TRAINING FREQUENCY STUDY 2015:

An Informal Study on the Effects of Training Frequency on Mass and Size Gains

By Pete Sisco

Version 1.0

THIS PROGRAM IS NOT INTENDED FOR UNASSISTED USE. THIS PROGRAM IS INTENDED

ONLY FOR RESEARCH AND SHOULD ONLY BE USED WHEN WORKING DIRECTLY WITH PETE SISCO.

Copyright © 2015 Pete Sisco

All rights reserved. The moral right of the author has been asserted.

You may not distribute this document to others in any way. You may not sell it, or reprint any part of it without written consent from the author.

www.PrecisionTraining.com

Caution And Warning

This program involves a systematic progression of muscular overload that leads to the lifting of extremely heavy weights. As a result, a proper warm-up of muscles, tendons and ligaments is recommended at the beginning of every workout.

As this is a very intense program, it requires both knowledge of proper exercise form and a base level of strength fitness. Although exercise is very beneficial, the potential for injury does exist, especially if the trainee is not in good physical condition. Always consult with your physician before beginning any program of progressive weight training or exercise. If you feel any strain or pain when you are exercising, stop immediately and consult your physician.

Pete Sisco, Precision Training LLC, their owners, agents, affiliates and employees will not be held liable for injuries sustained while lifting, using or moving weights and exercise equipment in a gym or elsewhere.

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PURPOSE

The purpose of this research is to measure the effects of different training frequencies on muscle mass and size gain.

METHOD

Individuals from a broad cross-section of ages and levels of fitness will participate. One group (“Fast”) will remain on a relatively fixed training frequency provided they display progress on at least three of six exercises. Another group (“Certain”) will will have additional rest days added whenever they fail to improve on at least five of six exercises.

DURATION

The study will include 10 workouts per participant, irrespective of how many days it takes to complete these workouts.

TRAINING FREQUENCY

All participants will begin with three days of rest between workouts. For example, training on a Monday, then Thursday, then Sunday, then Wednesday, etc. The ‘Fast” group will have one day of recovery added only when a workout fails to show improvement in at least any 3 of 6 exercises.

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The “Certain” group will have two or more days of recovery added when a workout fails to show improvement in at least any 5 of 6 exercises.

MEASUREMENTS

Participants will be measured for changes in: - body weight - body fat - size of expanded chest - size of waist - size of right and left flexed biceps - relative strength increases (Power Factor) of:

- triceps - chest - trapezius - latissimus dorsi - spinal erectors - quadriceps

WORKOUT

All workouts contain the same six exercises each time. (Exercises described below.) Each workout will attempt progression of either the weight used or the number of reps completed or both. The duration of the individual exercises will remain fixed at 30 seconds per exercise.

Perform a workout by lifting the heaviest weight that permits maximum reps in 30 seconds. (The “ideal” weight for each exercise is the one that causes target muscle failure at 29.9 seconds without stopping before.)

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Report your results at the specified link (see page 29) and new goals will be calculated for you and sent via e-mail.

On the specified day, perform the new workout and report those results.

PROCEDURE SEQUENCE

1. Report your ‘before’ profile measurements from page 29.

2. Immediately after you have reported your profile measurements, you can perform your first workout.

3. Report your results at the web link on page 29. 4. Wait for your new goals and training date to arrive

via e-mail. 5. Return to the gym on the specified date and attempt

to achieve each new goal 6. Report results, receive new goals, return to gym,

etc.

If you have any questions, please send me an e-mail before you start the study.

Email Link

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THE EXERCISES

This workout uses six exercises.

The exercises in every workout of the program are the same.

The study will last for 10 complete workouts, irrespective of how many days it takes to complete them.

Range of motion is limited using a power rack or Smith machine so the weight is lifted approximately 2 to 4 inches in only the strongest range of motion.

Importantly, the range of motion should not be changed from workout to workout. Always use the same range of motion from the beginning to the end of the study.

Because the distance is reduced the cadence is much faster. You will be counting reps faster but you should never allow momentum to move the weights for you. Always keep your movements controlled. The speed of the reps is not faster than conventional lifting - it only seems faster because the shorter distance results in a faster count.

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What Weight to Use

You will be training in your strongest range of motion only. That means you will be able to lift heavier weights than you normally do. To do that safely you should always use a power rack or Smith machine.

Expect to be able to lift 25-100% more weight than normal. If you do full range bench presses with 200 pounds now, expect to be able to strong-range bench press 250-400 pounds. Most people have no idea how strong they really are in their safest range of motion so you’ll need to experiment a bit to find the right weights for each exercise in the beginning.

Movement

You will perform a partial repetition of approximately 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) of movement. Be careful to not to "lock out" the weight because that takes the stress off your muscles and shifts it onto your bones. We are trying to stimulate the muscles so we want them working throughout the exercise.

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Sets and Repetitions

Each time you perform an exercise you will have a fixed time of 30 seconds to perform it. You simply count how many reps you did during that time, even if you needed to rest once, twice or three times within the time frame. You just continue your count where you left off. So what might have been called "three sets of 8" is now just called "24 reps".

Time Keeping

Your performance is always against the clock. Use a stopwatch to know when the 30 seconds has expired.

Keep the stopwatch running the whole time - even while you are resting and catching your breath. Soon you'll visibly see how wasted time sacrifices intensity. This time keeping is critical. Don’t use an estimate.

Write Down Your Numbers

Write down what you do and enter the results of each workout at the webpage provided separately.

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PHOTOS AND EXPLANATIONS OF EXERCISES

The actual order in which you do the exercises is not critical but you should be consistent from workout to workout.

1. Triceps - Close-Grip Bench Press

�

Start position.

Place a barbell inside a Smith machine or power rack at a height about three to four inches below your full reach. Take a close grip on the bar with your hands two to five inches apart. (This position stresses the triceps

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rather than the chest muscles.) Using your triceps, press the bar up a two to three inches. Perform your reps in this range.

Do not lock out your elbows at the top of the movement or slam the bar down at the bottom of the movement.

Never hold your breath during this or any other exercise.

Perform as many repetitions as you can in 30 seconds. If you need to stop for a brief rest do so but keep the clock running. Resume lifting and continue counting reps from where you left off. Continue lifting until 30 seconds has elapsed.

When finished write down the weight you lifted and the total number of reps you completed within 30 seconds.

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2. Chest – Barbell Bench Press

!

Start position.

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!

Finish position.

Always use a Smith machine or a power rack to limit the range of motion. You’ll be using weights you can’t hold in your weak range so don’t rely on a spotter or your own ability to limit range. USE a power rack or Smith machine.

Place a barbell inside a Smith machine or power rack at a height about three to four inches below your full reach. Take a shoulder-width grip on the bar. Keep your

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wrists straight and aligned under the bar. Using your pectoral (chest) muscles press the bar up two or three inches. Perform your reps in this range.

Never hold your breath during this or any other exercise. Do not lock out at the top of this motion nor let the bar slam down at the bottom of the motion.

Perform as many repetitions as you can in 30 seconds. If you need to stop for a brief rest do so but keep the clock running. Resume lifting and continue counting reps from where you left off. Continue lifting until 30 seconds has elapsed.

When finished write down the weight you lifted and the total number of reps you completed within 30 seconds.

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3. Trapezius - Barbell Shrug

Start position.

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! Rear view of traps at start position.

!

View of traps at finish position.

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Place a barbell inside a Smith machine or power rack. Take an overhand shoulder-width grip (this model uses a mixed grip of overhand and underhand as this is how he personally achieves his highest weight.) Lift the bar off the pins and stand erect with your head up. Using your trapezius muscles, raise the bar by shrugging your shoulders up an inch or two. (No need to make your shoulders touch your ears, just and inch or two is fine.) Perform your reps in this range.

Using lifting hooks has been proven to improve the weights used for this lift.

Never hold your breath during this or any other exercise.

Perform as many repetitions as you can in 30 seconds. If you need to stop for a brief rest do so but keep the clock running. Resume lifting and continue counting reps from where you left off. Continue lifting until 30 seconds has elapsed.

When finished write down the weight you lifted and the total number of reps you completed within 30 seconds.

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4. Lower Back - Barbell Deadlift

Start position.

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Finish position.

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Place a barbell inside a Smith machine or power rack at a height above your knees. Take a shoulder-width grip (overhand, underhand or one of each, as you prefer). Lock out your elbows so you don’t use your arms to lift the weight. Keep your back straight and your head up. Using the muscles in your lower back, raise the bar two or three inches from the supports. Perform your reps in this range.

Using lifting hooks has been proven to improve the weights used for this lift.

Never hold your breath during this or any other exercise.

Perform as many repetitions as you can in 30 seconds. If you need to stop for a brief rest do so but keep the clock running. Resume lifting and continue counting reps from where you left off. Continue lifting until 30 seconds has elapsed.

When finished write down the weight you lifted and the total number of reps you completed within 30 seconds.

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5. Upper Back - Lat Pulldown

Start position.

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Finish position.

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Position the seat so the handle is at the full limit of your reach. Take a shoulder-width overhand grip on the pulldown bar. Keep your back straight and your head up. Using your lat muscles - not your biceps - pull the bar down two or three inches. Perform your reps in this range.

Using lifting hooks has been proven to improve the weights used for this lift.

Never hold your breath during this or any other exercise.

Perform as many repetitions as you can in 30 seconds. If you need to stop for a brief rest do so but keep the clock running. Resume lifting and continue counting reps from where you left off. Continue lifting until 30 seconds has elapsed.

When finished write down the weight you lifted and the total number of reps you completed within 30 seconds.

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6. Quads – Leg Press

Start position.

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!

Finish position.

Position the seat of the leg press so that your legs are three or four inches from lockout when the empty sled is locked in its top position. Leave the safety locks in place for the duration of this exercise. With the safety locks in place the sled cannot descend below the starting position. Once the sled is in this top position, load on the plates.

Place your feet flat on the sled a comfortable distance apart. Using your leg muscles press the sled up two or three inches. Perform your reps in this range.

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Do not lock out your knees at the top of the movement or slam the sled down at the bottom of the movement.

Never hold your breath during this or any other exercise.

Perform as many repetitions as you can in 30 seconds. If you need to stop for a brief rest do so but keep the clock running. Resume lifting and continue counting reps from where you left off. Continue lifting until 30 seconds has elapsed.

When finished write down the weight you lifted and the total number of reps you completed within 30 seconds.

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POINTS TO REMEMBER

Use Maximum Effort

This is not an easy workout. It is not a workout where you just comfortably push or pull on a bar and never sweat or grunt. This is a workout where you concentrate on hitting your goals by lifting a heavier weight than last time and/or doing more reps with it. Every workout is a special event where you break personal records!

Breathe Properly

When you do any heavy lifting - of any kind - inside or outside of a gym, never hold your breath. Take three deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. On the third exhalation begin your lifts.

Keep breathing throughout your lifting - don’t hold your breath. (If you watch people in the gym you’ll see a huge percentage of people do hold their breath. This is dangerous and it robs you of power.)

Don’t Hurry

Because a clock is counting down there can be a tendency to hurry through reps in a frenzy. This is a

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mistake that can lead to injury. Keep the weight under full control and perform your lifts in a careful cadence. It will seem fast if you are not used to partial reps but the reality is there is no need to move faster than you normally would. Consistency from workout to workout is important to achieving measurable results.

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PRINTABLE LOGS SHEETS

Note: Bodyfat scales for home use can be inaccurate due to varying hydration in the subject. Please measure your body fat on three consecutive mornings to achieve a consistent measurement. Bodyfat percent is the single most important measurement you are sending us - please be careful to get a consistent number.

MEASUREMENTS

DATE / /

AGE

GENDER

HEIGHT

WEIGHT

BODYFAT %

EXPANDED CHEST

FLEXED R. BICEPS

FLEXED L. BICEPS

WAIST

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This before/after data is reported at this web page at the beginning and end of the study:

http://www.precisiontraining.com/studies/profile/

This form can be used during each workout to record the relevant data.

Data is reported after each workout at this page: http://www.precisiontraining.com/studies/training-

frequency-study-data/

-END-

WORKOUT LOG

DATE / /

WEIGHT REPS

C.G. BENCH

W.G. BENCH

SHRUG

DEADLIFT

PULLDOWN

LEG PRESS

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