Want to know how you can get muscle to grow other than the traditional way of linear weight gain? Then explore more than 10 options for heavy training.

If you, performing the next repetition, cannot move the sports equipment from its place and make the maximum possible effort for this, then in this case the intensity will be high. Your task during a training session is to bring the muscles to failure, or, in other words, to the point where they lose their ability to contract. In this case, you will definitely progress.

Very often, athletes are interested in the question of increasing the intensity when working with low weight. This is possible, for example, using a sports equipment weighing 50 kilograms and performing about a hundred repetitions with it. But the most obvious progress will be when using a weight of 100 kilograms for 10 repetitions.

How to increase the intensity of training?

Before we look at 14 ways to increase the intensity in bodybuilding, it is necessary to say a few words about the number of repetitions. Most often, athletes use 8 to 12 repetitions for the upper body, and 12 to 20 repetitions for the lower body.

However, these are average numbers, and each athlete must independently choose the optimal number of repetitions for himself. The main nuance here is that in the above ranges of repetitions, you need to bring the target muscle to failure. Now let's look at 14 ways to increase the intensity in bodybuilding.

Prefatigue

This technique was developed back in the sixties and based on it, then Arthur John created a series of simulators called Nautilus. The essence of the method is to first perform an isolated movement until the target muscle is completely tired. After that, it is necessary to perform a multi-joint movement without a pause, in which other muscles are involved, and not just the target one.

Drop sets

A drop set, or as it is also called, a strip set, allows athletes to expand the boundaries of a regular set. For example, you performed a leg press with a working weight of 90 kilograms. Your muscles gave out at 13 reps. However, this fact does not mean that the muscles will no longer be able to work. Reduce the weight of a kilogram by 5, and you will be able to complete about a dozen more repetitions.

To get the most out of this method, you need to work to failure again before losing weight. It is also important to minimize pauses for weight loss. You can lose weight as many times as you see fit.

Rest-pause

This method was very much loved by Mike Mentzer, and after it was "rebooted" by Dante Trudel. This well-known person in the bodybuilding world created his own training system DC Training based on it.

It should be recognized that the rest-pause method is very effective, and its essence is as follows: the athlete completes the set and rests for 5 to 15 seconds. After that, he takes the sports equipment again and performs a few more repetitions. So you can work as long as you are able to lift the projectile.

Static reduction

Static contraction consists in holding the working weight during muscle contraction. In this case, the muscles should be strongly strained for 10-30 seconds. For example, you perform leg extension and in this case it is necessary to pause at the highest point of the trajectory, while tensing the quadriceps as much as possible.

The next day you will feel how efficient this method is. You can also pause in several positions, which Mike Mentzer was very fond of doing.

Supersets

This method of increasing intensity is very popular and familiar to many athletes. A superset is the sequential execution of several exercises without a pause between them. Most often, these are two or three movements aimed at developing one part of the body.

Athletes often combine exercises to develop biceps and triceps in a superset. And, for example, Arnie used exercises for the chest and back in supersets. This approach allowed the muscles of one part of the body to recover at the moment when other muscles were involved in the work.

Forced Reps

Forced repetitions can be very effective for you or completely useless. Athletes often believe they are doing forced reps, but believe that a spotter should always help. The essence of this method lies in the fact that you independently perform all the planned repetitions and only after that, with the help of a friend, do a couple more additional ones.

cheating

Cheating can be called a forced repetition, which is performed by the athlete on their own. Since there is no friend nearby and there is no one to help complete a couple of extra approaches, you have to connect the whole body to work. However, when performing exercises such as deadlifts and squats, cheating cannot be used.

The load is very large and you can easily get injured. Cheating is very good way increase the intensity, for example, in bending the arms. When the muscles already refuse to work, you can perform two or even three repetitions with the help of the movement of the hips.

Negative training

Any person is able to lower significantly more weight than to lift. This is what negative training is based on. This effective method increasing the intensity, however, it is desirable to have a spotter nearby.

Although it should be recognized that some exercises allow you to use negative repetitions alone. The best for this are simulators equipped with fixed levers. Remember that the load on the muscles when using this technique is significant and they will need more time to recover.

For more information on how to increase the intensity in strength training, see this video:

What to do if power and mass have stopped growing? What if the training is calculated to the smallest detail, but there is still no growth? One of the easiest ways is to reduce the weight and increase the number of repetitions, all of which will change the intensity of the workout.

Basic Principles for Increasing the Intensity of Your Workout

1. Bar weight. The larger it is, the greater the load on the muscles, and the greater the muscle growth. You need to do at least 1 rep more each workout or increase the weight, or you can do both to increase the intensity. Of course, performing all the exercises technically will provide greater growth, but there is not always enough strength, so both hack work and someone else's help can be welcome.
2. Psychological concentration depends on how rested your central nervous system is, without it you will not succeed much. The longer you train, the greater the innervation of the muscles, and as a result, you are stronger. We can say that the psychological factor is also the technique of the exercise, how well you feel your muscles during the exercise.
3. Rest between sets. As we know, when pumping, you need to rest 45-60 seconds, with strength training - 2-4 minutes, with a combined workout for 8 repetitions, it is best to rest for 1 minute, this is the most optimal pace. The less rest between sets, the greater the intensity of the workout, the more work done in less time.

Ways to Increase the Intensity of Your Workout

1. positive rejection it is best to perform in the last approach. Positive muscle failure occurs as if by itself, if the weight and number of repetitions are correctly selected. Of all muscle failures, this is the most The best way prove the right program and drive yourself into overtraining.
2. Increasing the number of repetitions or pumping. Train hard with 15-20 reps, this will increase your muscle endurance and volume.
3. Less rest and less weight. When your strength has stopped growing, reduce the weight by 10% and rest between sets for 45-60 seconds. For the muscles, this will be a good shake.
4. cheating- helping the core muscles in any other way to perform repetitions from the last forces.
5. Forced Reps together with a partner, after a positive failure, do more repetitions with an assistant until muscle failure. One of the subspecies is negative repetitions: your partner does the lifting for you, your task is to lower it as slowly as possible, but this dangerous method threatening overtraining.
6. Strength training. Rewrite your program and start slowly getting involved in strength training. Do a sinking, a pyramid, because the stronger you are, the larger your muscles.
7. Supersets- this is when you perform 2 exercises in a row on the antagonist muscles, a very effective intense workout, albeit energy-intensive in terms of a longer recovery.
8. Circuit training consists of 5-8 exercises that are performed in a row, and so on for several circles. More suitable for weight loss and endurance development.
9. Rest-pause. After completing the planned repetitions, for example, on the bench press, you do not get up from the bench, but rest for 20-30 seconds. Then do the maximum number of repetitions, and so on until complete failure. Perform with a partner, because you can easily crush yourself with a barbell. It is such a failure that you don’t always know when the muscles will turn off. By analogy, you can drop weight and perform repetitions to complete failure, doing it with a barbell and plates.

Attention! For beginners, I advise you to use the above methods to increase the intensity of your workout no earlier than after 6-12 months of training.

The intensity of labor is a category that characterizes the intensity of the labor force, as well as the amount of labor expended by the employee per unit of time. This indicator directly depends not only on the physiological characteristics of a particular person or group, but also on the conditions in which the process takes place.

Concept definition

The intensity of labor is the degree of expenditure of labor power, which falls on a unit of time. Not only the expenditure of physical energy is measured, but also emotional and mental resources. Thus, it is a complex indicator that determines the impact of internal human resources on the volume of production.

Productivity and labor intensity are interrelated concepts. An increase in the first indicator will certainly lead to a decrease in the second per unit of time. Nevertheless, an increase in the intensity of labor leads to the maximization of the cost of human resources for a certain period of time. Thus, these concepts cannot be identified due to their opposite orientation.

The intensity of labor is determined by dividing the amount of labor expended by one or a group of workers by the duration of the production process. To evaluate this indicator, various characteristics can be used that describe economic, organizational, physiological and other aspects. This allows you to objectively analyze the workflow in order to identify shortcomings and make adjustments.

The normal intensity of labor is the full use of all knowledge and skills, the physical strength of the worker in conjunction with the achievements of technological progress. This is the optimal indicator that brings the maximum economic effect without harming the psychological and physical condition of the employee.

Key Aspects

The intensity of labor is characterized by the following main aspects:

• It is an economic category due to the fact that it is determined by the amount of labor expended over a certain period of time.
• This is a physiological category due to the fact that it is characterized by the expenditure of labor, emotional, mental and other resources.
• The intensity of labor depends on the ways and rates that characterize the use of labor and human resources, and is also a factor that determines labor productivity.
• This category is considered and evaluated in accordance with the standards established at the state level.
• A correct and timely assessment of the intensity of labor can improve the conditions of workers involved in the production process.

Thus, we can say that the intensity combines the signs of an economic and physiological factor that determines the volume of output. However, the organizational factor of work at the enterprise should not be neglected either. It is important to continuously monitor the indicator of labor intensity for compliance with the normative in order to respond to deviations in a timely manner in an appropriate way.

Labor Intensity Bonus

At manufacturing enterprises, there is a practice of accruing additional payments for certain merits, which may be provided for by labor legislation or internal rules. So, the bonus for the intensity of labor is quite common. According to the collective agreement, it can reach 50% of wages.

This issue is regulated by the Code of Labor Laws in the section regulating the issues of payment, standards, surcharges and allowances. In this case, the form and system of accruals is established directly by the enterprise.

First of all, the management of the enterprise, as well as a special attestation commission, must assess the working conditions of each individual category of workers. In accordance with the results of the research, a list of positions is determined, which are entitled to the provision of an appropriate allowance in the event of an increase in the intensity of work. So, most often, benefits are provided to people working on production lines, as well as those employed in complex or hazardous industries.

The following points are reflected in the collective agreement:

• a list of privileged jobs that are subject to the payment of allowances;
• the results of professional activity that must be achieved in order to receive the award;
• specifies the procedure and amount of payment.

The procedure for paying bonuses must also be confirmed by relevant orders. In addition, each employee has the right to receive a copy of the collective agreement.

The surcharge for the intensity of work acts as a kind of stimulating factor that can make the employee put more effort into doing the job. On the other hand, it is a reward for more intensive work caused by the corresponding task from the management.

Increasing the intensity of labor

The intensity of labor characterizes the amount of labor input per unit of time, which certainly leads to an increase in productivity. It is quite natural that business leaders seek to increase this indicator. In this case, the director can go two ways.

In the first case, we are talking about coercion of the employee. Especially often this technique is used in economically disadvantaged regions with a high level of unemployment. Under the threat of dismissal, management forces employees to work harder. It can also be veiled. For example, the speed of the conveyor increases, as a result of which the worker is forced to perform his functions faster.

The second case involves moral and material incentives. We are talking about an increase in wages, as well as bonuses to employees in the case when there is a significant increase in the indicator of labor intensity. A competition may also be announced for filling a vacant position of a higher rank based on the results of work for a certain period.

Management should be especially thoughtful about increasing the labor intensity indicator. It is always associated with the deterioration of the physical and emotional state workers associated with fatigue, as well as nervous exhaustion. Besides, important point is the need to increase wages in proportion to the increase in output. Preference should be given to the introduction of new technologies that do not require an increase in human resources.

The difference between productivity and labor intensity

Concepts such as productivity and labor intensity cannot be equated. They are not only not identical, but, to some extent, opposite to each other. So, if we are talking about an increase in intensity, then we mean an increase in the number of physical and mental loads on the part of workers per unit of time. This situation almost always requires the employer to increase the level of payment. Interrelated concepts are the intensity and intensity of labor.

As for labor productivity, it is mainly achieved through the introduction the latest technologies that minimize human intervention in the production process. Thus, as a result of an increase in output, we can only talk about raising wages if this is a personal initiative of the head of the enterprise.

We can say that between increasing the intensity and productivity of labor, it is worth giving preference to the second option. In this case, it becomes possible to reduce the cost indicator, and consequently, increase net profit.

Basic indicators

Researchers identify the following indicators of labor intensity:

• The intensity factor is the product of the share of one and the employment rate of the active share.
• The rate coefficient is calculated as the ratio of the operation time, determined according to the standard, to the actual duration according to the timing.
• The employment rate is determined by dividing the time actually spent on work by the duration of the work shift, as well as the standard coefficient, the value of which depends on the industry.
• The severity coefficient (some sources use the concept of the specific gravity of labor) is the ratio of the integral indicator to the number 480 (this is the maximum possible shift duration in minutes).

These indicators should be regularly calculated at any enterprise in order to continuously monitor compliance with regulations, as well as timely action in case of deviations.

Determining Factors

Increasing the intensity of labor is one of the conditions that determines productivity growth. This is due to the fact that by making more effort, the worker is able to produce more finished products in the same period of time. Nevertheless, these concepts cannot be identified, because, unlike productivity, intensity is not able to affect cost reduction.

Labor intensity factors can be described as follows:

• Physiological characteristics, which include gender, age, health status, as well as other individual characteristics.
• Technology and organization of production, equipment used, as well as the degree of debugging of the process.
• Socio-economic factors such as wages, standard of living, education, etc.

We can say that the intensity of labor depends on a wide range of factors. Of course, the main ones are physiological, which determine the ability to perform a particular activity. Also, the implementation of abilities is largely influenced by the technological features of the production process. Well, and, of course, only those workers who are satisfied with their social status can show good results.

The main problems of labor intensity

High labor intensity of workers is the goal of many enterprise managers. Nevertheless, there are some problems and specific features that are common to all industries:

• The intensity of labor should be attributed to the economic category, since it is determined by the amount of labor expended in a certain unit of time.
• Intensity can also be attributed to the physiological category, because labor involves the release of thermal energy, which occurs in the process of physical, mental or emotional activity.
• There is a close relationship between the above categories, which greatly complicates the accounting and regulation of this issue.

The intensity of labor is a rather complex indicator that belongs to several categories at once.

Labor Intensity Groups

The intensity of labor is defined as the cost of labor for a certain period of time. The assessment and regulation of this indicator largely depend on the category of work performed. In this regard, the following groups of labor intensity are distinguished:

• Employees engaged in work activities that do not require any physical effort (or they are insignificant). We are talking about mental work, as well as work associated with serious nervous and emotional stress. Presumably, such work is sedentary.
• Light physical labor that does not require serious effort and stress, or is mechanized. This may be the work of medical workers, people employed in some sectors of light industry, the service sector and others.
• Work that, despite full or partial automation, requires significant physical exertion. These are people working on industrial machines, shop workers in catering services, agricultural workers, and so on.
• Labor of medium or increased severity is the work of miners, metallurgists, drivers of large vehicles, and so on.

It should be noted that the intensity of labor of workers of different groups and categories cannot be compared without the use of appropriate equalizing coefficients, given the different nature and nature of the indicators.

Classification of labor intensity

Labor intensity can be classified according to the following criteria.

• According to subject:
  • individual (for each employee separately);
  • cumulative (assessed on the entire staffing list);
  • total employee (average);
  • an employee of the national economy or the service sector.
• According to the object:
  • intensity of labor of workers during preparatory work;
  • during the main production process;
  • intensity of labor of workers employed in the final stage of production.
• According to character:
  • normative intensity established at the legislative level;
  • optimal, calculated taking into account the peculiarities of production and the physiological characteristics of a person;
  • planned, incorporated in the relevant documents for the future period;
  • actual labor intensity;
  • socially necessary, which ensures the optimal level of production.
• According to the time factor:
  • in a minute;
  • in an hour;
  • per day;
  • during the week;
  • per month;
  • in a year.
• According to production level:
  • at an individual workplace;
  • in the work area;
  • at the workshop level;
  • in general for the enterprise;
  • within a particular industry;
  • general indicator of the national economy.

conclusions

Labor intensity is a category that demonstrates the use of labor in a particular unit of time. It is not only about the physical aspect, but also about the mental or moral tension. The normal value of the indicator is characterized by the full use of all human resources with the optimal organization of the workflow. At the same time, damage to the physical or emotional health of employees is unacceptable.

Concerns about the growth of labor intensity will certainly lead to an increase in productivity, because each individual worker or their group produces as a result a larger amount of products for a specific period of time. However, these concepts are not identical. Increasing productivity implies the introduction of advanced technologies that minimize human involvement in the production process. This reduces costs and increases profits. The main difference between these concepts is that in the first case, unlike the second, the employer is obliged to raise wages.

At the legislative level, such a practice as an additional payment for the intensity of work is provided. To establish its size, as well as the procedure for payment, a special attestation commission is created, which determines the list of positions and professions subject to bonuses. The amount of the additional payment can reach half the size of the average monthly salary.

In accordance with the specifics of the work performed, different types intensity. First of all, they single out workers who are engaged exclusively in mental work, which does not involve stress or is accompanied by minor physical exertion. Further, we are talking about light physical labor, as well as partially automated processes. Hard physical work is characterized by the highest intensity.

The intensity of the work of workers should be subject to constant evaluation both by the leaders of the enterprise and by the inspection bodies. This is necessary in order to respect the rights of workers, as well as adhere to regulations. So, the coefficient of intensity, pace, employment, severity and other indicators is calculated.

The decrease in labor intensity can be caused by a number of reasons. It can be both unsatisfactory working conditions and insufficient financial incentives. In any case, this leads to a decrease or freezing of production volumes (or even refusal of employees to fulfill their obligations). Thus, the employer is interested in encouraging employees to increase the labor intensity indicator by one method or another.

John Hansen

High intensity. What it is?

Question: What does the term "high intensity" mean? All bodybuilding magazines write about how important it is to train at high intensity, but nowhere does it explain what it is. Does that mean lifting heavy weights or to failure?

Answer: There are several ways to increase the intensity of your workouts. Which one you choose depends on your current goals.

Basically, you can increase the intensity of your workout by varying the following parameters:

1) increasing resistance;

2) increasing volume;

3) reducing training time;

4) continuing to perform a set after muscle failure.

Many of those who want to increase the intensity of their training choose the former. That is, they train harder in order to train intensely. In bodybuilding, everything is built on the growth of resistance, because by increasing it, you become bigger and stronger. However, this happens as long as you follow the correct form of the exercises and provide the correct number of repetitions in each set. If you want to get big, then the most suitable number of repetitions for you is 5-10.

As you train harder with each session, you place more and more stress on your muscles, which results in increased intensity. This doesn't mean you have to scream at the end of every high intensity set. If you are working harder today than in the previous workout, then the intensity has become higher. If the goal of your training is to increase strength and muscle size, then continue to increase the intensity by increasing the working weights.

Another method of increasing training intensity is to increase the number of sets (volume), although many high-intensity trainers will disagree with me. Many now believe that to increase intensity, you need to reduce the volume in order to work with more weights than before, or train to failure. However, as I have written more than once, increasing the total weight of a workout is also an increase in its intensity. For example, if a squat workout looked like this: 100x12, 140x10, 160x8, 160x8, then its total tonnage is 5160 kg. If it is decided to add another set of 160 kg squats for 8 reps, then the total tonnage will increase to 6440 kg. Even if the athlete did not work harder in each approach, the total load increased by 1280 kg, and this is an increase in intensity.

Of course, the constant addition of new sets will eventually lead to overtraining, because the energy resources of our body are not unlimited.

If you want to get bigger and stronger, then you should increase the intensity by training harder. If you're aiming for muscle growth, try building up the intensity by increasing the volume of your workouts. Still don't believe me? On your next leg workout, drop your regular squat weight by 30%, but do ten sets with it. Remember me when your legs hurt the next morning.

And the third method is to reduce the duration of the workout. The increased pace will force you to rest less between sets, which will be an increase in intensity. If your normal rest lasts two minutes, try cutting it down to one and feel how much harder the workout becomes.

When preparing for competitions, bodybuilders often use this method. By making the workout more aerobic, they hope to burn more calories and stiffen the muscles. When bodybuilders follow a strict diet, their strength is slightly reduced compared to normal levels. By training faster, they are still able to lift heavier weights, but not as much as in the off-season.

One way to shorten your workouts is to combine exercises into supersets. In a superset, you perform two exercises back-to-back with no rest in between. You can superset two exercises for the same muscle group, like leg extensions and leg presses, or antagonistic ones, like chest and back. Any type of superset will greatly increase the intensity of your workout.

Fast pace should not be used as a method of increasing intensity when you want to get stronger. If the rest period between sets is shortened, there is not enough time for the glycolytic mechanisms to recover, which limits the amount of power your muscles can generate in the next set.

Accelerating the pace of your workout can benefit muscle size if you've been training hard and slow for a long time. A superset, for example, increases pumping and provides shock to muscles accustomed to long rest. Supersetting exercises on antagonist muscles, such as triceps and biceps, or chest and back, can increase strength, as the muscle opposite the one just worked is better contracted. When I first tried to connect the chest and back after a year of training, I noticed instant changes in the upper body. In addition to the increase in volume, every week I experienced a feeling of great pumping.

The last method of increasing training intensity is to continue the exercise after muscle failure. Using forced reps, partial reps, negative reps, weight loss sets, and rest/pause techniques will allow you to work your muscles past the point of failure. Let's take a look at all of these techniques.

Forced repetitions. With the help of a training partner (or assisting with your free hand on some dumbbell exercises), you perform two or three additional reps when the muscles can no longer work on their own.

Partial repetitions. If you don't have a training partner, you can still continue the set past the point of failure by doing half or quarter reps until your muscles can't move an inch of weight.

Intensity is the key that makes progressive strength training work for you. What is intensity? On the one hand, it can be described as perseverance and constancy of your efforts. This is subjective intensity. On the other hand, it can be measured by the amount of stress that you put on your muscles, forcing them to both respond and develop. This is the actual intensity. It's important to understand the difference between the two types of intensity, or you'll end up pushing harder (which often results in injury) instead of mastering the intensity techniques described in this chapter that will lead to maximum training progress.

INCREASING THE INTENSITY OF TRAINING

At first, increasing the intensity is not so difficult. you learn to do more exercise and correctly perform each movement; you get stronger so you can work longer and put more stress on your muscles. However, as your body gets used to the effort, it becomes more and more difficult to increase the intensity at the same pace as before. Obviously, if you train very slowly and take a long rest between sets, then it will take half a day to train, and the actual intensity of your efforts will minimum. Thus, time is an important factor in increasing the intensity of a workout. By manipulating time, you can increase intensity in two main ways: (1) by doing the same amount of work in less time, and (2) by doing more work in the same amount of time. The easiest way to increase your workload is to train with more weights. Another valuable method is to reduce the rest periods between sets and try to complete two or three exercises in a row without stopping. This puts your muscular endurance to the test. Endurance, like strength, is developed through progressive training, a little at a time. In addition, you must work at the fastest pace you can without sacrificing movement technique. This will help you perform the maximum amount of work in the minimum amount of time. In addition to increasing intensity through time manipulation and additional resistance, there are a number of specific techniques that help ensure your progress in the intensive training program and in the preparation for the competition. All of these techniques put the muscles under additional, unusual, or unexpected stress, forcing them to adapt to the increased demands.

TECHNIQUES FOR INCREASING INTENSITY

"Impact" principle

By using this principle, you literally "shock" the body and take it by surprise, changing various aspects of your training. Your body is remarkably adaptable and can easily get used to loads that would knock a horse off its feet. However, if you constantly expose the body to the same loads, it adapts to them, and then even a very strenuous workout will give a small return. You can shake up your body by exercising with heavier weights, doing more reps and/or sets, speeding up your workout, reducing rest periods between sets, doing unfamiliar exercises, or doing familiar exercises in an unfamiliar sequence - in short, using any of the intensity techniques, listed below, or all at the same time. The change itself gives a boost to the body, even if an unfamiliar workout does not require more effort than usual. But gradually you get to the point where it is already difficult to move on without forcing your muscles to grow and develop with periodic shakes. I made drastic changes to my schedule, training with very heavy weights once a week, usually on Fridays. We maxed out before the last two sets of each exercise for intense strength training, and rested on Saturday to recuperate and get rid of muscle soreness.

Forced Reps

This method allows you to do extra reps with a little help from your training partner. However, I never really liked him, because your partner simply does not know what else you can do on your own and to what extent you need his help. I prefer another kind of forced reps, sometimes called rest/pause training. You work with relatively heavy weights to the point of muscle failure. Then you stop, hold the weight down for a few seconds, and force yourself to do an extra rep. Then rest again for a few seconds and try again. Forced repetitions are possible due to the ability of some muscles to quickly (albeit for a short time) recover from exercise. You take advantage of this circumstance by forcing yourself to perform a few additional movements. However, if you rest too long, the muscles get tired again and begin to cool down. To perfect this method, you can put the projectile down for one or two seconds, then pick it up again and do another two or three repetitions. For exercises like pull-ups, release the bar, rest for two or three seconds, and then force yourself to pull yourself up a few more times.

Partial Reps

Doing partial reps when you're too tired for a full cycle rep is the percussion method I've always used for different muscles in the body; this is one of Dorian Yates' favorite methods. Dorian did a high volume workout, pushing his muscles over the edge of instant failure and pushing them almost to the point of exhaustion with forced and partial reps. Partial reps are most effective towards the end of a series when you are almost exhausted. For example, when you are working out biceps on a block machine, you can ask a partner to help you lift the weight. Then you lower the weight a bit and raise it as high as you can, if only a few inches. Lower the weight again and do a few partial reps from that position, repeating the process until your muscles start to burn with exhaustion.

isolation method

The isolation method allows you to focus your efforts on a specific muscle or muscle group, separate from all others. Here is one example. When you do compound exercises like the bench press, they involve the pecs, triceps, and anterior deltoid muscles. On the other hand, dumbbell curls work the chest muscles separately and allow you to build them with maximum intensity. As a next step, you can do dumbbell curls on an incline bench to isolate only your upper pecs. Next, you can do the Reclined Arm Cross on a block device: this isolates and develops the inner upper pectoral muscles. Isolation training allows you to fully develop every part of your body, identifying weak areas and helping to achieve the definition and definition that is necessary for champion muscles.

Negative reps

When you lift a weight using the contracting power of your muscles, you are performing what is called a positive movement. When you lower the weight by stretching the working muscle, you perform a negative movement. The negative cycle usually puts more strain on the tendons and supporting structures than the muscles themselves. This is useful as tendon strength increases in proportion to muscle strength. To get the most benefit from negative reps during a normal workout, always lower the weight slowly and keep the movement under control, avoiding a sharp fall of the projectile. You can try cheating (see below) to lift a weight that would otherwise be too heavy for you, and then lower it slowly and smoothly. Under strict control, your muscles can lower weights that they are actually unable to lift. At the end of the set, when the muscles are very tired, you can ask a partner to help you lift the weight, and then do the negative rep yourself.

Forced negative reps

To increase the intensity of the negative reps, have your partner push down on the bar as you lower it, forcing you to push through even more of the load. The pressure must be very smooth and even so that the muscles and tendons are not subjected to sudden jerks. Forced negative reps are easier to perform on machines or block devices than free weight exercises.

Chitting (cheating method)

Chitting is an exception to the general rule that strict movement technique is required when performing exercises. However, it does not imply sloppy or poor technique. This is a method in which you deliberately use other muscles or muscle groups to help the muscles being trained complete the movement. It cannot be used all the time, but it can be very useful for certain purposes. Let's say you are doing an elbow curl with heavy dumbbells. You do 5-6 reps and you feel too tired. At this stage, you begin to use the muscles of the shoulders and back to complete 4-5 more repetitions. But you cheat just a little, just to continue the streak, and your biceps are still working as hard as they can. With this trick, you are forcing your biceps to do more reps than they could without the help of other muscles, so you are actually putting more stress on them, not less. Cheating is used to make the exercise harder, not easier. It is also a way to perform forced reps without the help of a training partner. But in order for cheating to work, you need to make sure that the extra effort from other muscles is just enough to keep the muscles being trained to continue to contract at maximum load.

Power Mode

The term "power mode" is used to refer to different approaches to training. For some, it means a series of increased sets - that is, regular repetitions are followed by forced repetitions, negative repetitions, forced negative repetitions and partial repetitions up to complete exhaustion. I have always used this term in a slightly different sense. For me, it meant shifting to the heaviest weight you could work with (after a warm-up) instead of pyramiding up with gradual increases in weight and reps. Let's say if I could do regular curls with 60 lb dumbbells, then instead of gradually working up to that weight, I did two light warm-up sets, and then immediately took 60 lb dumbbells and did the usual number of sets and reps, pushing your biceps to their limits from start to finish. The key to this method is getting the weight right so you can complete your usual number of sets and reps: say, 5 sets of 8 to 12 reps each. If you can only complete 6 or 7 reps, the weight is too heavy for you.

STRENGTH TRAINING PRINCIPLES

Power series are similar to those exercises that are performed by weightlifters and other athletes who work with very heavy equipment. After two warm-up series, you take a heavy weight, allowing you to do no more than 8 repetitions. Then you continue to increase the weight so that your series consists of consecutive 6.4 and 3 reps, and finally perform two sets of one set with the maximum weight. This type of training teaches your muscles to work with heavy weights. Strength sets are best used in exercises where several large muscles are working at the same time, such as the bench press, squat, or deadlift (see the Building Strength section).

Moving series method

With this method, you do many sets for the body part you want to train with particular intensity, alternating with other exercises throughout the workout. For example, when I decided to put in the extra effort to train my calves, I would go to the gym and do a few sets of calf exercises. Bench presses followed, a few more calf sets, dumbbell incline presses, a few more calf sets, and by the end of the workout, I was doing at least 25 sets just to develop the calf muscles, which gave them a powerful impetus to development. For the next few days, I trained as usual, and then again applied the sliding series method.

Priority principle

The principle of priority means that you give special preference to any part of your body that, for various reasons, needs additional training. This is necessary because every bodybuilder has their weak points. No champion, no matter what titles he holds, has a flawless physique. Some parts of the body develop better and faster than others, regardless of the quality of your training or genetic data. There are several ways to use the priority principle:

• You can schedule a workout for that body part to work it out right after your rest day, when you're fresh and full of energy.
• You can assign a workout to a given body part at the beginning of the session, and not at the end, when fatigue builds up in the body.
• You can choose exercises that are specifically designed for the type of muscle development you need (shapes, sizes, relief, isolation of muscle groups, etc.).
• You can work on improving your basic exercise technique to increase the effectiveness of your workout.
• You can modify your training program to include additional exercises for a given body part using one of the intensity techniques.

The principle of priority applies to training any muscle. You can use it to improve the shape and definition of the quadriceps femoris, strengthen the forearms, increase the peak size of the biceps, define and isolate the deltoid muscles - for every weak or lagging part of your muscles. When I was a beginner bodybuilder, I knew that my weak point was the calves: without improving their shape and size, there was nothing to hope for championship titles. So I always trained my calves first and subjected them to all sorts of intense workouts to force them to grow. had phenomenally muscular arms, before the competition I trained hard triceps so that I had a chance to beat him. Later, when I was preparing for the filming of Conan, I was not happy with the appearance of my waist and abdominal muscles, despite my overall good shape. So I prioritized abs training, doing series after series non-stop, and by the time filming began, I was able to reduce my waist circumference by two inches. Shawn Ray is another example of what the principle of priority can do for you. He was able to compete with much taller and more massive bodybuilders, as for several years he gave priority to training the muscles of the back. Just as he appeared at the next Mr. Olympia, his back was getting a little wider and more powerful. Nasser el-Sonbaty also improved his back in an attempt to beat Dorian Yates, but he also managed to significantly reduce the waist circumference, which gave him a more beautiful V-shaped torso. I could go on and on with the list of examples, but the bottom line is that no one has an absolutely perfect physique. If any part of your body develops more slowly, do not take it for granted, but do something - and the main remedy for such problems is correct use the principle of priority.

superseries

A super set is two series of exercises performed in a row, without stopping. To increase the intensity, you can even perform three series in a row (trisets). It takes time to develop the muscular endurance required for supersets, but hard training can get the job done. horizontal rows on a block machine or (2) you can train two different parts of the body (for example, bench presses and wide grip pull-ups) Performing super series with a load on one muscle group allows you to develop it intensively and gives a powerful impetus to further development. You will be surprised that muscles that seem to be very tired are capable of hard work if you force them to perform slightly different movements.However, to do this, you need to start with the most difficult exercise, and then move on to the less difficult one (for example, horizontal traction on Reclined Dumbbell Rows). Super sets for different parts of the body - for example, for the muscles of the chest and back, or for biceps and triceps - allow one muscle group to rest while you work with another. Therefore, exercises can be performed continuously, while simultaneously training the cardiovascular system. Personally, I have always preferred using supersets to train opposing muscle groups (antagonist muscles) because of the great pump you get. Your muscles are filled with such power that you begin to feel like King Kong, pacing around the gym.

Load shedding method

Using this method, you reduce the working weight of the projectile when your muscles begin to fail at the end of the series. Thus, you can continue the exercise and do more repetitions. Already at the beginning of my bodybuilding career, it became clear to me that when you finish a series and seem to be unable to do a single repetition, this does not mean that the muscle resource is completely exhausted. It only means that they are too tired to work with this weight. If you remove one or two discs from the bar or take lighter dumbbells, you can do more reps. In doing so, you force your muscles to recruit new muscle fibers each time (then I did not know about this, but the same discovery was made in 1947 by Henry Atkins, editor of Body Culture magazine. He called his method the system of weight loading) . The drop method should only be used at the end of the exercise, not at the beginning when you are still fresh and full of energy. weight trainer. For example, you are doing a bench press with a maximum weight for 6 repetitions. Let's say that weight is 300 pounds. When the muscles begin to fail, your partner quickly removes some of the discs and you can do a few more reps with 250 pounds. However, I do not recommend reducing the weight of the projectile too much, unless you are training for maximum definition and muscle definition, since when working with a very light weight, there is no muscle building. Many bodybuilders use this method in a different way, alternately removing the plates from the bar and doing more series to the point of exhaustion.

Isometric principle

During the short rest between sets, don't just sit and watch your partner do their exercises. Keep flexing and contracting the muscles you are exercising. Not only does this keep you pumped and ready for action, but it's a very rewarding exercise in and of itself. Static weight holding or muscle tension is called isometric exercises. Although such exercises are not commonly used in bodybuilding due to their limited range of motion, they cause very intense contraction of muscle fibers. A bodybuilder posing and flexing his muscles in front of a mirror in the gym is doing a very important part of his workout. In fact, I don't think you can win a major competition if you don't do isometrics while resting between sets. It's not enough to just have big muscles; you must have complete control over them, and this must be learned. We will discuss this in more detail later (see the Posing section).

instinctive principle

When you start bodybuilding, master the main exercises and create the basic structure of muscle mass, you need to strictly adhere to the established program. But if you already have some experience, then you may find that your development is accelerated if you are able to correctly interpret the individual reactions of your body to training and build your routine accordingly. early years I trained on a rigid schedule, doing the same exercises every time. Then I started training with Dave Draper and he taught me a different approach. Dave came to the gym knowing full well what muscle groups he was going to work out and what exercises he was going to do. But he changed the order of these exercises depending on his feelings on different days. For example, if he usually started training with a series of pull-ups on the horizontal bar, then one day he suddenly started with dumbbell rows to the chest and transferred pull-ups to the end of the workout. He learned to trust his instincts and wasn't afraid to make changes to his routine. From time to time he would disrupt the workout and do something unusual: for example, instead of 15 sets of bench presses, there were several shorter sets with very high weight or many sets with less weight, but at a very high speed. From Dave, I learned that the body has its own rhythms, that it feels different on different days, and the more experienced you become, the more attention should be paid to these cycles and sensations. However, let me remind you that intuitive knowledge does not come overnight; you need to train for a year or more before you can get any benefit from intuitive changes in your program.

Preload principle

The overall effect of bodybuilding occurs when you fully stimulate and activate the largest number muscle fibres. But some muscles are larger than others, and when combined with smaller muscles, they leave unused muscle fiber when other muscles are completely exhausted. You can plan your workout in such a way that you first isolate and load the large muscle, and then train it in combination. with smaller muscles. For example, when you bench press, you are using your chest, anterior deltoids, and triceps at the same time. The strongest of these, of course, are the chest muscles, and usually when you lift the bar many times in a row, the deltoids and triceps get tired much earlier. To compensate for this effect, you can first do dumbbell curls while lying down, an exercise that isolates and preloads the chest muscles. Now, when you move on to the bench press, the already tired chest muscles will go into exhaustion almost simultaneously with the rest of the muscles. dumbbells over your head before doing barbell shoulder presses (deltoid preload) and many others.

I end / you start

This method, designed to increase the intensity of your workout, works like this. You finish the series and immediately pass the projectile to your partner without lowering the weight, and then work alternately. I remember Franco and I doing barbell curls, not counting reps, just working to failure. After a while, I was ready to howl in pain and only hoped that Franco would not rush, because my biceps were on fire. The point of the method is that when it's your turn, you start working regardless of whether you are ready whether you are or not. It doesn't matter how tired you are. By training in this way, you can develop fantastic intensity. The only problem is painful sensations that you experience the next day. The method is useful for training small muscles, such as biceps or calves.

Fixing method

After completing the main series, you hold a relatively light weight in a stationary position at different stages of the movement, forcing the muscles to constantly tighten for quite a long time. For example, after doing as many reps as I can to bring my arms together with dumbbells, I relax for 2-3 seconds and then raise my arms about 5 inches from my hips, feeling my deltoids tighten. I hold this position for about 10 seconds, burning more and more as lactic acid builds up in my muscles. This additional tension at the end of the series helps to increase the isolation of individual muscles and can be applied to different parts of the body. For example, when doing dumbbell curls, you hold the weight stationary at different angles, or when you bring your arms together on a block device, you keep them crossed when blood rushes to the pectoral muscles.

Variable series

To give your muscles a boost, instead of doing 5-6 sets of one exercise, you change exercises after each set. It's important to remember that these are not super series; you perform them alternately and rest between series. But at the same time, you perform only one series for a given exercise, and then move on to the next. For example, after completing a series of barbell curls, you rest for about a minute, and then perform a series of regular dumbbell curls, block device curls, dumbbell curls on an incline bench, and so on, until the biceps exhaust their endurance resource. The idea is to slightly change the load in each subsequent series, attacking the muscle from all possible angles to ensure that the muscle fibers are fully developed and give them a powerful push that will cause the body to respond.

The one and a half method

Another way to vary the load on the muscles in each series is to perform a full cycle of movement, followed by a half cycle. Further, full and half cycles alternate until the end of the series. Make sure that the half cycles are very slow and crisp. Hold the weight for a fraction of a second at the end point of the movement, then lower it evenly under complete control on your part.

Group system ("system 21")

This system is more complex than the one and a half method, as you do a series of half cycles in the lower range of motion, a series of half cycles in the upper range of motion, and then a series of full cycles. You can set any number of cycles (reps) - I usually do 10-10-10 - as long as the balance between half and full cycles is maintained. Many bodybuilders traditionally do 7 cycles, hence the name "system 21": 21: 3 x 7 = 21. The extra load that this training creates is because you stop the movement in the middle of the cycle, and this forces the muscles strain in an unusual way.

progressive load

No one can go out of their way at every workout. With the progressive system, you do a split workout for one body part three times a week, and in such a way that the first workout is carried out with a relatively large number of series and repetitions, but with little weight. During the second workout, you increase the weight, but work with a certain margin of strength. During the third workout, the load increases to a maximum: the number of repetitions should be no more than 4-5 per series. Gradually increasing the load during the week, you prepare your body to work with very heavy weight.

ballistic training

The term "ballistic training" refers to a specific technique for lifting weights. You are accelerating the weight (with careful control of the power of the thrust) instead of lifting it at a constant speed. This technique is designed to work with relatively heavy projectiles, so the weight doesn't really move all that fast. But the very attempt to make it move faster leads to a number of interesting consequences: 1. It creates variable resistance. Why? Because you are actually stronger on one stage of the lift than on the other, due to the difference in movement mechanics (the gain in strength is called the "leverage effect"). When you are stronger, the projectile speeds up a little more. But a weight that accelerates is heavier than one that doesn't accelerate at all, or doesn't accelerate as much. Therefore, the projectile is heavier when you are stronger and less heavy when you are weaker. This is the variable resistance.2. It activates the maximum amount of fast twitch white muscle fibers, which are larger (about 22%) and stronger than slow twitch red muscle fibers.3. It creates a constant balancing act on the brink of failure. Muscles grow when they are given tasks slightly beyond their current capacity. When you try to push the weight up, there is a limit to how much acceleration you can achieve. Your muscles refuse to lift weight faster. So, instead of going to failure by the end of the set, you are actually teetering on the brink of failure during each rep. Ballistic training should be done primarily for exercises that involve large muscles or muscle groups - for example, bench presses, barbell shoulder presses or barbell squats. You should work with a weight that allows you to do about 10 repetitions under normal conditions. Since the accelerated projectile is heavier than the normal projectile, you can do about 7 repetitions using the ballistic method. In addition, the ballistic method requires a slightly different technique than when lifting weights at a constant speed: 1. Lower the weight as usual, at a constant speed. Pause at the bottom of the trajectory, then push the projectile up, smoothly accelerating it through the entire range of motion.2. Continue the series not until the moment of complete failure, but until partial failure - that is, when you are no longer able to accelerate the projectile and can only slowly raise it. When using the ballistic method, it makes no sense to cross this line.3. Rest adequately between sets (1 to 2 minutes). White muscle fibers take longer to recuperate than red fibers, and in ballistics, these are the fibers you develop.

USING THE PRINCIPLES OF INTENSE TRAINING

Rome was not built in a day, and first-class muscles cannot be developed in a short time either. To create a highly developed, harmonious physique, you start with the basics, master the necessary skills, build strength and muscle mass, and then gradually increase your training intensity level using the principles outlined in this chapter. Effective training is always focused on achieving specific goals, but your goals may change over time. First, it is learning the basic methods of training and preparing the body to the point where you already have enough strength and experience to cope with most exercises. For some people who are primarily interested in improving their health and staying fit and who can't or don't want to spend more than two hours a week exercising, that's really more they can count on. But for those who are aiming for a higher goal, to the development of perfect muscles or participation in bodybuilding competitions, the next step is to increase the intensity of training. It is lifting heavier weights and applying the appropriate methods correctly. I recommend that you master the principles of intensive training described in this chapter one by one. Try one method, get to know it, listen to your feelings and evaluate the results. If you are satisfied, try the same with another method. Not every bodybuilder uses or wants to use all the methods and techniques of intensive training. But getting to know them and understanding how they work will allow you to include in your future training program individual elements best suited to your individual needs.