Weight Loss Blog

Advanced Bodybuilding Principles

by Paul Becker of Truly Huge

Forced reps

This is a technique for when you reach failure in a set but you have your training partner help you 'force' out 2 or 3 more reps by taking some of the weight. These can be helpful to break a sticking point.

Negatives

Negatives provide the muscle with eccentric tension, that is lengthening of the muscle while under tension. For example this occurs when lowering the weights in a bench press or barbell curl. This negative stage should be controlled and slow. You can also have your partner assist in the raising of the weight in order to perform more negatives.

Where the concentric portion should be explosive, the eccentric should be controlled and slow. A count of 1 while going up and a 2 to 3 count while lowering.

Supersets

These are two or more exercises performed in a row with no rest
in between.

[Rob's Note : I wrote about supersets for maximum muscle stimulation a few months ago where it applies to fat loss.]

Stripping method

This is used to completely exhaust the muscle. When you reach failure on the set remove a small amount of weight and do some more reps. Again when failure is met remove some more weight. This should be done only on the last set for that exercise.

[Rob's note: this is also know as "running the rack"]

21's

This is a series of half reps performed at the lower, middle and upper section of the full movement. Traditionally it is 7 reps in each section giving a total of 21 reps in a set.

[Rob's note: for instance, during the side laterals, one might raise the weight from your waist to a 45 degree angle for 7 reps, then 7 reps of full range (lowest position to 90 degrees), then complete the last 7 reps using just the top of the range of motion (from 45 degrees to 90 degrees). I do this exact set of 21's while kneeling on a stability ball which works the core at the same time as the shoulders. Doing it while balancing on the ball requires strict form.

Another example might be the bench press. While fresh, do the bottom portion of the press from chest to half way for 7, then full presses for 7, then when getting tired, press only the top portion of the movement, from half way to the top for 7]

Labels: Bodybuilding, Muscle, muscle building

Advanced Bodybuilding Principles
was posted by Rob @ 6/18/2009 05:43:00 PM | Discuss this post or any other in my Weight Loss Forum

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