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Advanced techniques
A number of techniques have been developed to make weight training exercises
more intense, and thereby potentially increase the rate of progress:
Set structure
Drop sets
Drop sets do not end at the point of momentary muscular failure, but continue
with progressively lighter weights.
Pyramid sets
In a pyramid the weight is first increased, and then decreased over a series of
sets. A full pyramid typically includes five sets of approximately 12, 10, 8, 10
and 12 reps. The first two sets are performed with light to medium weights to
warm up the muscles. The middle set is the work set, and uses the heaviest
weight possible. The last two sets are drop sets, and further fatigue the muscle
with progressively lighter weights. This technique provides a combination of
volume and intensity, and is therefore popular with bodybuilders. However, the
full pyramid may be too much for a beginner to handle, so it is only recommended
for experienced trainers.
Burnouts
Burnouts combine pyramids and drop sets, working up to higher weights with low
reps and then back down to lower weights and high reps.
Diminishing set
The diminishing set method is where a weight is chosen that can be lifted for 20
reps in one set, and then 70 repetitions are performed in as few sets as
possible.
Rest-pause (heavy singles)
Rest-pause heavy singles are performed at or near 1RM, with ten to twenty
seconds of rest between each lift. The lift is repeated six to eight times. It
is generally recommended to use this method infrequently.
Combined sets
Supersets
Supersets combine two or more exercises with similar motions to maximize the
amount of work of an individual muscle or group of muscles. The exercises are
performed with no rest period between the exercises. An example would be doing
bench press, which predominantly works the pectoralis and triceps muscles, and
then moving to an exercise that works just the triceps such as the triceps
extension or the pushdown.
Push-pull supersets
Push-pull supersets are similar to regular supersets, but exercises are chosen
which work opposing muscle groups. This is especially popular when applied to
arm exercises, for example by combining biceps curls with the triceps pushdown.
Other examples include the shoulder press and lat pulldown combination, and the
bench press and wide grip row combination.
Pre-exhaustion
Pre-exhaustion combines an isolation exercise with a compound exercise for the
same muscle group. The isolation exercise first exhausts the muscle group, and
then the compound exercise uses the muscle group's supporting muscles to push it
further than would otherwise be possible. For example, the triceps muscles
normally help the pectorals perform their function. But in the "bench press" the
weaker triceps often fails first, which limits the impact on the pectorals. By
preceding the bench press with the pec fly, the pectorals can be pre-exhausted
so that both muscles fail at the same time, and both benefit equally from the
exercise.
Breakdowns
Breakdowns were developed by Fred Hatfield and Mike Quinn to work the different
types of muscle fibers for maximum stimulation. Three different exercises that
work the same muscle group are selected, and used for a superset. The first
exercise uses a heavy weight (~85% of 1 rep max) for around five reps, the
second a medium weight (~70% of 1 rep max) for around twelve reps, and finally
the third exercise is performed with a light weight (~50% of 1 rep max) for
twenty to thirty reps, or even lighter (~40% of 1 rep max) for forty or more
reps. (Going to failure is discouraged.) The entire superset is performed three
times.
Beyond failure
Forced reps
Forced reps occur after momentary muscular failure. An assistant provides just
enough help to get the weight trainer past the sticking point of the exercise,
and allow further repetitions to be completed. Weight trainers often do this
when they are spotting their exercise partner. With some exercises forced reps
can be done without a training partner. For example, with one-arm biceps curls
the other arm can be used to assist the arm that is being trained.
Cheat reps
Cheating is a deliberate compromise of form to maximize reps. Cheating has the
advantage that it can be done without a training partner, but compromises
safety.
Rest-pause (post-failure)
After a normal set of 6-8 reps (to failure), the weight is re-racked and the
trainer takes 10-15 deep breaths, and then performs one more repetition. This
process can be repeated for two further repetitions. The twenty-rep squat is
another, similar approach, in that it follows a 12-15 rep set of squats with
individual rest-pause reps, up to a total of 20 reps.
Negative reps
Negatives are performed with much heavier weights. Assistants lift the weight,
and then the weight trainer attempts to resist its downward progress through an
eccentric contraction. Alternatively, an individual can use an exercise machine
for negatives by lifting the weight with both arms or legs, and then lowering it
with only one. Or they can simply lower weights more slowly than they lift them:
for example, by taking two seconds to lift each weight and four seconds to lower
it.
Partial reps
Partial reps, as the name implies, involves movement through only part of the
normal path of an exercise. Partial reps can be performed with heavier weights.
Usually, only the easiest part of the repetition is attempted.
Burns
Burns involve mixing partial reps into a set of full range reps in order to
increase intensity. The partials can be performed at any part of the exercise
movement, depending on what works best for the particular exercise. Also, the
partials can either be added after the end of a set or in some alternating
fashion with the full range reps. For example, after performing a set of biceps
curls to failure, an individual would cheat the bar back to the most contracted
position, and then perform several partial reps.
X-reps
X-reps are a variation of burns, but X-reps always occur after momentary
muscular failure. After the last full repetition, an isometric contraction at
the point of maximum force is combined with a series of small pulsing movements
to further stress the muscles. However, in a 1997 article Steve Holman states
that "X-Rep training is simply placing a muscle in its completely contracted
position, or close to it, against resistance and holding it there until the
muscle can no longer contract. Once you achieve fatigue overload, you slowly
lower the weight through the eccentric range of motion, and the set is
complete."
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