Changing up Your Rep Scheme

If you seek out nearly any fitness-related website for information regarding rep schemes, you'll see something like this:

• For size, do 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions
• For strength, do multiple sets of 5 of fewer repetitions at a heavy weight
• For muscular endurance, do sets of 20 or more repetitions

While this is, generally satisfactory advice, I want to delve a little bit more into this topic.

First of all, genetics play a big factor in hypertrophy (muscle growth). Everyone responds differently to certain types of training. Every person has a different distribution of type I (slow twitch) and type IIa/b (fast twitch) fibers. Renowned strength coach Charles Poliquin notes, for example:

"It should be noted that the triceps are more universally fast-twitch dominant, while there is more variation in fiber-type composition in the biceps. This example demonstrates why training programs should take each individual’s personal characteristics into consideration. This is true in terms of both exercise selection and especially the volume and intensity of the workload, since individuals and specific muscles that are either fast-twitch or slow-twitch dominant will respond differently to a given level of volume and intensity. Understanding what you are dealing with will make your training programs significantly more effective."

Put simply, if someone has more fast twitch fibers in a given muscle, then he may need to train a bit differently than an individual with a higher percentage of slow twitch fibers in that muscle. Muscles with a greater percentage of fast twitch fibers benefit from fewer repetitions per set, whereas muscles that are predominantly slow twitch will grow easier with the use of high volume. This also means that there's a great deal of variance in the ideal amount of repetition volume depending on what body part you're training.

While 8-12 repetitions will help build mass, it's certainly not the only method. In fact, it's ideal to change up your split if you've hit a plateau.

If you're gonna bench press to failure, just please, don't follow his example.

One method I like to use on certain movements is to go to failure. There is no prescribed number of repetitions, necessarily, but you want to keep repeating the exercise until your muscles give out and can no longer move the weight. This is a great way to induce strength gains. Nóbrega and Libardi note that "when it comes to trained individuals, evidence shows greater increases in muscle strength after [high intensity resistance training] performed to muscle failure compared to no failure." Some people avoid missing lifts, but the evidence shows that these repetitions recruit more muscle activation, and, thus, lead to greater adaptation. To apply this, you can put something like 85% of your best back squat on the bar and do one AMRAP set (as many reps as possible) to failure. Make sure you have a spotter nearby or you know how to properly miss a squat. It should also be noted that you do not need to do this frequently (perhaps only once or twice per mesocycle), as this type of training is quite stressful for the central nervous system.

You can also utilize this concept for muscular hypertrophy. "Recent studies have pointed muscular failure to be an important factor in order to maximize adaptations when RT is done at low intensities (LI-RT), " continued Nóbrega and Libardi. Try to use really light weights on your next set of biceps curls and go until you can no lift the dumbbells.

Additionally, while many "fitness gurus" have deemed high repetition sets as inefficient for muscle growth, research has shown that extremely high repetition training is, indeed effective for muscle growth. The conventional understanding is that sets of 20 repetitions or more are to be used for endurance of the muscle. Schoenfeld et. al. showed us, in his 2015 study, that 25-35 rep sets can work just as well as the traditional 8-12 rep sets we all know and love.

Schoenfeld drafted 24 experienced male trainees for his research. "Training was performed 3 times per week on nonconsecutive days, for a total of 8 weeks. Both [high load] and [low load] conditions produced significant increases in thickness of the elbow flexors (biceps), elbow extensors (triceps), and quadriceps femoris (9.3 vs. 9.5%, respectively), with no significant differences noted between groups." While this study defies the industry standard, it demonstrates that you can utilize many different intensities and volumes to elicit the same training effect.

Finally, I want to talk about sets. Most programs seem to cling to the magical 3-4 range. Every once in a while, you can try 5 or more sets. Why stop there? Sometimes I'll even do 10 sets of 10 (100 total reps) of a given movement. This is a great way to increase total workout volume and stimulate hypertrophy. You don't necessarily need to do 10 sets of every single accessory exercise, because you'd spend a full day in the gym, but it's a great way to finish off an intense session.

Works Cited:

1. Nóbrega, Sanmy R., and Cleiton A. Libardi. "Is Resistance Training to Muscular Failure Necessary?" Frontiers in Physiology Front. Physiol. 7 (2016): n. pag. Web.
2. Poliquin, Charles. "The Best Training Methods for Big, Strong Arms." Strength Sensei. N.p., 19 Feb. 2015. Web. 
3. Schoenfeld, Brad J., Mark D. Peterson, Dan Ogborn, Bret Contreras, and Gul T. Sonmez. "Effects of Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Well-Trained Men." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 29.10 (2015): 2954-963. Web.

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Training for Symmetry: Using Bodybuilding Exercises to Improve your Lifts

Biceps curls, lateral shoulder raises, and shrugs, oh my. These are just a few staple exercises of the bodybuilding community. Although individuals who belong to the more "functional" end of the spectrum can write these exercises off as being useless and purely vain, isolation exercises for the sheer purpose of hypertrophy (muscle growth) certainly have their place in a well-constructed strength training routine.

Bodybuilders aim to achieve symmetry and balance. They use open chain exercises (isolations) to attack specific muscle groups.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have the strength athletes (in sports like weightlifting or powerlifting). While movements like squats, presses and pulls are excellent for building power and brute strength, the big lifts can sometimes fail to target certain groups of muscles.

Let's use a powerlifter, for example. A squat, bench press and deadlift will, yes, activate nearly every muscle in the body. In each of these lifts, however, big prime movers will be responsible for generating the majority of the force required to move the weight. The smaller muscles may not get the attention they require or deserve.

There are three major reasons why I believe bodybuilding exercises can help take your strength to the next level.

1. They target lagging muscles. Now, as I alluded to above, while movements like a deadlift do require nearly every muscle in the body to work in unison, the synergistic (assistant) muscles may not fire to a very high degree. It is quite common that powerlifters need to add some assistance work to focus on weaker areas. Barbell hip thrusters could help you improve glute activation and take some stress off of your lower back. Cable triceps extensions could be just the exercise you need to strengthen your triceps. Now, your triceps can work in conjunction with the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major and minor muscles, and deltoids to create a stronger drive in your bench press. Depending on your technique, you may not be strengthening all of the necessary muscles from the big lifts alone.
2. They improve muscular balance. When there is a lack of balance between the right and left sides of the body, or even between the anterior chain and the posterior chain, problems can arise. If your left side is significantly stronger than your right (as you might find in a pitcher or a tennis player), it is extremely important to give your weaker side some extra love. Similarly, issues like knee pain can arise when a lifter is quadriceps dominant with comparatively weak hamstrings. Similarly, if I hear someone complain of shoulder pain, I look for a lack of balance in the upper body. I will have them strengthen the posterior deltoids, the middle and lower trapezius, and the external rotators. An ideal physique in bodybuilding is one in which all areas of the body are equally developed. "[A] symmetrical body is also less prone to injury. A particular muscle group will be less likely to compensate for a weaker muscle group, thus overburdening that muscle group while further weakening, and potentially injuring, the under-developed muscle group, if the weaker muscle group is balanced with the stronger grouping," says David Robinson, CPT. Some isolation work will go a long way to build a more symmetrical physique.
3. Bigger muscles are stronger muscles. Pretty straight forward. Greg Nuckols, a powerlifting coach, said it well, "Think of muscle mass as potential strength. If you gain mass, you may not necessarily be stronger right away (i.e. if you trained with lower weights and lost a bit of technical efficiency with max weights), but you have the potential to be stronger. If you stay the same size, you have a cap on how strong you can possibly get. When comparing two individuals, the one with more muscle may not necessarily be the stronger one (for all the factors listed above – muscle attachments, segment lengths, technique, etc.), though he probably will be. However, when comparing small you to jacked you, all other things being equal, jacked you will be stronger." Basically, the bigger your muscles are, the more force they can produce! Weightlifters fixate on training for strength, but sometimes they forget to include hypertrophy work into their accessory sessions. This small change can have a big influence on your performance.

Doing "curls for the girls" is fantastic, but isolation movements can also provide a multitude of other benefits. In fact, building bigger muscles overall can potentially improve your main lifts and simultaneously make your body more resilient to injury! Improve aesthetics and get stronger. Channel your inner Ahhhhnold and add some more bodybuilding exercises into your workout routine.

Works Cited:

1. Nuckols, Greg. "Powerlifters Should Train More Like Bodybuilders • Strengtheory." Strengtheory. N.p., 07 Feb. 2015. Web. 10 Sept. 2015.
2. Robinson, David. "Symmetry: Why It Is Important, & How To Achieve It! - Bodybuilding.com." Bodybuilding.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2015.

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Training for Strength vs. Training for Size

The process of muscle growth is called hypertrophy. However, based on your training, your muscles will adapt accordingly. There are two types of hypertrophy of skeletal muscle: sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and myofibrillar hypertrophy:

Bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman

1. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is often coined as being "aesthetic muscle." Without getting too technical, this type of hypertrophy increases the size or the volume of the muscle. Bodybuilders are often known for having this type of muscle. Usually, the training protocol to achieve "size" gains consists of 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps of any given exercise. These sets are performed at a moderately heavy weight, and the athlete rests for less than 3 minutes of rest in between each set.



Powerlifter Scott Lade

2. Myofibrillar hypertrophy is sometimes called "functional muscle." Myofibrillar hypertrophy creates a more compact, dense muscle. Typically this type of hypertrophy indicates significant gains in strength. A training protocol for strength usually calls for lower repetitions (between 1 and 6) and, depending on the goal of the athlete, between 5-10 sets. These sets are performed at the heaviest weight that the athlete can use with good form. The rest time between sets is often longer than 3 minutes. When an athlete is trying to increase strength, he or she typically looks to find a 1 repetition maximum (1 RM). This means that he or she is trying to lift as much weight as is possible with good form for 1 repetition. When developing a strength training program, he or she would likely perform multiple sets of either 3 or 5 repetitions at a percentage of that 1 repetition maximum. The idea behind this is that, in order to experience real gains in strength, you need to put your body under a heavy stimulus. Without using the heaviest loads possible, you are never going to adapt and lift heavier weights.

As you can see, Powerlifter Scott Lade and Bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman weigh nearly the same, but have very different body types. It is important to note, however, that these two types of hypertrophy go hand-in-hand. With size, you will find increased levels of strength, and with strength, you will certainly see the size of your muscles increase. Obviously, this does no mean that bodybuilders are weak, or that strong athletes cannot have big, defined muscles. This is simply meant to guide you when you are developing your own exercise regimen. If you are training more for aesthetics, aim for higher repetitions. If your primary focus is strength, stick with lower repetitions and heavier weight. By sticking to these basic guidelines, you can program a more effective training program for yourself.


Sources:

1. Poliquin, Charles. Modern Trends in Strength Training. Volume 1. QFAC Bodybuilding, 2001.
2. Siff, Mel C. and Yuri V. Verkhoshansky. Supertraining. Colorado: Denver, 1999.
3. Tsatsouline, Pavel. Power to the People. Dragon Door Publications, Inc., 2000.

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Using Muscle Hypertrophy Science to Gain Size and Strength Faster

Muscle hypertrophy is a fancy sounding word for growth. The anabolic building of additional muscle mass is the goal of every beginner to weight lifting and experienced bodybuilder alike.

By understanding the science behind muscle hypertrophy we can use it to maximize our gains in size and strength over time. Let's start by defining the two different types of hypertrophy.

Myofibrillar Muscle Hypertrophy

Myofibrillar muscle hypertrophy is a big word that describes muscles growing larger from the addition of new muscle tissue. When muscles are trained beyond their capacity, also known as overload, the muscle fibers will be strained and damaged. The body then goes to work repairing the damaged muscle fibers. This kind of hypertrophy is best accomplished through training with heavier weights using lower rep volumes.

In the process of repairing the muscles the body will also add to the muscle tissue in the affected muscles in order to protect them from becoming damaged from similar stresses in the future. This additional muscle tissue results in a gain in muscle mass, which is what all bodybuilders strive for. This process describes myofibrillar muscle hypertrophy which is best described as the addition of muscle mass.

Sarcoplasmic Muscle Hypertrophy

Sarcoplasmic muscle hypertrophy gets its name from the fact that muscle cells are filled with sarcoplasmic fluid, and under the right kinds of stress, the volume of sarcoplasmic fluid that the muscle cells can accommodate increases. This increase in cell volume actually has nothing to do with an increase in muscle tissue, but still makes the muscles larger and fuller.

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is most commonly experienced by bodybuilders that train with relatively light weights for a high number of reps. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy may look good, but it does nothing in terms of making you stronger or improving the muscular composition of your body.

Taking Advantage of the Two Kinds of Hypertrophy

We've established the two types of muscle hypertrophy, but how do we use this to our muscle building advantage? The main differentiating factor between training for one type of hypertrophy versus the other is the amount of weight you're using and the number of reps you are performing.

We've already made note of how to train to achieve either of these hypertrophy results, but in order to make your muscles as dense and large as possible you'll need to be intentional about training for both kinds of hypertrophy.

To do this you simply alternate training with heavier weights and lighter weights, always training to failure. I like to use 3 weeks of heavy training followed by 1 week of light training, but you'll want to experiment to see what works best for your body type.

The bottom line is that if you want to gain muscle mass and size as fast as possible, you need to mix up your training so you're building new muscle tissue while also increasing the volume of your muscle cells. This combination will lead to the fastest results possible.

Neglect it at your own risk because you will regret it!

Craig Leonard is a formerly overweight turned fitness expert that understands the struggles the average person endures when trying to build muscle and shed unwanted body fat.

For more information on strength training and other tips to help you build muscle, lose fat and transform your body, check out Craig's inspirational articles on RippedOut.com.

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