AUGUST 2024 - STRENGTH BLOCK

CLUSTER TRAINING

CLUSTER TRAINING IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO SHOCK YOUR BODY INTO NEW GAINS, AS WELL AS BREAK UP THE MONOTONY OF TAKING A STRAIGHT SETS APPROACH TO YOUR LIFTING. IT'S DIFFERENT.

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.

How do you do Cluster Training?
With cluster training, the design is all about the rest between reps, rather than between sets. 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.

Tonnage is a term that quantifies overall load used during a period of time.​
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.
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 TO ACHIEVE MORE NEURONAL CHANGES; SUCH AS, POWER AND FORCE PRODUCTION.

HYPERTROPHY FOCUSED CLUSTER:
5(3x3) 15 sec w/ 6RM
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.