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GIRONDA'S 8X8 - APRIL 2023 STRENGTH BLOCK

3/9/2023

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​With summer quickly approaching and Turf Wars a few months away, we're shifting gears with our strength training. We're shifting into an accumulation block focused on volume, body composition ad work capacity. We're simplifying the programming for strength and drill the fundamentals utilizing Gironda's 8x8. You'll learn to appreciate how proper strength training can have different effects on your body depending how you adjust your set and rep ranges."TRAIN FOR SHAPE, AND STRENGTH WOULD FOLLOW"
- VINCE GIRONDA

Gironda's 8x8 Method
The late Vince Gironda, considered by many to be the first bodybuilding coach - and definitely the most eccentric - referred to 8x8 as the "honest" workout. He opened his gym in Hollywood in 1948 and came to fame due to his ability to create impressive bodies. A-list actors, fashion models, competitive bodybuilders all flocked to his gym during the 1950s-1970s to train under his guidance. He was known as being a madman, had a reputation of being a dictator but he was a body sculpting genius (Sounds like Gerrick).

An intense high-volume training system designed strictly for cosmetic improvements, its "honesty" stems from the humbling weight used during the actual workout. Vince prescribed 8x8 primarily for pre-contest situations, and its brutal effectiveness is surprising considering its elegant simplicity. Simplicity leads to less injury and more technical mastery.

How to perform Gironda's 8x8 Workout
​Similar to 10x10 or German Volume Training, you begin with 60% 1RM in a given lift (compound movements preferred), and perform 8x8 with 15-30 seconds of rest. This method can be applied for up to four different movements per workout. Anything more than that would completely shock your body.

If you remember German Volume Training and how you felt completing those workouts, the 8x8 may give you some PTSD and traumatize you even more because it's fast with no time for breaks. This strength block is all about training volume. You'll be performing traditional strength training compound movements with controlled tempos but the training intensity will feel like you're running a marathon due to the short rest intervals. You'll be lifting weights and your Myzones will look like you're running sprints which do wonders for metabolic training and fat loss aka shredzzz.

Benefits of Gironda's 8x8 Workout
1. Build Muscle Hella Fast
8x8 routines are unparalleled in terms of muscle building potential. German Volume Training 10x10 is a close contender. The 8x8 workout is intense and the large volume completed in a short time elicit muscle growth (hypertrophy). This puts tremendous stress on your muscles and forces them to adapt and grow.

2. Burn Fat and Get Shredded AF
8x8 has thermogenic effects, you moving constantly for 45 consecutive minutes of hard work. You're banging out 64 reps of a given exercise at a really fast pace. Your heart rate will be jacked up. Sweat will drip from your skin. Your lungs will burn, but keep your mask on cause COVID is still a thing. Just know that even though you're doing a strength workout, it has conditioning effects. The rapid fire reps burn fat and develop your muscular endurance/work capacity. Your cardiovascular and respiratory systems will get stronger and more efficient. Your athletic performance will improve which will help for Turf Wars.

3. Build Muscle Definition and Density
Muscle definition is created by having low body fat and dense muscles. Muscle density is built by keeping muscles under tension. The slow, controlled movements in 8x8 keep muscles under constant tension (2/0/2/0).  There are multiple ways to progress leveraging intensities, volume or density; with the 8x8 we'll be manipulating all of the above.

REMINDER, GO TO FRC. DO YOUR CARS AND PRACTICE YOUR MOBILITY DRILLS EVERY DAMN DAY.

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MARCH 2023, STRENGTH BLOCK #3 - BILL STARR'S 5x5

2/10/2023

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We're finishing an intensification block where the theme was Advanced German Volume Training, where the primary focus to effectively build endurance and improve our work capacities. The improvements will be seen in the next strength block immediately.

We are shifting gears and heading into an realization block. The theme of this realization block is the 5x5. It will take us 4 weeks to go through this strength block cycle leading into the first KPI week of 2023!

THE HISTORY OF THE 5X5​THE 5x5 IS FOCUSED ON THE BIG THREE MOVEMENTS: SQUAT, BENCH AND DEADLIFT WITH THE PROGRAM DIVIDED INTO HEAVY, MODERATE AND LIGHT VERSIONS.

March's King Strength and Performance strength block is the famous 5x5, a program invented by strength and conditioning legend and pioneer Bill Starr.

Bill Starr landed on the set and rep scheme because he thought it was the perfect balance of volume and intensity that would develop muscular size and strength at the same time.

For some historical context, Starr designed this program at the time when most of his athletes and lifters worked full-time, manual labor jobs outside of training. They'd do hard labor in factories and then after work, they had to go to the gym to train.

Starr had to be strategic with program design to get the most results for his athletes. By trial and error, he realized what we adapt to is the most important. And that it's not about how much one can do, but about how much one can sustainably handle.

His methods became something of a legend and ushered a whole new world of strength and conditioning that took deep roots in all aspects of the physical culture.
WHAT MAKES THE 5X5 SPECIAL?​The 5x5 program split is three separate days focused on the big three: Squat, Bench and Deadlift. The program is broken up into a heavy, moderate and light version.

This is important because it was one of the first great attempts to look at pattern development from a movement perspective and performance perspective. On one hand, you need a certain level of exposure to master the movement. On the other hand, you need a certain amount of intensity to perform optimally in the movement.

But if you push one exercise everyday at maximal intensity, you will break (which we imagine was a product of learning this the hard way). There has to be proper manipulation and variability in training intensity to accommodate proper recovery.
​HERE'S HOW THE 5X5 PROGRAM WORKSThe 5x5 program has three days that start with a heavy version of Squat, Bench or Deadlift followed by a moderate version of Squat, Bench or Deadlift, followed again by a light version of Squat, Bench or Deadlift.

You push the weight as heavy as you can on each for 5 sets of 5 reps but the weight is deloaded based on the rage of motion, vector, distance from center of gravity, joints involved, and balance required.DAY 1
HEAVY - BACK SQUAT
MODERATE - OVERHEAD PRESS
LIGHT - ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

DAY 2
HEAVY - BENCH PRESS
MODERATE - GOOD MORNING OR HIP THRUST
LIGHT - KB RACKED SQUAT

DAY 3
HEAVY - TRAP BAR DEADLIFT
MODERATE - FRONT SQUAT OR ZERCHER SQUAT
​LIGHT - Z PRESS

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February 2023, STRENGTH BLOCK #2 - ADVANCED GERMAN VOLUME TRAINING (10X5)

1/13/2023

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Congratulations, you just completed January's rigorous block German Volume Training. Your prize is Advanced German Volume Training, the name is pretty self explanatory it's the more advanced version...

This is about stripping away any fluff and getting down to just hard work: two exercises done at a fixed weight for 10 sets. The only difference here is that instead of doing 10 reps, we are going to do 5 reps.

A typical session is roughly 20-30 sets. How we distribute those sets amongst the exercises determines the impact those exercises have. Greater total volume and overall load will have a greater overall impact. Said differently, allocate more sets to an exercise if you want that exercise to have a greater impact. Greater allocation of sets means there is a greater potential for advancement from those exercises.

Important Concepts: Tonnage & Critical Drop Off
There are two big points that need to be addressed in this blog post - Tonnage and Critical Drop Off.

Tonnage is the aggregate of mass multiplied by volume (expressed in repetitions). So if we do 5 sets of 5 reps at 135lbs that would be 3,375lbs total Tonnage. For context, this is really important for things like weight lifting. if a person can accumulate a certain amount of tonnage over a course of a training cycle they should be able to hit greater competition maxes aka increased strength.

Critical Drop Off: with any training protocol, there is a point of diminishing returns. That point means very clearly that what we are doing from a set, rep, and intensity standpoint is no longer effective. We have to make an alternative strategy to continue. We want the set, rep, and even tempo to stay the same to maintain the objectives of the program. The only thing left to adjust is intensity and lowering the weight. We can also adjust frequency: go fewer days or not back to back to days in a block like this. It's important to feel out your body and rest if needed.
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Have you heard of Pareto's Principle?
Pareto's Principle (aka 80/20 rule, the law of the vital few, or the principle of factor sparsity) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

​We are able to leverage Pareto's principle. So it is about determining the greatest ROI generating exercises and setting up sets and reps to maximize benefit from training.
Not everyone will make a seamless transition from one block to the next. This is why we need contingencies like rep brackets.

Rep Brackets are a way of listing rep ranges in programming. You'll see us utilize the whiteboard for this block and see rep schemes like 4-5, 8-10, or 12-15. It's because it fits within this concept called rep brackets. This gives you a range to work with so we can push higher intensity with some wiggle room to progressively overload. We are always driving for the higher number within the rep bracket, in this case it will be the 5 reps. Bu sometimes a loss of focus happens and we can only hit 4 reps with technical proficiency. Other times we drive up the intensity and only hit 4 reps safely. In both cases, if w hit within 4 reps for all 10 sets we can still progressively overload week to week.
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Advanced German Volume Training vs Traditional German Volume Training
What's the Difference?


Let us recap the most important points regarding German Volume Training:
  1. You do ten sets of a single "most bang for your buck" exercise.
  2. You strive to do a pre-determined number of reps on each set, ex: ten sets of ten reps.
  3. You preferably alternate with the antagonist "most bang for your buck" exercise.
  4. You only increase the weight once all ten sets are completed with the pre-determined starting weight. The load used is sub-maximal, you do not try to reach failure on all sets, but only the last three should be hard. Basically you get the training effect from the law of repeated efforts.

Improvements for Advanced German Volume Training
The advanced component comes from lowering the reps and increasing the corresponding load. So we have more intensity and greater impact on the nervous system. This makes it more advanced.

GUIDELINES FOR ADVANCED GERMAN VOLUME TRAINING:
Training Frequency: Because this is such a demanding program, it will take you longer to recover. The exercises done in the two different workouts for the same body part should be similar, yet different enough to tap into a different motor unit pool.

Reps: For the advanced trainee, doing more than 5 reps is a waste of time, as the average intensity will be too low. The reps should vary for each one of the six workouts (German Volume Training, like any other training, is only effective for so long). Reps are the loading parameter to which one adapts the quickest.

Rest Intervals: When trainees start with this method, they often question its value during the first several sets simply because the weight will not feel heavy. However, there is minimal rest between sets (about 90 seconds when performed in sequence and 90-120 seconds when performed as a superset), which gives you a process of accumulative fatigue. Because of the importance of the rest intervals, you should use a stopwatch or a watch equipped with one to keep the rest intervals constant. This is very important, as it becomes tempting to lengthen the rest time as you fatigue.

Tempo: For long range movements such as squats, dips, and chin-ups, use a 40X0 tempo; this means you would lower the weight in four seconds and immediately change direction and lift explosively for the concentric portion. For movements such as curls and triceps extensions, use a 30X0 tempo. Advanced trainees, because of their enhanced neurological efficiency, should only use explosive concentric tempos.

Number of Exercises: One, and only one, exercise per body part should be performed. Therefore, select exercises that recruit a lot of muscle mass. Triceps kickbacks and leg extensions are definitely out—squats and bench presses are definitely in. For supplementary work for individual body parts (like triceps and biceps), you can do 3 sets of 6-8 reps.

Overload Mechanism: Once you are able to do 10 sets of x reps with constant rest intervals, increase the weight on the bar by the percentage outlined in the article and repeat the process. Refrain from using forced reps, negatives, or burns, as the volume of the work will take care of the hypertrophy. Expect to have some deep muscle soreness without having to resort to set prolongation techniques. In fact, after doing a quad and hams session with this method, it takes the average bodybuilder about five days to stop limping.
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JANUARY 2023, STRENGTH BLOCK #1 - GERMAN VOLUME TRAINING (10x10)

12/14/2022

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We're finishing December's Intensification block where the theme was GREYSKULL Linear Periodization, where the primary focus to effectively build strength, power and lean muscle mass. A perfect program for creating the foundation for muscle and strength growth.

For Strength Block #1 of 2023, we are shifting gears and heading into an accumulation block, where the focus is
volume, body composition and work capacity. The theme of this accumulation block is a classic strength program, German Volume Training (10x10).

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:
  1. Bench Press
  2. Barbell Zercher or Front Squats
  3. Trap Bar Deadlifts 

German Volume Training yields incredible results. You get an incredible hormonal response and extremely high levels of hypertrophy.

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What is Hypertrophy?
Hypertrophy means increasing the size of the muscle cell. GVT also makes you incredibly lean due to its 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.
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​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.

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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:
  1. Increased nerve firing
  2. Increased motor unit activation
  3. Increased muscle fiber recruitment
  4. Increased energy expenditure​
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German Volume Training makes you leaner. How so?
The main reason is lactic acid initiates protein synthesis. Protein synthesis leads to:
  1. Glycolysis (the breakdown of glucose)
  2. Glycogenolysis (the breakdown of glycogen)
  3. Gluconeogenesis (the breakdown of other energy substrates, specifically fat)

Gluconeogenesis is the most 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.
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The Glucose Metabolism Pathway
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. Why is why we will be implementing a lot of injury prevention education, FRC and mobility into the programming.

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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, lactic acid is great in small bouts but not as a long-term fitness solution.
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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.

Though GVT leads to impressive results over time, it is just too demanding on the body to run for long periods of time. A 4-week block is the perfect duration, and as you'll see, it will transition right into February's training block - stay tuned for the next blog post. 
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King Strength and Gympass?

12/1/2022

 
GymPass is a 3rd-party, usually corporate perk that gives participating employees access to a wide variety of gyms, studios, and fitness class options. (Note that this is NOT ClassPass, which is a different service entirely - see the FAQ here)
At this time, KING Strength does not offer classes on GymPass.

For the most up-to-date information about KING Strength sessions, message us on Instagram or Facebook @kingstrengthperformance, call us at (908) 402-2177, or email us at kingstrengthperformance@gmail.com

KING Strength and Classpass?

12/1/2022

 
ClassPass is a 3rd-party, subscription-based service that provides members with access to a variety of different gyms, studios, salons, and spas. (Note that this is NOT GymPass, which is a different service entirely - see the brief FAQ here)

Which Classes Are available on Classpass?

As part of continued marketing efforts, ClassPass has been enabled specifically for our Tuesday and Thursday BASE classes, which focus on joint and bodily resilience while mixing in strength, cardio conditioning, and flexibility/mobility work.
BASE classes are the easiest way to get a sense for what we do: progressively build strength for a lifetime, and not just chasing a burn or sweat or soreness (all of which might happen anyway!)

How Do I Use ClassPass To Enroll?

As a 3rd-party service, ClassPass is not affiliated with KING Strength. If you are a ClassPass user, you would look up the gym through your ClassPass app before booking it using your available credits/plan. Note that ClassPass drop-ins are for classes only and not for any of our ongoing membership programs.
Gym access on ClassPass may change month-by-month or may be unavailable entirely. We fully support having variety in movement, exercise and life! But consistency in implementation is required for long-term progress and growth, which is how our programs and memberships are structured. 

For the most up-to-date information about KING Strength sessions, message us on Instagram or Facebook @kingstrengthperformance, call us at (908) 402-2177, or email us at kingstrengthperformance@gmail.com

Black November: Your Best Deals of 2022

11/25/2022

 
We don't offer discounts regularly - but when we do, they're good! Here's a summary of our best Black Friday promotions in 2022:
To purchase: text us at (908) 402-2177 and/or speak to any trainer. Terms & conditions apply, see below.

1: 12-Month Paid-In-Full

For those who know and like our group training, this is the best value possible. 12 months of unlimited group training for only a single payment of $1650 (savings of $450). Note that this membership is non-refundable and does not auto-renew unlike our monthly memberships.

2: Personal Training Packs

For those who want or need more specific technique, attention, or programming: now's the time to stock up with one of these options.
  • 2-pack semiprivate training for $100 (savings of $30): 2~4 clients, 1 trainer
  • 2-pack 1-1 private personal training for $200 (savings of $40): 1 client, 1 trainer, all the attention
No limit to the # of packs you may purchase (with holiday scheduling chaos approaching, Rob's clients have already been stocking up like toilet paper during lockdown 😂). Sessions are non-refundable and expire 90 days from date of purchase.

3: Refer-A-Friend & Get 1 Month Free

If you refer a friend who enrolls in one of our memberships, you'll receive 1 month to your own membership for free! ($249 value). Your free months are added to the end of your active membership term. If you're on a month-to-month plan, this means your next full month is free. Offer valid until 11/30/2022 (and applies to any friends who begin a trial before then). No limit to referrals. Everyone wins.

4: 50% Off 7-Day Intro Trials

Normally $50, this deal gives new members only 7 days of unlimited class access for $25. Valid for new members only. Trial must be activated by 12/1/22. Does not apply toward semiprivate or personal training trials, but may be applied toward the KING Experience Trial (classes + semiprivate/personal training trial).

5: Fuel Your Progress Nutrition

One of our newest and most-requested offerings has been a guide to nutrition, which we finally released earlier this year. You have two options:
  • Fuel Your Progress (FYP) Gold Membership: $10/month (savings of $10/month): for those looking for self-paced guidance. Includes access to our webinar series of over 20 episodes, broken down for easily digestible information; access to all logging/information sheets to hold yourself accountable; direct access to our community Facebook page to ask any questions and be in-the-know for any current updates; and new bi-weekly content uploaded regularly to ensure ongoing education and to keep things fresh
  • FYP Platinum Nutrition Coaching: $150/month (savings of $50/month): for those ready and willing to take their nutrition to the next level. Includes everything included from our Gold-tier Membership; direct 24/7 access to your own Precision Nutrition-certified Coach @petey_lopez, as well as to our PN certified team; biweekly “Accountability Check-Ins” with your coach; individualized macronutrient counts tailored to your goals; and full access to our comprehensive tracking sheet that will be updated regularly, taking into account everything from sleep to your last meal of the day.

6: Merch Merch MERCH!

You can use promo code "CYBERMONDAY2022" for 30% off all merchandise from our store - active until end of day Monday, 11/28/22 only! We've brought back popular designs as well as a new collection specifically for Monica's birthday. AND if you spend $150 or more at once, you'll receive a complimentary SPT training session (valued at $60) which our managers will coordinate.

To purchase any of the above: Text us at (908) 402-2177 or speak with any of our trainers. All promotions are nonrefundable, nontransferable, and these promotions are no longer available after 11/30/2022.

DEC 2022, STRENGTH BLOCK #12 - GREYSKULL LINEAR PERIODIZATION

11/17/2022

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GREYSKULL LINEAR PERIODIZATION.
The theme of December's strength block is Greyskull Linear Periodization (Greyskull LP). This program is famous for its effectiveness at building strength and size rapidly (hypertrophy). 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.
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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.
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We will be incorporating 2-3 accessory exercises per workout on strength days.

END OF THE YEAR! THIS IS THE LAST STRENGTH BLOCK OF 2022!
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're all stronger, faster, fitter, happier and healthier.
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FOR THE CULTURE.
As an AAPI owned business, culturally we don't typically say this often because it's not the norm for us to give words of affirmation to our loved ones but we're proud of you for sticking through the year of training with us and we love and thank you for your continued support. 
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Nov 2022, STRENGTH BLOCK #11 - CLUSTER TRAINING

10/19/2022

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We're finishing October's accumulation strength block where the theme was Escalating Density Training (EDT). For November, 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 utilizing short intra-set rest periods (usually ranging between 10-30 seconds), we will be using 15 seconds, 
which will act to allow us to perform 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 methodology 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 our reps in then rest. Get another rep in 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.
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Tonnage = Weight X Reps X Sets

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 of hypertrophy. Or we can utilize 10 sets of 3 reps to achieve more neuronal changes; such as, power and 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:
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THE SCIENCE BEHIND CLUSTER TRAINING:

ATP-PC Recovery

The ATP-PC energy system is responsible for energy production for the first 10–15 seconds of maximal exercise. Therefore, it's important for strength and power events. To fully replenish the ATP-PC system, it takes about three minutes, but initial recovery is much quicker. After 30 seconds, it can be 70 percent recovered. By using short inter-set rest periods, athletes can perform more reps with a heavier weight or more powerful reps with a sub-maximal weight when training for power.
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Post-activation potentiation
Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is an increase in force production of the skeletal muscle following a previous muscular contraction (Sale 2002). Essentially, every rep you perform has an excitatory effect on the muscles and nervous system involved. If there is little fatigue, a more forceful contraction can be produced subsequently. This leads to my next point…
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Fitness fatigue theory (lactate)
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Any training stimulus has two effects—a fitness effect and a fatigue effect. Your performance is a balance between these two opposing factors (Chiu 2003). PAP takes advantage of the heightened fitness to increase force production, but if you perform a set with many reps, more fatigue will be involved and performance will decrease. So with traditional sets, more fatigue is accumulated in the form of lactic acid, thus you can't take advantage of the fitness effect or PAP. With cluster training, there is little fatigue, so you can make the most of PAP and each rep should be more explosive than the last (Haff 2008).
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Below are a few cluster set/rep schemes we may program for you depending on your individual fitness 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/rep schemes for clusters are written in a weird way. Don't freak out, they're quite easy to interpret.

HYPERTROPHY FOCUSED CLUSTER: 5(3x3) - 15 sec w/ 6RM
Again, this follows in the process as the example above, except that in this set up you're going to do 3 mini sets 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 muscular mass aka hypertrophy.

POWER FOCUSED CLUSTER: 4(4x2) - 10 sec w/ 5RM
In this set up, you'll do 4 total cluster (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 load.

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"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:
  • We know our results are the aggregate of how much total weight we can lift in a period of time.
  • We know there is a specific amount of weight we can hit per specified number of reps.
  • We have a pretty good guideline to go off of on how much volume we can handle in a training session.​​
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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:
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Believe it or not, we do not work at 100% for the entire block. We progress from 85%, 88.5%, 92.5% and may finish at 100%. With 100% being your new 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.

References
  • Chiu LZF, et al (2003) The fitness-fatigue model revisited: Implications for planning short- and long-term training. Strength and Conditioning Journal 25(6):42–51.
  • Haff GG, et al (2003) Effects of different set configurations on barbell velocity and displacement during a clean pull. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research17(1):95–103.
  • Haff GG, et al (2008) Cluster training: a novel method for introducing training program variation. Strength and Conditioning Journal 30(1):67–76. 
  • Hansen KT, et al (2011) Does Cluster Loading Enhance Lower Body Power Development in Preseason Preparation of Elite Rugby Union Players Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 25(8):2118–26.
  • Sale DG (2002) Post-activation potentiation: Role in human performance. Exercise and Sports Science Reviews 30:138–43.
  • Schoenfeld BJ (2010) The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research24(10):2857–72.
  • Verkhoshansky Y (1967) Special Strength Training: Manual for Coaches.
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OCTOBER 2022 - STRENGTH BLOCK #10 - ESCALATING DENSITY TRAINING (EDT)

9/8/2022

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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 very spicy.


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: 
Main, Compound Movements (20-minute time frame)
Series C: Accessories / Core Work / Finisher

For the A and B 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.
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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 better, not tired.​​​​
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Utilizing the TrainHeroic app allows us to accurately track and measure what we do during each training session.
* 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.
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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 intensity 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/.
 
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