Intensity Techniques - Part 2

Drop Sets

This entails doing a set to failure with a weight then immediately doing another set to failure with a lighter weight.

• This can be done as double-drop (reduce the weight once), triple-drop (reduce the weight twice), or down-the-rack (use every consecutive set of dumbells down a rack) sets.
• As a basic rule-of-thumb, reduce the weight around 10% with each drop.
• Another useful way to do drop sets is to pull 45 pound plates off if you're doing an exercise where several are being used (e.g. squats). It is also possible to load the bar with smaller plates to reduce the amount of weight dropped.
• This is one of the most time/energy efficient ways to train, especially if doing an abbreviated or maintenance program.

Down-The-Rack Drop Set

If you are doing laterals for your shoulders, start with a weight you can get six reps for, then pick up the next lightest set of dumbells and go again. Repeat this procedure until you get to the lightest dumbells that you wish to use.

• This idea works well with selectorized machines. Simply just keep raising the pin to the next lightest weight. Don’t feel confined to drop only one notch or dumbell. You may drop two notches or skip a pair of dumbells. This can depend on the exercise. You may finish a set with very heavy weight and may be unable to do another rep with the next lightest weight, as it is still very heavy.
  
  
• It is also not necessary to stick to a set number of reps during the drops (e.g. get 6 reps on every drop). You can try doing one rep with each drop or do as many as it takes to fail at each drop. Obviously, the lighter the weight gets, the more reps you will be able to do.

Variation Triple Drop Sets

Do the first set with the strongest variation of an exercise (e.g. decline bench press) and go for power. Do the second drop with the next strongest variation (e.g. flat bench press) and go for feeling the muscle. Do the third drop with the weakest variation (e.g. incline bench press) and use very strict form. You can also do that backwards and start with the weakest variation first.

Fiber Sweep Triple Drop Sets This type of triple drop set works three different ways. The first set of the drop, use a very heavy weight (about 85-90% 1RM) and do 2 to 3 reps with it. This will work on relative strength and connective tissue strength. For the second drop, use a weight that allows 8 to 10 reps. This builds muscle mass and circulation. For the third drop, use a very light weight and do 6 to 8 fast, explosive reps (one second up, one second down). This will work the explosive fibers and the neuromuscular system. Another option on the last set is to do a set of very high reps with a very light weight (30 plus).

Note: Plate loaded machines are very useful for drop sets as there are no pins used and the weight can be changed anywhere in the movement without losing any tension and without disturbing the set. A partner is required to effectively use this type of drop setting.

Rest-Pause Training

This is an advanced technique that allows you to get more reps with the same weight. Do a set to failure. Rest for 5 to 10 seconds then do a few more reps with the same weight. Do this once or a few times depending on your energy levels and how far you wish to push. With this technique you can take a weight you can only do for three reps and do a set of six or more reps with it.

This technique works very well for high rep training as well when lactic acid burn forces you to stop. Do a set of calf raises until you can't take the pain, rest for a few seconds and shake out your legs to allow the lactic acid to be cleared somewhat, then do more reps until you seize up again. Shake it out and continue. This allows you to push to muscular failure instead of lactic acid failure.

Supersetting

This is a good way to train if time is limited. Supersetting involves doing two exercises with no rest in between. There are a number of different types of supersets.

Same Part Supersetting

This is the most common type. Do two different exercises that work the same bodypart, e.g. incline curls then barbell curls.

Isolation/Compound Supersetting

This is essentially pre-exhaust supersetting. Do a set of an isolation exercise then a set of a compound exercise, e.g. flyes then bench press.

Antagonistic Supersetting Do a set of an exercise for one bodypart then immediately do a set of an exercise for the antagonistic bodypart, e.g. barbell curls then tricep pushdowns. Antagonist supersetting can help each muscle group recover while working the other muscle. It also makes you stronger in both. For the arms, it has the advantage of keeping the blood localized in the upper arm area. Back and chest or quads and hamstrings are other examples of antagonistic muscles.

Upper Body/Lower Body Supersetting

Do an upper body exercise then a lower body exercise, or vice versa, e.g. chest then calves.

In-Set Superset

Do two different exercises within a rep.

• You must be able to make a smooth transition between the exercises in order for this to be effective.
• An example of this is doing a dumbell bench press on the positive then a dumbell flye on the negative on every rep.
• The Zottman curl, where you use a regular grip on the way up and a reverse grip on the way down is another good example of this.
• Others include regular deadlifts (up) and stiff-legged deadlifts (down), close grip bench press (up) and lying barbell extensions (down).
  

Do not superset muscles that assist with the other exercise unless you do them second, e.g. do not do pushdowns then bench press - tricep fatigue will limit your bench press work. You can, however, do the bench press first then do pushdowns. An exception to this is if you are doing it to push your triceps further with the assistance of the pecs and shoulders. Then do triceps first. This would be a type of pre-exhaust superset.

Giant Sets

Do several exercises for one bodypart in a row without resting in between exercises, e.g. chin-ups, seated rows, straight arm lat pushdowns, then pull downs. You can do the same exercise more than once within the giant set as well. Try doing the exercises in the order of midrange, stretch then contracted position for a huge pump.

Variation Giant Sets

Use variations of the same exercise starting with the weakest version and going to the strongest, using the same weight. An example is wide grip pulldowns to reverse close grip pulldowns to regular close grip pulldowns.

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