I've just read a wonderful book on strength training called "Modern Trends in
Strength Training," by Charles Poliquin and I think you'll find this information
interesting.
In order to have a successful resistance training program
for strength, you must consider the concept of maximal voluntary contraction.
This can be defined as the ability or attempt to recruit as many motor units
as possible to develop force. Intensity is the key here. In order to increase
intensity, a person must work at a higher percentage of their maximum ability by
lifting heavier weights or moving the weight faster. Proponents of the "super
slow" weight-training programs claim their programs are more intense however,
reducing the speed of movement merely increases the time under tension not the
intensity.
The intensity of an exercise can be expressed in terms of a
1 RM max. For example, the maximum weight that can be correctly lifted
six times without significant rest would be known as a 6RM. Working with 1RM
loads enable an athlete to achieve maximal motor-unit activation or
MUA with each contraction. Achieving MUA will stimulate neural
adaptations leading to enhanced strength. It's important to not only consider
the amount of reps but the speed of the repetitions as well. Lower reps
emphasize neural adaptations and higher reps emphasize muscular or metabolic
adaptations. This is a practical tool that will help you design programs to
achieve your clients goals.
The
development of muscular strength is best accomplished by using 70-100 percent of
maximum or 1-12 repetitions. The key is what is considered minimum intensity.
Each repetition equates to roughly 2.5% of a 1RM. If someone lifts 10
reps, then they would be lifting 25% of their 1RM.
Remember this is
relative. If someone could do 50 reps, would they be working at less than 100%
of their maximum?
A person's Training age can influence a
person's 1RM as well. This age refers to the number of years an athlete or
client has been participating in a serious strength training program. Most
people you'll be training will probably be a training age of under 2 years. It
normally takes approximately 2 years for a person to be considered strong or "
lifting really heavy weights."
In order to determine a starting weight
or intensity, the standard I hold as excellent when designing a strength phase
for a new client's program is based on their body weight. Of course, percentage
of body fat could make a big difference.
In my opinion a man is
considered in excellent physical strength or "strong," if his 1RM is:
For a 180 lb man:
bench press twice his weight..............................360 lbs
squat three times weight.....................................540 lbs
military press one and half times his weight.......270 lbs
curl his weight.....................................................180 lbs
for a 140 lb woman:
bench press one and half times her weight.........210 lbs
squat twice her weight........................................280 lbs
military press her weight.....................................140 lbs
curl 3/4's of her weight.........................................105 lbs.
However, because the majority of your clients will be so
de-conditioned, it would be best to consider 50% or half of all the poundages
from the excellent category above as their 1RM.
For example, if a man
was 180 lbs, then, holding him to my excellent standard, I would calculate his
1RM in the bench press to be 360 lbs or twice his weight. If this man was a
beginner, then cut all the percentages by half. The 1RM for a 180-lb man will
now change to:
bench press his weight........................180 lbs
squat 1 times his weight................. 270 lbs
military press 3/4's his weight.............135 lbs.
curl half his weight................................90
for
a 140 lb woman:
bench press 3/4's her weight...................105 lbs
military press her weight......................70 lbs
curl 1/4 of her weight .................................35 lbs
Training Potential Curve
The average beginning
client can often perform a 20RM at 75% of maximum.(1) After one year of training
he or she may be down to 10RM for the same percentage and after five years the
same person might be only able to perform 4RM. This is because at the beginning
of their program they are starting at a lower end of their
training-potential-curve. (2) It is generally accepted that
weights lower than 70% of maximum, or repetitions higher than 12, would be too
light, to elicit a strength response. However, in the initial stages of a
program, beginners can make significant strength gains with as many as 20 reps
or 50% of their 1RM because of the reason stated above. With that in mind, you
might start a beginner who is a 180lb male at 50% of the weights above, so, for
a bench press 180 x 50% = 90 lbs. In general, if you're writing a program to
maximize strength, then repetitions of 1- 5RM would be your pick. Reps in the
8-15 range produce greater hypertrophy gains with less effect on maximal
strength, and reps between 6-7RM produce equal changes in hypertrophy and
strength. (3) These are general guidelines. Remember, novice lifters should
emphasize sets of higher repetitions in order to learn correct technique.
Each muscle group or lift responds to a specific average rep
range. At 12RM in the bench press a person may be at 70% of maximum, but at
12RM maximum for the leg curl, (see fiber type below) a person might only be
working at 57% of maximum. Some athletes can complete as many as 65 repetitions
at 70% in lower body exercises with a high-stretch-shortening cycle such as a
leg press. (4) Long term aerobic work can also modify the 1RM. People who
compete in events where there is a high cyclical component may perform
abnormally high repetitions at a very high percentage of their 1RM. Australian
rowers have been able to complete 12 reps at 97 percent of their in maximum in
comparison to the average athlete who may be able to complete only 1-2
repetitions at that percentage.
The Number of repetitions is the one
acute variable which a person adapts to most quickly. According to strength
coach Charles Poliquin, most athletes adapt to a given number of repetitions in
just six workouts. Try changing rep ranges every 2- 4 weeks or every 6 workouts.
Once your client increases their strength by 10% or four repetitions, you'll
need to increase the weight.
Function, or the fiber composition can
affect the selection of reps for your client. For example, with the knee
flexors, sets of 12 repetitions have little effect on hypertrophy, as opposed to
the knee extensors which can hypertrophy with sets of up to 50 repetitions. It
appears the knee flexors are used mainly for explosive tasks while the extensors
are used in maintaining posture against gravity and for repeated
stretch-shortening tasks.(6) Poliquin has found when training the elbow flexors
the best strength gains were obtained with at least 2.5 average reps per set
with a minimum of 15 reps per workout. (7) Because fiber make-ups can change
from person to person, an average trainee might do seven repetitions maximum at
80% of their maximum, while a fast-twitch individual may only complete three
repetitions at the same given percentage. The soleus muscle usually contains 88%
slow-twitch fibers so a range of 15-25 repetitions may be needed to receive a
stimulus for growth. (8)
Keep in mind this whole article is based on the
concept of maximal voluntary contraction. Every repetition range means you are
working to failure. You or your client is not supposed to be able to complete
one more rep. Here are some of the interesting ideas I learned from this book.
Try lowering the reps not the sets every two workouts. For example,
perform lifts of 3-4 sets of 20 lb dumbbells for 6-8 reps, for the next two
workouts increase the weight to 22.5 lbs and perform sets of 5-7 repetitions and
lastly, 25 lbs for 4-6 repetitions.
Drop Sets. Start with a particular weight and perform a set to
failure. Drop the weight by 5-10%, rest about 10 seconds and lift again to
failure. Repeat to failure again. For strength training, don't exceed more than
4 or 5 sets. You may shorten the rest period if needed. Fast twitch athletes may
need the longer rest.
The four/five percent solution requires an increase in the amount of
resistance each workout. Select a 3-rep wide bracket to start the cycle.
3-5,4-6,5-7 or 6-8. If muscle mass is the primary goal, the average set should
last at least 40 seconds. If strength is the goal the set should not last more
than 20 seconds. Because of the amount of sets, only perform 2-3 exercises per
body part and work each body part every 5 days.
Day 1: Chest
and Back
Day 2: Legs and Abs
Day 3: Rest
Day 4:
Shoulders and Arms
Day 5: Repeat
Here's an example of a
four/five percent workout for someone who can curl 7 reps @ 100lbs.
Workout 1
4-5 sets x 7 reps @ 100 lbs.
Workout 2
Increase the weight by 4-5 % and do one rep less per set:
4-5
sets x 6 reps @ 105 lbs
Workout 3
Increase the weight by 4-5%
and do 1 rep less per set:
4-5 sets x 5 reps @ 110 lbs
Workout 4
Use the weight in workout 2 for the 1- rep target
4-5 sets x 7
reps @ 105 lbs (If these results are achieved your client is now 5% stronger)
Workout 5
Increase the weight by 4-5% and do 1 rep less per set
4-5 sets x 6 reps @ 110 lbs
Workout 6
Increase the
weight by 4-5% and do 1 rep less per set
4-5 sets x 5 reps @ 115 lbs.
Your client should now be able to do a 7RM with 110 lbs and is now 10%
stronger in just six workouts!
Pyramid System. According to Tudor Bompa, do not exceed an intensity
spread of 20%.
10 reps = 25%
8 reps = 20%
6
reps = 15%
4 reps = 10%
2 reps = 5%
The upper body needs more variation than the lower body. If you were
planning a training cycle for the bench press you would need more variety than
if you were training for the dead lift or squat. Here's an interesting fact.
Biomechanists have determined in a squat, you're lifting 75% percent of your
body weight plus the load of the barbell. After all, you're legs are lifting the
upper body and not lifting the lower legs off the ground. Consider this when
adjusting squat poundages of up to 4-5%.
Have a beginner complete more repetitions per set.
Multiple sets lead to higher and faster rates of strength gains. Usually one
to two sets are enough for beginners but after 6-12 sessions a trainer must
increase the volume because the muscles will have adapted. Remember, probably
the first 30% of strength gains come from an improvement in intermuscular
coordination. The person "learns" how to lift and becomes more efficient at
turning on and turning off the systems needed to accomplish the lifts.
The fewer reps an athlete performs per set, the more sets needed to achieve
the appropriate training response. If a client has not fully recovered from a
previous workout, cut back on the number of sets, not the intensity. For
example, in a preparatory period, squat poundages are best driven upwards using
a minimum of 7-8 sets of 4-5 repetitions. Once the athlete fails to respond to
the training volume as a stimulus, intensity becomes more important and 6-10
sets of 1-3 reps produce better results.
There is an inverse
proportion to sets and exercises. The total number of exercises should be
reduced when performing a large amount of sets per exercise.
I hope this
helps you and your clients when they are in their strength training period.
Good luck!
1. Modern Trends in Strength Training, volume 1,
Poliquin, Charles, 2001, pg. 5
2. pg. 11
3. pg. 8
4. pg.
6
5. pg. 7
6. pg 13
7. pg 9
8. pg 12
John Platero is the founder and owner of Future Fit, Inc. a successful multi-faceted fitness company that manages personal trainers, provides fitness products, services and educational services for the consumer. He is also the Director of the N.C.C.P.T. (The National Council of Certified Personal Trainers) which has certified thousands of personal trainers at its intensive, two-day workshops held throughout the country. For more information please visit http://www.nccpt.com
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