By Dr. Filippo Casini
How many times have you ever wondered why your progress has stalled?
Yet you are attentive to food, appropriately integrated, and rest the right. Also, never skip a session in the gym and make the most of it: how is it possible - you ask yourself therefore - that I don't progress anymore?
Most of the time behind the discourse that nutrition and rest are 60-70% we forget a very important factor, which, if well thought out, has always given great results even in times when the importance of rest and integration - as well as the basics of 'training - they were not yet known as now:
but what then is this factor so decisive?
TRAINING OBVIOUSLY
How old are you training at 12-10-8-6 and 3x8-10 series pyramids and at the most varied a few exercises each month and nothing else? Be honest? Maybe too long, so much that you don't even remember ...
What to do, then, to shake up your training?
Assuming that you are natural athletes, so fear overtraining and cortisol more than those who are "helped", you still need to give your workout a boost of intensity.
How can you do it? Here is a solution: every 6 weeks you start training in each district with a multi-joint exercise to apply an intensity technique to those that I will describe and finish training with two supersets that include an isolation exercise combined with a compound or a pumping exercise in superslow. Also limit the total series to 12 for large muscles and 9 for small ones, resting at least 45 seconds and at most 90.
Before explaining the various training techniques in detail, here is a practical example of what I have just described.
Intense chest training:
30 degree bench: 4 sets of 8 repetitions, last series with stripping, rest 90 sec.
Example: I do 4 series with 100 kg, at the last repetition of the last series I reach failure, that is I would not be able to make an eleventh of them. At this point the bar is supported and as quickly as possible I remove 15 kg per side, continuing with 70 kg until failure: 6-7 repetitions will come out, at this point I still stop 30 kg and continue with 40 kg total for another 6-7 repetitions .
I applied the stripping technique and I greatly increased the intensity; however, having applied it only to the last series, I don't risk ending up overtraining.
I continue with 3 traditional pushes on flat surfaces with 8-10 repetition handlebars and continuous with 3 parallel 3x max series, with rests of 60 seconds.
To finish the training I apply again a technique of intensity, in this case suitable to "completely exhaust" the muscular group; I perform two supersets of eight repetitions, plus eight repetitions of an isolation exercise with one compound. Example: I perform eight repetitions of well done slow crosses, followed by 8-10 push-ups on the arms, rest 40 seconds and I repeat.
I finished training for the chest: I definitely triggered new growth and canceled the monotony.
Here is how a 6-week mini-cycle focused on stripping and rest pause could take place:
Week 1-3-5 Stripping Week 2-4-6 Rest Breaks.
Train yourself 3 or 4 times and set the workout as follows:
As a first exercise we choose a multi-joint (for example the flat bench for the chest, the squat for the thighs, the traction on the lat-machine or the oarsman with the back balance, the narrow bench for the triceps and the curl with balancing for the biceps, even if the latter is not a true multi-joint, it is still a heavy exercise with free weights). We perform 4 series of 10 repetitions with breaks of 90 seconds. In the last series we carry out the stripping (weeks 1-3-5) or the rest pause (weeks 2-4-6).
As a second exercise we choose another compound movement, the heaviest possible and we perform a 3x8-10 repetitions without additional techniques (for example bench with dumbbells for the chest, leg press, rower with back bar).
As a third exercise we choose a free body and if it is too light (for example lunge for the legs) we add an overload given by a ballast or dumbbells and we perform 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions, resting 90 seconds (for example lunges for quadriceps, parallel for pectorals, dip between benches for triceps, tractions with reverse grip using the biceps, bending with feet very high on the bench or on the back for deltoids and high chest, etc.).
As a last exercise two supersets of which an isolation exercise with a compound 8 + 8, for example leg extension / hack squats or crosses to the cables / bending on the arms, or an isolation exercise in superslow: example leg extension 2 x 10 superslow.
Here is a "sample" of a chest workout:
1) 4x10 bench - 90 second break; in the last series drop the weight by 30% and continue to collapse, then drop again by 30% and continue to break (stripping);
2) bench with dumbbells at 30 degrees - 90 seconds pause;
3) parallel bars with ballast or push-ups with weight on the back 3x8-10 - 90 seconds pause;
4) supersets to be repeated twice with 45-60 seconds of pause: 8 repetitions crosses with dumbbells + 8 repetitions pushed with dumbbells on a flat surface, or bending on the arms if we have done parallel or parallel before if as a third exercise we did the bending.
HERE ARE SOME DETAILED INTENSITY TECHNIQUES:
REST PAUSE: once the positive yield has been reached (no longer able to complete a complete repetition without the help of third parties) the weight is supported, 10 deep breaths are made and as many repetitions are milled as possible, then the weight is supported again, you breathe, this time 15 times, and continue to exhaustion.
STRIPPING: once the positive yielding has ceased (no longer able to complete a complete repetition without the help of third parties) the weight is supported and in the shortest time the load is reduced (or reduced by a spotter) by 30%, repetitions are milled until new positive yielding and the procedure is repeated, once the collapse is completed again the exercise ends.
INSULATION COMPOSED SUPERSET: you choose an isolation movement, for example the crosses on bench with dumbbells, and you perform 8 repetitions, then without stopping you continue with a compound exercise, such as bending on the arms or the chest press for another 8 failure repetitions: here's a superset.
SUPERSLOW: the negative portion of the movement is performed in about 6-7 seconds and the positive portion in three or 4. Maximum 8-10 repetitions are performed: it is necessary to use a decidedly smaller load than your own habits in the specific exercise
There are also other techniques, such as forced repetitions, negatives, high and low repetition sets and giant sets, for example, but to begin to vary a little and without risking overtraining you can follow the example table I provided and vary the techniques explained every 6 weeks as per example.
Good training for everyone and above all: GOOD GROWTH.
