I am looking for some new workout ideas - any tips?

Dear Fitness Advice,

I am looking for some new workout ideas as my current gym work is getting dull and I am starting to lose benefit - any tips?

Cheers David.

Hi David

The more intense the training strategy, the more the quality of these factors need to be.

These definitions appear in various guises. Here are a few.

Percentage Workouts:

Percentage workouts consist of training on a set percentage of your 1 rep power max per workout at different times of the training year.

Singles:

Singles consist of one set, usually around 12 reps to failure. Singles are often referred to as The Nautilus Principle, as the principle was first pioneered by the Nautilus company who make gym equipment.

This system of training was introduced for the American market in order to cut down the amount of time that people spent in the gym so as to be able to increase the flow of paying customers through the door. This system of training is now defunct as it not only places far too much stress on the tendons, ligaments and joints, but it does not incorporate the theory of progressive overload.

Multi Sets:

Multi sets consist of several sets on one exercise.

Supersets:

Supersets are performed straight after each other with no rest in between by bodybuilders and endurance athletes and are used as a method of increasing the progressive overload of the workout.

Supersets, Trisets and Giant Sets do not follow the Wabba sets and reps strategy as these advanced training options are dependent on the type of training undertaken and the factors outlined at the start of this section. The level of, “ chemical assistance “ must also be considered. Usually no more than 3 sets are performed.

How supersets work:

The first to bear in mind is the fact that the Triceps are a bigger muscle than the Biceps. This is a key point as it is the reasoning that underpins the entire Superset philosophy.

When performing a set on the Triceps the blood pools in the area and the surrounding areas of the Triceps. When you go from performing a set on the Triceps to immediately performing a set on the Biceps, the destination of the blood that was in the Triceps and the surrounding areas of the Triceps changes destination and goes to the Biceps. When this happens, as a direct result of the extra blood that is pumped to the Biceps, there is a greater delivery of nutrients, along with a greater diffusion rate out of the muscle for waste products. This allows you to train at a greater level of intensity for a short amount of time during a workout.

It is important to remember that this level of highly advanced an intensive training, not only requires all the other training factors to be in place, but it also requires extreme motivation. This kind of motivation can only come from training with a partner who will push you to your limits and get the very best out of you.

There are 3 Superset options:

• Training Opposing Muscle Groups
• Training The Same Muscle Group
• Pre Exhaust - Isolation Exercises Followed By Compound Exercises

Tri Sets:

Tri Sets are classed as an advanced kind of Superset which are more intensive. Tri Sets consist of training 3 sets in a row with no rest in between, on the same muscle group and are performed by bodybuilders and endurance athletes as a method of increasing the progressive overload of the workout.

Supersets, Tri Sets and Giant Sets do not follow the Wabba sets and reps strategy as these advanced training options are dependent on the type of training undertaken and the factors outlined at the start of this section. The level of, “chemical assistance “ must also be considered. Usually no more than 3 sets are performed.

Giant Sets:

Giant Sets are classed as an advanced kind of Tri Set which are more intensive. Giant Sets use 4 different exercises in a row with no rest in between, on the same muscle group and are performed by bodybuilders and endurance athletes as a method of increasing the progressive overload of the workout.

Giant Sets are usually performed on big muscle groups such as the Quadriceps and the lats due to the intensity of this advanced training option. Obviously, bodybuilders on, “chemical assistance“ may use this strategy on other muscle groups.

Supersets, Tri Sets and Giant Sets do not follow the Wabba sets and reps strategy as these advanced training options are dependent on the type of training undertaken and the factors outlined at the start of this section. The level of, “chemical assistance “ must also be considered. Usually no more than 3 sets are performed.

Blitzing:

Blitzing consists of training one body part only per workout with a very high number of sets, reps and weight options. This is a very intense way of training which can only be recovered from, in time for the subsequent training session on the same body part, by using, “ chemical assistance “. Without this, “ chemical assistance “ the muscles would still be too sore to be retrained.

Cheat Reps:

Cheat Reps consist of using less strict form in order to lift more weight. Unfortunately, most trainers have adopted this type of training as they have either copied from the local gym, “guru“, or they have been incredibly badly advised by one of the thousands of overwhelmingly poorly trained, “instructors“ that exist in an unregulated industry.

Sadly, any idiot in the United Kingdom can set up in business and hand out gym instructor qualifications after having given their students a few tea cup curls to perform.

Multi Poundage Sets:

Multi Poundage Sets are a Superset option, whereby you strip the weight in halves or thirds, so as to do more reps before reaching total failure. These also known as Strip Sets or Drop Sets.

For bodybuilding purposes, with the exception of high tolerance muscles such as Calves, you would only perform a Multi Poundage Set, stripping the weight in half’s and not thirds, on the very last set of each exercise to ensure that the muscles are taken to all out blood and guts failure. Any more than this would place far too much intensity on the muscles. But again this will be dependent on the factors outlined at the start of this section.

It is essential that the last set before the Multi Poundage Set goes to all out failure. You should have absolutely nothing left in the tank before starting the Multi Poundage Set. If you do not go to failure the Multi Poundage Set will be too easy and it will not do what it is intended to do.

Performing more than one Multi Poundage Set per exercise would usually have to be done in conjunction with, “chemical assistance“. Elite endurance athletes, on the other hand, often strip the weight in thirds, which is acceptable, as endurance athletes only use 60% of their 1 rep power maximum.

Forced Reps:

Forced Reps involve going beyond failure with the help of a training partner, or spotter. Only 1 or 2 reps are realistically achievable at the end of an intense set, as the idea is only to keep the bar or dumbbell moving and not to do most of the lifting.

• The Rest Pause Principle:

The Rest Pause Principle was a Californian training system from the 60’s. This system is almost like doing Forced Reps but without the aid of a training partner. The idea is to do your usual set of however many reps and then rest or pause at the bottom of the movement in order to allow a couple of seconds of recovery to then be able to squeeze out one or two more reps.

The main aim of this style of training is to increase lactic acid tolerance so that after a few weeks you are able to squeeze out more reps whilst tolerating the build up of lactic acid (and therefore pain) much more easily.

Forced Reps are the preferred option as you are able to both control the movement much more so that you do not get into the habit of using your hips and other areas to lift the weight up, and keep much more intensity throughout the exercise.

Pyramids:

Pyramids, also known as Ascending Sets, consist of increasing the weight with each set so as to maintain progressive overload. When the weight is decreased each set, then these are often called Descending Sets.

Negatives:

Negatives consist of counting 3 while lowering more weight than you can lift. This type of training is done by performing only one premium choice exercise per muscle group, i.e. Barbell Curls, Barbell Bench Press, etc. Negative training is designed to increase strength and power maximum levels by working at 102% - 105% of your 1 rep power maximum.

Negative training works by increasing the whole integrity of muscles giving more tensile strength during the eccentric or lengthening part of any movement, which represents the point at which the muscles are at their weakest. Negative training increases strength and power maximums by up to 10% when performed for the very first time and can only be performed twice a year, for 4 to 6 weeks at a time, due to the stress placed on the tendons, ligaments and joints.

• Practical advice – What to do:

Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps, or 3 sets to failure if you are unable to achieve the 10 reps