 INTENSIFICATION VS ACCUMULATION. As a reminder, we have 2 central training themes that we rotate between in during our strength block programming: (1) Intensification: Power, Strength, Speed and Explosiveness (2) Accumulation: Volume, Body Composition and Work Capacity (Endurance) You get both strength and conditioning in both training themes. But we design our training this way because it's more sustainable and smarter. We're finishing November's intensification block where the theme was the French Contrast Method (FCM), where the primary focus was simultaneously getting everyone stronger and more explosive. Intensification blocks typically focus on power, strength and speed. Typically, we would rotate and do an Accumulation block following an Intensification block; however, this will be the exception. For December 2019, we will be heading into another Intensification block which, will have a completely different vibe. GREYSKULL LP. The theme of December's strength block is Greyskull LP (GSLP). This program is famous for its effectiveness at building strength and size rapidly. But what exactly makes it one of the best beginner weight lifting / power lifting programs? The answer lies in the name: "LP" aka LINEAR PERIODIZATION. WHAT IS LINEAR PERIODIZATION? Periodization actually comes in two distinct flavors: Linear periodization and Non-Linear periodization. Linear periodization prefers to a progression scheme in which you're progressing from week to week simply by adjusting training variables, which include load, volume, relative intensity, perceived intensity (RPE), and a host of others, to achieve the desired effect. HISTORY OF GREYSKULL LP. Developed by John Sheaffer, who also goes by the name Johnny Pain, Greyskull LP is considered one of the best linear progression programs available. It has several unique factors that make it stand out among alternatives like Starting Strength and StrongLifts 5x5, which we have used during previous Strength Blocks. Greyskull LP was formed after Sheaffer completed Starting Strength and found himself quite dissatisfied with the results. His complaints were not unique, as many feel Starting Strength does not do "enough" towards muscle growth and hypertrophy and leaves too much progress on the table. HOW DOES GREYSKULL LP WORK? The base for the plan is actually pretty simple. Squats are performed twice per week, Trap Bar Deadlifts one time per week. Bench Press and Overhead Press are alternated. Chin-Ups and Barbell Rows are alternated too. This provides the foundation for muscle and strength growth to be developed. A core tenant of the program, which each workout more weight NEEDS to be added. Here are the weight increase increments: Bench Press and Overhead Press - 2.5 pounds Squats and Deadlifts - 5 pounds DAY A: Overhead Press / Bench Press (Alternating) 2x5, 1x5 + AMRAP Chin-ups / Barbell Bentover Rows (Alternating) 2x5, 1x5 + Barbell Back Squats 2x5, 1x5 + Day B: Overhead Press / Bench Press (Alternating) 2x5, 1x5 + AMRAP Chin-ups / Barbell Bentover Rows (Alternating) 2x5, 1x5 + Trap Bar Deadlifts 2x5, 1x5 + Day C: Overhead Press / Bench Press (Alternating) 2x5, 1x5 + AMRAP Chin-ups / Barbell Bentover Rows (Alternating) 2x5, 1x5 + Barbell Back Squats 2x5, 1x5 + Rules: Last set is As Many Reps As Possible (AMRAP). Progress with 2.5lbs for upper body exercises, 5lbs for lower body exercises. If final AMRAP set hits 18+ reps, double weight increase 2.5lbs to 5lbs, 5lbs to 10lbs. If you cannot perform a proper chin-up, do not use band assistance. Perform negative reps. If you fail to make 5 reps in the final set, deload by 10%. ACCESSORY WORK? Although it is not necessary to do to see results with this Strength Block. We will be incorporating accessories to accelerate progress towards any number of different goals. While this sounds complicated, there are simply additional accessory movements and other types of training added on top, aka Conditioning and Arm Farm. We will be incorporating 2-3 accessory exercises per workout. END OF THE YEAR! THIS IS THE LAST STRENGTH BLOCK OF 2019! By the end of this block you should have a good platform and understanding of our compound movements, be in better physical shape, become stronger, more durable, more resilient and have a better body composition. At the end of the year - after everyone finishes all their strength programming, we will have covered all of the necessary components: work capacity, muscle, strength and power. We'll have this really good, balanced profile where we'er all stronger, faster, fitter, happier and healthier. 
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 The holidays are supposed to be fun and enjoyable and they totally are, but they can be really stressful too. From work to family gatherings, to preparing your homes for guests, shopping for gifts, etc. And because of all of this, you may feel like you just don't have enough time. You don't have time to care for yourself, you don't have time to prepare healthy meals, you don't have enough time to go to the gym. F that. If you're looking for tips for staying active over the holidays, at King Strength and Performance in Cranford, NJ we're here to help. The holidays are a festive but busy time of shopping, celebrating and often enjoying those extra holiday high calorie meals. However, with a few simple tips, it's possible to stay fit throughout the holiday season. SET AND MAINTAIN YOUR FITNESS GOALS Setting a goal is perhaps the most obvious way to keep up a fitness routine during the holidays. Think about the results you want. Do you want to continue a training regime for an upcoming race or competition? Are you looking to lose weight? Are you looking to add on some lean muscle? If so, how much weight? Whatever your desired results, write down your goals and the actions needed to get there. The personal trainers at King Strength and Performance can help you identify the action steps and routines you need to achieve the results you want. There's no better gift you could give yourself this holiday season than becoming a better version of yourself. STAYING CONSISTENT REQUIRES PLANNING Setting you fitness goals is the easy part. Keeping up the routines that help you accomplish your goals might be another story, especially during the Holiday season. With a little planning, staying active over the holidays is doable, and can even be fun. Here are some things to consider to help you stay motivated and more importantly consistent: 1. FIND A TRAINING PARTNER Working out by yourself doesn't have to be your reality. Find a friend or a group of friends who have the same mission as you; staying in shape throughout the whole year. Go to the gym together, go running together, participate in a race or competition together; basically have fun exercising together. Staying healthy doesn't have to be negative, turn into a positive and hangout with your friends! 2. FIND YOUR "WHY" Let's be honest, most fitness and motivational books, podcasts, etc only focus on external motivators, relying on things outside of ourselves to keep us motivated. This isn't all negative, we do need to have some external motivators in our lives; however, internal motivators are the real key to moving forward towards achieving your fitness goals. Finding your internal "why" is critical. What's your vision for your health, for your life, for your relationships? Why are you willing to endure the hardships that come against you in order to see a better outcome for your future? Answer these questions to yourself and it will become much easier to say "no" to that slice of pumpkin pie and say "yes" to getting yourself to the gym. 3. PLAN YOUR EXERCISE "Failing to plan is planning to fail." There is always time for a workout; if you plan and make time for it. Something is always better than nothing. Even if you don't have a perfect workout in place, a bad workout is sometimes better than no workout at all. Set yourself up for success this holiday season and create a plan for your health. You'll thank yourself for it on New Years, when you're ahead of the game. At King Strength and Performance, you are able to plan which workouts you're going to attend ahead of time. If you download the MindBody App, you can pre-register for classes for the upcoming week. Planning time to go to the gym is a perfect start. 4. DITCH THE "ALL OR NOTHING" MINDSET A lot of people have an "all or nothing" mindset when it comes to fitness. They hold themselves to high expectations to be absolutely flawless in their fitness routines and nutrition but as soon as they fail to meet those expectations, they fall back into their old patterns and habits. Pretty soon, they give up altogether. We must ditch that "all or nothing" mindset and allow yourself some room in your fitness routine for dessert. Often times, we can be our own worst critics. You may find yourself nitpicking and tearing down yourself. But this can hurt not only your self esteem but your fitness success. Treating yourself with self compassion and allowing yourself to understand that you're human helps, humans are imperfect. Expecting perfection is a terrible plan, STAY FIT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Stay fit during the holiday season with help from King Strength and Performance in Cranford, NJ. You can browse through our class offerings online, schedule an appointment with one of our elite personal trainers, or visit our facility in person. We look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve your fitness goals. Don't get FA LA LA LA FAT.  As a reminder, we have 2 central training themes that we rotate between in during our strength block programming: (1) Intensification: Power, Strength, Speed and Explosiveness (2) Accumulation: Volume, Body Composition and Work Capacity (Endurance) You get both strength and conditioning in both training themes. But we design our training this way because it's more sustainable and smarter. We're finishing October's accumulation block where the theme was the German Body Composition Training, where the focus was on building lean muscle mass, improving our work capacities and improving our body compositions. We're done dealing with the Germans and Russians for now. For November, we're going to be transitioning into an Intensification block. Intensification blocks focus on power, strength and speed. The primary focus of this strength block will be to simultaneously get everyone stronger and more explosive utilizing the French Contrast Method (FCM). Bonjour Frenchies.  To properly understand the French Contrast Method (FCM), you must first have a proper understanding of two distinct styles of training: (1) Complex Training and (2) Contrast Training. COMPLEX TRAINING Complex training involves performing a heavy compound exercise followed by a plyometric exercise that is similar in movement pattern. A complex training set can involve a squatting movement pattern and pairing that with a jump at a significant lighter load. Flashback: If you recall back to May 2019, we had an intensification strength block known as Complex Training. Complex training integrated strength training, plyometrics and sometimes sport-specific movements. It consisted of an intense strength exercise followed by a plyometric exercise. Strategically selecting explosive exercise to gain Post Activation Potentiation (PAP), which is the driving force behind the complex training method. What is Post Activation Potentiation? The term Post Activation Potentiation (PAP) simply refers to an acute excitation of the neuromuscular system following some form of exercise (5RM Back Squat). This acute excitation has been shown to improve subsequent explosive performances such as the counter movement jump and sprint speed. The complex training method has been shown to improve jumping, sprinting, throwing, kicking and even change of direction speed performances.  Theoretical model representing the relationship between post activation potentiation (PAP) and fatigue regarding possible windows of enhanced performance CONTRAST TRAINING Contrast training is a heavy set followed by relatively lighter sets over a period of sets. This method is aimed at improving maximum strength, with the use of sub-maximal drop sets. In this case, a front/back squat can be utilized at a higher percentage of workload and followed with a 10% drop set. The French Contrast Method (FCM) is the beautiful hybrid bi-racial baby of these two training themes. The combination of exercises increases the amount of muscle fibers that are recruited to perform a movement, as well as the speed at which those fibers are recruited. This increases the speed at which your muscles can produce force (rate of force development), explosive strength and speed endurance.  The French Contrast Method (FCM) places a lot of stress on the individual, which is what makes it such an amazing tool for increasing explosive strength and speed endurance.
 German Body Composition: Strength Training For Fast Results. We're finishing September's intensification block where the theme was the 1-6 Method. For October, we're going to be transitioning into an accumulation block. We'll be focusing on building lean muscle mass, improving our work capacities and improving our body compositions by utilizing a concept known as German Body Composition Training. We're getting conditioning while we're building muscle and burning fat. And the way we're going to do that is try to get a lot more density in our programming. There are a lot of ways that we can manipulate a strength program. We can add intensity by putting more weight on the bars; like we did with the 1-6 Method. We can add volume by adding a set or maybe adding some reps; like we did with German Volume Training . The other way we can manipulate our program is density. Density is simply more work in the same period of time. So as we're looking at how we are going to manipulate our variables to get more out of our training, and we're trying to shift towards this work capacity and body composition focus. The more we can add in a session, getting more total work in that same designated period of time, the more we're going to get closer to that goal of increasing work capacity and improving our body compositions. The goal of this block is to take all our primary compound movements - squats, bench press, dead lifts, rows, and pull-ups and organize them in a way where you get these functional timeless movements and incorporate them in a specific way to get that desired outcome. In this case, the desired outcome is improving work capacity and body composition. The overall theme of this block, is called German Body Composition Training. We really love the Germans and their contributions to strength training. THE SET-UP We'll be organizing our compound movements into total body circuits consisting of 6 exercises. When you see the workouts on our monitors, they will be indicated as A1 through A6. Here is an example workout utilizing these protocols. 4x8, 40X0, REST 10 SECONDS A1. Barbell Front Squats A2. Kettlebell Goblet Squats with Heels Elevated A3. Dumbbell Loaded Jump Squats A4. Chin-Ups / Inverted Rows A5. Dumbbell Bentover Rows A6. Resistance Band Face Pulls A1, A2, A4 and A5 are those big compound movements, and we're going to utilize a 4-second eccentric tempo for 8 reps. If you do that for time, that's 32seconds of total time under tension for 4 exercises, so we're getting up into those couple minute marks per set. And we're going to compliment that the middle A3 and end A6 with some sort of total body conditioning in this program. WHY IT WORKS The goal is to get about 3-4 minutes of straight continuous work, get recovery, and then go back into that training again. The energy system that is really targeted is the lactic, more aerobic type program. We can get into that fat burning utilizing that energy from fat, depleting our glucose first, which is our carbohydrate sources in our body. Burn through that and then start getting into our fat reserves and that's how we're going to manipulate and hopefully improve our body compositions. The more density we have usually equates to a better hormonal response post workout, specifically through our anabolic hormones, growth hormones and testosterone. There is pretty good research out there looking at high density, high load, gets a really significant response from those two particular hormones. And if we're looking at changing body composition, you really want to tap into that naturally. We can do that as long as our nutrition, sleep, and lifestyle is really in check. We can get those really optimized and maximized for the best results possible. By the end of this block you should have a good platform and understanding of our compound movements, be in better physical shape, become stronger, more durable, more resilient and have a better body composition. Usually leaner people are healthier. And we go on to another intensification block , which is going to be a power block next. And we're going to have a lot better prerequisite to be successful when November's Strength block comes. At the end of the year - after everyone finishes all their strength programming, we will have covered all of the necessary components: work capacity, muscle, strength and power. We'll have this really good, balanced profile where we'er all stronger, faster, fitter, happier and healthier. THE Abridged Version IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO READ.The beauty of German Body Composition Training is that it is scalable to different fitness levels. You don't have to implement this training style in all its tortuous glory, you can still adapt some of its underlying principles and see remarkable success.
In the first instance, the idea of shorter rest periods is something of immense value for individuals looking to lose weight, increase volume and potentially induce a greater growth hormone release through training. Similarly the use of slower tempo speeds is something of immense value. This principle increases resistance without raising the weight and somewhat anecdotally, can provide some of the most intense pumps of your life. Finally, this training style highlights the need for good old fashioned hard work in training programs. As anyone who has done this program's sister, German Volume Training will attest, the difficulty of the workout is often matched by its effectiveness.  What is German Volume Training?
German Volume Training (GVT) is simply 10 sets of 10 reps using big compound movements. The primary movements that we will be using are:
German Volume Training yields incredible results. You get an incredible hormonal response and extremely high levels of hypertrophy. What is Hypertrophy? Hypertrophy means increasing the size of the muscle cell. GVT also makes you incredibly lean due to it's high volume. Increasing workload in a given period of time is known as density. With GVT, we're seriously increasing our workload in the same amount of time. What is density and why is it so important? (DISCLAIMER, THIS GETS SCIENCE-Y) Lactic acid is the byproduct of anaerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise is exercise that does not directly use oxygen to replenish ATP; ATP is the muscle cell's primary energy substrate. The accumulation of lactic acid at the local muscular level is one of density's major byproducts. Since oxygen is not present, muscular acidity begins to accumulate in order to protect the muscle from overexertion and signals other sources of energy in the body to breakdown and assist. If the muscle contractions keep going and going, you will burn through all of your energy substrates and lead to muscular failure. As you accrue more lactate, you become more acidic at the local muscular level. This is from increased concentration of hydrogen ions in the system. This signals greater need for protein synthesis through the mTOR pathways. Greater need for protein synthesis means demand for more lean muscle development. When you utilize GVT, your body equips itself for the next time this stressor comes. It wants to be better prepared. This result is one benefit of progressive overload. Progressive Overload systematically increasing weight over the course of training. This style of program design is a constant in all our strength blocks. As a response to training, the body better equips itself for the next exposure to stress by increasing the size of the muscle cell. That way it has greater force generating potential. And our body has to exert less overall energy to the same stimulus; which, is also another benefit of progressive overload. What about the exercises we are utilizing? The use of closed chain, compound multi-joint exercises like squat, hinge, pull and pull elicit more hormonal response than isolation or machines. This is especially true with greater overall loads and tonnage. Tonnage is the aggregate of volume and intensity in a training session. It quantifies overall load used during a period of time. Compound, multi-joint exercises create a greater response from the central nervous system (CNS). Which means:
German Volume Training makes you leaner. How so? The main reason is lactic acid initiates protein synthesis. Protein synthesis leads to:
Gluconeogenesis is the impost important part. You have depleted more ATP and you need to find it from other sources. Like adipose tissue or fat. Plus, with increased muscle mass, you store more glycogen in the muscle cell and do not store energy in your adipose tissue. If this style of training gets such great results, why don't we just train like this all the time? German Volume Training (GVT) is lactic-focus training. Lactic-focus training is really hard on the body. It's not sustainable from a motivational standpoint. Four weeks is plenty. The honeymoon wears off and you will begin to plateau in terms of adaptation. As you plateau, you are forced to find alternative ways to progress. For example, altering technique, position, range of motion. As you alter technique, you're potentially setting yourself up for injury. This Lactic-focused training is metabolically and nervous system destructive over time. This Lactic-focused training is more commonly known as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). This type of training year round is wrong, here's a scientific explanation why: Lactic acid is great in small bouts but not as a long-term fitness solution. In Conclusion: We have a small window to hit this style of high volume training and we need to maximize it with the correct exercise selection, full ROMs (Range of motion, the right amount of frequency, and an appropriate workout rest to work ratio. To get the most out of your training, you'll need the rest, hydration, nutrition and work/life balance. Take care of your body during this block because if you don't you will definitely feel it. Written By: Austin Colish  In three phrases or less, how would you describe the process of “becoming fit”?
A reasonable response would be: “proper nutrition, adequate sleep, and consistent exercise.” Without a doubt, these components are crucial to leading a healthier life. We commonly hear people say “Oh, I need to get into shape,” or “Wow, that person is really fit!” These statements often have an underlying associative feeling of guilt, stress, or even self-defeat. As a current fitness professional and future healthcare provider, I’d like to break down as many of these barriers to success as possible. Modern media, social pressures and general lack of knowledge provide an unnecessary stigma around beginning the process of “getting into shape.” In my experience, the process of “becoming fit” can be encapsulated in two words: lifestyle change. Fitness is all about lifestyle change. There are three main components of this process:
Early Success Early Success is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a philosophy utilized by all types of coaches, teachers and therapists. Early Success is based on the idea that both performance and adherence is increased when beginners find success at whatever task they are attempting. This is a topic that has been researched by motor learning specialists, and has shown to aid in adapting the properties of neuroplasticity in our brains. Basically, the more we practice something, the better we get at it. When we start a task and succeed early on, we become more motivated to try and keep practicing. For example: when you play a game, how likely are you to keep playing that game if you lose every single time? (Probably not very.) The same goes for lifestyle change. How do we implement Early Success into our daily lives? Set S.M.A.R.T. goals. SMART goals are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely. By setting goals that fall within the SMART criteria, you are more likely to achieve Early Success. For example, if you have never run a mile in your life, do not set a goal to run three miles a week to “get into shape.” Instead, start by walking for 40 minutes a day, four days a week, outside, for two weeks. Comparing these goals: one has specific parameters within a set time frame, the other is generalized and arguably less likely to be successful with a beginner. Failing to plan, is planning to fail. Setting realistic goals is such a crucial part of developing any kind of fitness plan. By utilizing the SMART methodology, you can achieve any goal you have in an approachable manner. Common fitness goals are “to lose X amount of pounds.” Try breaking down the steps required into bite-sized solutions. Instead of committing to “eat healthier and exercise,” commit to “substituting Greek yogurt for ice cream, start a walking program three days a week and going to the gym two days a week.” You can then build off those three goals and make them even more specific. What kind of Greek yogurt? Where will you be taking your walks? What will you be doing at the gym? Making little changes early in this process that you can easily accomplish promotes long term development. Motivational Mindset In healthcare and in fitness professional settings, there is a technique called the Motivational Interview. Essentially, this tool helps coaches and clinicians gauge their clients’ interest level and measure their ability to open up to change. Ultimately, “becoming fit” is just about making small lifestyle changes. In this interview, the interviewee is placed into a “stage of change” that predisposes the treatment approach the clinician or coach needs to take. Similarly, individuals can begin this process by self assessing and adapting to their own needs. Now that you have a plan, with SMART goals, you need to create an environment that helps facilitate this change (regardless of your current willingness to accept it). Environment Modification Motivation is either intrinsic or extrinsic. If you are intrinsically motivated, there is a high chance you don’t need to read this post. However, if you are motivated extrinsically (I fall into this group), you have to modify your environment. In order for you to attain success early on and allow growth to be consistent, you have to change your environment as your lifestyle changes. This can take many shapes and forms — so be creative! Examples include: throwing out junk food in your house, setting a budget for how much alcohol you consume on a weekly basis, setting reminders to go to sleep on time, and surrounding yourself with a supportive gym community like we have here at King. Self reflect. Think about how you can modify your environment to meet your goals. If you have difficulty doing this, ask your coach! Self Regulation Having established goals, reinvented your environment to encourage success and officially begun your own fitness journey, the last piece is to build in time to self reflect. This can come in many forms: journaling, meditating or having a weekly progress discussion with your coach. By self reflecting, this allows room for self evaluation. By reviewing your progress, challenges/barriers to success, you can self correct. Having a reference point based on your goals and identifying how your environment hurts or helps those goals, leads to self correction. Making SMART changes to your current situation can help. Part of the Motivational Mindset is committing to your goals, and finding success by the means necessary to make your goals reachable. When you are able to independently self evaluate and self correct, you can self regulate. The ultimate goal is to self regulate; making changes in the direction of your goals independently in order to be successful. Becoming Fit. Fitness is a journey for everyone: the single mother of three, the businessman who works 60-hours/week, the professional athlete of 20 years, the sedentary teen with aspirations of running a marathon. Everyone has their own challenges, and no one is more important than the other. Fitness does not have a gold standard. Fitness is not defined by athletic accomplishment. Fitness is not defined by physical appearance. Fitness is a culmination of trials, changes, failures and successes. By setting SMART goals, finding Early Success, maintaining a Motivational Mindset and Self Regulating, we can all become more “fit.” Whether you’re a gym veteran or someone who stumbled upon this post who has never worked out a day in their life, I encourage you to spend a few minutes today and reflect. Where are you now and where do you want to be? Use these tools and develop the next step in your fitness plan. Perhaps your goal is to deadlift 600lbs. Maybe your goal is to walk up two flights of stairs independently. Either way, your goals are relative to you and should be flexible enough to change or adapt over time. Seek help and advice from your coach or physical therapist. Understand that every day doesn’t need to be a victory, and that always, consistency is King.  We're finishing June's accumulation block where the theme was Escalating Density Training (EDT). For July, we're jumping into an intensification block. We'll be focusing on developing our speed, power and strength. Unique to this block, we're manipulating the rest between reps and utilizing a concept known as Cluster Training. What is Cluster Training? Cluster Training involves using short intra-set rest periods (usually ranging between 10-30 seconds) we will being using 15 seconds, which act to allow us to do more reps with a heavier weight. With Cluster Training, the design is all about the rest between reps, rather than between sets. How do you do Cluster Training? There are a number of ways you can set up cluster training, but the most important principle of this training method lies in the short rest intervals between reps, or multiples of reps. Make sure you re-rack the bar when you rest, and utilize the entirety of the rest period - both during and after your set. We're going to get a rep then rest. Get another rep then rest. And then get one more rep and rest. And that will make up one set. This work-to-rest program design is called intra-set rest and has a lot more rest between reps. Why do we need more rest? Because rest allows us to lift more weight and hit higher tonnages in a training block. What the hell is "tonnage" and why is it important? Tonnage is a term that quantifies overall load used during a period of time. Tonnage = Weight x Reps x Sets Example: 100 x 10 x 10= 10,000. Tonnage has been used for decades as a qualifier for national and international levels in weightlifting. Theoretically, if a person can accumulate a higher total of weight in a period of time, they should be able to compete at a higher level, become much stronger. How do we manipulate sets and reps to achieve a higher overall tonnage? We can do 10 sets of 10 to achieve more morphological changes. Like body composition or hypertrophy. Or we can utilize 10 sets of 3 reps to achieve more neuronal changes; such as, power or force production. There is an interesting concept called Prilipen's chart which describes the volume people can hit at specific intensities in a training session, please refer to the image below:  Below are a few cluster set/rep schemes we may program for you depending on your individual goals. Before we move onto that, it's important to note that you can utilize Cluster Training on most exercises, but seeing as we're looking for mostly strength and muscular gains, it makes sense that the best exercises to use are the bigger, compound barbell exercises. Okay, let's look at some ways to set up your Cluster Training. The first thing you'll notice is that the sets/reps for clusters are written in a weird way. Don't freak out, they're quite easy to interpret. 5 ( 4 x 2 ) - 10s w/ a 5RM In this set up you'll do 5 total clusters (the first number), and each cluster is going to consist of 4 mini sets of 2 reps (the bracketed numbers). You're going to rest 10 seconds in between each mini set, and you're going to use around your 5RM in load. 5 ( 3 x 3 ) - 15s w/ 6RM Again, this follows in the process as the two examples above, except that in this set up you're going to do 3 mini sets each consisting of 3 reps, with a 6RM. This will allow you to do 9 total reps with a 6RM, and skew the training effect more towards gaining muscle mass. "THE SPICY CLUSTER" 3-4 sets of AMRAP until you hit 15 total reps - 30s w/ 85% of 1RM In this example you're going to find a weight that's around 85% of your 1RM, and you're going to do as many reps as possible (without going to complete failure) before racking the bar and resting for 30 seconds. After the short rest you're going to again try and get as many reps as you can, before re-racking the bar and resting for another 30 seconds. Continue in this fashion until you hit a total of 15 reps. Repeat for 3-4 total clusters. Typically you should hit anywhere from 5-8 reps in your first mini set, and then have the reps slowly decrease for each subsequent mini set. With this data, we can formulate strategies to bang out more out of our training if:
Cluster Training allows us to push past fatigue. Fatigue is the limiting factor when trying to hit and complete more reps. This is the basic premise as to why we cannot go on forever at a specific intensity. That fatigue could come from central nervous system (CNS) fatigue or from muscular system fatigue. Either way, we are going to have to stop at a certain point no matter how much we want to keep going, which is frustrating. If we have 3 reps, adding more rest between reps is how we can squeeze 91% when normally we can only handle 90% for 3 sets of 3 reps. Let's talk about Relative Intensity and see how it relates:  Believe it or not, we do not work at 100% for the entire block. We progress from 70%, 80%, 90% and finish at 100%. With 100% being your 1 rep max. Working sub-maximally has incredible benefits. Working sub-maximally builds motor patterns in response to the stress and begins the progressive overload over the four weeks. When we get the fourth week, we are supposed to be able to hit 90-92.5% of our max for 3 reps. The intent is to handle higher intensities for increased volumes so we can accumulate more tonnage. If fatigue is coming from either the muscular system (replenishment of ATP/PC) or from the central nervous system (update or transmission of neurotransmitters) we can override that by allowing for rest in between sets. In conclusion:
Our training performance all comes down to our limiting factors. If our limiting factors are not as limiting then we can lift heavier weights than we normally can. And if we can use heavier weights than normal, we will obviously become stronger. Gainz.  We're entering an accumulation block. What does that mean? The goal of an Accumulation block is to use as much total energy in a session as possible. This maximum energy expenditure increases muscle tissue and fitness levels while decreasing body fat. You might be wondering what "maximum energy expenditure" means or what it's going to feel like. It means these training sessions are going to be really f*cking hard. No exaggeration. AKA SPICY WORKOUTS. Escalating Density Training (EDT) is a training protocol developed by Charles Staley in the early 2000s. While most people tend to mostly look at load (weight) and volume (sets x reps), EDT manipulates density. To be specific, the goal of EDT is to complete more sets in the same amount of time; each successive workout, you aim to achieve more work in the same time period. How are the workouts going to be set up? Each workout will consist of three separate series of exercises. Series A: Main, Compound Movements (20-minute time frame) Series B: Accessories Series C: Core Work / Finisher For the A series of our main, compound movements. We'll put a prescribed weight on the bar. That weight stays the same for the next 4-weeks. Week 1, the weight should be challenging enough to get around 10 sets in 20 minutes. After that, it's all about getting as many sets as possible in 20 minutes while maintaining quality* of movement. * A note on quality * When we say quality, we mean maintaining great position, technique & range of motion. More work in the same time. Rather than the same work in less time. This is an improvement in overall work rate, you will become more efficient. Each week, you should aim to increase the number of sets performed within the designated 20-minute duration. So what does Density mean in Escalating Density Training? What is Density? Your training density is the work you're able to do in a given amount of time. Training density is the amount of sets multiplied by the number of reps completed within a certain time frame. There are two methods for increasing Density: Method 1. Increase the amount of work in the same time frame. Method 2. Keep your workload the same while decreasing your work time. We're going to be increasing our training density by increasing the amount of work in the same time frame.  The changes in density caused by reducing rest but keeping volume and intensity up work like pressure changes in physics. The theory is that, all else being equal, less time with the same effort and training volume will elicit stronger signaling to the body. If the amount of rest is insufficient and intensity drops, the session is simply less effective than the original workout. Escalating Density Training (EDT) is really f*cking hard. Here's the scientific reason why... The burning of energy through the storage forms of carbohydrates (glycogen and glucose), fat (adipose and fatty acids) and potentially proteins (amino acids) lead to an acidic environment, or an accumulation of hydrogen at the local level. This acidity corresponds with increases in anabolism (building proteins) post-training through natural levels of growth hormone and testosterone. The most important takeaways you need for the next 4-weeks of this strength block: With such demanding training, our progress is exclusively determined by how well we recover from week to week. Rest and recovery are absolutely necessary. You will not get progress in this block without the appropriate rest and regeneration. We don't advise you perform any two-a-days during this strength block because over-training will hinder your results. Recovery is key. It's fundamental. It's essential. If you report excessively high RPEs and your workloads increase drastically - your countermeasures have to match it. If not, your progress will not occur resulting in either a plateau or possibly worse performance. Sleep, nutrition, and regeneration are the keys to success in this strength block. They must be placed at the highest priority if you want to maximize the benefits of EDT. Rest reduction increases fatigue and leads to technique and strength decay. Our goal is to make our clients and athletes better, not tired.  For previous strength blocks, we have used tracking sheets to assess your progress. However, this time around we will be creating an online document for you to fill in your data. * A note on why we track your progress * Assessing your progress week to week will be one of the core principles of our programming going forward. It's going to be the primary tool we use to assess if the load was appropriate from week to week based off how you adapt. The term for this systematic tracking of progress and loading of the bar is called Progressive Overload. A large misconception is that progressive overload only means increasing intensity or load. But with progressive overload, you can increase the number of sets at a specific load, you can increase the repetitions at a specific load, or in this case - you can increase the training density at a specific load.  The RPE number we will be asking you at the end of the training session is based off what our average Heart Rate was during training. What is RPE? RPE is short for Rate of Perceived Exertion. Based off a lot off research, RPE is a fairly accurate representation of your exertion during a training session. If your heart rate is higher, you report a higher RPE. And vice versa - if your heart rate is lower then you report a lower RPE. Take your RPE number and multiply it by 60-minutes of activity and you can calculate a workload. So with an RPE of 5 x 60-minutes = workload of 300. Our goal is to manage that workload and tie that into a progressive overload based model. Usually, we follow a "traditional" progression with our loading which, means we order our weeks with 70%, 80%, 90% and 100% of relative intensity. With this block, it will be the same Relative Intensity for 4-weeks, which changes the focus from progressive increases in tensity to increases in density. REFERENCES:
Street D, Bangsbo J, Cartsen J. Interstitial pH in human skeletal muscle during and after dynamic grade ncsf d exercise. J Physiol. 2001 Dec 15; 537(Pt 3): 993–998. Velloso CP. Regulation of muscle mass by growth hormone and IGF-I. Br J Pharmacol. 2008 Jun; 154(3): 557–568. Haff, G., & Triplett, N. T. (2016). Essentials of strength training and conditioning. Fourth edition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.nat “RPE Scale (Rated Perceived Exertion).” The Fit Tutor, May 2019, thefittutor.com/rpe-scale/. Valle, Carl ValleCoach. “Training Density: How to Improve It and When to Leave It Alone - SimpliFaster.” SimpliFaster Blog, 15 May 2017, simplifaster.com/articles/training-density-improve-leave-alone/. “RPE Scale (Rated Perceived Exertion).” The Fit Tutor, May 2019, thefittutor.com/rpe-scale/.“RPE Scale (Rated Perceived Exertion).” The Fit Tutor, May 2019, thefittutor.com/rpe-scale/.  For May, we're heading back into an Intensification block, so we're going to put a hold on our "spicy" workouts." Reminder: Intensification blocks focus on power, strength and speed. The primary focus of this strength block will be to simultaneously get everyone stronger and more explosive utilizing the complex training method. Complexes: integrating eccentric strength training and explosive plyometrics. Complex Training integrates strength training, plyometrics, and sometimes sport-specific movements. It consists of an intense strength exercise followed by a plyometric exercise. Strategically selecting explosive exercise to gain Post Activation Potentiation (PAP) is the driving force behind complex training. What is Post Activation Potentiation? The term Post Activation Potentiation (PAP) simply refers to an acute excitation of the neuromuscular system following some form of exercise (5RM Back Squat). This acute excitation has been shown to improve subsequent explosive performances such as the counter movement jump and sprint speed. The complex training method has been shown to improve jumping, sprinting, throwing, kicking and even change of direction speed performances.  Theoretical model representing the relationship between post activation potentiation (PAP) and fatigue regarding possible windows of enhanced performance With complexes, we’re working to improve our eccentric strength and stay dynamic with explosive plyometrics. This training is all about creating a shorter transition from the eccentric portion of a movement to the concentric portion of the movement. For this 4-week Strength block, here’s what our main movements will look like:
 There is a concept in exercise physiology known as Strength Deficit. Which is the difference between concentric and eccentric strength. We are stronger eccentrically. But if we train with a concentric focus, we can close the gap. And when we decrease the gap between concentric and eccentric strength, our relative strength improves. What is relative strength? Relative strength is the amount of strength to body size, or how strong someone is compared to their size. This reflects a person’s ability to control or move their body through space, a vital trait in all athletics. All else being equal, smaller individuals have higher relative strength. This is why despite both athletes being in great condition, a 145-pound male with an equal absolute strength to a 180-pound male will apply greater relative forces into the ground and be able to sprint much faster . The transition time between concentric and eccentric is also important. It impacts the force we can develop. A faster change from eccentric to concentric yields a higher rate of force development. A more robust eccentric ability means you can generate higher concentric outputs. And as we look at strength deficit, a larger deficit means we will generate more power and be able to endure higher loads. You are about 1.5-2 times as strong eccentrically compared to concentrically. People reach their ceiling concentrically rather quickly. It is a naturally weaker contraction type. At near maximal loads, people can always lower the weight under control but will fail when they try to lift the weight concentrically. A big reason to utilize eccentric training is this: There is still a lot of potential energy to tap into if we shift focus from concentric to eccentric. Plus, by maintaining better positions, there is a decreased potential for injury. We have designed this training block this way because it is more sustainable, smarter, and gets a better ROI over a long-haul, especially those of you grinding through two-a-days for the #kingsistencychallenge. |
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