TIPS FOR GAINING STRENGTH
Bodybuilders may not train like powerlifters (who do one-rep and three-rep sets), but you'd be wrong to think they're not strong.
High-level bodybuilders do have strength although it usually manifests in ranges of 6-8 reps and 8-12 reps.
Is it useful to add that a strong muscle is a large muscle and training with heavy loads helps to strengthen the tendon insertions as well as the skeleton?
High-level bodybuilders do have strength although it usually manifests in ranges of 6-8 reps and 8-12 reps.
Is it useful to add that a strong muscle is a large muscle and training with heavy loads helps to strengthen the tendon insertions as well as the skeleton?
Integrate heavy loads
You won't find many athletes who achieve a high level of muscularity by doing long sets, although some incorporate this type of training to increase the definition of their physique after reaching their volume goals.
Heavy work requires a different mental attitude and gait. Let's see this in detail.
To build thick, dense and hard muscles, plan “heavy sessions” in your training. Once or twice a week, choose a muscle group and work it hard with strength exercises. Why not take heavy loads all the time?
First of all, this is not the best way to make your muscles bigger, and there is also a risk of increasing your body fat rate if you do not adjust your calorie intake compared to sessions oriented towards hypertrophy. , HIIT, etc.
You've probably heard of bodybuilders who claim to always put on heavy, but sooner or later an injury sidelines them and stops their training. It is therefore better to work hard, not all year round, but during certain cycles during which we will prepare the body for this purpose.
Heavy work requires a different mental attitude and gait. Let's see this in detail.
To build thick, dense and hard muscles, plan “heavy sessions” in your training. Once or twice a week, choose a muscle group and work it hard with strength exercises. Why not take heavy loads all the time?
First of all, this is not the best way to make your muscles bigger, and there is also a risk of increasing your body fat rate if you do not adjust your calorie intake compared to sessions oriented towards hypertrophy. , HIIT, etc.
You've probably heard of bodybuilders who claim to always put on heavy, but sooner or later an injury sidelines them and stops their training. It is therefore better to work hard, not all year round, but during certain cycles during which we will prepare the body for this purpose.
Some athletes have even tested various training cycles and found that this planning results, in the long term, in better results than those obtained by going to the limit of your strength in each session.
Thus, bodybuilding competitors generally work heavy during the off seasons and gradually lighten up during pre-competition, then increasing the volume of work and shortening the rest times in order to lose weight by eliminating adipose tissue and appear scratched. .
In addition to this distribution in cycle and the schedule of 1 to 2 weekly heavy work sessions, another way of proceeding is to take heavy loads for the first exercises of your session, then to end with long series.
Practiced by a number of bodybuilders, this type of training allows long and short sets to be included in the same session, which has the effect of stimulating both fast twitch and twitch muscle fibers. slow.
Thus, bodybuilding competitors generally work heavy during the off seasons and gradually lighten up during pre-competition, then increasing the volume of work and shortening the rest times in order to lose weight by eliminating adipose tissue and appear scratched. .
In addition to this distribution in cycle and the schedule of 1 to 2 weekly heavy work sessions, another way of proceeding is to take heavy loads for the first exercises of your session, then to end with long series.
Practiced by a number of bodybuilders, this type of training allows long and short sets to be included in the same session, which has the effect of stimulating both fast twitch and twitch muscle fibers. slow.
Tips for heavy work
To train heavy, you must respect certain training principles that will allow you to increase your weight and muscle volume.
1. Warm Up
Warming up allows the muscles to contract more forcefully and prevent injury (sprain or strain).
Do not underestimate the importance of the generalized cardio-training warm -up of 5 to 10 minutes, followed by some stretches and very light sets (do not go as far as muscle exhaustion). Then continue with the pyramid technique .
Do not underestimate the importance of the generalized cardio-training warm -up of 5 to 10 minutes, followed by some stretches and very light sets (do not go as far as muscle exhaustion). Then continue with the pyramid technique .
2. Choose Compound Exercises
These exercises should be polyarticular type, such as the bench press , the deadlift , the squat or leg press .
You will not get the same benefit with monoarticular exercises such as the leg extension or the pek deck .
Training with a partner is essential because then you are free to mentally focus exclusively on your effort.
Recovery is longer between heavy sets (powerlifters take up to five minutes of rest).
Give yourself one more minute to catch your breath. You will see that this extra time will allow you to lift a little more.
You will not get the same benefit with monoarticular exercises such as the leg extension or the pek deck .
3. Master The Movements
4. Call On A Partner
Training with a partner is essential because then you are free to mentally focus exclusively on your effort.
5. Does Not Work To The Max
Unless you're a seasoned practitioner, take loads that will allow you to perform about five good reps with your heavy sets.6. Rest Longer
Give yourself one more minute to catch your breath. You will see that this extra time will allow you to lift a little more.
Make sure that you are comfortable performing the exercises and that your technique is well developed. Heavy training is not for beginners.
7. Don't Be Too Greedy
Do t "not expect to add to intensification techniques ( forced reps , negative reps or drop sets ) at the end of each heavy series also hoping to get to go to the next.Just do one or two forced reps. Then put the load back in its place.