knot Training: The Athlete's Size and drive Edge
All sport coaches would like big, strong athletes and most combative athletes want to be big and strong. However, most athletes and coaches run into a problem when training for both size and impel at the same time. The longer an athlete trains; ordinarily they begin to hit a plateau with their current routine. They growth the volume (an growth in sets) or they growth the intensity (percentage of 1 repetition maximum, not perceived muscular discomfort), however they do not do both. Volume training is great for increasing muscle mass, and increasing strength-endurance, however it is not an efficient formula for stimulating neural (strength) gains.
knot Training: The Athlete's Size and drive Edge
Muscle mass is ordinarily stimulated by neural gains. The higher the athlete's maximal impel levels, the higher the intensity used in repetition exercises can be used. Another problem coaches and athletes run into with neural training is the rest intervals must be higher in intensity training for salvage of the neural ideas (Cns).
Home Bar Unit
The problem is in the old saying, a pupil can train hard (intensity) or train long (volume) but cannot do both. Some coaches, such as T-Nation's Chad Waterbury have proposed using a low(er) intensity 75-85% bracket and increasing the volume to accommodate this intensity bracket and a decrease in the rest intervals (i.e. 10 sets of 3 with a 6 repetition maximum, with 60 seconds rest intervals). While this is an perfect formula and I am not putting it down, I feel there is a great way to work in a higher intensity bracket (80% to 100%) and apply enough volume to growth both size And strength!
Generally, novice athletes and trainees can make amazing gains within the 60-70% intensity bracket, ordinarily working their way to 80%. This 80% threshold rule is that impel ordinarily is stimulated above this ration and this ordinarily calls for a decrease in sets and an growth in rest intervals. So our formula will be working above this 80% threshold in every scenario.
Enter heap Training
Cluster training is not a new concept; in fact most Olympic weightlifters use this formula without knowing it! Some very well know authors have done much to bring this suited formula to light such as Charles Poliquin, Christian Thibaudeau, and Mike Mahler to name a few. Olympic weightlifters must drop the weight to the ground after each repetition; this is followed by a short pause, and Another repetition. Most Olympic weightlifters surface of the super-heavy weight branch sport tremendously muscular, athletic physiques to go along with their incredible strength!
Cluster training allows the athlete or pupil to apply intensity above the 80% threshold rule (generally even higher 85-100%), with enough volume to growth both impel and size (i.e. More reps at a higher intensity). However, this formula is highly demanding on the central nervous ideas and is not recommended for beginners or high school freshmen and sophomores. While this is a suited method, it should only be applied to One lift per movement group (horizontal push/pull, vertical push/pull, etc.) or One practice per body part. Another caveat is that this formula necessitates perfect spotters. If you do not have at least one good spotter, do not do this method. This is not a formula that will be kind to an athlete if their spotter(s) conclude to take a nap! heap training must also be broken into, not jumped into. I show will a progressive model to breaking into heap training and inviting into more advanced methods. Coach Thibaudeau breaks them into levels, level 1 consisting of three methods, level 2 consisting of three methods and level 3 consisting of two methods. For athletic purposes I will only be surface levels 1 and 2, level 3 will come at a later time.
Level 1
The first progression in heap training is the extended 5s method, coined by Coach Thibaudeau. The goal of the extended 5s formula is for the athlete to do 10 repetitions with a weight they can only do for 5 repetitions. Obviously this is an excellent growth stimulus, as there is an growth in both intensity and volume (85% x 10 repetitions). An extended 5s set would go like this...
The athlete takes their 5 repetitions maximum (Rm) and does 5 reps and then racks the bar. Resting approx 7-12 seconds (counted out loud by a training partner or spotter), the athlete then un-racks the bar and does Another 2-3 repetitions. Upon racking the bar again, Another rest of 7-12 seconds is taken, and a final 2-3 repetitions are performed. The goal of the set is to get 10 repetitions total. ordinarily an athlete will need two to three pauses to perform this. The athlete rests 3-5 minutes and repeats 3-5 times. This is an perfect preliminary formula to heap training! Here is a summary...
Extended 5s Method
· Load- 80-85% of 1 Rm or 5 Rm (repetition maximum)
· Reps- 5 Reps with 5 Rm, 7-12 pause, 2-3 Reps, 7-12 pause, 2-3 Reps
· Sets- 3-5
· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes
· Target Goal- 10 Repetitions with a 5 Rm
The next progression in heap training is the excellent heap method. Charles Poliquin wrote about this formula in his text contemporary Trends in impel Training (2001) and Mike Mahler has written articles on this formula calling it Rest-Pause Training. Regardless of the name, it is a suited and efficient method. This formula is best used for increases in relative and maximal impel and hypertrophy of the type Ii-B muscle fibers (the ones with the most inherent for force and power output). This formula uses a higher intensity bracket than the extended 5s method, ordinarily 87-92% of 1 Rm and attempts to hit 5 intermitted repetitions with that load. A excellent heap set would go like this...
The athlete would take their 3-4 repetitions maximum and performs 1 rep, racks the bar, 7-12 seconds pause, 1 rep, 7-12 second pause in the rack, 1 rep, 7-12 seconds pause, 1 rep, 7-12 seconds pause, and a final 1 rep, and a 3-5 wee rest. ordinarily 3-5 sets are employed. Here is a summary...
Classic heap Method
· Load- 85-92% of 1 Rm
· Reps- 5 Total Reps, intermitted, 1, pause, 1, pause, 1, pause, etc.
· Sets- 3-5
· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes
· Target Goal- 5 Repetitions with a 3-4 Rm
The last progression in level 1 is the antagonist heap method. This is basically a distinction of the excellent heap method, with the irregularity being that the athlete alternates in the middle of to opposing exercises with minimal rest (the pause is taken by the opposing practice being performed). Reps and sets still apply, however the performance of a set is a wee different...
The athlete would take their 3-4 repetitions maximum and performs 1 rep of bench press, racks the bar, proceeds to do 1 rep of bent over barbell rows, 1 rep on the bench press, 1 rep of the row, 1 rep bench press, 1 rep of the row, 1 rep on the bench, 1 rep on the row, and a final 1 rep on the bench, and 1 final rep of the row and a 3-5 wee rest. ordinarily 3-5 sets are employed. Here is a summary...
Antagonist heap Method
· Load- 85-92% of 1 Rm
· Reps- 5 Total Reps each antagonist exercise, 1 Rep practice 1, 1 Rep practice 2, etc.
· Sets- 3-5
· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes
· Target Goal- 5 Repetitions with a 3-4 Rm on two opposing exercises
· For those who need to know antagonists, examples would be horizontal push and horizontal pull (bench and row), vertical push and vertical pull (shoulder press and chin up), quad dominant and hip dominant (squat and good morning), arms (curl and triceps extensions).
Level 2
It goes without saying that a foundation of heap training should have been built in the former level prior to taking on the more advanced methods here!
The first progression of the second level is named after the late Mike Mentzer, a highly successful bodybuilder. I first learned the Mentzer heap formula through Coach Thibaudeau's perfect Dvd on heap training, and I prolonged to study it by reading Weight Training the Mike Mentzer Way. This is a very suited formula and should not be taken lightly. The goal of this formula is to perform 4 to 5 total reps at 100-80% intensity. First the athlete will perform 2-3 singles in excellent heap fashion at 90-100% intensity and drop the weight approx 10% and perform Another 1-2 repetitions with that weight in excellent heap fashion. For example...
The athlete takes 98% of their 1 Rm and does 1 rep, racks the bar, 7-12 seconds pause, Another 1 rep, 7-12 seconds pause, Another 1 rep, 7-12 seconds pause, the spotter reduces the weight (in 7-12 seconds) and the athlete performs 1 more rep with this weight. Here is a summary...
Mentzer heap Method
· Load- 90-98% of 1 Rm
· Reps- 4-5 Total Reps, intermitted, 1, pause, 1, pause, 1, pause, sacrifice weight 10%, 1 Rep
· Sets- 3-5
· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes
· Target Goal- 4-5 Repetitions with a 1-3 Rm
The second progression is called the drop set cluster. This is a blend of the excellent heap formula and the Mentzer heap method. Most trainees know what a drop set is, a descending project of dropping weight after performing some repetitions. The drop set heap still uses high intensity (90-100%) and drops the weight 5-10 lbs per drop on singular repetitions. Again 5 reps are the target goal. An example being...
The athlete does 1 rep with 98-100% intensity, racks the bar, and the training partner or spotters take off 5-10 lbs from the bar while the 7-12 seconds pause, the athlete does Another single, Racks the bar, the spotters proceed to strip 5-10 lbs, athlete performs Another single, racks the bar and more weight is stripped, athlete does Another rep, racks and spotters sacrifice weight further, and athlete completes last rep. The drop set heap allows a higher level of muscular tension, due to the repetition's slow speed and the rep is being performed at 100% maximal momentary impel (i.e. All muscle fibers are being recruited to lift the load) (Poliquin, contemporary Trends in impel Training, 18-19). A summary can be found here...
Drop Set heap Method
· Load- 90-100% of 1 Rm
· Reps- 5 Total Reps, intermitted, 1, pause lower weight 5-10 lbs, 1, pause lower weight 5-10 lbs, 1, pause lower weight 5-10 lbs, 1 Rep, pause lower weight 5-10 lbs, 1 Rep, pause lower weight.
· Sets- 3-5
· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes
· Target Goal- 5 Repetitions with a 1-3 Rm
The final progression in level 2 is called the accentuated eccentric heap method. Caution: this formula will wish a competent spotter! As you might know, I do like to accentuate the eccentric portion of an practice (see Eccentric Training for Athletes article). This formula combines the excellent heap formula with an accentuated eccentric portion of the lift. Again, the set and rep project stays close to the excellent heap method, however while the eccentric or lowering portion of the exercise, the training partner will push down on the bar and issue at the mid point. This requires a very skilled spotter! They should only apply enough resistance to have the athlete still lower the bar under control! If the bar is dropping like a bag of bricks, it is not helping the athlete it is hurting them! Here is an example...
The athlete would take their 3-4 repetitions maximum and performs 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, racks the bar, 7-12 seconds pause, 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, 7-12 second pause in the rack, 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, 7-12 seconds pause, 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, 7-12 seconds pause, and a final 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, and a 3-5 wee rest. ordinarily 3-5 sets are employed. Here is a summary...
Classic heap Method
· Load- 85-92% of 1 Rm
· Reps- 5 Total Reps, intermitted, 1 with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, pause, 1 with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, pause, 1 with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, pause, etc.
· Sets- 3-5
· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes
· Target Goal- 5 Repetitions with a 3-4 Rm
Advantages for the Athlete
In his contemporary Trends in impel Training (2001) text Charles Poliquin points out the advantages of using heap training for athletes, this is what he wrote...
· A higher total estimate of repetitions with a higher mean intensity in the same estimate of time as excellent impel or neural based training
· Increased total training time under tension for the high-threshold fast-twitch fibers; a prerequisite for reaching hypertrophy of these selected fibers. This may seem contradictory to the conception of relative strength, but hypertrophy can be useful if it is done in the right motor units.
· Higher force/lower velocities repetitions-a prerequisite for inducing maximal impel gains.
Putting it together
Cluster training is without a doubt a growth and impel stimulus. But how do you couple it into a plan? Clusters should not be used for more than 3-4 weeks, or else the formula will come to be stale and your body will have adapted to the formula anyway. So the formula must be integrated into a yearly plan or at least a periodized cycle.
If an athlete or coach utilizes a conjugate formula approach, heap training would fall into the plan as a Maximal exertion Method, due to its use of high loads. So one would essentially use it like this...
Max exertion Day
Me- excellent heap Method
Assistance work done using excellent hypertrophy methods (2-4 x 8-12)
If the athlete or coach decides to apply linear periodization, heap training would fall within the impel Phase bracket and each movement would be given the heap training method.
Strength Phase
Day 1- Horizontal Push/Pull
Bench Press- excellent heap Method
Bent Over Barbell Row- excellent heap Method
If the athlete or coach is utilizing undulating periodization (i.e. Rotating in the middle of varied impel methods by weeks with a training cycle) heap training could be used for maximal impel work.
Strength Weeks
Week 1 and 5
Day 1- Horizontal Push/Pull
Day 2- Hips Dominant/Quad Dominant
Day 3- Vertical Push/Pull
1 practice per Movement Group-
Classic heap Method
Cluster training is very versatile, and athletes can advantage from this formula by increasing both impel and size. However, like any other training tool, this one should only be used in moderation due to the intense fatiguing consequent it has on the Central Nervous System. Also this formula requires competent spotters, a luxury some do not have.
Cluster training done properly can help to jump start new growth or new impel adaptations in athletes. It can also growth all ready existing levels of size and strength. Any athlete (with the proper foundation) can advantage from this style of training! Good luck implementing this formula in your and your athlete's training!
Sources & additional Study
1. Poliquin, Charles contemporary Trends in impel Training (Self Published) 2001.
2. Thibaudeau, Christian (2005) heap Training [Dvd].
