Tag: High intensity training (Page 2 of 2)

      Partial reps vs full range of motion

      January 2, 2010 /

      I am not a huge fan of using partial reps, but will use them sparingly with experienced lifters to “through a wrench into their workout”. When I prescribe them they are performed after the client has already reached momentary concentric failure during a set. But, because partial reps place such high demands on the recovery ability of the muscles being worked, I caution against using them more than once every 4 workouts per body part. In reference to this belief, I received an email from an intermediate lifter claiming a study (J Strength Cond Res, 2004, 18(3), 518-521) proved partial reps should be incorporated in his workout instead of full range reps.?

      I did a little research, as always, and found the study the gentleman was referencing. This study was conducted over a 10-week period using the bench press as the criterion measurement. Subjects were divided into three groups. Group one trained with full range of motion sets. Group two trained with partial range of motion sets. A partial range of motion was defined as two to five inches from full extension of the elbows. Group three trained with a combination of both partial and full range reps. All groups were pre and post-tested with a full range of motion one rep maximum. No differences were found between the groups. So should we or shouldn’t we use partial reps?

      There are several problems I find with this study that are common to many studies trying to illuminate the most efficacious training principles. First, and perhaps most important, inexperienced, recreational subjects were used. Inexperienced subjects can achieve gains in the first few months on just about any program. Second, the length of time the study was conducted was entirely too short. six, eight or, like this study, 10 weeks is just not enough time to show the efficacy of a particular training protocol. And third, the intensity of the exercises or perceived exertion is not mentioned or monitored. Are the subjects going to failure on their sets? Are some subjects pushing themselves harder than others? Are the subjects training in the same manner on exercises other than the bench press? This study like most training studies shows nothing.

      Bodybuilding, Exercise, General training, Power lifting, Weight training, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

      KISS for improving soccer performance

      December 8, 2009 /

      These days it?s becoming common practice to start sports earlier and earlier in a child?s life. Soccer is no exception. In the United States the popularity of soccer has exploded along with strength and conditioning camps focusing on sport specific programs. Unfortunately many coaches do not train their players correctly because they do not look at the metabolic demands of the sport.

      Research on soccer players has shown, to the surprise of many, anaerobic as well as aerobic power are prerequisites to success. More-over, it?s been reported that 96% of the sprints in a soccer game are shorter than 30m, and 49% are shorter than 10m. It?s becomes obvious that strength and power are important aspects of a player?s development. As soccer becomes more competitive, becoming faster and stronger to get to the ball before your opponent by jumping or sprinting is becoming more important. As a strength coach the question is, how do we develop a player to their optimum ability?

      A study by Chelly et al recently reported the effects of a back squat training program on leg power, jump performance, and field performance in junior soccer players. Twenty two male soccer players were divided into two groups a resistance training group (RTG) and a control group (CG). Both groups completed tests before the start of the program and after 2 months of strength training twice per week with heavy loads (80 ? 100% 1RM). The tests included a force velocity test to evaluate power, 3 jump tests, a 40m dash, and a 1 RM back half squat. (J Strength Cond Res 2009;23(8):2241-2249)

      No significant changes were noted in leg or thigh muscle volume after the 2 month training period between the 2 groups. However, the RTG showed significant improvement over the CG in leg cycling power, jumping and sprinting. This is another example of the value in sticking to the basics. Too many coaches try to reinvent the wheel while training their athletes. There is no need or value in complicated, high volume strength training programs. KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid and train according to the athletes needs

      Exercise, General training, Weight training, Workout programs, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

      Training Past 40

      May 15, 2009 /

      If you are approaching 40 years of age or beyond, you are probably starting to realize you can no longer train like you did in your twenties.? I learned this lesson the hard way.? At 36, I tore both quadriceps in seven places.? Thank God?the MRI revealed they were mainly fascia tears not requiring surgery.? None-the-less, I had to walk with crutches for a week. 18 weeks later, I tore my right hamstring.? At 38, I had to have my triceps reattached.? At 39, I partially (20%-25%) tore my right pec, but opted not to get surgery.

      After that last injury I finally threw in the towel.? I thought my days of pushing my body with high intensity workouts were over.? Although, all the areas had been injured in previous years, I still trained in fear because none of these injuries had any preceding symptoms.? Consequently, my training?took on?a very slow tempo?with insufficient loads.??This type of training left me?feeling like shit, physically and mentally.? Why train at all if I can’t train hard.? Instead of training smart and doing what I should do for my body, I was too concerned with how I wanted to train.?

      Almost to the day, a year after I tore my pec, I was so frustrated with my lack of progress, I decided something had to give.? I ended up going back to the basics.? I came to the realization I had to train myself as I would any other client.? I had to concern myself with what my body could and needed to do.???

      The first thing I did was give up exercises that caused me pain no matter how much I loved performing them.? One of these, unfortunately, was the barbell squat.? With 3 bulging disks it’s not worth the pain or the risk.?? The second change I made was incorporating more functional exercises into my workouts.? These mainly included unilateral exercises and a few stability exercises.?

      Perhaps the biggest change I’ve made is the way I approached my work sets.? Since I am no longer competing, there is no need for me to walk that tight rope between training with 100% intensity and injury.? Don’t get me wrong, I still perform my sets to failure, but will not train through pain.? I also stopped doing any kind of cheating at the end of my set to push the limits.

      In order to make gains one has to pushing the limits, but it has?to be wrangled in.? For this to happen, the goals you set that govern drive must be adjusted to your current capabilities.? I have reached a point where I take my time with my goals by practicing wisdom not ego.? Through training smarter, I found a renewed vigor and enjoyment I had 20 years ago.

      Bodybuilding, General training, Motivation, Weight training, Workout programs

      Duration of exercise.

      January 16, 2009 /

      In the case of weight training, the duration of exercise is the volume or number of sets performed. Intensity and duration have an inverse relationship. Meaning, the harder you train, the less time can be spent training. This is because we have a finite amount of fuel available to carry that level of stress. This is not a choice or an opinion; it?s fact.

      This brings us to the most common way people train too much; too many sets. Although training hard is the best way to move forward, some people are under the impression that doing more is training harder. Performing anything more than what is optimum, will hinder your progress. Yet, most perform more sets with reduced weight or reduced intensity because of the more is better mentality. Do not get caught in this no win cycle.

      Training all out, poses extreme demands on the body’s resources, which are governed by genetics and in limited supply. Because of this finite supply, the body will not allow you to train ?too hard? for too long, and gives clues you are reaching your limits. Once you reach failure performing a set, or run out of gas during a workout, you?re simply not able to train any harder. And because training intensity is the number one stimulus for building srength and muscle does it make sense to do more with less.

      Bodybuilding, Exercise, General training, Power lifting, Weight training

      HIT: The Principle of Intensity

      November 7, 2008 /

      “It has been well documented for more than eight decades within the world of exercise physiology that high-intensity muscular contraction is the most important requirement for the stimulation of rapid increases in muscular size and strength, whereas the duration of the exercise is not important in this regard. High-intensity muscular contraction prevents even the possibility of a large number of such contractions within a given unit of time.

      Intensity and duration, in otherwords, exist in an inverse ratio to one another; you can either train hard or train long, but you can’t do both.”

      High Intensity Training: The Mike Mentzer way.

      Bodybuilding, Exercise, General training, Power lifting, Weight training, Workout programs

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