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Bodybuilding Workout Techniques
Bodybuilding techniques are normally associated with weight training routines performed to increase muscle mass as opposed to other techniques used to increase performance for a specific sport. In truth nutritional tactics also play a key role in overall progress.
Advanced trainers change up and use different bodybuilding workout techniques often to keep the muscles from adapting to a particular routine. In this fashion utilizing various body building techniques and exercises creates a constant chaos where the muscles must continually adapt, strengthen and grow. Performing the same muscle workout routine would eventually lose effectiveness because of the body's adapted tolerance of the routine.
The following are common body building techniques:
Drop sets:
Change)Drop sets is a body building technique which involves doing an exercise with a set of dumbbells, putting them down, picking up the next lighter weight , and doing another set without stopping.
There are number of ways of varying this technique, for example, using the dumbbells on a rest/pause basis, doing the exercise until exhausted, putting down the weights for ten seconds, then forcing out additional reps. Another good exercise to use drop sets on is the leg extension machine.
Strip sets:
(change)If a plate or two is removed from the weights, you can do more repetitions. Take another plate off, and you can keep going even longer. Each time you do this, you are forcing the muscles to recruit more muscle fiber. This training principle is called the Stripping Method.
Don't use the stripping method at the beginning of an exercise when you are fresh and strong, but use it for your last set.
Since the changes in weight must be made quickly so that the muscles don't have time to recuperate, it helps to have a workout partner ready to slip off the plates off the bar. Don't go for weights that are too low as you won't grow by handling lighter weights.
Negatives:
(change)Whenever you lift a weight using the contractile force of your muscles you perform a positive movement, when you lower the weight, uncontracting the muscle you perform a negative movement.
Negative repetitions put more stress on the tendons and supportive structures than on the muscles themselves. This is beneficial because you want tendon strength to increase along with muscular strength.
Always lower the weights slowly and under control rather than letting them drop to get full benefit of negatives in your normal workout. Negatives are excellent to add strength to a weak bench press.
Bench press with weight exceeding your maximal press, slowly lower the bar to your chest and with the help your partner return the bar to the starting position.
Isometric/flexing:
During the rest period between sets, you can flex and contract the muscles you are training. This not only keeps them pumped and ready for more action but also a beneficial exercise. Flexing is a form of isometric exercise and isometrics involve very intense muscle contractions.
Isometric Repititions:
Isometric repetitions are a body building technique performed by pushing against an immovable or very heavy object. No movement is needed but in the case of heavy loads very short range of motion movements can be common (a few inches). Isometrics are most effective for strength training but they are particularly valuable as a body building technique to work a muscle past the point of exhaustion.
For instance after performing a normal set to temporary failure more weight is added and a rep is attempted with full exertion for 7-15 seconds. A training partner is recommended but most times this techniques can be done using safety stops on a bench/rack or using a smith press.
Super sets:
A Super set is a body building technique, wheer two or more exercises are performed in sequence without stopping. You can also do three exercises without stopping referred to as tri sets.
You can use super sets to train two different body parts one after the other. Set are often performed on opposing muscles like bicep-triceps, but you can do exercises for the same body part. Weight is moderate to heavy with little to no rest between exercises.
Twenty ones:
Twenty ones is a body building technique named so because the number of reps done in a given set often equals 21. The set is broken up into three different sets performed as one, within the same movement. Three different partial ranges of motion are executed within a full range of motion.
Many body builders have used seven reps, hence the name "twenty ones" (3 x 7). The exercise is done using moderate weights. Each portion of the movement is done immediately one after the other with average rest between sets.
For bicep curls, do seven partial reps from the start point to midway, followed by seven partial reps midway to the end of the movement, then do seven full range of motion standing curls to end it.
Forced reps:
Forced reps is a body building technique that is performed past the point of temporary muscle failure. They work like this, you do a normal set to the point of exhoustion, your workout partner/spotter then assists you with one or more additional repititions. This technique is typically performed with moderate to heavy weight.