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Hybrid
Training is one of the coolest concepts
I've used in my training...essentially,
instead of using just one form of resistance
and getting stuck with the strength curve
that that resistance provides you with,
you use at least TWO forms of resistance
so you can better match the specific strength
curve and tension pattern of an exercise.
In
plain English, it means performing an
exercise where you NEVER lose tension
at ANY point in the range of motion. And
THAT is incredibly powerful for building
muscle.
So
this Hybrid exercise is the Cable-Barbell
Preacher Curl...you'll need a low-pulley
for this one (or a band...it also works
extremely well with a training band instead
of a cable) and a Preacher bench.
Set
the Preacher bench in front of the low
pulley (a few feet back from it). Start
with the empty bar on the floor. The setup
I prefer to use is an ankle strap around
the bar then clipped to the low pulley.
It makes it VERY easy to set up and perform
Hybrid exercises.
You
can also clip the cable back onto itself
(just pull the cable under, around then
over the bar then clip it back onto itself
around the bar). That works just fine,
too...just make sure and do that with
no weight on the cable stack.
Once
the bar and cable is set up, put the pin
in the cable stack - you don't need a
whole lot on the stack...just a few plates.
You can always add weight if it's too
light but start light the first time you
do it to get an idea of how the exercise
works and how dual-tension feels.
Set
a weight on the barbell that could easily
get 12 to 15 reps with (I've added a 25
lb plate to each side). With the addition
of the cable resistance, it's going to
change the tension levels significantly
and you'll fatigue faster.
Next,
pick up the barbell and set it on the
bench supports.
Get
into position on the bench and grab the
bar.
Now
the fun begins! You'll be performing the
exercise exactly like you would with a
regular Preacher Curl.
As
you curl up, you're going to notice something
different...in addition to adding some
resistance to the bar, you're also getting
the diagonal-pulling tension of the cable.
In
a normal Preacher curl, as you come to
the top, you lose much of the tension
in the biceps because gravity only pulls
down...at the top of the movement, the
bar is resting on skeletal support from
your forearm bones. To keep tension on,
you have to consciously squeeze the biceps,
which can help, but doesn't really contribute
to the movement.
When
you add in lateral-pulling resistance
from the cable, you're not only curling
the barbell weight, you're also pulling
directly backwards against that cable
resistance and adding tension to that
top part.
You're
essentially using the cable to fill in
the big gap in tension in the Preacher
Curl exercise.
And
believe me when I tell you, this will
FRY your biceps on the very first set.
In my experience, you can achieve the
same level of fatigue with one set of
these as you would with 2 or 3 normal
sets because of this continuous tension.
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This
is training efficiency at it's best.
And
the cool thing is, I've come up
with exercises for EVERY
bodypart that use this same principle...(the
Cable-Dumbell Hybrid Bench Press/Flye
has to be felt to be believed).
Learn
more about
Hybrid Training here...
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