Every athlete can tell you straight up: one small change can produce a huge boost in performance. A batter adjusts his stance in the box and his average shoots up 35 points. A golfer makes a subtle change in his grip and wins the next tournament. The same is true for performance in training. That's why I'm recommending that you browse through the training techniques I've listed below. Give 'em a try - thank me later!
Tempo Rules - Timing is Everything
You'll notice in the third column of the exercise charts I've marked "Tempo." Tempo is the speed of execution of the three parts of your lift (eccentric, concentric, and pause) starting in the locked-out position. Tempo is measured by three numbers, each number equal to one second. Where you see a 0 (zero), that means as little time as possible - an "explosion" to the next part. For example, take your bench press in the hypertrophy training routine. You'll see I have marked a tempo of 4-1-0. That means from the arm-extended position, take 4 seconds to lower the weight; pause for 1 full second; then explode up to the arms extended position. And repeat through all reps. When you are unable to complete another rep, maintaining that tempo, and with perfect form, you have taken that set to failure.
HINT: Try varying the tempo. During the concentric and eccentric portions, add one full second to either or both.
Maximum-Intensity Training - When Failure is Good!
Although we train for hypertrophy, strength, and power individually, there are a number of techniques they all have in common. Here's the first one: always train at maximum intensity. What is maximum intensity? As I define it, maximum intensity means taking every set to "failure." Failure, of course, is the inability to complete another functional rep in perfect form. Maximum intensity is one of the "constants" you'll use through every training routine. Dave always tells the people he trains "If you don't take your sets to failure, you'll have failure with your sets." Enough said.
NOTE: Taking a set to failure does not mean losing control over the lift and risking the weight falling on you. Maximum intensity really means maximum controlled intensity. That's why I recommend you use an experienced spotter.
DID YOU KNOW! Not all "failure" is equal. During the different training cycles failure occurs for different physiological reasons. When you train for hypertrophy and strength, failure happens due to "load." For power, the cause is "neuronal firing." With "endurance," failure is because of lactic acid buildup. But here's the unbelievable part. NO2 helps to delay all types of failure - allowing you to push more weight - and speeding your results.
Resting Intervals - Not a Second Too Long!
Here's another technique all training cycles share: precise resting intervals. With Maximum Intensity training, you do not allow your muscles the time to fully recover their ATP energy supply between sets. That would normally take about 3 - 4 minutes. Instead, by reducing that time, you increase the effectiveness of your sets because you're forcing your body to adapt to the "load bearing" a lot faster. Here's the rule:
- For the Hypertrophy phase 1 1/2 minutes
- For the Strength phase 2 minutes
- For the Power phase 2 - 3 minutes
As you'll see a little later on, I recommend that you limit your workouts to no more than 60 minutes. In the Strength and Power phases, however, your workouts may have to go anywhere from 75 - 90 minutes due to the longer resting intervals. One alternative is to reduce the number of sets to 12 - 16 in the Strength and Power phases so that you keep all your workouts to 60 minutes.
HINT: If you opt for the longer workouts in the Strength and Power phases, keep sipping a protein and carb drink during your entire workout.
Maintaining Strict Form - You "Cheat," You Lose
I can't stress enough how important it is to maintain strict form. Strict form means stabilizing your body so that the primary muscles included in the lift do the work. That way, you make "full use" of the weight you're lifting. In fact, you get far better results with a slightly lower weight and perfect form than you do with higher weights and a flawed form. The rule is: Never sacrifice form for the sake of increased weight.
By the way, a common mistake many bodybuilders make is thinking that if they just keep piling on weights they'll keep increasing their gains. They'd be right if - and only if - that increased weight moved through space in perfect form. Please keep that in mind through all your exercises in all cycles.
Compound Movements - Double Your Impact
When you train a muscle group, choose an exercise employing compound movements whenever possible. Compound movement exercises are ones that involve a number of joints moving instead of just one. That's why you'll see that most of the exercises I recommend are with free weights and off the bench. I feel you get far better and faster results using compound movements. I'm not saying that you can't get satisfactory results with cables, machines, and home gyms. You can. I just favor the use of free weights and the compound movements they demand.
Your Starting Weight - Well Begun is Half Done
Here's how you determine your starting weight for any exercise in any routine. The starting weight is defined as the maximum weight that causes "failure" at the high number of reps in the first set.
For example, with the incline press, you should be doing 4 sets at 10-12 reps, each set going to failure. Your starting weight would be the amount you need to take the 12th rep to failure - in the first set. Not the 13th. Not the 11th.
When to Add Weight - Not a Moment Too Soon
Keep in mind, the aim of exercise is continual progress. Day after day. Year after year. That means you have to continually force your body to adapt to increasing weights. But when is the best time to increase the weights you're using?
RULE: Add more weight when you can perform more than the high number of reps in the first set - in perfect form and tempo. For example, with the incline press, if you can eke out a 13th rep in the first set with the weight you're using, add more weight. Enough weight to take the 12th rep to failure. You may be asking, "What happens if I can't make the minimum number of reps in the final set?" Don't worry, it doesn't matter. Any increase in weight is dictated by the high rep count in the first set. Your sets you go something like this:
- First set failure at rep #12
- Second set failure at rep #10 or #11
- Third set failure at rep #9 or #10
- Fourth set failure at rep #8
Training vs. Overtraining - Less is More
One final word. With training, more does not mean better. In fact, it usually means less (as in less results). Working out 2 hours a day 6 days a week will not give you the body you want. It will most likely have just the opposite effect. Overtraining causes two very detrimental effects. First, it may launch your body into "Override" response. That's where your body takes control and overrides any muscle-building signal it receives from your workout. If you've ever experienced that, you know that's not where you want to be. Second, your muscles grow BETWEEN workouts not during workouts. You have to give your muscles adequate time to recover and grow. Now here's a very encouraging fact: NO2 gives you fuller more complete recoveries, and faster too. And NO2's anti-inflammatory effect may actually prevent occasional overtraining. So, is there an ideal relationship between length of workout, amount of workouts per week, and the amount of new muscle gained? YES
RULE: For optimum gains never train with weights more than 4 days a week or more than 60 minutes per workout. Listen, I've worked with many of the world's top drug-free bodybuilders and they'll all tell you the same thing: "Keep it short, keep it INTENSE!"
Variety - Keeping Your Body "Off-Guard"
Every change you make to your workouts - no matter how small - will catch your body "off-guard" and force it to "re-adapt" so you keep your gains moving forward. In addition, changes keep your workouts fresh and prevent a sense of staleness. Here are some changes you should employ:
- Change the amount of weight you use.
- Change the order of your sets. Although it might seem insignificant to you, your body will perceive it as meaningful.
- Change your resting periods. Reduce the time 30 or even 60 seconds. For example, in the hypertrophy phase go from the normal 90 seconds down to 60 or 30 seconds. But never add more time to the recommended resting times I've given you.
- Change the tempo of your lifts. During the concentric and eccentric portions, add one full second to either or both.
NOTE: When you make one of these changes to your workouts, make sure you stick with it for at least 4 weeks.
Warm Ups - Your 5-Minute Insurance Policy
You want to perform all your workouts in peak condition. So you just can't dive into free weights. You have to allow time to "tune" your instrument. That means warm up exercises. Here's what you do. Perform a few warm up sets at about 60% of maximum exertion. That means lesser weights. The trick is not to expend to much energy. You're simply getting blood into your body, loosening up your joints, and preparing your muscles for what's to come. Keep your warm ups to about 5 - 7 minutes. Keep in mind, these warm up sets do NOT count as actual sets.
Training for Mass
The Proven Muscle-Building Techniques
I would do little or no cardio in the Mass Building Phase. If you’re concerned about adding fat while you’re training for mass - stop worrying. When you take-in the exact number of calories for your body weight and training routine (see Establishing Your Daily Caloric Intake in Nutrition for Mass) you won’t put on any fat at all.
Click here for: Techniques for High Intensity Cardio