibres (by muscle biopsies) of their young athletes to determine the best disciplines to coach them in.

For power, strength and growth the muscle is best trained to failure so you stimulate the fast twitch fibres, FG – Fast Glycolitic 30 seconds or less and FOG – Fast Oxidative Glycolitic fibres 120 seconds down to 30 seconds. A suggested method would be to alternate weekly.
Type 2b – Fast Twitch Fibres (FG – Fast Glycolytic)
Perform your working set to complete failure in a time frame of no longer than 30 seconds.

Type 2a – Fast Twitch Fibres (FOG – Fast Oxidative Glycolytic)
Perform your working set to complete failure between, a time frame of 60-90 seconds, but no more than 2 minutes.

The above two examples are your last sets (Working Sets). It is very important not only to avoid injury but also so your muscles are fully prepared neurologically for your working set. A suggested example is as follows:

1st Set - Warm-up set using a weight with 25% of your working set for 15 reps

2nd Set - Warm-up set using a weight with 50% of your working set for 10 reps

3rd Set - Warm-up set using a weight with 75% of your working set for 5 reps.

4th Set - Working Set to complete failure. Be explosive on the positive and very deliberate (slow) on the negative.
When you reach complete failure you can then use Forced Reps and or Drop Set.

Forced Reps, Negative Reps and Drop Sets are methods of taking the muscle beyond complete failure.

Forced & Negative Reps – Are when your training partner assists you at the end of your working set to perform extra negative or positive reps of 1-2 reps.

Drop Set – Is when you reduce the weight immediately after you have reached complete failure and perform extra reps until you reach complete failure again.

Make sure you stay within the time frames above and alternate weekly Type 2b and Type 2a training methods.

Type 1 – Slow Twitch Fibres (SO – Oxidative)

Any form of exercise that last longer than 2 minutes.

Any form of training runs the risk of injury and because of this sometimes the above methods need to be compromised.

[OLD FORUM ARCHIVE]

Great post, thanks Kerry.