Training Principals

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PROGRESSIVE TRAINING: Progressive training is the idea of trying to make progress with each and every workout. The first aspect of progressive training is to start off slow and increase the intensity of your workouts as you go along. EXAMPLE: If you are about to start a new training program that calls for you to do six different exercises for five sets each, start your first workout by doing one set of each exercise. Do two sets of each exercise in your second workout. Keep adding one set of each exercise per workout until you reach the full five sets. The second aspect of progressive training is to progressively get stronger with each workout. EXAMPLE: If you were able to do 8 reps with 200 pounds on the bench press in your last workout, try to do 9 reps in your next workout. Once you can do 9 reps, try to do 10 reps, then increase the weight. If you did 5 sets of 11 pull ups in your last workout, try to do 5 sets of 12 reps in your next workout. This applies to all exercises. Always try to do more with each and every workout. Mentally prepare yourself and psych yourself up before you head to the gym. Tell yourself that you are going to do more in this workout than in the last workout. This is the way to make real progress.

 CYCLICAL TRAINING: It is hard to indefinitely keep up the type of intensity that is required for real progress. To stay on the exact same routine forever and to keep increasing the intensity level is hard to do. Your mind and your body will rebel. You get tired and bored with your workout and you do not feel like going to the gym. That is why it is important to train in cycles. Change your workout every six or eight weeks. Add some new exercises and delete some of the old ones. You can also change the order of your exercises. This will keep your workouts from getting tedious and boring. Your body will respond better to a varied routine. Check the WORKOUTS page and the TRAINING TIPS page for ideas on how to apply cyclical training to your routine.

INSTINCTIVE TRAINING: This is an advanced training concept. Instinctive training means going into the gym and training according to the way you feel. In order to apply instinctive training effectively, you need to have experience with all of the exercises and all of the training methods for all of the body parts. You also have to be experienced enough to have developed self motivation. If you are still a beginner and you have to force yourself to go to the gym everyday, then you are not experienced enough to apply instinctive training effectively. But remember, some exercise is better than no exercise. If you are tired and bored with your routine and you are thinking about skipping your workout, go to the gym anyway. Tell yourself that you are only going to do the exercises that you feel like doing, and you are going to leave whenever you want to leave. Sometimes you end up getting one of your best workouts ever. You are listening to your body and responding to what it is telling you. In CYCLICAL TRAINING, we talked about training in cycles and changing your workout every six to eight weeks. However, if you are doing a routine that you really like and you feel like staying with it for ten weeks or twelve weeks or even longer, then that’s what you should do. This is another way of applying instinctive training. You can get a lot of good training ideas from this website and other fitness websites and books and magazines. You can also get good ideas from other people in the gym that might have more experience than you. But in the long run, only you are going to know what is best for your own body. When you can learn to apply instinctive training, that’s when you will make the best possible gains.

SUPER SETS: A super set is when you alternate two different exercises for two different body parts. EXAMPLE: If your are working chest and back in the same workout, you can apply super sets by doing one set of bench presses and one set of pull ups. Repeat until you have performed 3 to 5 sets of each exercise. The idea is to work one body part while the other body part is resting. You will get through your workout faster and more efficiently. You can also alternate 2 exercises for the same body part. This is known as a COMPOUND SUPER SET.

TRI SETS: This is when you alternate 3 different exercises. A good way to apply tri sets is when you are working the deltoid muscles. The deltoid is made up of three different areas: The front deltoid, the side deltoid and the rear deltoid. You can apply tri sets by doing 1 set of shoulder presses for the front deltoid, 1 set of side lateral raises for the side deltoid and 1 set of rear lateral raises for the rear deltoid. Repeat until you have performed 3 to 5 sets of each exercise.

FORCED REPS: A forced rep is when you do as many reps as possible on your own, and then you have your training partner help you do a few more reps. EXAMPLE: If you are doing bench presses with a maximum weight for 8 reps, do your eight reps, then have your training partner help you by lifting up on the bar.

NEGATIVE RESISTANCE REPS: A negative resistance rep is when you push the bar up and then your training partner applies pressure on the bar on the way down. Try to resist the pressure by pushing back up on the bar.

GIANT SETS: This is an advanced training concept. You need to get yourself in shape by going on a basic weight training routine for at least 6 weeks before you attempt giant sets. To perform giant sets, you will need access to a dumbbell rack that has several pairs of dumbbells in even weight increments. EXAMPLE: If you are working the front deltoid muscle, you can apply giant sets to the shoulder press. Grab a set of light dumbbells and do a light warm up set. Rest for about 1 minute, then grab a set of medium dumbbells and do a medium warm up set. Now you are ready for giant sets. Pick up a heavy set of dumbbells that you can do 8 to 10 reps with. Let’s say you can do 8 reps with 40 pound dumbbells. Do your 8 reps with the 40 pound dumbbells. With out resting, put down the 40’s and pick up a pair of 35 pound dumbbells. Do as many reps as you can with the 35’s. Without resting, put down the 35’s and pick up a pair of 30’s. Work your way all the way down the dumbbell rack this way. You can apply giant sets to any exercise that uses dumbbells.

COUNT DOWN SETS: This is an advanced training concept. You need to get yourself in shape by doing a basic weight training routine for at least 6 weeks before you attempt count down sets. To perform count down sets, you will need access to an Olympic weight set, a power rack and 2 training partners. EXAMPLE: How to apply count down sets to the SHOULDER PRESS: Put the Olympic bar on a power rack at about shoulder level. Do a light warm up set and a medium warm up set of shoulder presses. For an example, let’s say you can do a maximum set of shoulder presses for 8 reps with 125 pounds. Put 4 ten pound plates on each side of the bar. That equals 80 pounds plus 45 pounds for the bar. This is a total of 125 lbs. Take the weight off of the rack and do as many reps as possible. Put the bar back on the rack. Have your two training partners pull 1 ten pound plate off each side of the bar. Do not rest. Pick up the bar and do as many reps as possible. Put the bar back on the rack. Have your two training partners pull 1 more ten pound plate off of each side of the bar. Without resting, pick the bar back up and continue to do reps. Keep going until the bar is empty. You can apply count down sets to any exercise that uses a barbell.       

PRE- EXHAUST SETS: This is an advanced training concept. You need to get yourself in shape by doing a basic weight training routine for at least 6 weeks before you attempt pre exhaust training. A pre exhaust set is when you use an isolation exercise to tire a muscle out, and then you use a compound exercise to continue to work the muscle. EXAMPLE: DUMBBELL FLY'S are an isolation exercise for the chest muscle. Do a light warm up set followed by a medium warm up set. Next, do a heavy set for as many reps as possible. Without resting, do a set of BENCH PRESSES. The chest muscles will be tired out from the dumbbell fly's, but the shoulder and triceps muscles that you use for the bench presses will be fresh. MAKE SURE THAT YOU USE A SPOTTER FOR THE BENCH PRESSES. You will have to use a lighter weight on the bench presses than you normally would.

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