Advanced Training Techniques

I'm going to run through some advanced training techniques. Although 3 sets of 10 reps is good, let's take things to the next level and add some of the following techniques to your plan.

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR)

The BFR technique is all about wrapping up the top part of your arm or leg to restrict blood flow in the veins, but still letting blood flow in through the arteries. This means more blood gets pumped into your muscles but can't get out, which leads to that awesome muscle pump you feel. That pump is actually a signal for your muscles to adapt and grow bigger!

When you use this method during your workouts, you keep lactic acid trapped in your muscles. Lactic acid helps with muscle growth by boosting protein synthesis. So, it’s a win-win for building muscle.

How to Wrap for BFR

When you're getting ready to use knee wraps, whether they're regular ones or specifically made for Blood Flow Restriction (BFR), here’s a simple way to get it right:

1. Position the Wrap

   Start by placing the wrap at the top of your limb.

   
   

2. Tuck It In

   Bring the wrap under your armpit and wrap it around between your shoulder and bicep.

   
   

3. Find the Right Tightness

   Make sure to tighten it to about a 7 out of 10 on the tightness scale. You want it snug but not so tight that you feel numbness or tingling.

If the wrap is too tight, it can block your arteries. Studies have shown that this can actually limit muscle growth in that area, so keep it comfy!

How to Train When Using BFR:

• Lighter weight, 40-50% of what you normally lift.

• Higher rep range, 15-30 repetitions, and focus on squeezing.

• Short rest periods of 30 seconds.

Forced Eccentric Training

The two components of a lift:

1. Concentric - The upward motion

2. Eccentric - The downward motion

   
   

Research has shown that during eccentric motion, you're applying force negatives, allowing you to handle more weight on the downward part of the lift compared to the upward part.

An electromyography (EMG) device can capture the signals sent from the brain to the muscles, which are represented as electrical impulses. It demonstrates that the signal is strong during the concentric phase of a bicep curl, but it diminishes during the eccentric phase. Using forced eccentric training boosts the signal when you're going down in your movements. This technique puts more tension on your muscles, which helps them grow bigger and stronger.

How to use FET

1. With a partner

   Get your gym partner to apply force on the barbell during the eccentric motion of a biceps curl.

   
   

2. Without a partner

   Do a single-arm biceps curl and use your other hand to apply force during the eccentric motion of the curl.

Intraset Stretching

This is a very recent technique that Dr. Jacob Wilson released from his lab.

Intraset stretching is an interesting technique that helps your muscles grow in two main ways:

• It ramps up muscle tension, which leads to more muscle damage and ultimately, growth.

• It boosts the swelling in your muscle cells, making them expand even more.

The best way to use intraset stretching is to do it at the end of a high-rep set. For example, after you finish a set of calf raises, instead of just putting the weights down, you can use them to stretch your muscles further. Here’s how:

1. After your last rep, hold the weight in a static position for about 30 seconds.

   
   

2. Then, jump right into your next set. It’s even better if you have a buddy who can help lighten the load for you.

   
   

When you do a high-rep set, your muscles are already pumped up with blood. Adding a stretch on top of that really cranks up the intensity, as the blood and weight create extra tension in your muscles. Sure, intraset stretching can be pretty challenging and cause some muscle damage, but that’s actually a good thing! It signals your muscle cells to adapt and grow bigger to handle the stress.

Dropset

On a normal hypertrophy training day, when it is 8-12 repetitions, there is a buildup in blood lactate. However, at that point, you're resting between sets.

Purpose of Dropsets

• Eliminate the rest periods between sets

• Build up more lactate

• Cause more metabolic stress

• Recruit more muscle fibers

How to Dropset

2-3 sets back to back. The only rest you have is to minimise the weight, which is why it is best to have a training partner to do this for you. Aim for 8-10 reps on each or at least to failure.

Lactate is extremely important for muscle growth. In fact, if you literally take a muscle cell and bathe it in lactate, it will grow.

Superset and Giant Set

Supersets occur when you perform one exercise after the other in consecutive order while training the same body part.

An example of a superset is that if you're targeting the deltoids with a shoulder press, you will be hitting the front delts along with a bit of the side delts. The side delts will still be quite fresh, so follow on with lateral raises to finish them off. This will create a fully symmetrical and developed deltoid complex.

Giant sets are exactly the same as supersets, but involve performing three or more exercises.

Ready SET Go

If you haven't already, give these a go and tell me what you think!

Recommended Blogs

• How I Train Triceps

• The How-To for Bigger Biceps

• Understanding Muscle Fibres for Maximum Gains