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Planned Brutality (/training/planned-brutality)Periodizing High-Intensity Techniques
by John Meadows (/all-articles/authors/john-meadows) | 06/30/14
Tags: Powerlifting & Strength (/all-articles/tags/powerlifting-strength)
Here's what you need to know...
Applying periodization to intensity techniques rather than sets and reps is
rarely, if ever, talked about.
Technique Waving allows you to cycle in the most brutally effective intensity
techniques without breaking the body down.
Technique Waving can be applied to any program, and using these tricks at
the right time is what takes a program - and a physique - from good to
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awesome.
Use one high-intensity technique set on the last exercise you do for a body
part. Any more would be too much.
T Nation readers are familiar with how I crank up the training heat, turning even
the most basic exercises into prolonged torture sessions that would make
William Wallace scream for mercy. However, don't think that I do this on every
set of every workout. And even though I might have dozens of ways to ratchet
up intensity, I don't use all of them, all the time.
Instead, I use a system called echnique Waving. This is how I've learned to
cycle in the most brutally effective intensity techniques without breaking the
body down. It's actually a form of periodization, but rather than periodize sets
and reps, we're periodizing intensitytechniques. In the past, whenever I added
in various high intensity techniques, the body began to adjust. What produced
crippling soreness in week one produced just ordinary soreness in week two. If
repeated for a third week, the soreness plummeted to "meh."
To mitigate this, I began using high-intensity techniques in two-week waves. I'd
incorporate a technique, trash myself, adapt to the technique, and then replace
it with something else. The best thing about Technique Waving is that it can be
applied to any program out there. Applied correctly, it will make your program
more effective. Using these tricks at the right time is what takes a program -
and a physique - from good to awesome.
The Techniques
Forced Reps
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Drop-Sets
Drop sets have been around since the invention of the dumbbell. The conceptis ridiculously simple but effective nonetheless. Train to exhaustion, then
immediately reduce the weight to perform more reps. Continue until total failure,
or until you crap a kidney. Obviously, dumbbell exercises like lateral raises or
biceps curls work exceptionally well with this method, as do exercises using a
selectorized pulley such as triceps pressdowns. That said, barbell exercises
also work if you have a partner to help you slide off the plates.
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How much weight to drop? A good rule of thumb is 20% of your work weight
for a given set per drop, so if you're using 200 pounds on an exercise for 8
reps, you'd drop the weight by 40 pounds, or 20 pounds per side. This should
allow you to perform another 3-4 reps, depending on the exercise, your training
age, and your muscle fiber make-up.
Iso-Holds
This is a classic movement that's been all but forgotten. I'm bringing them back
with a twist Tom Platz taught me. While visiting him, we did iso-holds, but while
in the hold position, Tom actually applied additionalpressure, making me
"tense" the muscle even more. This is probably the most brutal high-intensity
technique I use, pain-wise. Certain movements such as hack squats, reverse
flyes on peck deck, dumbbell curls, and triceps pushdowns lend themselves
quite well to adding pauses at certain points of the range of motion. The length
of the pause can vary - a simple 1-2 second pause at the mid-range point is
sufficient, but anything up to and including a 10-second hold with extra
pressure being added the whole time works really well, too.
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(The iso-hold starts at 1:11.)
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(The iso-hold starts at 0:54.)
Rest/Pause Sets
Rest/pause sets are a favorite of strength trainers and yours truly. They need
little introduction or explanation - you go to momentary failure, set the weight
down for a moment to recover slightly, and then perform a few more reps. The
key is to limit your rest intervals to approximately 10 seconds - any longer and
you'll lose the training effect; any shorter and you won't allow sufficient
recovery of creatine phosphate stores.
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(the rest pause technique begins at 0:54)
The Paradigm
Here's how a typical 12-week phase of cycling different intensity techniques
would look:
Week 1 and 2:Emphasis on forced reps (both concentric and eccentric) and
partials.
Week 3 and 4:Emphasis on drop sets and iso holds.
Week 5 and 6:Emphasis on rest/pause sets.
Week 7 and 8:Emphasis on forced reps (both concentric and eccentric) and
partials.
Week 9 and 10:Emphasis on drop sets and iso holds.
Week 11 and 12:Emphasis on rest/pause sets.
How Often? It's Simple!
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Unleash Hell
When you love to train brutally hard as much as I do, it can be tempting to
throw everything but the kitchen sink at your muscles to see if you can grow to
comic book proportions. Don't do it. Restrain yourself, follow a periodized plan,
and when the program says it's time to open up a can of whoop-ass, then
remove the safeties and unleash hell.
06/30/14
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