Don't Train Till Failure

       

       Everybody has seen it at one point or another throughout their training career. Usually you hear it before you see it....sounding something like, "come on bro you got it...keep pushing...all you!!" When in reality, our poor bro has nothing left in the tank. Most of the time the spotter is doing all the lifting while the lifter squirms and grinds out a few assisted reps.

        When you perform repetitions like the one described above, you are training till failure. Some individuals like to work till they cannot perform another full rep, while others go past that point and have a partner assist them in lifting the weight.....neither is a good idea and heres why....

        Performing repetitions till you fail can be detrimental to your training for a few reasons. One of the biggest negatives to exercising this way is you can fatigue your CNS (central nervous system). Your CNS is the connection between mind and muscle, in order for you to lift big weight and get stronger, your CNS has to recruit your muscles to move the weight! If your CNS is stressed out from overuse and these high stress reps then your performance will suffer.

        Another reason to stay away from these types of repetitions is the risk of injury. You're putting your body through more than it can handle and this can be very dangerous. Strains and/or tears can result from your muscles, tendons and ligaments being under too much pressure and this can set you back months. Not to mention possibly having a barbell or dumbbell come down onto your body!

        Performing these gut busting reps where you're screaming at the top of your lungs and shaking is not necessary. The goal is to work as hard as you can without causing yourself to have aneurysm or a nervous breakdown.

        My recommendation is to perform every rep with picture perfect form ad when the reps start to be completed slower and slightly shaky its time to stop and rack the weight. Try to make every rep look the same as the last one.


- Brig Van Etten CSCS -

Quick Tip: Curl Modification for Bigger Arms

     

         It's getting to be that time of the year....the sun is starting to come out and the weather is heating up! This means one thing, short sleeved t - shirts OR for the more courageous, tank tops! As they say, suns out, guns out!

        If you have hit a plateau or are just looking to intensify the biceps curl, whether it be with a dumbbell or a barbell, I have just the thing for you to try! It is a small variation but if done correctly, can produce great results!

        When performing the supinated (palms facing up) curl, you want to put as much stress on the biceps as possible. However, many people initiate the movement by first curling their wrists. This action takes some pressure off of the biceps! Curling the wrists improves leverage, allowing you to lift more weight but at the same time, reducing the load placed on the biceps. Instead of curling the wrists, cock the down and back throughout the movement. I read about this technique in a book by Charles Poliquin; one of the most accomplished strength coaches in the world. Charles states that by doing this, you increase the amount of weight placed on the biceps, exactly the area you want to be hitting during a curl!

        Don't be discouraged if your weights at first go down, because the growth in your biceps will go up! Start light to get the hang of the movement and then increase accordingly.


- Brigham Van Etten CSCS -

Effects Of Different Repetition Ranges

     

 There is no single repetition scheme that can elicit multiple training goals. These goals being; strength, power, hypertrophy and endurance. Different numbers in reps will produce different types of physical adaptations.

        Let's take a look at each training goal individually and what repetition scheme will enable you to get closer to the physique you desire.

        Strength is the ability to generate as much force as possible without any concern of time. A good example of strength is a 1RM with the deadlift, usually being a slow drawn out rep. To gain strength you will want to use a range between 1-3 repetitions. Heavy heavy weights need to be lifted while trying to increase strength as well, 90 to 100% of your 1RM.

        Power is the ability to generate maximum force as fast as possible. The olympic lifts are examples of power; snatch and clean n' jerk. 3-5 repetitions is best when attempting to build power. The load does not have to be as heavy as it is for strength building, being 50 to 75% of your 1RM. This lower percentage is required because speed has to be involved in training for power. The weight is heavy enough that high force needs to be applied but also light enough for speed throughout the movement. Power training aids in strength training because it teaches the body to explode through reps!

        Training for muscle hypertrophy (growth) is something that everyone is interested in I'm pretty sure. Muscle growth is attained by performing moderately high reps, between 8-12. The load must be relatively high as well, spanning from 65-80% of your 1RM. These repetitions should also be performed with a slower tempo, keeping your muscles under tension for a longer period of time.

        Endurance work does have a place in every training program but isn't at the top of the list when it comes to improving body composition. For this type of training your rep scheme will be very high, 15-20 repetitions. Weight should be around 50-70% of your 1RM. The weight is kept low so that good form can be held throughout the set.

        In my opinion it is a good idea to include all of these disciplines in your training at one time or another. Whether you decide to do all types of training throughout your workout session or break them up into weekly cycles so that you can focus on one type at a time is up to you. If you just noticed that your training has been neglecting one of these areas, try out the rep scheme next session!


- Brig Van Etten CSCS -