If you divide your yearly training into phases or cycles,
you'll maintain a better mental outlook, more motivation
and your body will also respond better physiologically.
The first phase of training is the one that builds muscle
size and pre-orients your muscles to be geared up
(condition-wise) to go for strength and power which will
theoretically allow you to even add more muscle size. Plus,
you will condition your tendons and joints to handle the
stresses of heavier weights to come.
It is recommended that you do 6-15 reps per set for size
with the great majority of reps falling somewhere from 8-12
reps. Try 3-4 heavier "work" sets after a systemic warm-up
plus 2-3 warm-up weight sets per exercise. As you might
note, so far this sounds pretty much like a standard common
sense bodybuilding workout.
The strength and power phases are next. This will be
another 8-week cycle. To develop strength and power, the
greatest athletes in the world generally work with 2-6
reps. Since we are geared to bodybuilders we adjust this
slightly and in this phase, we advocate 4 - 5 sets of 5 - 7
reps. Here is how this cycle works. We'll use our previous
example for the Bench Press where you ended Phase 1 at 235
for 10 reps. Do an active system warm-up, then with weights
95 x 10 and 155 for 10. On your final warm up set do 205
for 6.
Then go to your "target weight" which is actually only
10-lbs. above the weight you ended up at sets of 10 in your
first phase. So, start at 245-lbs. x 3 sets of 5-6 reps.
You are leaving yourself some extra so you continue to gain
positively all the way through the cycle.
In physics, work is a measure of force and distance. (w = f
x d). Power means doing a specified amount of work per unit
time. If you can move mass M over distance D in 10 seconds
and then (after training) move the same mass M the same
distance D, but do it in 5 seconds, you are twice as
powerful!
Our experience has been to spend a maximum of four weeks in
the power phase and to use 2 -3 reps in benches and
deadlifts, 3 - 4 reps in the squats and bent-over rows, and
5 - 6 reps for all other exercises. Again, follow your 2-3
warm-ups, and 3 power work sets and then do a down set of
10 reps with about 70% of your target weight, just as you
did in the strength phase.
Phase 4 is the rest cycle, a must for great results and
essential for building strength and lean mass. Be sure to
add about a week of rest into your online workout program,
about 1 week every 12. You'll love the way you feel
afterwards!
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About The Author: Charles Carter, BS in Exercise Science is
President of LIVE, llc of http://www.liveleantoday.com -
visit the website for more information on weight loss, core
fitness programs, optimal diets, and online personal
trainer and dietician services. For more information on
products go to http://shop.liveleantoday.com .
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