PERSONAL TRAINING MANUAL
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
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COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC. All rights reserved.
Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or
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“Poliquin” "Poliquin Group" and "PICP" are trademarks of Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC. The use of these trademarks and logos are strictly prohibited
without the expressed consent of Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC.
The information in this book is for educational purposes only. Any use of the information in this book is at the reader’s discretion. Poliquin Performance
Center 2, LLC specifically disclaims any and all liability arising directly or indirectly from the use or application of any information used. A certified
healthcare professional should be consulted regarding yours or your client's specific situation prior to beginning any exercise, nutrition, and/or supplement
program. The information contained in this book is not intended to serve as a replacement for professional medical advice. Poliquin Performance Center 2,
LLC does not provide medical advise, treatment, or diagnosis. Some of the information in this book may be or may become outdated. Please check your
certified coach's area for any updated information that may be available.
Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC may publish its education material in a variety of formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in
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© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
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Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Poliquin® International Certification
Program to globally foster the educate and skills of strength
coaches and personal trainers. By providing them with
superior education and practical applications we also
raise the level of sport performance and promote healthy
lifestyle ideas both within and beyond the population we
serve. Poliquin GroupTM was founded on this philosophy and
continues to be our driving force to help us remain the world
leader in strength and conditioning education.
Program Overview
Poliquin® Personal Training recognizes personal trainers
around the world who demonstrate knowledge and skill in
effectively training clients.
Higher-quality personal training is an essential component
in improving the fitness industry. Poliquin® Personal Training
provides personal trainers with unsurpassed skills in
program design and teaching methodologies.
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
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contents
Foreword.......................................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................3
Chapter 1..........................................................................................................................................................5
Basic Anatomy and Physiology for Trainers
Chapter 2........................................................................................................................................................11
Understanding Strength Qualities
Chapter 3....................................................................................................................................................... 15
Identifying the Client’s Fitness Goals
Chapter 4....................................................................................................................................................... 19
Assessing the Client
Chapter 5.......................................................................................................................................................27
Using Assessments to Create Training Priorities and Goals
Chapter 6....................................................................................................................................................... 31
Dividing Long-Term Goals into Multiple Short-Term Goals
Chapter 7.......................................................................................................................................................37
Selecting a Training Split
Chapter 8...................................................................................................................................................... 47
Selecting Exercises Based upon Assessment
Chapter 9.......................................................................................................................................................53
Working Backwards to Create a 12-Week Periodization Model with Exercises
Chapter 10.....................................................................................................................................................57
Selecting Repetition Brackets and Tempo
Chapter 11..................................................................................................................................................... 63
Selecting the Number of Sets
Chapter 12..................................................................................................................................................... 67
Selecting Rest Periods
Chapter 13...................................................................................................................................................... 71
Planning Unloading Periods/Monitoring Progress
Chapter 14.................................................................................................................................................... 79
Developing a Warm-up and Static Stretching Protocol
Chapter 15..................................................................................................................................................... 85
Training Energy Systems
Chapter 16..................................................................................................................................................... 93
Sample Programs/Methods
Conclusion................................................................................................................................................... 101
Glossary.......................................................................................................................................................102
References...................................................................................................................................................105
Index............................................................................................................................................................ 109
About the Authors....................................................................................................................................... 111
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
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© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
This document cannot be shared, duplicated, or copied.
foreword
Many personal trainers are under the impression that the
best way to attract new clients is by investing a lot of time
and money in creative advertising. They spend large sums
on holographic business cards, dynamic brochures with
bold colors, elaborate websites and blogs, ads offering
free consultations, and discount packages for long-term
commitments. These methods may entice a few clients to
seek you out, but there is a much more effective way to build
your business: designing workout programs that get results!
There is no promotion more effective for a personal trainer
than word of mouth. If a program you design transforms the
figure of one client quickly, you can bet her friends will be
knocking on your door. If over the summer you help a young
football player become significantly faster and stronger,
his parents will spread the word that you know how to
train athletes. Soon your appointment book will be full and
you can start charging more and be more selective in your
clientele.
You may have heard the theory that most people are
unwilling to travel more than five miles to work out in a
gym. Don’t believe it! Those who are serious about looking
good or improving their health, physical fitness or athletic
performance will drive the extra miles to see the trainer who
can get the job done. But be warned: Word of mouth also
works the other way.
One sign of a poor personal trainer at a gym is that they have
to rely continually on outside sources to get clients. Many
gym members find that despite their best efforts working out
on their own, they are not achieving their goals. So if those
members see your clients rapidly changing their figures or
physiques, you will get their attention.
You know that results are key, so your next step is to develop
the knowledge and skills to get results. Our society is
knowledge based, and the more you know, the more you can
earn. In the personal training field, the top five percent of
trainers make 80 percent of the money and they attend at
least four seminars a year.
Because personal training is a saturated market, it’s a
challenge to achieve success in this career. Fortunately for
you, you will have a competitive edge with the knowledge
and inspiration you’ll receive from this course because it
is based on decades of experience from many exceptional
coaches associated with the Poliquin Group.
This manual and course will show you how to write effective
workouts for your clients – this ability will become your
highly marketable skill set. Forget the hype – instead, focus
on giving your clients the results they want, and success will
follow.
Poliquin Group, 2014
If the programs you design fail to get results for your
clients or, worse, if a client is injured during a workout, the
news will spread quickly. If a client works with you for a
month and does not make significant changes in their body
composition, you will lose them as a client and they will
tell their friends you’re a quack. Clients are not paying you
for your time and conversation; they are paying you for a
service. That service is to help them achieve their goals, and
these goals are measureable.
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
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2
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
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introduction
There is abundant information available to personal trainers
about resistance training: books, magazines, the Internet,
weekend seminars and college courses. Some of this
material is very good, some not so good. But the one area
that is often lacking, and often done very poorly, is program
design.
and advanced athletes, who may adapt to a single training
protocol within a week. To keep the results coming, workouts
need to be carefully planned, or to use the scientific term,
periodized. The first step in planning a workout that will best
fulfill a client’s goals is to understand the basic components
of program design: loading parameters.
In the 1960s and ’70s, those who wanted to learn how
to design a workout usually asked someone at their local
gym who was bigger, stronger or fitter than themselves.
The problem is that the variety of genetic potential in the
human genome is so vast that some individuals can develop
impressive physiques or figures even with poorly designed
workouts. Another common approach back then was to read
the advice given in bodybuilding magazines.
The basic loading parameters are reps, sets, tempo, rest,
frequency, and exercise selection. Each of these variables
depends on all the others. It’s not enough to say that higher
repetitions will develop muscle mass, because, as you will
see in the following chapters, by manipulating tempo it’s
possible to develop extremely effective muscle building
programs with low reps. You’ll also see that by manipulating
rest intervals, a workout that was originally designed to build
muscle mass can be made to function as a workout that
burns body fat quickly.
Most of those bodybuilding articles focused on exercises
for specific body parts, demonstrated by the most popular
muscle building champions of the day. Sometimes the
champion wrote these articles, but more often a ghost writer
was the brains behind the keyboard.
Typical articles included a formula of sets and reps, and
perhaps a workout showing how to arrange these exercises
into a workout over a few weeks. But that’s where the
science of program design usually ended. Readers would
move on to another popular workout once they got bored,
reached a point of diminishing returns, or even regressed in
their training because the program was poorly designed or
too advanced, quickly causing a state of overtraining.
The problem then and now is that with few exceptions,
strength training programs usually lose effectiveness after
about four to six training sessions; exceptions include
beginners, who can use a single training protocol longer,
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
Of course, before getting into the nuts and bolts of program
design, it’s necessary for you to identify a client’s fitness
goals and assess their current level of conditioning. From
here you’ll develop a general long-term plan, followed by
specific short-term programs. As your client achieves their
specific short-term goals, or doesn’t achieve them due to
unfortunate circumstances such as illness (or the simple
matter of life getting in the way), you will reassess the client
and develop new programs for them.
When you learn the specific skills taught in this course of
goal setting, client assessment and program design, you
will set yourself apart from other trainers. You will get a
reputation for getting results, and these results will set you
apart from, and ahead of, other trainers. Your clients will be
happy, you will achieve greater career satisfaction, and your
earning potential will grow. Enjoy the journey!
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4
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Chapter 1
Basic Anatomy and Physiology for Trainers
Summary
Three essential topics to consider when
designing workout programs are 1) muscle
chains and strength curves, 2) muscle
contraction types and 3) muscle fiber types.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the difference between a strength
curve and a resistance curve
2. List the seven basic types of muscle chains and
give examples of each
3. Define the terms “auxotonic” and “stretch
Key Terms:
Strength curve, resistance curve, concentric,
eccentric, isometric, slow-twitch muscles,
fast-twitch muscles
shortening cycle”
4. Explain the difference between fast-twitch and
slow-twitch muscle fibers
5. List the qualities of Type IIa, Type IIx and Type
IIb muscle fibers
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5
Chapter 1
Basic Anatomy and Physiology for Trainers
Chapter 1
Strength Curves
A strength curve describes the amount of force a muscle
can exert at specific angles. For long-term development,
you need to design workouts that will maintain strength
gains over the entire range of the client’s natural strength
curve. The challenge is that strength is not gained evenly
throughout the strength curve because certain angles are
more trainable than others. For example, at X angle of
lumbar extension, if you gain X percent in strength, you
will gain Y percent at XX degrees of lumbar extension.
From a practical perspective, what this means is that when
designing workouts, you need to include a large variety of
exercises.
Each part of an exercise has a resistance curve that
emphasizes different areas of the strength curve, of which
there are three: low range, mid range and end range. In
a standing barbell curl, because gravity applies force
vertically, the area of the strength curve that would be most
emphasized is the midpoint of the exercise when the upper
and lower arms form a 90-degree angle. In contrast, a Scott
curl, which involves flexing the arms while the upper arms
are elevated at an angle, the area most emphasized would
be the low range. If the arms were behind the body by doing
an incline dumbbell curl, the end range of the exercise would
be most affected.
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One basic axiom when designing workouts is that you must
keep the end goal in mind, so you need to have a basic
understanding of strength and resistance curves. If your
client’s primary goal is to improve their bench press, you
need to determine which assistance exercises will work
optimally for that client. If the client has a difficult time
locking out the lift, then a good assistance exercise may be
the bench press with lifting chains attached to the sleeves
of the barbell, as the chains make the exercise more difficult
towards the end of the movement.
A muscle chain describes a group of muscles that perform a
similar function. For example, the quadriceps muscles are on
the front of the leg and as such belong to the anterior lower
limb chain; the hamstrings are located on the back of the
thigh and belong to the posterior lower limb chain. In looking
at various activities, you could classify them according to
the chains they involve. For example, shoveling snow out of
your driveway involves the upper body horizontal pressing
chain (pushing the shovel into the snow) and the upper body
horizontal pulling chain (lifting the snow and throwing it to
the side).
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Rather than just classifying exercises as pulling or pushing movements, a more precise way to organize them is to place them
into one of the following seven chains of exercise.
Posterior lower limb chain. Muscles involved with trunk
extension and knee flexion. Sprinting is an example of an
activity that strongly uses the muscles of the posterior
chain. Exercises: good morning, horizontal back extension,
prone leg curl, Romanian deadlift, seated back extension,
standing leg curl.
Upper body horizontal pressing chain. Muscles involved
with bringing the upper arms together in front of the body in
a horizontal plane. A push-up is an example of an exercise
that focuses on these muscles. Exercises: barbell bench
press, dumbbell bench press, incline barbell bench press and
push-up.
Anterior lower limb chain. Muscles involved with knee
extension and hip flexion. Kicking a soccer ball is an example
of this type of activity. Exercises: hack squat, high hex bar
deadlift, leg extension, leg press, low step-up.
Upper body vertical pressing chain. Muscles involved with
bringing the upper arms together in a vertical plane. Lifting
an object overhead is an example of an exercise that uses
these muscles. Exercises: barbell military press, dumbbell
military press and barbell push press.
Upper body horizontal pulling chain. Muscles involved in
pulling the shoulder blades together in a horizontal plane.
Participating in a tug-of-war competition is an example of an
activity that would strongly involve these muscles. Exercises:
seated cable row, bent-over barbell row, dumbbell row and
reverse dumbbell flye.
Upper body vertical pulling chain. Muscles involved in
pulling the shoulder blades down in a vertical plane. A
chin-up is an example of an exercise that uses this type
of muscular activity. Exercises: chin-up, pull-up and lat
pulldown.
Shoulder external rotation chain. Muscles involved with
backward rotation of the upper arms. Many upper body
compound exercises involve this chain. The shoulder chains
are often associated with isolation exercises for the rotator
cuff muscles. Exercises: external shoulder rotation, dumbbell
or pulley, power snatch.
Shoulder internal rotation chain. Muscles involved with
forward rotation of the upper arms. Many upper body
compound exercises involve this chain. The shoulder chains
are often associated with isolation exercises for the rotator
cuff muscles. Exercises: internal shoulder rotation, dumbbell
or pulley.
Muscle Contraction Types
Most individuals consider a muscle contraction to be a voluntary shortening of a muscle to produce force. This
definition is limited, because a muscle can contract without shortening its length, and it can even lengthen while
contracting. As such, a more complete general definition would involve three types of contraction, as follows:
Concentric. A muscle develops
tension, causing movement to
occur. It is an upward movement.
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Isometric. A muscle develops
tension while its length remains
unchanged, thus producing no
external movement. Holds a
position.
Eccentric. A muscle lengthens
while producing tension, thus
braking or controlling the speed
of movement. Downward
movement.
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7
Chapter 1
Shows exercise in an advantageous position.
In a single exercise, all three types of contraction are likely to
occur. During a bench press, you start by holding the barbell
at arms’ length with an isometric contraction. You then
lower the weight to the chest with an eccentric contraction,
pause with the barbell on your chest with another isometric
contraction, and then press the weight to extended arms
with a concentric contraction.
Taking this example one step further, the two isometric
pauses that are commonly used during the bench press
periodized programs are regarded as contractions in
the advantageous position and contractions in the
disadvantageous position.
When the barbell is on the chest, the pectoral muscles must
contract harder because the triceps muscles are lengthened;
when the barbell is locked out, the triceps muscles are
shortened and as such the pectorals do not have to contract
as hard to remain in that position.
There are two other types of muscle movements to consider:
Auxotonic. With an auxotonic action the contraction
is maximal throughout the range of motion. Using an
accommodating resistance apparatus, such as a frictionbased or hydraulic machine, allows a constant and
predetermined speed of movement. The force exerted
by the contracting muscle must be maximal during an
isokinetic contraction, and some isokinetic devices also
allow the maximal speed of contraction to be preset
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Shows exercise in a disadvantageous position.
and thereby enable the simulation of contraction speeds
required by a specific sport. Isokinetic strength training
is called for in sports such as swimming and canoeing,
where acceleration occurs against the resistance provided
by water.
Strength shortening cycle. The stretch shortening cycle,
also known as plyometrics, involves a rapid stretching
of a muscle (eccentric phase) immediately followed by
a rapid (no longer than .25 seconds) shortening of that
muscle (concentric phase). This creates two processes:
(1) a reflex increase in muscle tension, and (2) the release
of elastic energy stored in the muscles and tendons. In
the classical definition, plyometrics requires a mechanical
shock stimulation that stimulates the muscles to produce
the highest levels of muscle tension as rapidly as possible.
Jumping off of a low box and then rebounding as high as
possible would be considered a form of plyometrics.
When you take into consideration all three types of muscle
contraction during an exercise, you are looking at the
“tempo” of how the exercise is performed. In Chapter 9 you
will learn how to write specific weight training protocols,
taking into consideration these three types of contraction.
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Types of Muscle Fibers
Another important concept relating to types of muscle contraction is the process of classifying muscles according to
their strength and endurance qualities.
There are two basic muscle fiber types, Type I and II with Type II being broken into subcategories.
Type I fibers are called slow-twitch fibers. They produce low amounts of strength and power, do not increase in
size significantly but have the advantage of being very fatigue resistant; they are best suited for aerobic activities.
Endurance runners will favor Type I muscle fibers; you will notice that elite distance runners usually display very
little muscle hypertrophy. Under a microscope, Type I fibers appear red.
Type II fibers are called fast-twitch fibers, and they produce high amounts of strength and power, making trainees
fast and explosive. Under a microscope, Type II fibers appear white. There are three basic subtypes of Type II
fibers; the differences among them are how quickly and powerfully they can contract and how resistant they are to
fatigue:
Type IIa fibers are used more with a submaximal, repeated effort during sustained power activities such as
400-meter sprints or when doing a 7-10 RM set. They are very resistant to fatigue.
Type IIx fibers display a high level of power production and medium-level resistance to fatigue. They are best
suited for short-term anaerobic activity; a successful elite powerlifter would tend to have a high percentage of
Type IIx fibers.
Type IIb fibers are used for very short duration, high intensity bursts of power such as near maximal lifts and
short sprints. These fibers fatigue very quickly.
Type I
Type IIa
Type IIx (and IIb)
Contraction time
Slow
Fast
Very Fast
Motor neuron size
Small
Medium
Large
Fatigue resistance
High
Intermediate
Low
Activity
Aerobic
Long-term anarobic
Anarobic
Maximum duration
Hours
<30 minutes
<5-1 minutes
Force production
Low
Medium
High
Mito-chondrial
High
Medium
Low
Capillary density
High
Intermediate
Low
Oxidative capacity
High
Intermediate
Low
Glycolitic capacity
Low
High
High
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9
Chapter 1
10
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Chapter 2
Understanding Strength Qualities
Summary
The two basic types of muscle fibers, along
with their subcategories, correspond to
four strength qualities: strength endurance,
hypertrophy, functional hypertrophy and
relative strength.
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the physical qualities associated with
strength endurance, hypertrophy, functional
hypertrophy and relative strength
2. Explain how time under tension, reps and
intensity can be manipulated to develop each
of the four strength qualities
Key Terms:
3. Give several examples of sports and the
Strength endurance, hypertrophy, functional
specific strength qualities with which they are
hypertrophy, relative strength, time under
associated
tension, reps, intensity
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11
Chapter 2
Understanding Strength Qualities
Chapter 2
The two basic types of muscle fibers introduced in Chapter
1, fast twitch and slow twitch, have four subcategories that
correspond to four strength qualities:
Muscle Fiber Type
Strength Quality
Type I
Strength Endurance
Type IIa
Hypertrophy
Type IIx
Functional Hypertrophy
Type IIb
Relative Strength
Type IIa: Hypertrophy
Hypertrophy is the growth of muscle; the existing muscle
fibers respond to strength training by growing larger.
Mechanical loading, or weightlifting, triggers processes
within the cells and muscle fibers that lead to protein
synthesis and muscle growth.
Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Type I: Strength endurance
Strength endurance is the capacity of a muscle to maintain
consistent force output with repeated contractions over
time and a percentage of maximal strength greater than 30
percent. In other words, strength endurance is characterized
by high strength levels coupled with high levels of
endurance.
Type IIx: Functional hypertrophy
Functional hypertrophy is muscle growth that is considered
strategic in that it grows the muscles in such a way as to
improve physical performance.
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Strength Quality
Time Under Tension (TUT)
Reps
Intensity
Strength Endurance
70 seconds +
13 +
30-69%
Hypertrophy
40-70 seconds
9-12
70-78%
Functional Hypertrophy
20-40 seconds
6-8
79-84%
Relative Strength
1-20 seconds
1-5
85-100%
Type IIb: Relative strength
Relative strength is the maximum force a person can
generate per unit of bodyweight irrespective of time of
force development. High levels of relative strength are
critical in sports in which athletes have to move their entire
bodyweight.
Using Strength Qualities in
Program Design
The table above outlines how each strength quality relates
to TUT, reps and intensity.
In program design, when you target a specific strength
quality, it’s very important to follow the appropriate training
parameters. Later in this manual we will take a closer look
at each of these loading parameters, which are reps, sets,
tempo, rest, frequency and exercise selection.
Although there are four muscle fiber types, this does not
mean that a specific sport or physical activity uses only one
type of muscle fiber. For example, in a mixed martial arts
event, the athletes’ Type IIb fibers are the predominant type
used at the start of the match, but as fatigue sets in, the
Type IIx and even Type IIa fibers might have to be recruited.
Likewise, in American football, if a team’s linemen haven’t
worked enough on functional hypertrophy (Type IIx muscle
fibers) due to focusing only on relative strength (Type IIb
fibers), they might be vulnerable to excessive fatigue in the
fourth quarter, and this could be the deciding factor in a
game. Further, without sufficient muscle mass, players such
as offensive linemen will not be as effective in challenging
the opposing linemen.
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It’s also possible that although an athlete such as a wrestler
or gymnast might want to focus on relative strength later
in their career, early in their athletic career they may find
it necessary to work on hypertrophy. For example, if a high
school freshman on the wrestling team weighs 130 pounds
and is expected to weigh at least 170 in their senior year,
it would be best to use hypertrophy training early so they
will have a longer period to get used to moving at that new
bodyweight.
Functional hypertrophy is a relatively new training concept.
For sprinters, functional hypertrophy will involve training that
is both heavy and fast to help them become more explosive
and faster without gaining too much total bodyweight. In
comparison, football defensive linemen need to be explosive
and quick, but they also need to weigh a lot to be able to
block and push players who weigh around 300 pounds. A
lineman who is very strong but weighs only 180 pounds will
get squashed by a 300-pounder even if the 180-pounder is
stronger and can bench press more weight.
The definition of functional hypertrophy for nonathletes is
the same as for athletes – it grows the muscles in a way that
will improve physical performance. In addition to improving
body composition and supporting metabolism, functional
hypertrophy can prevent injury and help your clients get rid
of chronic pain. Studies show that having strong Type II fibers
decreases the risk of falls and fractures in older individuals.
On the flip side, Type II muscle fibers are more susceptible
to loss of strength and size as people age, which produces a
proportionately larger loss in power and strength. This puts
older individuals at greater risk of falling, injury and poor
physical performance.
By classifying workouts according to strength qualities you
have a simple, logical way to choose the most appropriate
workouts to help your clients achieve their particular goals.
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13
Chapter 2
14
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Chapter 3
Identifying the Client’s Fitness Goals
Summary
Goal setting in personal training is an ongoing
process that requires considerable planning.
The planning process can be broken down
into six steps.
Key Terms:
Goal setting, DePaul University Fatigue
Questionnaire, physiological assessments,
training journal
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the importance of goal setting for
helping clients achieve their goals
2. List the six basic steps in goal setting
3. Understand the limitations of most positive
affirmations
4. Learn how to write down positive behaviors to
train the subconscious
5. Recognize the importance of setting deadlines
and keeping training journals
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15
Chapter 3
Identifying the Client’s Fitness Goals
Chapter 3
Effective goal setting goes beyond having your clients jot
down a wish list of how much they want to weigh or lift
so they can post it on their refrigerator. Your clients must
understand that goal setting is an ongoing process that
requires them to put some work into it. To get you started,
here are six basic steps to help you and your clients set
realistic goals and develop plans to achieve them.
Step 1: Determine goals in a
specific and measurable way, and
set a deadline
“The more precise you are, the better.” There is little value
to having clients repeat positive affirmations such as “I want
to be the biggest and strongest I can be” because these
statements (1) are not specific, (2) are not measurable and
(3) do not contain a deadline. Instead, have a client make
a specific goal, such as “I’ll bench press 300 pounds with a
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close-grip by December 1.” Including the date is especially
important, because without a deadline there is a greater risk
of procrastination.
Step 2: Assess your clients’
starting physiology
You need to determine where your clients are physically so
you can determine what might be limiting their progress. A
body-fat measurement, a circumference measurement and
a sleep and energy level questionnaire, such as the DePaul
University Fatigue Questionnaire, are all good assessments
tools.
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Step 3: Have clients ask
themselves, “What am I willing to
do?”
Work with your clients to develop a list of what they need to
do to achieve their goals. They need to understand that no
worthy goal is ever reached without making a sacrifice. How
many times a week can they train? How long do they have
with each workout? How strict can they be on their diet?
Step 4: Have clients write down
their desired behaviors in presenttense statements
Because the subconscious does not recognize the past
or the future, positive behaviors should be written in the
present tense. So, rather than having your client write, “I will
consume two grams of protein per pound of bodyweight
daily,” they should write, “I consume two grams of protein
per pound of bodyweight daily.” Here are a few more
examples: “I sleep eight hours every day”; “I consume 1½
grams of fish oil per percent of body fat”; “I eat a meal every
three hours.”
Step 6: Have clients keep detailed
training and dietary logs
Your clients need to keep a detailed logbook of their training
programs. By keeping a well-kept training journal, your
clients can monitor and evaluate the efficacy of your training
programs and set realistic short-term goals to keep them on
track for long-term success.
A training log is useful only if the entries are recorded
honestly and accurately, so be sure that your clients record
only the reps they do in proper form. As their trainer, consult
their training diary to help you decide how to orient their
training from phase to phase. Consider having your clients’
training diaries computerized so you can produce ongoing
statistical analyses of the effectiveness of the training
process.
By following these six steps you’ll help your clients set
realistic goals and you’ll maximize your ability to tailor your
training approach to their particular needs. All you can do is
give your clients the tools to succeed; whether or not they
use those tools is up to them.
Step 5: Test clients regularly
and set intermediate goals with
deadlines
You must perform physiological assessments on a frequent
basis to determine if your clients are on the right track. If a
client is not progressing as quickly as they want or as you
expect, this calls for changes in their training or behavior.
For example, you may find after testing body fat that your
client’s carbohydrate intake is still too high.
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17
Chapter 3
18
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
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Chapter 4
Assessing the Client
Summary
To help clients achieve optimal athletic
performance and a pain-free quality of
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the concept of structural balance
2.Describe how the overhead squat test can
life, the trainer needs to address specific
determine tightness and weakness in specific
ratios of strength imbalances. A Poliquin®
muscles
BioSignature assessment is also valuable,
as it shows how specific fat stores relate to
hormonal imbalances.
3.Describe assessment tests for the hamstrings
and hip flexors
4.
Key Terms:
Structural balance, overhead squat, length
tension test, Poliquin® BioSignature Modulation,
Par-Q Questionnaire
Explain the strength ratios determined in an
upper-body structural balance assessment
5.Describe how to perform a Poliquin®
BioSignature Modulation assessment and what
the results represent
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19
Chapter 4
Assessing the Client
Chapter 4
Approximately two decades ago the concept of structural
balance training was introduced to the field of strength
and conditioning. The premise is that for optimal athletic
performance and a pain-free quality of life, you must address
specific ratios of strength imbalances.
For example, if you have a client whose progress in the
bench press has stagnated, the limiting factor may not be a
weakness in their chest, shoulders or triceps. The problem
may be a result of relative weakness in the muscles that
cause movement in the opposite direction. In other words, if
the opposing muscles (antagonists) are not strong enough, a
message is sent to the brain to shut down the prime movers
(agonists) of the exercise.
However, the importance of structural balance goes beyond
simply enabling a client to lift more weight.
If a client works excessively on the bench press but neglects
the muscles that help externally rotate the shoulders and
pull them together, the resulting imbalance could result in
a slumping, forward head posture that may cause shoulder
impingement and even neck pain. Likewise, if the vastus
medialis oblique (VMO), a lower quadriceps muscle, is weak
in comparison to the other three quadriceps muscles, this
could affect the tracking of the knee and make the individual
more susceptible to a tendon injury such as runner’s knee or
an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). When you
consider that every year there are approximately 100,000
surgeries to repair the ACL at an annual cost of over $1
billion, it’s easy to see the value in preventive measures such
as structural balance.
Included in a structural balance program are lengthtension assessments of the major muscle groups to assess
deficiencies in range of motion. The tests that will be
covered in this section will not take long for you to learn and
are relatively easy to administer.
Lower Body Movement Screen/
Structural Balance
Because the quadriceps is a key muscle group in weight
training programs, many workouts focus on exercises
such as leg extensions and leg presses. However, if these
20
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
exercises are emphasized at the expense of the hamstrings,
the resulting structural imbalance makes the knees more
susceptible to injury.
Most physiotherapists recommend a hamstrings-toquadriceps ratio of 66 percent, meaning that the hamstrings
should be able to produce 66 percent of the force of the
quadriceps. How do you determine if a client’s hamstrings
are weak? Instead of or in addition to using machines, you
could compare their maximal front squat to their maximal
back squat. If their front-squat strength is less than 85
percent of their back squat, then that individual has a
structural imbalance.
Rather than setting aside a specific day to test the
1-repetition maximums (1RM) of these lifts, you or your
client could simply compare the results of both of these
lifts as part of your client’s normal training. To use a simple
example, if a client back squats 200 pounds for 5 reps at the
end of one training cycle, and during the next training cycle
can front squat only 135 pounds for 3 reps, this suggests
that the client’s hamstrings are weak and that you should
consider a training cycle emphasizing front squats and
specific hamstring exercises.
Another valuable test for lower body structural balance
– and for many areas of upper body structural balance as
well – is the overhead squat. A Swiss study on this exercise
involving more than 40,000 subjects found that the
overhead squat could accurately predict injury potential in
soccer.
Upper Body Movement Screen/
Structural Balance
The upper body structural balance assessment compares
strength ratios using the close-grip bench press as the
central lift. By knowing what a client can perform in the
close-grip bench press, a trainer can determine how much
weight that athlete should be able to use in many other
exercises relevant to achieving structural balance. Table 4.2
outlines these ratios:
Table 4.1 shows how this formula would apply to a client
who could perform a close-grip bench press with 352
pounds:
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Table 4.1: Upper Body Structural Balance
Exercise
Relative Score (%)
Close-grip Bench Press
352
Incline Barbell Press
320
Supinated Chin-up
306**
Scott Barbell Curl
163
Standing Reverse Curl
123
External Rotation SA*
34
Incline Barbell Press
*Performed for 8 reps
**Includes client’s bodyweight
For the upper body, structural balance can be demonstrated
with a radar graph – so-named because it resembles a radar
screen, displaying values that revolve around a central point
Figure 4.1. The central point is zero, and increasing values are
represented farther out from the center. Unlike bar graphs
or pie charts, radar graphs can display values that are on
different scales and therefore can easily illustrate symmetry.
The following is a sample radar graph for structural balance:
Overhead Squat Test: Lower Body
Table 4.2: Upper Body Structural Balance
Exercise
Relative Score (%)
Close-grip bench press
100
Incline barbell press
91
Supinated chin-up
87
Scott barbell curl
46
Standing reverse curl
35
Figure 4.1
Kneeling, Supported,
External Rotation*
9.8
Trap 3*
10.6
*Performed for 8 reps
The overhead squat test is a squat performed using a stick
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21
or light barbell held overhead with a wide grip. Regarding
grip width, place the bar on your head. Now adjust your
hand placement on the bar so that your elbows are bent 90
(degree mark). Then extend your arms overhead. That is
where your hands will stay for the test. Those with long arms
will be more comfortable with a slightly wider grip. Here are
key indicators of a normal result of the overhead squat test:
• Heels remain on the floor as the subject squats down
• Kneecaps remain in line with the long toe during the
decent
Chapter 4
• Bar stays behind the knees during entire movement
• Arms do not bend during the descent
• Hips do not shift laterally during the descent
• Head remains level throughout exercise
• Subject is able to squat below parallel
• Subject does not experience pain during the
performance of the test
Table 4.4 can be used to assess lower body structural
imbalance during the overhead squat test:
Overhead Squat Test: Upper Body
In addition to being an excellent movement screen for
the lower body, the overhead squat can be used to assess
length-tension discrepancies in the upper body. Table 4.3
can be used to assess upper body structural imbalance
during the overhead squat test.
You would follow this assessment with a program of
corrective exercises to stretch tight muscles and strengthen
weak muscles.
Static flexibility testing has value, but it doesn’t have to be
a long ordeal involving special instruments and countless
tests. Below are two valuable length-tension tests, one for
the hamstrings and one for the hip flexors.
Length-Tension Test: Hamstrings
The single-leg hamstring test measures the flexibility of the
hamstrings in hip flexion. It is performed as follows:
Overhead Squat Test
Observation
Over Active
Under Active
Bar moves forward
Biceps brachii (short head)
Coracobrachialis
Pec minor
Lats
Teres major
Middle and lower traps
Rhomboids
Head moves forward
Pec minor
Levator scapula
Erector spinae
Lower traps
Head tilts up
Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
Deep cervical flexors
Head tilts down
SCM
Pec minor
Deep cervical flexors
Erector spinae
Table 4.3: Overhead Squat Test (upper body)
22
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Observation
Over Active
Under Active
Low back arches
Hip flexor complex
Erector spinae
Lats
Quadratus lumborum (QL)
Tensor fascia latae (TFL)
Glute max
Low back flattens/rounds
Hamstrings/Adductor magnus
Rectus abdominus
External obliques
Erector spinae
Psoas
Feet turn out
TFL
Soleus
Lateral gastoc
Biceps femoris (short head)
Piriformis (lower portion of squat)
Adductors
Medial hamtrings
Medial gastroc
Heels off floor
Soleus
Anterior tibialis
Knees buckle
Adductors
VMO
Glute medius
Medial hamtrings
Medial gastroc
Knees flare out
Piriformis
Short adductors
TFL
Glute minimus/medius
Biceps femoris
Medial hamtrings
Glute max
Lateral shift
Adductors (same side)
TFL (same side)
Piriformis (opposite side)
Biceps femoris (opposite side)
Adductors (opposite side)
Glute medius (same side)
Foot flattens
Peroneals
Lateral gastroc
Biceps femoris (short head)
TFL
Anterior tibialis
Medial gastroc
Glute medius
Table 4.4. Overhead Squat Test (lower body)
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23
The client lies supine on a table with both legs straight.
The tester grasps one ankle and lifts the leg as high as
comfortable without bending the leg. If the leg reaches a
point where it is perpendicular to the other leg, flexibility is
considered normal.
Length-Tension Test: Hip Flexors
The Modified Thomas Test measures the flexibility of the
psoas, rectus femoris and the IT band. It is performed as
follows:
Chapter 4
The client lies supine on a table with the ischial tuberosity
(i.e., the hip bones we sit on) just off the edge so half the
thigh extends off the table. The client brings both knees
towards the chest, and then releases one leg. If the client’s
hamstrings touch the table, this indicates normal flexibility
of the psoas. If the knee bends to a point of 70 degrees or
more, the rectus femoris (a quadriceps muscle) has normal
flexibility. If the leg flares or rotates outward, the IT band is
consisted tight.
Modified Thomas Test
Poliquin® BioSignature
Modulation
Many individuals’ stubborn problem areas are caused by
imbalances in their body biochemistry, especially with
hormones. Poliquin® BioSignature Modulation is a method of
assessing body fat in specific areas of the body and how
these fat stores relate to hormonal imbalances.
Here’s how it works. There are 12 major body fat sites that
can be quickly and accurately tested with a pair of quality
skin calipers. Although there are many other methods to
test body fat, such as underwater weighing and electrical
impedance, body fat testing with skin calipers is the most
accurate method when performed by a skilled practitioner.
It’s also the only method that can be successfully used
for Poliquin® BioSignature Modulation because it can
determine precisely the amount of fat in each of the major
skinfold sites. Measurements from each site are entered into
a software program.
The program not only calculates overall body fat but also
identifies which areas of the body have excessive levels
of fat relative to the other 11 body fat sites. Some of your
clients may have excessive fat in just one area, while others
may have several problem areas. Individuals will already
have a fairly good idea of what their problem areas are, and
experienced practitioners in Poliquin® BioSignature
Modulation can often make an accurate visual
determination of the problem areas; however, the calipers
are quick, easy and reliable.
Once the sites are analyzed, the next step is to set out a
specific protocol of diet, exercise and supplementation to
resolve the problem. If the caliper test reveals an excessive
amount of fat on the client’s lower thighs (again, relative
to the other major fat sites), this suggests there might be a
problem with high estrogen levels. If the triceps fat stores
are high, the problem may be with androgen levels; for the
lower back, the problem may be with insulin levels.
Dietary Planning
One of the most practical and effective steps is to have
athletes plan their own meals and keep a logbook of what
they eat. Just the simple act of planning reduces the risk of
eating poorly because it provides accountability. The plan
doesn’t have to be elaborate, and there are many computer
programs that will do it automatically. Figure 4.2 shows a
simple form for this.
Length Tension Test: Hamstrings
24
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Figure 4.2. Daily Food Planner
Date
_____________
Meal
Time
Foods Consumed
Quantity
Breakfast
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
______________
__________________________________________________
___________________
Lunch
Dinner
Snack
A single diet plan does not work for everyone, and you may feel overwhelmed by the volume of research now available about
proper nutrition. One extremely readable and practical book for coaches and high school students that provides easy-tofollow nutrition guidelines and numerous sample diets is The German Body Comp Program. Also, for serious athletes who want
to learn more about good nutrition theory, two excellent books to start with are The Paleo Diet and The Paleo Diet for Athletes
by Loren Cordain, PhD.
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25
Figure 4.3. Par-Q Questionnaire
Par-Q Questionnaire
Before participating in any training, it’s important for a trainer to determine if there are any activities that a
client should avoid due to pre-existing conditions. A useful screening tool is the Physical Activity Readiness
Questionnaire (PAR-Q).
Chapter 4
The PAR-Q was created by the British Columbia Ministry of Health. A convenient, single-page chart that
can be photocopied is provided for you in the Appendix of this manual. It contains questions such as
those below. A “Yes” answer to any of these questions would indicate that the client should seek out an
appropriate health care practitioner before participating in any fitness program and should provide written
medical clearance to the trainer from that practitioner.
1.
Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition and that you should only do physical activity
recommended by a doctor?
2.
Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity?
3.
In the past month, have you had chest pain when you were not doing physical activity?
4.
Do you lose your balance because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?
5.
Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?
6.
Is your doctor currently prescribing drugs (for example, water pills) for your blood pressure or heart
condition?
7.
Do you know of any other reason why you should not do physical activity?
We all know that a system – or a person – is only as strong as its weakest link. That’s why it’s so important
to use the practical tools of structural balance to find and correct your clients’ weak links. Only then can
your clients become the strongest and healthiest they can be.
26
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Chapter 5
Using Assessments to Create Training Priorities and Goals
Summary
After performing structural balance and
Poliquin® BioSignature assessments, the
trainer needs to determine which training
methods to emphasize to help clients
achieve their goals. Three major training
priorities are strength, fat loss and
hypertrophy.
Key Terms:
Relative strength, functional hypertrophy, German
Body Comp, skinny fat, German Volume Training
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the concept of a strength priority
workout and its subcategories of relative
strength and functional hypertrophy
2. Understand the concept of a fat-loss-priority
workout
3. Determine how to use German Body Comp in
long-term planning
4. Describe two scenarios in which hypertrophy
should be a training priority
5. Understand how to use German Volume
Training in long-term planning
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27
Chapter 5
Using Assessments to Create Training Priorities and Goals
Chapter 5
Using the assessments discussed in Chapter 4, you can now
determine which training methods to emphasize for each of
your clients. The three main training priorities most clients
will need to work on are strength, fat loss and hypertrophy.
Strength Priority
This category includes the subcategories of relative strength
and functional hypertrophy. Here are two scenarios in which
strength is the priority:
Training priorities and goals. One of the fastest ways
for most athletes to increase their jumping ability is to
reduce their body fat. However, in this case the client’s
12 percent body fat is low for a female, so her training
priority is relative strength training. Having stronger lats
and abdominal muscles will help her ability to rotate
while jumping, and the chin-up is a great exercise to
strengthen these muscles. Realistic strength training
goals for this athlete are to front squat 10 percent over
bodyweight and to perform 10 chin-ups.
Client B. This client is a 17-year-old high school football
player who plays fullback. He wants to improve his strength
for breaking through tackles for short gains, but he doesn’t
want to compromise his speed for breakaway runs by
gaining too much size. His body fat is 8 percent, and he
can back squat bodyweight and deadlift 35 percent over
bodyweight. His assessments indicate no structural balance
weaknesses, but he cannot perform an overhead squat and
is 25 percent deficient in hamstring and hip flexor flexibility.
He has three months before he starts two-a-days.
Client A. This client is a 16-year-old female figure skater
who needs to get strong for the jumps in her sport but
does not want to increase her bodyweight (because this
will affect how high she can jump) or muscle size (because
large muscles are judged as undesirable in the aesthetic
sport of figure skating). Her body fat is 12 percent, she can
front squat 30 pounds less than her bodyweight and she
can perform only one chin-up. Her skating background and
off-ice dance classes enable her to easily pass the overhead
squat assessment and the tests for hamstring and hip flexor
flexibility. This is her off-season, and she has 10 weeks
before the competitive season begins.
28
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
Training priorities and goals. This client is very lean
but very weak, so his training priority is functional
hypertrophy. He should set goals of being able to
squat 50 percent over bodyweight and deadlift double
bodyweight before his season begins. Also at that
time he should be able to pass the overhead squat
assessment and the hamstring and hip flexor flexibility
assessments. He should incorporate the overhead
squat into his workouts as a dynamic warm-up, and
then finish his workouts with specific stretches for the
hamstrings and hip flexors.
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Fat Loss Priority
Although the German Body Comp program is best for fat
loss, it is a good idea to alternate GBC with other programs,
especially hypertrophy. Specifically, alternating programs
prevents boredom (as the GBC program can be quite
challenging), and increasing muscle mass in a hypertrophy
program can decrease fat by increasing metabolism (the rate
at which the body burns calories). Here are two scenarios in
which fat loss is the priority:
Client D. This client is a 30-year-old man who is 6 feet tall,
weighs 280 pounds and has 30 percent body fat. He was
a former collegiate football lineman and still possesses
considerable muscle mass, but his shoulders often dislocate,
Client C. “Skinny fat” is the best way to describe this
26-year-old woman. She has 28 percent body fat, possesses
very little muscle mass, and appears rather shapeless in
a bikini. She cannot do a single chin-up or push-up and is
exhausted after performing 10 bodyweight squats. On the
positive side, assessments indicate no deficiencies in the
overhead squat, hamstrings and hip flexors. The beach
season opens in three months, and she wants to have some
curves and be able to see her abs.
and his knees ache when he does squats. He cannot perform
an overhead squat and has many structural imbalances;
assessments indicate he is 20 percent deficient in hamstring
and hip flexor flexibility. He has committed himself to
working with you for 15 weeks.
Training priorities and goals. This client should
alternate between GBC training and structural balance
workouts. Because his structural imbalances will affect
his performance in multijoint exercises such as squats,
he should begin with a structural balance phase. As he
was a former collegiate athlete, his competitive drive
may kick in and he should expect to drop his body fat
percentage in half, achieve structural balance and pass
the hamstring and hip flexor flexibility assessments by
the end of 15 weeks.
Hypertrophy Priority
Here are two scenarios in which hypertrophy is the priority:
Training priorities and goals. This client should
alternate between GBC training and hypertrophy
workouts. The increased muscle mass will increase her
metabolism and will give shape to her figure – behind
every curve is a muscle – and the GBC will enable her to
quickly get her body fat in the teens. Because she has
such a low strength level, she could alternate 3-4 week
training cycles of GBC and hypertrophy workouts.
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
Client E. This client is a 16-year-old male who is 6 feet tall,
weighs 150 pounds and has 10 percent body fat. He doesn’t
play sports, is sedentary and has never lifted weights. He
can perform the overhead squat test and has excellent lower
body flexibility. He wants to train with you in the summer
for about three months; when school starts, he plans to take
weight training classes at his high school.
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29
Training priorities and goals. Due to his lack of training
experience or background in physical fitness, this client
would respond well to brief and infrequent training,
such as 45 minutes, three times a week. He should
focus on multijoint upper and lower body exercises.
With each training cycle he should be able to handle
longer and more frequent workouts, up to five days a
week. For someone his age, gaining 15-20 pounds of
muscle in three months is definitely possible.
Chapter 5
Client F. This client is a 26-year-old male who is 5 feet 8
inches tall, weighs 190 pounds and has 8 percent body fat.
He has been lifting for seven years, can bench press 325
pounds but squats only 250; he has never done calf work
and it shows. He has no structural imbalances or flexibility
issues, and he has no problem performing a good overhead
squat. He would like to train with you for six months and
then, at the end of this time, enter a physique competition.
Training priorities and goals. This client could respond
well to a German Volume Training program, especially
one in which squats are the key leg exercises, alternated
with more conventional hypertrophy methods. Even
during GVT, he should perform calf exercises to improve
his symmetry. His body fat is low, so the only time he
would need to go on a GBC program would be in the
month before a competition. Adding 8-10 pounds of
muscle and dropping up to 5 percent body fat for his
show are realistic goals.
More information on goal setting and how it relates to
planning long-term periodization workouts is ahead
in Chapter 9. The main purpose of Chapter 5 is to
encourage you to use the results of your assessments to
help you design the best workouts for your clients.
30
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Chapter 6
Dividing Long-Term Goals into Multiple Short-Term Goals
Summary
An effective way to design long-term
workouts is to divide a year into four 3-month
programs. These workouts should blend
structural balance training into the client’s
fitness goals.
Key Terms:
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain why it’s important to vary volume
and intensity to make continual progress in
resistance training programs
2. Know how to adjust the length of a workout
program according to training experience
3. Determine the most effective repetition
protocols for accumulation and intensification
Accumulation, intensification
phases in long-term planning
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31
Chapter 6
Dividing Long-Term Goals into Multiple Short-Term Goals
Chapter 6
This chapter expands on the previous chapter by showing
you how to divide a yearlong program into four 3-month
programs. The workouts also blend structural balance
training into your clients’ fitness goals.
To enable your clients to make continual progress in
strength training, you must plan variations in both volume
and intensity. For experienced trainees, strength training
programs usually lose effectiveness after only two weeks;
exceptions are beginners, who can use a single training
protocol longer, and advanced athletes, who may adapt to a
single training protocol within a week.
One of the most effective ways to periodize your clients’
workouts is to alternate between accumulation and
intensification phases. An accumulation phase emphasizes
volume, which is how much work is performed overall, so
these types of workouts usually feature higher repetitions
performed with relatively lighter weights. An intensification
phase emphasizes intensity, which is how much weight is
lifted per exercise, so these types of workouts usually feature
lower reps performed with heavier weights.
When designing these workouts, it’s best to start with the
end goal in mind. In this instance we are using the example
of a 26-year-old male who has 28 percent body fat and a
history of shoulder and knee injuries from playing football in
college. He has not trained for more than four years, when
he last played football. The progression should be to attain
structural balance first, then follow with fat loss, functional
hypertrophy and, lastly, hypertrophy.
Upper Body - Structural Balance Phase
32
A1
One-arm Bent-over Row
Sets
3
Reps
8-10
Tempo
3-0-1-1
Rest (seconds)
75
A2
Flat Dumbbell Press
3
8-10
3-0-2-0
75
B1
Lat Pulldown, Parallel-grip
3
10-12
3-0-1-1
75
B2
One-arm Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Pres
3
10-12
4-0-1-0
75
C1
Standing Dumbbell Curls, Supinated-grip
3
10-12
4-0-1-0
60
C2
Standing High-pulley Triceps Pushdown, Pronated
3
10-12
4-0-1-0
60
D1
One-arm Mid-pulley External Rotation
3
10-12
3-0-1-0
45
D2
One-arm Low-pulley Bent-over Lateral Raise
3
10-12
3-0-1-0
45
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Months 1-3
In this program the focus is on resolving structural imbalances in the shoulder and knee. Because this client has not trained for
a long time, the cycles are four weeks long and use relatively higher repetitions, which also help with the client’s fat loss goals.
Weeks 1-4: 12-15 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 5-8: 8-10 reps (intensification)
Weeks 9-12: 10-12 reps (accumulation)
Months 4-6
Now that the client’s structural imbalances have been addressed, the client moves to a German Body Composition (GBC)
program designed to reduce his body fat and slightly increase his muscle mass. Because the previous cycle finished with an
accumulation phase, this one begins with an intensification phase.
Weeks 13-16: 8-10 reps (intensification)
Weeks 17-20: 12-15 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 21-24: 6-8 reps (intensification)
Full Body GBC - Fat Loss Phase
A1
Barbell Squats, Heels Elevated
Sets
4
Reps
12-15
Tempo
3-0-1-1
Rest (seconds)
30
A2
Seated Row, Supinated-grip
4
12-15
3-0-1-1
30
B1
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
4
12-15
2-0-2-0
30
B2
Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press
4
12-15
3-0-1-0
30
C1
Leg Press, Medium Stance
4
15-20
2-0-1-0
30
C2
Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise
4
10-12
2-0-1-1
30
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33
Months 7-9
One way to increase metabolism, which is the rate at which the body burns calories, is to increase muscle mass. This next
cycle does just that, as well as giving the client a mental break from all the higher-repetition work performed in the first six
months. This client possesses some muscle memory from his college football playing days, so his training cycles have been
shortened to three-week intervals. Because the previous cycle finished with an intensification phase, this one begins with
accumulation.
Weeks 25-27: 10-12 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 28-30: 6-8 reps (intensification)
Chapter 6
Weeks 31-33: 8-10 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 34-36: 4-6 reps (intensification)
Arms - Strength Phase
A1
60-degree Incline Dumbbell Curl
Sets
6
Reps
8,8,6,6,4,4
Tempo
5-0-X-0
Rest (seconds)
120
A2
Decline Barbell Close-grip Bench Press
6
8,8,6,6,4,4
3-2-X-0
120
B1
EZ Bar Scott Curl, Pronated-grip
4
6-8
3-2-X-0
120
B2
Flat EZ Bar Triceps Extensions
4
6-8
5-0-X-0
120
Months 10-12
At this point the client returns to a GBC program to maximize fat loss. These final 12 weeks feature a combination of three
accumulation cycles and two intensification cycles divided into three- and two-week intervals. In contrast to the programs
in the earlier months, which gradually moved from higher repetitions to lower, this final program progresses from lower
repetitions to higher so it finishes with maximal fat-burning.
Weeks 37-39 (three weeks): 10-12 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 40-41 (two weeks): 6-8 reps (intensification)
Weeks 42-44 (three weeks): 12-15 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 45-46 (two weeks): 8-10 reps (intensification)
Weeks 47-48 (two weeks): 15-20 reps (accumulation)
Proceeding from this general plan, the next step is to look more closely at the concept of training frequency and how it relates
to designing each week of training.
34
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35
Chapter 7
36
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Chapter 7
Selecting a Training Split
Summary
After designing long- and short-term
workout plans based on the client’s goals,
the next step is to determine optimal training
frequency and apply it with training splits.
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain why training frequency is individualized
for each client based on recovery, strength,
muscle group, exercise choice and repetition
bracket
2. Recognize that adrenal stress and nutritional
Key Terms:
Training frequency, training split, adrenal stress,
nutritional intervention
intervention influence recovery
3. Define the concept of a training split
4. Determine the best training splits for a variety
of clients with different goals
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37
Chapter 7
Selecting Training Splits
Chapter 7
After you have made general long- and short-term plans
based on your client’s goals, the next step is to determine
optimal training frequency and apply it with a programming
method called training splits.
Frequency As a Training Variable
Training frequency refers to how often an individual trains.
To make optimal progress, however, especially when
working with more advanced clients, you must consider the
principles governing training frequency. Here are eight of
them:
Frequency is recovery dependent. Optimal frequency
depends upon the trainee’s recovery ability at any given
time. In general, a frequency prescription of “twice per week
per muscle group” works well. However, for advanced clients
one workout every five days for a body part is most likely the
optimal training frequency.
recover more slowly than muscles with a high percentage
of slow-twitch fibers. These facts have many practical
applications. For example, the soleus (a calf muscle that is
a predominately slow-twitch, small-muscle group) may be
trained two to three times a week, but the hamstrings (a
predominantly fast-twitch, large-muscle group) respond
better to one or two training sessions per week.
Frequency is exercise dependent. A motor unit can be
thought of as a nerve that activates one or more muscle
fibers. Exercises that involve a small number of motor units,
such as calf raises and wrist curls, can be performed more
frequently than exercises that involve a large number of
motor units, such as squats.
Frequency is individualized. Frequency is dependent on
work capacity. You’ll find that some of your clients can
handle prodigious training volumes, while others can handle
only minimal volumes. That’s why it’s important to keep
accurate training records for your clients and to increase or
decrease their training frequency based on how fast they
progress.
Frequency is repetition-bracket dependent. The greater
the intensity, the more rest a trainee will need between
workouts. Because intensity is partially determined by
the number of reps performed per set, more rest days are
needed between training sessions that emphasize low reps.
Thus, if you are prescribing a workout that contains 2-3
reps per set, your client may need 4-5 days’ rest between
workouts for the same body parts – or even as much as 10
days. If your workout contains 15-20 reps per set, your client
can probably repeat the same workout for that body part
after 2-3 days.
Frequency is strength dependent. The weaker the
trainee, the more important training frequency is. In cases
of rehabilitation, such as postsurgical rehab, training
frequencies of 4-6 times a week are well tolerated.
Frequency is influenced by adrenal stress. All stressors
have both general and specific effects on the body. If one
of your clients performs a set of squats, that activity places
a specific stress on the muscle fibers, but it also produces
general stress that triggers neural and hormonal responses.
If the stress levels are too high, the body will not be able to
adapt; progress will cease or even regress.
Frequency is muscle-group dependent. Large muscle
groups recover more slowly than smaller muscle groups, and
muscles with a high percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers
38
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allow for more recovery before beginning the next tri-set. For
the dumbbell exercises, use thick implements, if available,
to increase the training effect on the grip and forearms. Just
focus on the general design of the workout for now – later
chapters will discuss in detail how to manipulate all the
various loading parameters of program design.
A1. Trap Bar Deadlift
3 x 10-12, 30X0, rest 45 seconds
A2. Lat Pulldown
3 x 10-12, 3012, rest 45 seconds
A3. Seated Dumbbell L-Lateral Raise
3 x 12-20, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
B1. Low Box Dumbbell Front Step-up
3 x 15-20, 1010, rest 45 seconds
B2. Lying Leg Curl
3 x 10-12, 30X0, rest 45 seconds
Frequency is dependent on nutritional intervention.
Numerous studies have established that postworkout
nutrition is one of the keys to optimal recovery, which
requires carbohydrate intake to lower cortisol levels and
increase energy substrates such as glycogen. Clients
who have good nutrition will be able to tolerate a higher
frequency of training.
Best Training Splits for Different
Training Scenarios
A training split refers to how frequently each muscle group
is trained, usually in the time period of a single week. It is
incorrect to believe that training the same muscle group
less than once every 48 hours will produce less than
optimal progress. The opposite is true, as evidenced by the
numerous world-class bodybuilders and powerlifters who
train a body part only once weekly.
The following nine training splits will cover most of the
training goals of your clients.
Best split for a 2x/week client. If a client can train only
twice a week, then it’s best to train the whole body in each
workout and leave at least two days’ rest between workouts
to allow for more complete recovery, such as Monday and
Thursday, or Tuesday and Friday. Having the first workout
early in the week is the best approach because it enables the
client to make up any missed workout. If a client’s workouts
are scheduled for Monday and Thursday but the client
misses Monday, the client can move the schedule forward
one day and train Tuesday and Friday instead (and still
have the weekend free); then the schedule can proceed as
planned the following week.
When you train the whole body, due to time restraints the
majority of the exercises should be multijoint exercises – the
smaller muscle groups will still receive a training effect, but
not as much as if a greater training frequency was used. The
following is an example of a hypertrophy workout that can
be completed in about 30 minutes; it uses two tri-sets, with
a longer rest period after the third exercise in each set to
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B3. Bent-over Dumbbell Lateral Raise
3 x 12-20, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
If the client has 45 minutes to train, here is the same
workout with the addition of a biceps and a triceps exercise
to create two giant sets. To allow for more complete
recovery after each giant set, an additional 30 seconds’ rest
is prescribed.
A1. Trap Bar Deadlift
3 x 10-12, 30X0, rest 45 seconds
A2. Lat Pulldown
3 x 10-12, 3012, rest 45 seconds
A3. 45-degree Incline Dumbbell Triceps Extension
3 x 15-20, 30X0, rest 45 seconds
A4. Seated Dumbbell L-Lateral Raise
3 x 12-20X0, rest 120 seconds
B1. Low Box Dumbbell Step-up
3 x 15-20, 1010, rest 45 seconds
B2. Seated Low-pulley Curl
3 x 15-20, 30X0, rest 45 seconds
B3. Lying Leg Curl
3 x 10-12, 30X0, rest 45 seconds
B4. Bent-over Dumbbell Lateral Raise
3 x 12-20, 30X0, rest 120 seconds
Best split for a 3x/week client. If a client can train three
days a week, considerably more options are available
in program design. The following hypertrophy option
contains two different total-body workouts to allow for
more complete recovery between training sessions. The
workouts should be performed on three nonconsecutive
days a week, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday; or
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. On alternate weeks, start
with Workout 2 instead of Workout 1; e.g., do Workout 2 on
Monday and Friday, and do Workout 1 on Wednesday.
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39
Workout 1 (perform on Monday and Friday the first week;
on Wednesday in alternate weeks):
A1. Back Squat
3 x 15-20, 2010, rest 75 seconds
A2. Lying Leg Curl
3 x 6-8, 4010, rest 75 seconds
B1. Parallel Bar Dip
3 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75 seconds
B2. Close Parallell-grip Chin-up
3 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
Chapter 7
C1. Incline Dumbbell Press
2 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75 seconds
C2. Seated Row
2 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
D1. Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension
2 x 10-12, 3110, rest 75 seconds
D2. Incline Dumbbell Curl
2 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
E1. Standing Calf Raise
2 x 10-12, 2210, rest 60 seconds
E2. Low-cable Pull-in
2 x 10-12, 2020, rest 60 seconds
Workout 2 (perform on Wednesday the first week; on
Monday and Friday in alternate weeks):
for about 60 percent of the population consists of a split
workout with four training sessions per week, with a rest day
after two consecutive workouts. The hypertrophy workout
below is designed in this manner: two days on, one day off,
followed by two days on, two days off, such as Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday:
Monday and Thursday
A1. Cyclist Back Squat
10,12,14,20, 2010, rest 75 seconds
A2. Lying Leg Curl, Feet Inward
4 x 6-8, 40X0, rest 75 seconds
B1. Lunge
(10,12,15,20), 20X0, rest 90 seconds
B2. Romanian Deadlift
4 x 10-12, 4020, rest 75 seconds
C1. Standing Calf Raise,
(12,15,20), 1110, rest 60 seconds
C2. Low-cable Pull-in
3 x 10-12, 2020, rest 60 seconds
Tuesday and Friday
A1. Incline Dumbbell Press
8,10,12,15, 3010, rest 75 seconds
A2. Close Parallel-grip Chin-up
4 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
A1. Back Barbell Lunge
3 x 15-20, 2010, rest 90 seconds
B1. Decline Dumbbell Press
3 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75 seconds
A2. Dumbbell Deadlift
3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 75 seconds
B2. One-arm Dumbbell Row
3 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75 seconds
B1. Back Step-up
3 x 15-20, 1010, rest 75 seconds
C1. Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension
3 x 10-12, 3110, rest 75 seconds
B2. Back Extension
3 x 12-15, 2012, rest 75 seconds
C2. Seated Dumbbell Offset Curl
3 x 8-10, 3010, rest 75 seconds
C1. Incline Dumbbell Press
2 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75 seconds
C2. Seated Row
2 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
D1. Decline Dumbbell Press
2 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75 seconds
D2. One-arm Dumbbell Row
2 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75 seconds
E1. Seated Calf Raise
2 x 15-20, 2010, rest 60 seconds
E2. Twisted Crunch on Swiss Ball
2 x 10-12, 2020, rest 60 seconds
Best split for a client who wants weekends off. For the
client who cannot train on the weekends, there are options
of three-, four- and five-day workouts – clients with more
training experience should use the more frequent options.
For three days a week you would train the whole body, for
four days a week you could train each muscle twice, and
for five days a week you could train the legs twice and the
upper body three times a week. A workout that works well
40
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
Best split for the highly committed client with unlimited
training time. Many options are available with this type of
client. The following workout is designed for trainees who
are gifted with enormous work capacity. Every muscle is
trained every five days.
Day 1: Chest and Hamstrings
Day 2: Back and Shoulders
Day 3: Quads, Calves and Abs
Day 4: Arms and Forearms
Day 5: Off
Another option with this type of client is to alternate
between training once a day and training twice a day.
Using short, multiple workouts in the same day enables the
client to train at a higher level of intensity. Ideally, six hours
should be allowed between workouts. Here is a six-week
hypertrophy program using a combination of once-a-day
and twice-a-day training to work the chest:
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Weeks 1-2: Twice a day, twice a week
Training 4x a Week:
Weeks 3-4: Once a day, twice a week
Monday: Upper Body
Weeks 5-6: Once a day, once a week
Tuesday: Lower Body
Here is a more detailed example of this type of approach:
Wednesday: Off
Weeks 1-2
Monday and Thursday AM
A. Wide-grip Bench Press to Neck
8 x 3, 3021, rest 240 seconds
B. Flat Dumbbell Press
5 x 5, 3020, rest 180 seconds
Monday and Thursday PM
A. Cambered Bar Bench Press
10 x 6, 3020, rest 120 seconds
Weeks 3-4
Monday and Thursday AM
A1. Incline Bench Press
5 x 5, 3021, rest 240 seconds
A2. Dips
6 x 3, 3021, rest 180 seconds
Weeks 5-6
Thursday PM
Thursday: Upper Body
Friday: Lower Body
The following is a three-week hypertrophy program using
the upper body/lower body training split. This is for an
intermediate-level client. The number of reps is the variable
the body adapts to most quickly, so the rep prescription is
changed every week.
Best split for a client whose primary goal is relative
strength. Lower reps and higher sets characterize relative
strength training. Generally, sets are completed within 20
seconds and the intensity level is 85-100 percent of 1RM.
The following superset of a back and a chest exercise uses
relative-strength training methods.
A1. Close-grip Pull-up (4 inch/10cm grip)
8 x 2-3, 3012, rest 100 seconds
A2. Incline Bench Press (shoulder-width grip)
8 x 2-3, 3210, rest 100 seconds
One effective option to develop relative strength is to train
every major muscle group once every five days. The client
doesn’t train more than two days in a row, so their nervous
system has a chance to completely recover.
A1. Bench Press
3 x 6, 3021, rest 5 minutes
Day 1: Chest, Biceps and Forearms
A2. Close-grip Bench Press
4 x 5, 30X1, rest 3 minutes
Day 2: Thighs, Calves and Abs
Best split for a client with low work capacity. For a client
with low work capacity, one effective option is to divide the
body into two parts, alternating between an upper body and
a lower body workout. If the client trains three times a week,
the workouts could be performed on nonconsecutive days
such that each area is trained three times in two weeks, as
follows:
Day 3: Off
Day 4: Back, Shoulders and Triceps
Day 5: Off
Training 3x a Week:
Another option is to train each muscle group once every five
days. It is ideal for clients who find that training their chest
and back the same day is too severe – always remember that
frequency depends on the individual.
Monday: Upper Body
Day 1: Chest and Back
Wednesday: Lower Body
Day 2: Legs, Calves and Abs
Friday: Upper Body
Day 3: Off
Monday: Lower Body
Day 4: Shoulders, Arms and Forearms
Wednesday: Upper Body
Day 5: Off
Friday: Lower Body
Best split for a client whose primary goal is hypertrophy.
There is no single, ideal training split for hypertrophy; on the
contrary, a variety of splits will produce the best results.
If the client can train four days a week, each workout would
be performed twice in a week; Wednesday is a rest day, as
follows:
In this first workout each muscle group is trained once
six days.
bodyduplicated
part is paired
with a smaller
This copy was distributed to Nour Sweis on April 29, 2022. This every
document
is not A
to large
be shared,
or copied.
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41
Day 1: Upper Body
A1. Incline Dumbbell Press
A2. Close Parallel-grip Chin-up
Chapter 7
B1. Decline Dumbbell Press
B2. One-arm Dumbbell Row
C1. Decline Dumbbell Triceps
Extension
C2. Seated Dumbbell Offset Curl
Day 2: Lower Body
A1. Front Step-up
A2. Seated Leg Curl
B1. Side Step-up
B2. Back Extension
C1. One-legged Calf Raise
C2. Twisting Crunch on Swiss Ball
Week
Sets
Reps
Tempo
Rest
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
9-11
8-10
7-9
9-11
8-10
7-9
10-12
9-11
8-10
10-12
9-11
8-10
3110
3110
3110
3110
3110
3110
3110
3110
3110
2110
2110
2110
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
1
2
3
1
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
10-12
9-11
8-10
10-12
9-11
8-10
4020
4020
4020
2110
2110
2110
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
10-12
9-11
8-10
10-12
9-11
8-10
15-20
12-15
10-12
10-12
9-11
8-10
10-12
9-11
8-10
12-15
10-12
8-10
1010
1010
1010
3020
3020
3020
1010
1010
1010
2210
2210
2210
2110
2110
2110
2020
2020
2020
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
90 seconds
Table 7.1:
42
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body part. Many individuals with a slender body type (i.e.,
ectomorphic) respond well to this format:
Day 1: Chest and Hamstrings
Day 2: Back and Shoulders
Day 3: Off
Day 4: Quads, Calves and Abs
Day 5: Arms and Forearms
For a client with superior recovery ability, below is another
option. This is a three-days-out-of-five training split,
designed so each body part is trained thoroughly once
every five days – as a result, your client will train at least
one day per weekend. For example, Monday, Tuesday, rest
Wednesday, Thursday, rest Friday; followed by Saturday,
Sunday, rest Monday, Tuesday, rest Wednesday; and so on.
Here is one example of a body part split using this method:
Day 1: Chest and Back
Day 2: Quads, Hamstrings and Calves
Day 3: Off
Day 4: Arms
Day 5: Off
With these cycles it’s best to eliminate or drastically reduce
the volume of one body part per phase to permit greater
recovery or to concentrate on particular body parts. Here is
one example of this type of workout:
Day 1: Chest and Back
A1. 30-degree Incline Dumbbell Press
6,8,10,12, 2210, rest 100 seconds
A2. Lean-away Parallel-grip Chin-up
4 x 7-9, 5010, rest 100 seconds
B1. Flat Dumbbell Press
3 x 10-12, 5010, rest 100 seconds
(yes, 10 seconds!)
C1. Standing Calf Raise
3 x 7-9, 3110, rest 90 seconds
C2. Seated Calf Raise
3 x 7-9, 5010, rest 90 seconds
Day 3: Off
Day 4: Arms
A1. 15-degree Decline Close-grip Bench Press
6,8,10,12, 3210, rest 75 seconds
A2. Seated Zottman Dumbbell Curl
6,8,10,12, 3210, rest 75 seconds
B1. Rope French Press
3 x 10-12, 3110, rest 10 seconds
(yes, 10 seconds!)
B2. Pronated-grip Triceps Pressdown
3 x 15-20, 3010, rest 90 seconds
B3. Reverse-grip EZ Bar Scott Curl
3 x 7-9, 4010, rest 10 seconds (yes, 10 seconds!)
B4. Low-pulley Rope Curl
3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 90 seconds
C1. Decline Wrist Curl
3 x 12-15, 2010, rest 60 seconds
C2. Gripping Machine
3 x 15-20, 2010, rest 60 seconds
Day 5:
Best split for a client whose primary goal is fat loss. There
are many options for fat loss, as the lower intensity levels
allow for more frequent training sessions. The following are
two workouts that train the entire body three times a week
on nonconsecutive days.
This first workout uses tri-sets with a combination of 10- and
90-second rest intervals.
B2. Incline Cable Flye
3 x 10-12, 3010, rest 100 seconds
A1. Close-grip Bench Press
3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
B3. Seated Row to Neck
3 x 8-10, 3110, rest 90 seconds
A2. 45-degree Incline Dumbbell Press
3 x 12, 3010, rest 10 seconds
B4. Decline Barbell Pullover
3 x 15-20, 2010, rest 90 seconds
A3. Decline Low-pulley Rope Flye
3 x 25, 2010, rest 90 seconds
C1. Low-pulley Rope Upright Row
3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 75 seconds
B1. Incline Dumbbell Hammer Curl
3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
C2. Seated Dumbbell Press
3 x 8-10, 2012, rest 10 seconds (yes, 10 seconds!)
B2. Close Supinated-grip EZ Bar Scott Curl
3 x 12, 3010, rest 10 seconds
Day 2: Quads, Hamstrings and Calves
A1. Cyclist Back Squat
10,12,15,20, 2210, rest 100 seconds
B3. Low-pulley Supinated-grip Curl
3 x 25, 2010, rest 90 seconds
A2. Leg Press
4 x 4-6, 5010, rest 100 seconds
B1. Lying Leg Curl
3 x 4-6, 5010, rest 100 seconds
B2. Romanian Deadlift
x 4-6, 5010,
rest 100
seconds
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Performance
Center
2, LLC
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43
C1. Seated Dumbbell Press
3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
C2. Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise
3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
C3. Low-pulley Rope Upright Row
3 x 25, 2010, rest 90 seconds
This second total body workout uses 60-second rest
intervals in some challenging multijoint exercises and giant
sets:
Chapter 7
A1. Barbell Back Squat
5 x 8-10, 3210, rest 60 seconds
A2. Chin-up
5 x 8-10, 3012, rest 60 seconds
A3. Bent-knee Deadlift
5 x 8-10, 4110, rest 60 seconds
A4. Flat Bench Press
5 x 8-10, 3210, rest 60 seconds
44
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Best split for a client whose primary goal is rehabilitation
from an injury. Because rehabilitation is associated with
weakness, rehab clients can tolerate a greater training
frequency, even daily training for the same muscle group.
In the initial stages of training, the muscle groups that are
injured can be trained daily. A client rehabilitating a knee
injury might respond well to a program such as the following:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Total Body
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Legs
As the client’s strength increases, you should prescribe more
conventional training splits.
As you can see from these examples, there are many
variables to consider when determining training frequency;
there is no single, simple answer. Try the options presented
in this chapter with each of your clients and see which ones
work best.
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45
Chapter 8
46
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Chapter 8
Selecting Exercises Based upon Assessment
Summary
The trainer should use specific assessments
to help determine which exercises to use in
the client’s workouts. One method used to
classify exercises is according to the level
of muscle activation of the central nervous
system.
Learning Objectives:
1. Be able to list the seven levels of CNS activation
2. Know whether the appropriate exercise for the
purpose is isolation or compound
3. Know the variables that determine how many
exercises to perform in a workout
4. Understand how to properly sequence
Key Terms:
Dietmar Schmidtbleicher, Rickard Nilsson,
isolation exercise, compound exercise
exercises from training phase to training phase
5. Recognize how facilities and time restrictions
can influence exercise selection
6. Understand how exercises can be organized in
a long-term periodization program
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47
Chapter 8
Selecting Exercises Based upon Assessment
Chapter 8
One of the keys in strength training is choosing the right
exercise based upon the results of your assessments. You
will find it useful to classify exercises according to the level
of muscle activation of the central nervous system (CNS).
The 7 Levels of CNS Activation
Dietmar Schmidtbleicher, a top level German strength
physiologist, ranked exercises according to six levels of
muscle activation; Rickard Nilsson of Sweden and Charles
Poliquin expanded this number to seven levels. The higher
the level, the greater the muscle activation and effectiveness
of the exercise. Here are the seven levels:
Level 2. Compound exercise on variable resistance machine
(pulley leg press machine)
Level 1. Isolation exercise on variable-resistance machine
(Cybex leg extension, David leg curl)
Level 3. Isolation exercise on constant-resistance machine
(Scott pulley curl, triceps pressdown on pulley machine)
48
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Level 4. Compound exercise on constant-resistance
machine (leg press)
Level 5. Isolation exercise with free weights (Scott barbell
curl, lying flye)
Level 6. Compound exercise with free weights (squat,
deadlift)
Level 7. Complex exercise with free weights (power snatch,
snatch pull, power clean)
Machines offer variety in your clients’ workouts, but as a
general rule machines should be used for no more than
20 percent of the workout. Free weights will give the most
bang for the buck in terms of muscle fiber recruitment and
therefore should be the main focus during your clients’
workout time.
Isolation Versus Compound
Exercises
Although multijoint exercises recruit more muscle fibers
compared to single-joint exercises (see levels 6 and 7 of
CNS activation for some of the most effective exercises),
there is value in single-joint exercises, especially for trainees
using free weights, and not just for bodybuilding.
It’s important to understand that with the exception of
certain exercise machines, it is not possible to isolate
other muscle groups simultaneously. For example, during
a standing barbell biceps curl, many other muscles, such
as those of the trunk and upper back, must contract
isometrically to stabilize the body.
Isolation exercises have value in rehabilitation and structural
balance training. For example, the vastus medialis (VMO),
a teardrop-shaped quadriceps muscle that crosses the
knee, is essential for helping the kneecap to track properly.
Weakness in the VMO contributes to an estimated 20,000
high school girls suffering serious knee injuries every year
in the US, most involving the ACL. Further, weak VMOs
adversely affect sprinting and jumping performance.
Other commonly weak muscles that could benefit from
isolation exercises are those that externally rotate the
shoulders. The two most important muscles that are
involved in externally rotating the shoulders are the teres
minor and the infraspinatus. These muscles, which originate
on the scapula and insert on the humerus, are two of the
four muscles collectively known as the rotator cuff. Although
these muscles are relatively small, they are important for
stabilizing the shoulder and therefore keeping your client
healthy.
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How Many Exercises Should Be
Used for Each Workout?
Along with selecting the most appropriate exercises for
a workout, you must determine how many exercises your
client can perform in a single training session. Here are
six variables that influence how many exercises should be
performed:
Length of the workout. After the warm-up, in most cases
a strength training session should only last one hour. Any
longer than this will dramatically reduce the quality of the
workout because testosterone levels will drop significantly
after one hour.
Training goal. Before designing a workout, you must have a
clear training goal in mind. For a goal of improving relative
strength, only 1-4 exercises should be performed; for
functional hypertrophy, 2-7 exercises; and for hypertrophy
the range might start at 3 and go as high as 10 or more,
especially if isolation exercises are performed.
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49
Relative Strength
1-4 exercises
Functional Hypertrophy
2-7 exercises
Hypertrophy
3-10 exercises
Strength Endurance
6-12 exercises
Chapter 8
Training intensity. When training at higher intensities, a
greater number of sets is required. When working at 90-100
percent of the 1RM, usually only 1-2 exercises are performed;
when that range is lowered to 85-90, the number of
exercises can be doubled because the minimum threshold of
working sets is significantly lower.
Exercise order. Pairing agonist muscles with antagonist
muscles, such as when an elbow flexion exercise is paired
with an elbow extension exercise, results in a higher level of
motor-unit activation. This allows your clients to perform
more exercises in a single training session.
The nature of a client’s sport. Clients who are involved in
sports in where strength is applied at various angles, such as
judo, require a greater variety of exercises. Clients involved
in sports characterized by a well-rehearsed motor pattern,
such as bowling or golf, require less variety in their exercises.
Degree of structural balance. Clients who have an extreme
level of structural imbalances require a greater number
of exercises. Likewise, clients who want to specialize on a
“lagging” body part can perform up to four exercises for a
specific muscle.
Proper Exercise Sequencing from
Phase to Phase
Phase 1: Snatch Deadlift on Podium; Dumbbell Step-Up;
Low-Pulley Split Squat
It can be difficult to determine how to vary exercises during
each training phase, but there are many tools that can help.
Phase 2: Romanian Deadlift; Barbell Step-Up, High Bench;
Leg Curl, Feet Outward
One useful guideline is to follow the seven levels of CNS
activation, starting with the lowest level and proceeding to
the highest. The lower-level exercises build upon each other
and are associated with structural balance. Specifically,
trainees’ progress from machine exercises to free-weights;
isolation exercises to multijoint exercises; and simple
exercises to complex. In other words, train the muscles first,
then movements.
After your client achieves structural balance, always
move from general to specific in long-term planning for
their development. If the goal is to improve bench press
performance, your client might progress as follows:
Phase 1: Dumbbell Bench Press
Phase 2: Incline Bench Press
Phase 3: Bench Press
For a client who is a football player trying to improve his
40-yard dash, here is how his lower body exercises could
be sequenced from phase to phase. Note in particular the
progression from deadlift variations to the more dynamic
Olympic lifting exercises:
50
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Phase 3: Snatch Pull from the Hang; Barbell Back Lunge;
Semi-Stiff-Leg Deadlift with Trap Bar
Phase 4: Power Clean from Mid-Thigh; Front Squat; Leg
Curl, Feet Neutral
How often should exercises be changed? A general guideline
is to consider the training age, increasing the rate of change
as the client develops, as follows:
_______________________________________________________
Training Age
Rate of Exercise (Number of Years)
Change
_______________________________________________________
1
6-8 weeks
2
4-6 weeks
3
2-4 weeks
7
1-2 weeks
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Needs Analysis: Facilities and
Time
When clients are training in busy commercial gyms, you can
expect to make compromises in program design. Below are
three strategies you can use to help give your clients the
best workout within the training environment.
One of the most popular methods of training is circuit
training. It’s a system of integrating several components
of fitness into a single workout. A circuit combines several
exercises, usually about ten, and no rest intervals are
established between sets. Here is an example of how
exercises could be arranged in a circuit:
Equipment needed: flat bench and dumbbells
A1. One-arm Bent-over Row
4 x 8-10, 3011, rest 75 seconds
A2. Flat Dumbbell Press
4 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
B1. Seated Dumbbell Curl
4 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
B2. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
4 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
A. Bench Press: 10 reps x 1 set
B. Seated Cable Row: 10 reps x 1 set
C. Triceps Pressdown: 10 reps x 1 set
D. Barbell Biceps Curl: 10 reps x 1 set
E. Incline Dumbbell Press: 10 reps x 1 set
F. Lat Pulldown: 10 reps x 1 set
G. Low-pulley Rope French Press: 10 reps x 1 set
H. Incline Dumbbell Hammer Curl: 10 reps x 1 set
The problem with circuit training is that unless there are
separate areas of the gym set up with circuits of machines,
such training is impractical in a busy gym. A better approach
is to superset exercises. A superset is a pairing of two
different exercises. Pairing agonist and antagonist muscle
groups, such as a biceps curls (elbow flexion) paired with a
triceps pressdown (elbow extension), is the most common
type of superset. Here are examples of two agonistantagonist supersets:
Superset 1: Chest and Upper Back
A1. Bench Press: 10 reps x 2 sets
A2. Seated Cable Row: 10 reps x 2 sets
Superset 2: Arms
B1. Triceps Pressdown: 10 reps x 2 sets
B2: Barbell Biceps Curls: 10 reps x 2 sets
However, in a busy gym you may have to stick with the
traditional method of station training, which is performing
all the sets for one exercise before moving to another. Before
doing so, consider one especially effective approach to
training developed by Charles Poliquin called “On the Spot”
training. With this training method, you arrange exercises
so your client remains in the same area for the duration of
the workout, or a major segment of a workout. This way
it is less likely that a piece of equipment your client needs
will be taken by another gym member. For example, here is
an upper body workout performed with a set of dumbbells
while the trainee stands near a bench.
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51
Chapter 8
52
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Chapter 9
Working Backwards to Create a 12-Week Periodization
Model with Exercises
Summary
An effective way to design long-term
workouts is to divide a year into four
3-month programs. These workouts should
blend structural balance training into a
client’s fitness goals.
Key Terms:
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain why it’s important to vary volume
and intensity to make continual progress in
resistance training programs
2. Know how to adjust the length of a workout
program according to training experience
3. Determine the most effective repetition
protocols for accumulation and intensification
Accumulation, intensification
phases in long-term planning
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53
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Working Backwards to Create a 12-Week Periodization Model
with Exercises
“Periodization” is associated with athletic training programs,
but it’s simply a word to describe long-term planning of any
workout program. It’s the process of structuring workouts
into longer phases, or periods. Whereas a football lineman
might have a periodization program for the summer
consisting of a strength phase followed by a power phase,
an untrained adult client might have their summer training
divided into a fat loss phase followed by a muscle building
phase.
Periodization begins with goal setting, and the planning
process begins with the end goal in mind. Taking this a step
further, goals should have a measurable outcome. You would
not set a goal for a client to simply “get stronger” or “lose
fat”; instead, you would write down specific numbers, such
as being able to bench press 250 pounds or lose 4 percent
body fat in 5 weeks.
All goals must be realistic. Asking a male beginning client
who bench presses 115 pounds to shoot for a 300-pound
bench press in two months is somewhat unrealistic, but
it’s certainly possible to get an average male adult client to
press up to 200 pounds in that time period, or to drop from
20 percent body fat to 15 percent (or even less). Further,
goals should be time-based so that the client develops
a sense of urgency to achieve them. So in our body fat
example, the goal for your client could state, “John’s goal
is to reduce his body fat from 20 percent to 15 percent by
January 1.
All goals are based on your knowledge as a trainer, because
you can only teach and use what you know. You would not
want to set a goal to help an untrained adult female client
to snatch bodyweight within six months if you have never
performed Olympic lifting exercises yourself or have never
taken seminars about how to teach them. Here are some
factors that will help you determine realistic goals for your
clients:
• The amount of time you will be able to spend with the
client
• The current physical condition of your client
• The type of facility and equipment available
• Your knowledge of the training process involved.
Refining the process even more, goals should be based
upon normative data, such as from scientific literature
or from standards provided from sports organizations –
one example of such a standard from football is the NFL
combine. Anthropometric data, which includes bodyweight
and body fat, also should be a part of goal setting.
Normative structural balance data and Poliquin®
BioSignature Modulation assessments are especially useful
in goal setting, for athletes and nonathletes alike.
For athletes, you can use your clients’ results in predictor
lifts and performance testing for goal setting. Predictor
lifts are those exercises that are specific to a sport, such as
the incline bench press for the shot put, the power snatch
for volleyball, or the chin-up for gymnastics. Performance
testing uses field tests specific to an athlete’s sport;
examples are vertical jumps for volleyball and 30-meter
sprints for bobsleigh.
• The motivation level of your client
54
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Select Exercises for the Final
Phase
During the final phase of a periodization cycle, the best
exercises to focus on are the predictor lifts because they are
the most relevant to achieving your clients’ goals. Certain
predictor lifts will give you valuable information about how
prepared your clients are to play their sports. Here are some
examples:
Volleyball: power snatch, front squat, incline press
Bobsleigh: power clean, front squat, close-grip bench
press
Hammer throw: close-grip power snatch, back squat,
deadlift
off-season, the competitive phase the pre-season, and the
transition phase the in-season.
A simpler method is to use just two terms: general
preparation and specific preparation. Let’s use the example
of an untrained client who wants to lose body fat, increase
muscle mass, and deal with posture imbalances that
contribute to neck and lower back pain.
A general preparation phase could last 4-6 weeks and could
include primary goals such as achieving structural balance.
This phase also will include secondary goals. For example,
you can have a client work on structural balance as a
primary goal and also work on a secondary goal of increasing
general strength. A specific preparation phase can be 8-16
SWAT: Front squat, dips, chin-up
In addition to focusing on the predictor lifts in the final
phase, you should consider the complexity of the exercises
during the cycle. For example, if you build a 12-week phase
for a 46-year-old woman with no training background who
is looking to decrease her body fat, you could start with
a front-foot-elevated low-pulley split squat in weeks 1-4,
substitute a dumbbell split squat in weeks 5-8 and continue
with a dumbbell Bulgarian split squat in weeks 9-12. This
way, the level of difficulty progresses from one exercise
to the next and the client performs the most challenging
exercise at the end of the training cycle.
Furthermore, have your clients perform activities that help
them develop proficiency in performance tests. These tests
can be classified as static, dynamic or reactive. A static test
for a wrestler could be to hold a neck bridge for a specific
length of time; a dynamic test for a volleyball player could
be a vertical jump; a reactive test for a football player could
be running and then changing direction suddenly on the
command of a coach. For a non-athlete, achieving structural
balance or resolving imbalances could be considered a type
of performance test.
Choose the Right Periodization
Model
There are numerous periodization models you can use to
design workouts. The first step is to determine the length of
the periodization model and its individual phases.
As a standard, sport scientists describe periodization as an
annual plan divided into three types of periodization cycles.
The first and shortest cycle is the microcycle, which lasts
one week. The mesocycle lasts 4-6 weeks; the macrocycle
lasts 4-6 months. These descriptions are accepted
scientific terminology to describe the parts of a long-term
periodization model.
weeks. The goals for this time period will be more about
strength components, especially on the predictor lifts.
The longer time period allows more options for a client’s
secondary goals.
A good way to approach a macrocycle is by alternating
between mesocycles of accumulation and mesocycles of
intensification. This type of periodization is called undulating
periodization. In terms of accumulation and intensification,
cycles or phases are defined by the training priority:
In an accumulation phase the priority is volume; in an
intensification phase the priority is intensity.
Another planning tool is the use of terms such as
preparatory phases, competitive phases and transition
phases. For an athlete, a preparatory phase could be the
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55
Assign Training Systems for Each
Phase
Build Each Phase upon the
Previous Phase
During each phase of training, you will focus on a specific
type of training system. Several of these training systems
are described in Chapter 18. To help determine which type of
training will work best, use this progression:
Each training phase in a periodization model should build
upon the physical qualities developed in the previous phase
or phases. The way to design such a program is to work
backwards.
Determine the appropriate number of sets for each phase.
For example, a client who is a recreational volleyball player
with low body fat and knee tendinitis could use this basic
periodization model:
Chapter 9
Determine whether you want neural or metabolic
adaptations. Here are two examples:
Weeks 1-3: Structural balance
Option A (metabolic adaptation):
5 x 10, 4020, rest 45 seconds
Weeks 4-6: Relative strength
Option B (neural adaptation):
5 x 10, 4020, rest 90 seconds
Weeks 10-12: Energy system training
Determine the total number of exercises allowable per
training unit.
Weeks 7-9: Functional Hypertrophy
A client who is an underweight football linebacker with no
structural imbalances could use this basic periodization
model:
Weeks 1-3: Hypertrophy
Weeks 4-6: Functional Hypertrophy
Weeks 7-9: Hypertrophy
Weeks 10-12: Energy system training
A client who wants to gain muscle and lose fat could use this
basic periodization model:
Weeks 1-3: GBC
Weeks 4-6: Hypertrophy
Weeks 7-9: GBC
Weeks 10-12: Functional Hypertrophy
Using a periodization model is an essential tool to helping
your clients achieve their goals. This type of planning takes
considerable effort, but the results are worth it.
56
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Chapter 10
Selecting Repetition Brackets and Tempo
Summary
The number of reps performed affects the
major loading parameters in resistance
training. The amount of weight an individual
lifts in relation to their one-repetition
maximum determines how much muscle
tension is produced. Each repetition bracket
and tempo prescription corresponds to a
different training goal.
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain why determining the number of reps
in a workout is important as it relates to other
loading parameters
2. Understand how the number of reps affects
muscle tension
3. Discuss how the number of reps performed
affects the various types of muscle fibers
4. Understand what each number in a 4-digit
Key Terms:
Repetition, muscle tension, repetition bracket,
speed of contraction, tempo
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
tempo prescription means
5. Understand how combining the repetition
bracket and the tempo prescription affects the
training stimulus
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57
Chapter 10
Selecting Repetition Brackets and Tempo
Chapter 10
The major loading parameters in a resistance training
workout are reps, sets, tempo, rest, frequency, and exercise
selection. We’ll discuss reps first, because the number of
reps affects all the other loading parameters.
Overview of Time Under Tension
The amount of weight your clients lift in relation to their onerepetition maximum (1RM) determines how much tension
their muscles produce. The heavier the weight, the higher
the level of muscle tension. The level of tension imposed
upon a muscle is a critical factor in stimulating changes in
relative strength, functional hypertrophy, hypertrophy and
strength endurance. It is very important to understand that
the time it takes to create that tension during a set is what
determines the recruitment of the appropriate strength
quality.
Tempo and repetitions are the determining factors. If you do
10 repetitions at a 4020 tempo and 10 repetitions at a 1010
tempo, you will not have the same motor unit recruitment. In
the first instance the set lasts 60 seconds, and in the second
instance the set lasts 20 seconds.
When designing a training program, you first need to
determine which strength quality you wish to develop; then
assign the appropriate repetition range and tempo and make
sure to match the time under tension to the strength quality,
as discussed in chapter 2.
you might select for the back squat for various clients, based
on their individual goals:
These are general guidelines only. Don’t assume from this
table that a client who wants to achieve maximal gains
in muscle mass should never perform low reps or that a
client who wants to achieve maximal strength should never
perform high reps.
Low reps are the only way to stimulate the development of
the Type IIb muscle fibers, which are the fast-twitch fibers
that have the highest potential for growth. Another benefit
of low-rep training is that when a trainee comes off a cycle
of low reps, they will be able to use heavier weights. Heavier
weights create a higher level of muscle tension, which in turn
leads to a greater growth response.
Be aware that for clients who are trying to develop maximal
strength, performing low reps for long periods can result
in mental and physical burnout; you need to plan some
higher-repetition workouts to prevent the strength athlete
from becoming stale. With these conditions in mind, here
are examples of exercises and repetition prescriptions for
three different classes of clients: (1) the fat-loss client, (2)
the muscle-building client (hypertrophy) and (3) the client
who is an athlete (functional hypertrophy). Note the distinct
differences in repetitions among the three classes:
Fat-Loss Client
Reps
Exercise
Repetition Brackets and How They
Correspond to Different Training
goals
A1. Barbell Back Squat, Heels Elevated
15-20
A2. Chin-up, Medium, Parallel-grip
12-15
B1. Prone Leg Curl, Feet Neutral
8-10
Researchers have found that reps in the 1-to-5 range can
dramatically increase strength with minimal gains in muscle
mass. Reps in the 9-to-12 range dramatically increase
strength with maximal gains in muscle mass. Table 10.1
provides a more detailed breakdown of how repetitions
influence the training effect.
B2. 60-degree Incline Dumbbell Press
12-15
C1. Barbell Lunge
12-15
C2. Seated Row, Medium-pronated-grip
12-15
D1. Stiff-leg Deadlift, Barbell
15-20
D2. Dip
12-15
You can use the information in Table 10.1 when designing
workouts for your clients. In the table are repetition brackets
58
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Client
Goal(s)
Reps (Back Squat)
Gymnast
Relative strength
1-5
Football lineman
Functional hypertrophy
6-8
Bodybuilder
Hypertrophy
9-12
Cyclist/obese client
Strength Endurance and fat loss
13-20
Table 10.1
Number of Reps
Percentage of Maximum
1
100
2
94.3
3
90.6
4
88.1
5
85.6
6
83.1
7
80.7
8
78.6
9
76.5
10
74.4
11
72.3
12
70.3
13
68.8
14
67.5
15
66.2
16
65.0
17
63.8
18
62.7
19
61.6
20
60.6
Training Effect
Relative strength increases through enhanced neutral drive
Optimal compromise of maximal
strength and hypertrophy gains
Best hypertrophy gains leading to
increased maximal strength
Strength endurance gains and lower
hypertrophy gains
Table 10.2 Relationship between maximum number of repetitions, intensity and the training effect © Poliquin, 1990
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59
Hypertrophy 2
Hypertrophy Client
Reps
Weeks 13-15: 12-15 reps (accumulation)
A1. 45-degree Incline Barbell Press
12,10,8,8
Weeks 16-18: 8-10 reps (intensification)
A2. Sternum Chin-up, Mid-Supinated-grip
12,10,8,8
Weeks 19-21: 10-12 reps (accumulation)
8-10
Weeks 22-24: 6-8 reps (intensification)
Exercise
B1. Flat Dumbbell Press, 1 ¼ Reps
B2. EZ Bar, Bent-over Row, Pronated-grip
8-10
C1. Decline Dumbbell Flye
10-12
C2. Seated Rope Rowing to Neck
10-12
Weeks 25-27: 10-12 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 28-30: 6-8 reps (intensification)
Chapter 10
Weeks 31-33: 8-10 reps (accumulation)
Functional Hypertrophy Client
Exercise
Reps
A1. Standing Barbell Shoulder Press
8,6,4,8,6,4
A2. Subscapularis Pull-up
8,6,4,8,6,4
B1. 30-degree Incline Dumbbell Press
6-8
B2. One-arm Dumbbell Row
6-8
Again, the bottom line is that when you plan workouts, you
should determine the desired training effect and then select
a repetition bracket to suit that goal. For example, if you have
a client who wants to gain a lot of muscle, you might select
a weight that enables them to complete a set of between 6
and 12 reps. If they can complete only 5 reps, the weight is
too heavy. If they can do more than 12 reps, the weight is too
light.
How the Repetition Schemes of
Each Phase Work Within the LongTerm Plan
Chapter 7 discussed how to divide long-term goals into
multiple short-term goals. After you establish those goals,
your next decision is to choose repetition brackets for each
training phase.
For hypertrophy, functional hypertrophy and relative
strength, the average number of repetitions should gradually
decrease (thus increasing intensity). Consider that the
repetition bracket for an accumulation or intensification
phase depends upon the training goal. For example, for
functional strength, an accumulation phase may consist of
6-8 reps; for relative strength, an accumulation phase may
consist of 3-4 reps.
Below is a nine-month hypertrophy program, divided into
four 3-week workouts, written for an intermediate-level
client. The most frequently used repetition range is 8-12
reps, but for variety you may prescribe as many as 20 reps
or as few as 4 reps.
Hypertrophy 1
Weeks 1-3: 15-20 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 4-6: 10-12 reps (intensification)
Weeks 7-9: 12-15 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 10-12: 8-10 reps (intensification)
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Hypertrophy 3
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
Weeks 34-36: 4-6 reps (intensification)
At this point, your client could repeat the entire program,
perhaps using two-week cycles if the client’s strength level
has improved significantly.
Because beginners make progress so quickly, it’s best to
stick with relatively short-term planning for these clients.
A three-month plan often works well in this regard. As the
client increases in strength, you can establish longer plans of
6, 9, or 12 months.
How to Write Tempo Prescriptions
One of the most misunderstood components of weight
training design is the speed at which a repetition is
performed. “Speed of contraction” is the time it takes to
complete each phase of a repetition, and “tempo” is the total
amount of time it takes to complete an entire repetition.
Simply prescribing a specific number of repetitions for a
set does not ensure that the appropriate stimulus is being
applied. For example, if two of your clients perform a
dumbbell row for 10 reps, one might perform each repetition
slowly and finish the set in 45 seconds, whereas the other
client might perform the exercise as fast and might finish
the set in 8 seconds before dropping the weight to the floor.
Such variations in tempo make it difficult to determine the
effectiveness of a workout.
When designing tempo prescriptions, there are some
general guidelines you can follow that are backed by sport
science. For example, slow-speed lifting produces more
metabolic adaptations than high-speed lifting does. To
achieve the appropriate training stimulus, you must adhere
to the precise speed of movement for all aspects of a
lift: eccentric, isometric and concentric. Instead of using
such vague terms as “fast” or “slow,” it’s better to express
tempo in a four-digit abbreviation – such as 4210. (This
expression of tempo is an extension of a 3-digit formula first
popularized by Ian King, a strength coach from Australia;
we’ve added a fourth digit to encompass all major phases of
a repetition.) Here are some more details:
The first number refers to the eccentric part of the
exercise. An eccentric contraction occurs when a muscle
lengthens, such as when you lower the resistance during the
descent of the bench press.
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While strength training at higher speeds is specific to the
movements that occur in most sports, trainees should not
perform this type of training until they attain a solid base
of maximal strength. Clients who are professional athletes
could eventually use explosive exercises such as power
snatches for great results, but they should first develop a
base with slow-speed work. Then they must continue to use
slow-speed movements throughout their athletic careers to
ensure continual progress.
When you are working with a client who is primarily
interested in increasing muscle mass, one secret to success
is to manipulate training speeds to create maximum
adaptation. With such a client, emphasize slow-speed
exercises over fast ones because they make the muscles
work harder by eliminating momentum. However, because
muscles require a variety of stimuli for optimal results, you
still need to vary training speeds.
The second number refers to the isometric pause in the
stretched position. This pause usually occurs between
the eccentric (lowering) phase and the concentric (lifting)
phase of a repetition, such as when the barbell makes
contact with the chest during the bench press. Pauses in the
“disadvantageous” position (i.e., poor leverage) of a lift, such
as the bottom position of a squat, increase intramuscular
tension, which can further boost strength development.
In all the workouts you prescribe there should be a tempo
prescription. Follow it. Counting through each phase of the
lift keeps your client’s concentration focused where it should
be – on the components of the lift. They’ll also begin to feel
how slight variations in the tempo affect the exercise.
The third number refers to the concentric contraction.
The concentric contraction occurs when a muscle shortens,
such as when you push the barbell away from your chest
during the bench press. If X is used in the formula, it implies
explosive action with full acceleration. Obviously, it would
be dangerous to use explosive action for the eccentric
contraction of exercises such as squats and bench presses,
so X is used only as the third number in tempo prescriptions
in this manual.
The fourth number refers to the isometric pause in the
shortened position. This is the type of contraction that
occurs at the end of the concentric phase, such as when a
bench press is locked out. Pauses in this “advantageous”
position (i.e., good leverage) also increase the recruitment of
more fast-twitch fibers, which are the fibers that provide the
most increases in strength and power.
Putting it together, a 4213 tempo prescription for the bench
press means a client would lower the barbell to their chest
in 4 seconds, pause for 2 seconds when the bar makes
contact with the chest, press the weight to extended arms in
1 second, then rest 3 seconds when the barbell is locked out
before performing another repetition.
This simple format enables you to take more precise control
of the training stimulus. To achieve consistency between
reps, it is best to silently count “one thousand and one,”
“one thousand and two,” etc., to prevent counting erratically
or too fast. The count should begin when the resistance
implement (barbell, dumbbell or body part) starts moving,
not before or after this period.
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Chapter 10
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Chapter 11
Selecting the Number of Sets
Summary
The completion of a set is signaled by the
Learning Objectives:
1. Define the term “set”
start of an extended rest period or by a
2. Identify the qualities of supersets, tri-sets and
change of exercises. Types of sets include
descending sets and give examples of each
superset, tri-sets and descending sets. There
many variables to consider when prescribing
the optimal number of sets in a workout, such
as the number of exercises performance,
3. Explain the meaning of “inverse relationship
between sets and reps”
4. Understand how a set prescription is influenced
training level and the size of the muscle being
by the number of exercises performed, training
trained.
level and the size of the muscle being training
Key Terms:
Sets, superset, tri-set, descending set, training
level, critical drop-off point
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Chapter 11
Selecting the Number of Sets
Chapter 11
A set is a group of consecutive reps. The completion of a
set is signaled by the start of an extended rest period or a
change of exercises. This means that one superset – two
exercises for different muscle groups performed in sequence
– equals two sets. One tri-set – three exercises for the same
muscle group performed in sequence – equals three sets.
A descending set, in which virtually no rest time is taken
between weight changes, equals just one set.
a. Factors Influencing the Number of Sets
Regardless of your clients’ particular training goals, there is
a minimum time during which muscles must be stimulated
to produce results. When training with low reps, more sets
must be performed to attain the optimal volume for strength
development. This is illustrated in Figure 11.1.
Inverse Relationship Between Reps and Sets
1
To illustrate the relationship between sets and reps, here are
three workouts for three different training goals. Note that
the first workout contains 24 sets; the second, 20 sets; the
third, 20 sets.
Fat Loss Workout
A1. Barbell Back Squat, Heels Elevated
3 x 15-20, 3010, rest 60 seconds
A2. Chin-up, Medium-parallel-grip
3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 60 seconds
B1. Prone Leg Curl, Feet Neutral
3 x 8-10, 5010, rest 60 seconds
B2. 60-degree Incline Dumbbell Press
3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 60 seconds
Figure 11.1
Reps
prescribe more sets for the biceps than you would for the
quadriceps.
3
5
7
9
11
13
15+
C1. Barbell Lunge
3 x 12-15, 2010, rest 60 seconds
< ————————————————————— >
C2. Seated Row, Medium-pronated-grip
3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 60 seconds
Sets
D1. Stiff-leg Deadlift, Barbell
3 x 15-20, 3010, rest 60 seconds
High (5-12)
Low (2-4)
There are several other factors that influence the number of
sets performed. Here are three of them:
1. Number of exercises performed. The more exercises
that are performed, the fewer sets are needed to achieve an
optimal training effect for each exercise. If you add exercises
to a workout without reducing the average number of sets
per exercise, you might exceed the optimal time to complete
a workout, resulting in overtraining your client.
2. Training level. One or two sets per exercise are usually
enough for beginners to achieve optimal results because
their training level is low. Note that the training level
does not refer to chronological age; a 17-year-old may be
advanced, and a 50-year-old may be a beginner.
3. Muscle size. The number of sets performed should be
inversely proportionate to the size of the muscle mass
trained. Small muscle groups recover more quickly than large
muscle groups and therefore can handle more sets. Thus,
when designing a workout for a client, you would normally
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D2. Dip
3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 60 seconds
Hypertrophy Workout
A1. 45-degree Incline Barbell Press
(12,10,8,8), 4010, rest 90 seconds
A2. Sternum Chin-up, Mid-supinated-grip
(12,10,8,8), 4010, rest 90 seconds
B1. Flat Dumbbell Press, 1 ¼ Reps
3 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
B2. EZ Bar, Bent-over Row, Pronated-grip
3 x 8-10, 3011, rest 75 seconds
C1. Decline Dumbbell Flye
3 x 10-12, 3110, rest 60 seconds
C2. Seated Rope Rowing to Neck
3 x 10-12, 3011, rest 60 seconds
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Functional Hypertrophy Workout
A1. Standing Barbell Shoulder Press
(8,6,4,8,6,4), 4010, rest 120 seconds
A2. Subscapularis Pull-up
(8,6,4,8,6,4), 4010, rest 120 seconds
B1. 30-degree Incline Dumbbell Press
4 x 6-8, 4010, rest 90 seconds
B2. One-arm Dumbbell Row
4 x 6-8, 3110, rest 90 seconds
The Critical Drop-Off Point
Dictates the Total Number of Sets
Consider that experienced clients will require greater volume
in their training so they can continue to progress. This
principle applies to almost all aspects of training.
A recreational athlete who starts a jogging program can
improve their mile time by jogging a mile a day, several
times a week – up to a point. A beginner in the weightroom
can improve their bench press max by using a 3x5 program
twice a week – up to a point. Eventually both the runner
and the weight trainee will have to increase the amount of
work they do if they want to continue producing personal
bests. The question is how do you know when your client
is doing too much and is reaching a point of no return? The
most practical method to identify this critical time is by
considering the critical drop-off point, a training concept
developed by Charlie Francis.
In weight training, the critical drop-off point occurs when
the resistance must be reduced to the point where there is
insufficient tension on the muscle to elicit strength gains,
such that only lower-threshold motor units are stimulated.
Continuing such a workout will place excessive strain on
the nervous system, energy stores and neuroendocrine
response.
The threshold for the critical drop-off point in maximal
strength training is a 5-7 percent drop in performance. At
this point a trainee cannot continue to perform the same
repetition range unless the load is reduced by an equivalent
percentage. For example, let’s say on a Monday workout a
client could bench press 100 kg for 5 sets of 4-6 reps. On
Thursday the client performs the first set of 100 kg for 6
reps, but on the second set only manages 3 reps. That client
has reached the critical drop-off point of the exercise, which
indicates it’s time to terminate the exercise and move on to
another exercise.
The critical drop-off point is highly individual and can even
vary from workout to workout. There is empirical evidence,
however, that athletes who possess a high percentage of
fast-twitch muscle fibers tend to reach the critical drop-off
point faster. That being said, here are a few examples of how
to determine the critical drop-off point in a workout:
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Let’s say your client performs the following workout on a
Monday:
Monday: 5 sets of 4-6RM
Set 1: 220 x 6
Set 2: 225 x 5
Set 3: 225 x 5
Set 4: 225 x 4
Set 5: 225 x 4
Terminate exercise; move on to next exercise.
On Saturday you decide to increase the starting weight to
230 pounds, since you know your client can comfortably do
225. Now your client’s workout looks like this:
Saturday: 5 sets of 4-6RM
Set 1: 230 x 6
Set 2: 230 x 3
Terminate exercise; move on to next exercise.
Your client has become stronger (230 x 6 Saturday versus
225 on Monday), but on the second set there was a major
loss in their ability to do repeated efforts. Therefore, to
maintain a high quality of training stimulus (and work the
appropriate muscle fibers), your client needs to immediately
terminate that exercise after the second set.
If you adhere to the logic of the critical drop-off point, by the
following Thursday (the next workout) your client will be
stronger because they will have sufficiently recovered. What
you don’t want your client to do is the following:
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Saturday: 5 sets of 4-6RM
Set 1: 230 x 6
Set 2: 230 x 3
Set 3: 210 x 6
Set 4: 210 x 6
Set 5: 210 x 6
Terminate exercise; move on to next exercise
Chapter 11
The problem is that if the client continues lifting after
reaching their critical drop-off point, their recovery ability
will be taxed so harshly with low-quality work that they will
most likely regress during the next workout instead of being
stronger.
How to Manipulate the Total
Number of Sets in the Long-Term
Plan
As a client achieves higher levels of conditioning, they will
require more sets to achieve continual results. You must
incorporate this fact into your long-term planning of their
workouts.
The total time for a workout, not counting warm-up, should
be about one hour. To perform more sets, the client needs to
increase their training frequency. Clients who don’t increase
their average number of total sets generally find it takes
considerably longer to achieve further progress. In fact, elite
weightlifters often train several times a day, still keeping
their workouts about one hour in length, so that they can
put in the volume of training they need to fulfill their athletic
potential.
In long-term planning, always begin with the end goal in
mind. In terms of prescribing sets this means your client
should reach the optimal number of sets in their last training
phase. A client whose primary goal is relative strength may
have as secondary goals fat loss and structural balance, both
of which use higher reps. These phases should be performed
early in the year, preferably with structural balance being
performed first, and relative strength training cycles
performed later in the year.
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Chapter 12
Selecting Rest Periods
Summary
The duration of the rest interval between
sets is an important element in designing
workout programs. The rest interval regulates
the short-term energy system involved in
performance, allows for the clearance of
metabolic waste, allows recovery of the
central nervous system, slows down the heart
rate and metabolism, and stimulates the
secretion of hormones that affect strength,
fat loss and muscle gains.
Learning Objectives:
1. Know how to determine an appropriate rest
period for the desired goal of relative strength,
functional hypertrophy, hypertrophy or
strength endurance
2. Understand the relationship of testosterone to
muscle tension and muscle growth
3. Understand the relationship among rest
periods, number of sets and total workout
length
Key Terms:
Metabolism, growth hormone, myofibrillar growth
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Chapter 12
Selecting Rest Periods
Chapter 12
The length of the rest interval between sets is another
important element in program design. The rest interval
affects several adaptations brought on by training and
accomplishes the following:
1. Regulates the partial, or nearly complete, restoration
of the short-term energy (i.e. fuel) involved in
performance.
2. Allows for the clearance of the metabolic waste
accumulated in muscle tissue following a set.
3. Allows the central nervous system to recover.
4. Slows down the heart rate and metabolism; metabolism
is the rate at which your body burns calories.
5. Stimulates the secretion of hormones that affect
strength, fat loss and muscle gains.
Strength Quality
in Seconds
Relative Strength
180 - 300
Functional Hypertrophy
120 - 180
Hypertrophy
90 - 120
Strength Endurance
10 - 90
Hormonal Response to Various
Rest Period Protocols
It is critical to prescribe appropriate, yet distinct, rest
periods to elicit responses in testosterone (T) and Growth
Hormone (GH). Longer rest periods (120 seconds or longer)
are most effective for triggering a testosterone adaptation
because the longer rest allows a greater load to be lifted
with adequate recovery. In contrast, short rest periods
(approximately 30 seconds) and a large total work volume
result in the greatest GH response. Growth hormone is
necessary for protein synthesis, tissue remodeling, and
especially fat-burning.
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Appropriate Rest Times for
Different Strength Qualities and
Training Goals
The most important principle to know about rest intervals is
that there is an inverse relationship between reps and rest;
specifically, the more reps you perform, the less rest time
you need.
When the primary goal is to develop strength, the rest
interval must be long enough (but not too long) to permit
the nervous system to recover almost completely. The peak
effect of the rest interval occurs about four minutes after a
near-maximal contraction; the effect gradually wanes and
is gone by the fifth minute or so. However, this amount of
rest applies to exercises that involve more than one muscle
group. For isolation exercises, three minutes of rest normally
suffices. Also, consider that for warm-up sets, less rest
time is required. If a client can curl 155 pounds for reps and
does so, they may need four minutes’ rest; if they curl only
75 pounds for reps as a warm-up, a fraction of the time is
needed.
Because variety is an essential principle in every facet of
program design, it’s important to periodize your clients’ rest
intervals. If you neglect to vary rest intervals, your clients’
adaptations will be limited to the training stimulus. Evidence
shows that periodizing rest intervals positively affects the
rate and magnitude of gains in strength and hypertrophy,
especially with elite athletes.
If you are training a client whose primary goal is strength,
their workouts must emphasize complete recovery. For a
client who wants to increase muscle mass, you have two
choices: nearly complete recovery or incomplete recovery.
To see the benefits of each, let’s examine three types of
training methods for an individual who can barbell curl 100
pounds for 10 reps.
Method 1: Adequate rest and constant weight. In this
method the client uses a constant weight and is given at
least three minutes to recover, which allows almost all
the energy stores to resynthesize by the end of every set.
Assuming that the first set is a maximal effort and the
tempo is the same for all sets, the client will tend to fatigue
2 percent, or 1 rep per set, after three minutes. Here is how
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Set 3: 80 pounds x 10, rest 60 seconds
Set 4: 70 pounds x 10, rest 60 seconds
Results:
Average weight lifted: 85 pounds
Total reps performed: 40
This option is often used for those who want to achieve
the “pump” sensation that comes with inadequate rest and
decreasing weight; this method is associated with high levels
of growth hormone, which is a hormone involved in fat loss.
As with the first two methods, the third method increases
muscle mass, but for different physiological reasons. The
bottom line is that for optimal progress, you need to vary the
rest intervals.
it looks:
Set 1: 100 pounds x 10
rest 180 seconds
Set 2: 100 pounds x 9
rest 180 seconds
Set 3: 100 pounds x 8
rest 180 seconds
Set 4: 100 pounds x 7
rest 180 seconds
Results:
Average weight lifted: 100 pounds
Total reps performed: 34
Because the rest is more complete, this method enables
the client to use heavy weights on every set and therefore
produce higher levels of muscle tension. This higher tension
leads to more muscle growth (i.e., myofibrillar growth) and
greater testosterone levels.
Method 2: Adequate rest and decreasing weight. In this
method the rest interval is the same as in Method 1, but the
weight is adjusted precisely from set to set to account for
fatigue. Here is how it looks:
Set 1: 100 pounds x 10
rest 180 seconds
Set 2: 98 pounds x 10
rest 180 seconds
Set 3: 96 pounds x 10
rest 180 seconds
Set 4: 94 pounds x 10
rest 180 seconds
Results:
Average weight lifted: 97 pounds
Total reps performed: 40
As with Method 1, the longer rest intervals increase the
average amount of weight that can be used, but the
decreasing weight increases the time under tension. Because
hypertrophy is related to time under tension with optimal
loading, this is the optimal system to encourage muscle
growth.
Method 3: Inadequate rest and decreasing weight. In this
method only 60 seconds’ rest is allowed, so energy stores
are not completely restored by the end of each set. In this
system the client tends to fatigue at about 10 percent per set
(4-5 reps). Here is how it looks:
Set 1: 100 pounds x 10, rest 60 seconds
Interaction Between the Rest
Period and Number of Sets,
Total Workout Length, and Other
Variables
Other factors besides reps and sets will figure into your
determination of rest intervals. Training experience and
muscle mass are two of these factors.
Tolerance to short rest intervals with weights in the 6080 percent range (6-20 reps) is a function of years of
accumulated training. Only well-conditioned trainees can
tolerate the lactate buildup produced by this type of training;
therefore, shorter rest intervals are appropriate only for
advanced trainees. Beginners need longer rest intervals to
prevent lactate buildup from interfering with proper exercise
performance. One way to prevent excessively high lactate
buildup is to alternate upper- and lower-body exercises in
the workouts you prescribe.
As a trainer, you also need to consider a client’s strength and
level of muscle mass when prescribing precise rest intervals.
The bigger and stronger the trainee, the longer the rest
interval should be. There appears to be a direct relationship
between the length of the rest interval and the bodyweight
of the trainee.
Although four minutes between sets of the same exercise
is generally best for strength, there are ways to manipulate
that recommendation. If you alternate two exercises for
opposing muscle groups, your client can get by with less
rest time between sets, provided that they still keep four
minutes’ rest between sets of the same movement, and
as such perform more work in the same amount of time.
Applying that idea to seated dumbbell presses and weighted
chin-ups, you could design a workout as follows:
A1. Seated Dumbbell Press
6 x 4 rest 120 seconds
A2. Weighted Chin-up
6 x 4 rest 120 seconds
Set 2: 90 pounds x 10, rest 60 seconds
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69
Breaking down this superset even further, the workout would
proceed as follows: set 1 of seated dumbbell presses, rest
120 seconds; set 1 of chin-ups, rest 120 seconds; set 2 of
seated dumbbell presses, rest 120 seconds; set 2 of chinups, rest 120 seconds; and so on. Keep the pattern until your
client completes all 6 sets of 4 reps. Although the rest time
between sets is 120 seconds, your client actually has more
than four minutes of rest before recruiting the same muscle
groups again.
Chapter 12
The best way to train for strength, muscle mass and fat loss
is to alternate between two opposing (i.e., antagonistic)
muscle groups or movements. This practice makes for
shorter rest intervals and enables trainees to perform more
work at a greater intensity level.
The importance of rest intervals is backed up by empirical
and scientific evidence, so be sure to put a great deal of
thought into prescribing optimal rest intervals for your
clients. This will make a big difference in helping them
achieve their goals.
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Chapter 13
Planning Unloading Periods/Monitoring Progress
Summary
It’s important to include periods of
unloading in workouts because the body
can only handle a certain level of stress for
so long before it starts exhibiting signs of
overtraining. There are several practical ways
to monitor stress to assess how an individual
is responding to a workout.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the meaning of the concept
“Fatigue masks fitness”
2. Explain why athletes and non-athletes alike
require unloading periods
3. Understand why volume, not intensity, is
primarily responsible for overtraining
4. Know how to determine the optimal duration
Key Terms:
Unloading, 2 Percent Rule, handgrip dynamometry
of an unloading period
5. List several practical ways to monitor an
individual’s progress
6. Explain why it can be useful to monitor a
client’s mood
7. Give an example of the use of the 2 Percent
Rule of Progress
8. List specific variations for monitoring the
client’s progress that could be put in a journal
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Chapter 13
Planning Unloading Periods
Chapter 13
To increase your clients’ strength, hypertrophy or endurance,
you will need to increase both the volume and intensity of
their workouts over time. However, the body can only handle
so much stress for so long before it starts exhibiting signs of
overtraining. That’s why it’s important to include periods of
unloading in the workout programs you design.
Why Unloading Periods Are
Necessary
A critical fact that must guide trainers in preparing athletes
for competition is “fatigue masks fitness.” In other words,
for athletes to perform their best at the most important
competitions, they need to taper off their physical
conditioning. For example, leg strength is certainly important
for a football lineman, but performing a heavy squat workout
the day before the big game would create a level of fatigue
that would adversely affect the lineman’s strength and
power for the game. Likewise, before a major competition a
swimmer would cut back a bit on their practice laps.
However, some coaches take the idea of peaking to the
extreme and make it their practice to stop all physical
conditioning during the season. This actually results in the
athletes losing strength and muscle mass that will affect
their performance and make them more susceptible to
injury. As such, some form of in-season training is necessary.
For a non-athlete client who is simply trying to get or stay
in shape, periods of unloading are necessary to give the
muscles, joints, connective tissues, endocrine system, and
nervous system a chance to fully recover. Not doing so
can result in overuse injuries such as tendinitis and mental
burnout.
Unloading by Volume vs.
Intensity:
Pros and Cons
Two of the basic variables of training are volume, which is
how much work is performed, and intensity, which is how
hard the work is. To prevent overtraining, you will need to
reduce one or both of these variables.
The fact is that overdoing the volume, not the intensity, is
primarily responsible for overtraining. An athlete can still
train heavy during the season but can avoid overtraining by
keeping the workouts short. Research has shown that for
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both strength and endurance training, the volume of training
can be reduced by two thirds for several months without any
drop in conditioning as long as the intensity is high enough.
For example, during the in-season a football player could
perform higher reps on Monday to maintain muscle mass;
on Thursday he could user fewer reps but keep the weight
heavy to maintain and even build strength. Similarly, nonathlete clients who are having difficulty getting to the gym
could perform hard 30-minute, twice-a-week workouts for
a time until they can resume a more conventional workout
schedule. Better to do abbreviated than abstaining from
working out. The longer one stays of training, the slipperier
the slope toward sedentarism.
How to Determine Optimal Times for
Unloading Periods
As a general guideline for periods of unloading, you should
reduce your clients’ training volume every third training
session for the same body part by 40 percent. For example,
if you prescribe two training cycles in which your client does
10 total sets of elbow flexion exercises during a training
session, during the third training cycle you could cut that
volume to 6 total sets.
Program 2: Unloading Workout
A1. Standing Biceps Curl
3 x 10, 3010, rest 90 seconds
A2. Flat EZ Bar Triceps Extension
3 x 10, 3010, rest 90 seconds
B1. Scott Biceps Curl
3 x 10, 3010, rest 90 seconds
B2. Rope Pressdown
3 x 10, 2010, rest 90 seconds
As you can see, the total number of sets (volume) for the
first arm workout is 20 sets, and for the unloading workout it
is 12 sets; this amounts to a 40 percent reduction in volume.
This recommendation also applies to advanced workouts.
Let’s say a client is working out twice a day. You could
organize this training into three 5-day cycles. During the
first two cycles the client trains twice a day, and on the third
cycle the client unloads by cutting back to a cycle of once-aday training.
In summary, unloading periods are necessary, but the best
approach is to unload by reducing volume, not intensity. The
guiding principle here is to keep your clients strong, not train
their bodies to be weak.
Here is an example of an arm workout, performed first as a
conventional workout and then as an unloading workout:
Program 1: Conventional Workout
A1. Standing Biceps Curl
5 x 10, 3010, rest 90 seconds
A2. Flat EZ Bar Triceps Extension
5 x 10, 3010, rest 90 seconds
B1. Scott Biceps Curl
5 x 10, 3010, rest 90 seconds
B2. Rope Pressdown
5 x 10, 3010, rest 90 seconds
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73
Monitoring Progress
Chapter 13
There are numerous ways to monitor your clients’ physical
condition to determine if they are entering an overtrained
state. The key here is that these methods must be practical –
drawing blood on a daily basis and taking it down to the local
medical laboratory for analysis is not practical.
Popular methods to determine overtraining include,
monitoring changes in a client’s appetite, sleep patterns and
mood. On this last point, monitoring an athlete’s mood is
better than any hormonal parameter because the nervous
system reaches overtraining well before there are any
indications of muscular overtraining. The following section
examines several popular ways to monitor an athlete’s
progress, avoid overtraining and know when to change
workouts.
How to Manipulate the Training
Load from Set to Set
One of the keys to achieving a client’s goals is to select the
appropriate loading parameters to produce the appropriate
muscle tension protocols. Computer-aided workout
programs based upon lifting percentages are popular,
but it is unlikely that the weights selected will be right for
the client; more likely the computed weight will be too
light or too heavy. As such, your client will not achieve
an appropriate level of muscle tension. Rather than using
percentages, it is much simpler to let the reps determine
the amount of weight used. Besides using percentages is
relatively useless as the relationship between reps and
a given percentage is affected by the muscle trained,
equipment used, and the training age of the trainee.
Beginning trainees, particularly women, tend to be less
neurologically efficient than advanced trainees. This means
beginners generally are able to perform more repetitions
with weights closer to their 1RM. For example, at 80 percent
of their 1RM, the average trainee will be able to perform
about 10 repetitions, while an advanced trainee would
probably be able to perform only 3-5 reps.
Simply put, one very efficient way to manipulate the load
from set to set is to increase the weight by the smallest
increment possible every time your client completes the
maximum repetitions dictated by the rep range. For example,
if the set-rep scheme on a bench press is 5 sets of 6-8
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reps and your client performs 8 reps with 100 pounds on
their first set, then on their next set they could increase
the weight to 105 and try to complete 8 reps. If they don’t
complete 8 reps, they will stay at 105 pounds; if they do,
have them go up to 110 pounds on their third set, etc.
2 Percent Rule of Progress
To help you determine which training protocols work best
for a client, here’s a practical guideline: the 2 Percent Rule of
Progress.
This rule states that every time you repeat a workout,
you should be able to add 2 percent weight on the bar
for the same number of reps or do an extra rep with the
same weight. Thus, if a client lifts 200 pounds for 8 reps
in a specific exercise in one workout, during the second
workout they should be able to lift 204 pounds for 8 reps
or 200 pounds for 9 reps. If the client accomplishes this
progression, the training frequency is appropriate.
When applying this rule, you should always compare the
same sets of a given exercise. So, if you are prescribing 5
sets of 8 reps in the bench press, you would compare set 5
of the first workout with set 5 of the second workout, and so
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Day
Beginner’s Exercise
Advanced Trainee’s Exercise
1
Bench Press
Bench Press
2
Bench Press
Bench Press
3
Bench Press
Bench Press
4
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
5
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
6
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
7
Bench Press
Dip
8
Bench Press
Dip
9
Bench Press
Dip
10
Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
11
Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
12
Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Training Age
Rate of
Exercise Change
1
6-8 Weeks
2
4-6 Weeks
3
2-4 Weeks
7
5-7 Days
on. However, as a client progresses in strength, it becomes
more difficult to achieve this level of progress, which is why
for advanced trainees the 2 Percent Rule would evolve into
the 1 Percent Rule.
The philosophy behind the 2 Percent Rule is that you want
to train hard but only come back for another workout
when you can lift more. That is, you have to wait for
supercompensation to occur, which may happen after three
days to as many as 10 days for any particular exercise.
When to Change a Training
Routine
As a general guideline, change exercises every six workouts
for optimal progress. However, this is only a mathematical
average because there are many differences among
individuals. Advanced clients need to change their exercises
more frequently because their bodies adapt so quickly,
whereas beginning and intermediate athletes may be able
to use the same exercises for a month or more without
experiencing a drop-off in progress. The following are some
recommendations about how to change exercises according
to training age:
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
Putting this idea into practice, below are examples of the
rate of change for pressing exercises, comparing a beginner
to an advanced trainee:
It’s important to recognize that the upper body needs more
frequent changes in exercises than the lower body does,
irrespective of a client’s training age. Thus, a bench press
improvement cycle would call for more variations than a
deadlift or squat cycle, as in the following example:
Expanding this concept, exercises that have a high degree
of technical difficulty, such as power cleans, need more
frequent changes than simpler exercises such as deadlifts
and dips due to their high stress on the nervous system.
One more point: Never overlook the unique, innate qualities
of the individual when designing resistance training
programs. Some trainees will respond better to frequent
changes in exercises, while other trainees will respond better
to less-frequent changes. Factors that contribute to the
rate of response to training are mainly genetic, and these
include fiber makeup, systemic recovery rate, and hormonal
responses.
Tracking All Variables
Maintain an up-to-date training journal for each client to
monitor and evaluate the efficacy of your training programs
and help to set short-term goals. Here are some specifics
about what to include in this journal.
Loads used. Honesty is critical to derive success from a
training log. Record only the reps done in proper form and
following the proper tempo.
Number of sets completed before critical drop-off. The
training response is individual, so it’s important to record
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Chapter 13
Day
Upper Body
Lower Body
1
Dumbbell Bench Press
Back Squat
2
Dumbbell Bench Press
Back Squat
3
Dumbbell Bench Press
Back Squat
4
Dumbbell Bench Press
Back Squat
5
Incline Bench Press
Back Squat
6
Incline Bench Press
Back Squat
7
Incline Bench Press
Front Squat
8
Incline Bench Press
Front Squat
9
Bench Press
Front Squat
10
Bench Press
Front Squat
11
Bench Press
Front Squat
12
Bench Press
Front Squat
how many sets a trainee can perform before reaching the
critical drop-off point. Use this information to help you
design workouts. For example, a client who reaches the
critical drop-off point quickly may need longer periods of
accumulation phases to improve their training capacity.
Rest periods. The amount of rest taken can determine the
load, so it’s important to record if your client takes more or
less time during a workout than you’ve prescribed.
Bodyweight/Body Fat. Changes in bodyweight, especially
an increase in body fat, can indicate a state of overtraining.
The most accurate way to assess body fat is with a
Poliquin® BioSignature Modulation assessment.
Morning rest heart rate and blood pressure. Morning heart
rate and blood pressure are two markers of cardiovascular
activity that need to be stable and consistent for optimal
health; persistent changes will put trainees at risk of heart
disease and poor physical function.
Handgrip dynamometry. Testing grip strength is one of the
best and most practical methods to determine if a client is
overtrained. It’s best to test in the morning when the client
is fresh. The next-best option is to test before the client’s
workout.
To test grip strength you need a dynamometer, a handheld
device that measures gripping strength; it is often used by
medical professionals to evaluate individuals suffering hand
dysfunction. It’s invaluable to know that grip strength is tied
into the condition of the central nervous system, and as such
the device is ideal for determining if a client is overtrained.
by gripping the dynamometer from a seated position and
then do the same test from a standing position – you’ll find
that no matter what position you use, you will get a higher
measurement gripping the device from a standing position.
To perform the test on yourself, stand up and grasp the
dynamometer in your dominant hand – if you’re right
handed, this means you would hold it in your right hand.
Move your right leg back slightly, and lift your dominant
hand over your head to extended arms, in line with your
head. Squeeze the device as hard as possible and, keeping
your arm straight, slowly lower your arm; when your arm
is parallel to the floor, your measurement should be the
highest.
How do you evaluate your clients’ results? First, you need
to establish baseline levels. This requires the client to use
the device during periods during the year when they are
not in a period of hard training. Let’s say that a client has a
baseline grip strength of 40 kilograms of force. A dramatic
decrease in strength, such as the same client producing only
37 kilos of force, suggests that this client’s nervous system is
overtrained.
Trying to bring an overtrained client back to optimal
condition is extremely difficult and can take a considerable
amount of time. A better option is to avoid overtraining
altogether by carefully planning your clients’ workouts and
monitoring their progress with the tools in this chapter.
The key is to test in exactly the same manner every time
to get an accurate measurement. For example, the nervous
system is more strongly activated when the person being
tested is standing than when seated. You can test this fact
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77
Chapter 13
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Chapter 14
Developing a Warm-up and Static Stretching Protocol
Summary
There are many variables to consider when
designing a warm-up protocol for a workout,
and warm-ups should be individualized. After
a workout, static stretching is one of the
safest types of exercise.
Key Terms:
Dynamic stretching, ballistic strength, static
stretching, PNF, survival stretching
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand how training in a warm environment
or a cold environment can affect the duration of
a warm-up
2. Explain the difference between a general warmup and a specific warm-up
3. Understand the difference between dynamic
stretching and ballistic stretching
4. Discuss the pros and cons of static, PNF and
survival stretching
5. Know the best times to stretch and why
6. Know the basic guidelines for static stretching
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79
Chapter 14
Developing a Warm-Up and Cool Down Protocol
Chapter 14
You can expect to find it challenging to determine the
optimal number of warm-up sets your clients should
perform before using heavy weights. There are many
variables that affect what will be best for an individual client.
For example, if it’s the summer or the facility you’re training
in is extremely warm, then a shorter warm-up is needed.
If it’s winter or the gym is cold, a longer warm-up may be
needed.
Here are some guidelines about weight training warm-up
sets that will apply to the various needs of your clients at
some point in their training.
As a general rule, the more reps performed during a set,
the fewer warm-up sets are needed. That’s because the
repetitions are providing a warm-up, and the intensity of the
sets is lower. For example, a client who performs sets of 15
reps on the bench press may need only one warm-up set.
Another factor that determines the number of warm-up sets
is the type of work performed on previous sets in the same
workout. For example, a client who performs several sets
of chin-ups could move into rows or biceps curls with no
warm-up sets.
General Warm-Up
A general warm-up, such as walking, increases muscle
temperature and brings the heart rate and respiration up to
the level of the primary activity to be performed.
However, consider that with weight training, simply
performing a few additional sets of an exercise will suffice as
a warm-up for the working sets. This is especially true with
compound leg exercises, such as squats and leg presses.
Specific Warm-Up
The most specific warm-up for a weight training exercise is
the exercise itself. You would warm up on the A exercises
of your program. For example, if your program calls for A1.
Incline Curl and A2. Dip, you would alternate your warm-up
sets between the agonist and the antagonist exercises until
you complete the appropriate number of warm-up sets.
Next, consider also that it’s not always necessary to start
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with high reps and then reduce the reps – in fact, it is often
better to do the opposite.
For example, if your goal for a client is to bench press 150
pounds for 5 sets of 5 reps, a common warm-up protocol
might look like this: 65 x 10, 95 x 8, 115 x 5, 130 x 5, 140
x 5 and then 150 for 5 x 5. The problem with this type of
approach for your clients is that they will tire themselves out
performing all those reps – in this example, 33 reps!
A better approach is to use just enough reps to “jazz up”
the nervous system to prepare for the heavy working sets,
as follows: 65 x 5, 105 x 3, 115 x 1, 125 x 1, 140 x 1, then 150
x 5 x 5 sets. With this approach the client would perform
one-third fewer reps compared to the conventional method
described in the previous paragraph (33 versus 11). As a
result, your client might be able to lift even more weight in
that 150 x 5 x 5 scenario.
7 reps or more. As a general rule, if you are prescribing 8
reps or more, your client should perform 2 warm-up sets, as
follows:
Warm-up set 1: 50 percent of working weight for 6 reps
Warm-up set 2: 75 percent of working weight for 4 reps
6 reps or less. If you are prescribing 7 reps or fewer, your
client should perform 3 warm-up sets, as follows:
Warm-up set 1: 50 percent of working weight for 6 reps
Warm-up set 2: 70 percent of working weight for 4 reps
Warm-up set 3: 90 percent of working weight for 2 reps
For both of these examples, the only rest your client needs
is the time required for changing the weight between those
warm-up sets. Stronger individuals may need 2 more warm
up sets: one of 90 percent of working weight for 1 rep, and
on e of 95 percent of working weight for 1 rep.
Dynamic/Ballistic Stretching
Ballistic stretching is the type of stretching performed by
martial artists, gymnasts and ballet dancers before training.
Dynamic stretching is similar to ballistic, but the client is
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in control of the movement throughout the full range. The
correlation between dynamic flexibility and static flexibility
is actually quite poor, so it is possible that someone who can
barely touch their mid shins in a sit-and-reach test (static
stretch) might be able to kick you in the face (dynamic
stretch). The opposite is also quite possible, in that someone
who can reach beyond his feet in a sit-and-reach test might
be barely able to kick you in the navel.
There is a correct way to do ballistic stretches; it is called the
pendulum method. In this method, you do not try to reach
maximal range in the first stretch but rather build up to it. So,
for example, in a warm-up for kicking, you would kick at the
ankle level for starters, then aim at mid shin, then kneecap,
etc., until you reach your maximal kicking height.
Static/PNF Stretching
Static stretching involves placing a muscle on stretch and
then holding it for a specific time, usually about 30 seconds.
Static stretching makes the muscle temporarily weaker (by
7-20 percent) and increases the risk of injury. As such, static
stretching should not be performed before training.
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) is a type
of stretching developed by Dr. Herman Kabat in the early
1940s. One way to perform PNF stretching is to place a
muscle under stretch, contract the muscle for approximately
six seconds against a sturdy object (or the resistance
of a trainer) and then relax. PNF creates a response in
the proprioceptors in the muscle, causing the muscle to
relax, often to a greater degree than is possible with static
stretching. A partner is recommended to administer the
standard exercises. Because PNF can cause fatigue, it should
be performed after a workout.
Survival Stretching
Survival stretching involves placing a stretch on a muscle
while it is in an unstable environment. One example is
doing a standing straight-leg hamstring stretch with the
heel supported on a Swiss ball. This method is extremely
effective and is a superior way to prepare muscles for the
unstable environment of sports. Survival stretching is best
performed after a workout.
Method
Static
Ballistic
Dynamic
PNF
Survival
Before Training
a
a
a
Pro and Cons of Various Stretching
Methods
For best results, use the following table to determine which
type of stretching to use with your clients.
Integrating Methods into a Brief
Pre-Training Warm-Up
To maximize your clients’ flexibility gains, four to six hours
after strength training have them do a combination of
stretching methods in this order: PNF, then dynamic, then
static; following this protocol will accelerate your clients’
progress in the weightroom and on the athletic field. With
PNF stretching make sure to gradually increase the tension
to about 66 percent of maximal strength for 6-8 seconds for
the highest return on the time investment.
As you can see, there’s no simple answer to the question
about how many warm-up sets a client may need. To
determine that optimal number, you’ll need to consider the
specific conditions that apply to each of your clients.
After Training
Self-Administered
a
a
a
a
a
a
Table 15.1: Recommendations for Stretching Methods
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81
Developing a Static Stretching Protocol
Chapter 14
Although static stretching is one of the safest types of
exercise, there are precautions. For example, it is not
advisable to stretch areas that have been recently strained
or sprained, or stretch muscles around a recently fractured
bone. Beyond these obvious examples, here are several
protocols to follow in setting up a static stretching protocol
for your clients.
Best Times to Static Stretch
Only stretch muscles that are warmed up. Static stretching
is not a warm-up.
The best time to stretch is after a workout, for three reasons.
First, because muscles develop tension during a workout
and some of that tension remains after the workout, static
stretching after working out helps reduce this tension;
tension that is allowed to continue may eventually cause a
shortening of your clients’ range of motion. If your clients
stretch immediately after a workout, they will not have to
stretch as long as if they waited several hours.
Second, stretching before a workout is impractical. Your
clients would have to warm up first, stretch, and then warm
up again because their muscles would have cooled down in
the meantime.
Third, static stretching before a workout interferes with the
ability to recruit the Type IIx and Type IIb muscle fibers. As
such, clients will not be able to lift as much weight during
their workouts, which in turn will reduce the training effect.
Because of that issue, static stretching has been linked
increased rate of injuries in strength training, rugby and
soccer.
If there is no area in the gym to stretch or a client is rushed
for time, have the client stretch at home. In this case they
should perform some type of warm-up before stretching –
even something as passive as walking around the block or
taking a warm shower.
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Methods of Effective Static
Stretching
Here are a few guidelines for your clients. The more closely
they follow them, the more benefits they will obtain from
their stretching:
Concentrate. Just as you wouldn’t allow clients to carry on a
conversation while performing back squats, instruct them to
focus on what they are doing when they stretch.
Stretch in an appropriate environment. Because muscles
respond best to stretching when they are warm, it’s best to
train in a temperature-controlled room. Also, a nonskid mat
is ideal for stretching to prevent slipping and to help clients
perform the movements properly.
Avoid sudden, jerking movements. Perform static stretches
gently and slowly, easing into and out of the stretch. Also, do
not force a joint to the point of feeling pain.
Breathe! Proper breathing methods can significantly
enhance the quality of a stretching program. Clients should
not hold their breath while stretching. They should breathe
normally, trying to ease deeper into a stretch during each
exhalation.
Hold the stretch. A good general guideline is to hold a
static stretch for 10-15 seconds (the optimal time is a much
debated subject in the coaching world). There is some
evidence that longer stretches i.e. 2 minutes are linked to
flexibility decreases. Larger lower body muscles, such as the
glutes, often respond better to longer stretches, as it often
takes longer to relax these muscles.
Consider an individual’s anatomy and goals. Stretching
should be individualized. For example, clients who have
hypermobile knee joints may be better off avoiding
stretching the hamstrings. Dancers and figure skaters need
exceptional flexibility, especially in the lower body, and
swimmers and baseball pitchers need great flexibility in the
shoulders. Also, women tend to be more flexible than men;
so don’t compare the two genders.
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Vary the stretches. You may have some favorite stretches,
but just as you vary your clients’ weight training exercises,
you should also vary their stretches. For example, the
hamstrings and quadriceps have many different lines of pull
that you need to address; also, just as a single leg curl will
not work all the fibers of a muscle, different positions are
required to adequately stretch all the fibers.
Spend more time on tight muscles. In assessing clients,
you’ll often find that a limb on one side of the body is tighter
than the limb on the other – or an entire side may carry
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
more tension than the other side. Rather than just stretching
the tighter side, use this approach: Stretch the tighter side,
stretch the other side, and then stretch the tighter side
again.
If a stretch hurts, don’t do it! If a specific stretch causes
pain, don’t do it. Advise the client to seek out the advice of
the appropriate health care practitioner to see if there is an
underlying cause that needs medical attention.
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Chapter 14
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Chapter 15
Training Energy Systems
Summary
There are three main types of energy
systems: ATP-CP (short term), glycolytic
(intermediate) and oxidative (long-term).
Which energy system to focus on depends
upon the client’s goals. There are many
different types of exercises that can be used
to train these energy systems.
Key Terms:
Aerobic, anaerobic, ATP-CP, glycolytic, oxidative
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
Learning Objectives:
1. Define the characteristics of the three basic
types of energy systems
2. Understand how to manipulate the energy
systems for fat loss and sports performance
3. Understand why training the long-term energy
system can adversely affect performance in
many sports
4. Be able to manipulate training variables to train
each energy system
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85
Chapter 15
Training Energy Systems
Chapter 15
Energy Systems Overview
Rather than thinking of physical activity in terms of aerobic
and anaerobic training, it’s better to think in terms of
energy system training; from there you can categorize
energy systems into three categories: ATP-CP (short term),
glycolytic (intermediate), and oxidative (long term/aerobic).
It’s also important to understand that these three energy
system categories fall on a continuum, gradually progressing
from the ATP-CP category to the oxidative category. An
activity such as a 1500-meter run might be considered
20 percent ATP-CP, 55 percent glycolytic, and 25 percent
oxidative. In contrast, golf could be considered about 95
percent ATP-CP, 5 percent glycolytic, with an insignificant
involvement of the oxidative system; marathon running is
an activity that has virtually no ATP-CP involvement; it is 5
percent glycolytic and 95 percent oxidative.
ATP-CP
ATP-CP is an acronym for the adenosine triphosphate
phosphocreatine energy system. It provides 90 percent or
more of the energy for activities lasting less than 10 seconds,
such as gymnastics, football, diving, 100-meter sprints and
volleyball.
Glycolytic
Events lasting about 30-120 seconds use primarily the
glycolytic system. Running 800 meters or swimming 200
meters are activities that rely primarily upon this energy
system. Although you may think the glycolytic system
would be the predominant energy system used in basketball,
hockey or tennis, in these activities the glycolytic system
provides only 15-20 percent of the energy; in fact, the
ATP-CP system is the predominant energy system and the
oxidative system provides no contribution. This is because
the rest periods involved in these activities allow for
adequate recovery.
Oxidative
Events lasting more than 120 seconds, or repeated bouts of
activity that falls short of the lactate threshold, use primarily
the oxidative system. Cross-country skiing, swimming more
than 1500 meters or running more than 5000 meters use
primarily the long-term system. The oxidative system is used
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© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
considerably less in other sports: tennis (10 percent), soccer
halfbacks (20 percent), track 400 meters (5 percent).
How to Manipulate the Energy
System for Fat Loss and
Performance
Although aerobic training is considered a mainstay of sports
performance and fat loss, this is in fact a mistake. The proof
is evident in sports performance.
As explained above, few sports rely primarily on the aerobic
system, and in many sports this energy system provides
little or no contribution. At best, additional aerobic training is
a waste of time that would be better spent on other aspects
of sports performance.
Negative effects of aerobic training. Most athletes should
avoid steady-state aerobic training for three reasons:
a). Steady-state aerobic training reduces lower body
power. Jumping ability is a fundamental test of athletic
power, and there is an inverse relationship between
V02 max (a test of aerobic capacity) and vertical jump
performance. Steady state aerobic training also has been
shown to decrease sprinting times.
b). Steady-state aerobic training decreases upper body
power. It has been found that aerobic training decreases
upper body power in general activities such as the medicine
ball toss and decreases velocity in specific movements such
as the slap shot in hockey.
c). Steady-state aerobic training does not improve the
ATP-CP or glycolytic energy systems. Aerobic training
does not improve the ability of Type IIx or Type IIb muscle
fibers to recover from repeated bouts of exertion. It is also
unrelated to the ability to repeatedly perform lactic training
intervals. In other words, developing an “aerobic base” does
not help improve performance in strength-power sports or
sports that rely on the two other energy systems.
In regard to fat loss, aerobic training slows down the
metabolism, which is the rate at which the body burns
calories. In fact, one of the best ways to increase metabolism
is to increase muscle mass, as muscle is an active tissue
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(compared to fat) that burns calories, even at rest. Further,
aerobic training can compromise the immune system
through such actions as releasing free radicals in the body
and stressing the adrenal glands, making the client more
susceptible to colds, mononucleosis and other diseases.
Work-to-rest ratios. One tool you can use for program
design when training the energy systems is the “work-to-rest
ratio.” That is, you compare the amount of work performed
to the amount of rest taken. A work-to-rest ratio of 1:2
means a trainee would rest twice as long as they worked,
such that if the trainee runs for one minute, they would
rest for two minutes. The following work-to-rest ratios are
optimal ranges for developing specific areas of performance:
a). Anaerobic alactic power. This energy system is the
most poorly trained system in the world. The system is
predominant in activities lasting 1-10 seconds, with a range
of 1-3 seconds for the average untrained person and 6-10
seconds for elite trainees. The work-to-rest ratio ranges
from 1:12 to 1:30. Examples of activities that use this
energy system are standing vertical jumps, martial arts
Parameter
combinations, soccer kicks starting from a dead stop, and
100-meter sprints.
b). Anaerobic alactic capacity. This energy system takes
over after the alactic power system is finished and allows
individuals to repeat high-intensity efforts with short rest
intervals. For an untrained individual this energy system will
kick in at about 4 seconds, and for an elite trainee in about
20 seconds. The work-to-rest ratio ranges from 1:10 to 1:15.
c). Anaerobic lactic power. This energy system is usually
involved in activities lasting 20-60 seconds; the 400-meter
run is considered the ultimate test for this system. The workto-rest ratio for this energy system ranges from 1:8 to 1:12.
Here’s a sample workout protocol focusing on this energy
system: Perform a series of five 300-meter runs; after each,
rest for a period of time that is 6 times as long as it took to
complete each run (e.g., a time of 38 seconds would require
a rest period of about 228 seconds).
d). Anaerobic lactic capacity. Depending upon the
conditioning level of the client, this energy system is
Anaerobic Alactic System
Power
Warm-Up/Down
Capacity
5 min. start easy to highintensity speed work
5 min. start easy to highintensity speed work
0 to 10 seconds
10 to 20 seconds
Intensity
97 to 100%
91 to 96%
Repetitions
4 to 8
3 to 6
Rest Ratio
1:12 to 1:30
1:10 to 1:15
Rest Set
5 minutes
passive or active
6-8 minutes
passive or active
3 to 4
2 to 3
Load
Number of Sets
NOTES
• Recommended work/rest ratios are starting points. You should modify these recommendations
according to the individual trainee
• Precede every workout with a vigorous warm-up
• Do this type of training session no more than 3-4 times a week
• Always work on power before capacity in the anaerobic alactic system
• You can build progression by increasing total volume, adding sets, shortening the pause period
between repetitions or increasing intensity
• Never perform the same training session twice in a row; always try to increase or improve
something
• Total workout time excludes warm-up and cool-down
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87
Parameter
Anaerobic Lactic System
Power
Capacity
5 min. easy + high/medium-
intensity speed work
5 min. easy + high/mediumintensity speed work
Load
20 seconds to 60 seconds
60 seconds to 120 seconds
Intensity
91 to 96%
85 to 90%
Repetitions
3 to 6
2 to 5
Rest Ratio
1:8 to 1:12
1:6 to 1:10
Rest Set
8-10 minutes
passive or active rest
8-10 minutes
passive or active rest
Number of Sets
2 to 3
2
Warm-up/down
Chapter 15
NOTES
• Trainees should not sacrifice the quality of their repetitions to increase quantity or to reduce recovery time
• Most gains occur in the first 8-10 weeks
• Trainees who detrain after a 6-week training program can maintain 80% to 90% of their anaerobic alactic gains,
and about 50% of their anaerobic lactic gains
• If a trainee cannot cover the same distance covered in the same amount of time, reduce the time it takes to
complete the repetitions
• Precede every workout with a vigorous warm-up
• Do this type of training session no more than 3 times a week
• Always work on power before capacity in the anaerobic lactic system
• You can build progression by increasing total volume, adding sets, shortening the pause period between
repetitions or increasing intensity
• Never perform the same training session twice in a row; always try to increase or improve something
• Total workout time excludes warm-up and cool-down
involved in activities that range from 60 seconds to 120
seconds; the 800-meter run is considered the ultimate test
for this system. The work-to-rest ratio for this energy system
is 1:6 to 1:10. Here’s a sample weight training protocol that
focuses on the anaerobic lactic capacity system: Perform 3
sets of 2 minute leg presses with 6 minutes rest. Because
of the high levels of growth hormone training this energy
system produces, this would be a great workout for a client
interested in fat loss.
e). Aerobic power. This energy system represents the
maximal rate at which an individual can consume oxygen,
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which is represented by the measurement V02 max. It
becomes the dominant energy system after 120 seconds;
the 1500-meter run, an event contested in the Olympic
decathlon, is considered a good test for this system. The
work-to-rest ratio for this energy system ranges from 1:3 to
1:4.
f). Aerobic capacity. This energy system represents the
maximal amount of oxygen an individual can use during
an exercise session. The work-to-rest ratio for this system
ranges from 1:0.5 to 1:0.
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Parameter
Aerobic System
Power
Capacity
Warm-up/down
5-10 min. easy to mediumintensity speed work
Start the session easy
Load
120 seconds to 10 minutes
> 10 minutes
Intensity
85 to 90%
65 to 84%
Repetitions
3-10
1
Rest Ratio
1:3 to 1:4
1:0.5 to 1:0
Rest Set
8-10 minutes
active
No rest
Number of Sets
2 to 3
1
NOTES
• Trainees should not sacrifice the quality of their repetitions to increase quantity or to reduce recovery time
• Most gains occur in the first 10-12 weeks
• Trainees who detrain after a 6-week training program can maintain more than 90 percent of their aerobic gains
with just the intervals performed in the other systems
• If a trainee cannot cover the same distance covered in the same amount of time, reduce the time it takes to
complete the repetitions
• Precede every aerobic power session with a vigorous warm-up
• To make gains you need to train that system 4 times a week; 5 or 6 times per week will be even more efficient
• Always work on capacity before power in the aerobic system
• You can build progression by increasing total volume, adding sets, shortening the pause period between
repetitions or increasing intensity
• Never perform the same training session twice in a row; always try to increase or improve something
• Total workout time includes warm-up and cool-down
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89
Most Effective Energy System Tools for Fat
Loss
Chapter 15
The first step in designing an effective fat loss protocol for
a client is to determine which area of performance should
receive primary focus, which for fat loss would be anaerobic
lactic capacity. The next step is to determine the type of
exercise you want them to perform. For best results, the
most effective activities use large, multiple muscle groups.
Here are six effective activity options:
Rowing ergometer. Although many consider rowing
primarily an upper body exercise, when rowing is performed
properly the legs are the primary movers. The advantage of
using a stationary rower is that the resistance of each stroke
can be precisely controlled.
Sprinting. If you want to exercise outside the gym, sprinting
is a convenient way to perform energy system training. It is
especially effective for developing the hamstrings.
Sled dragging. Pulling a sled simulates the biomechanics of
sprinting while adding resistance.
Sled push. This type of apparatus enables the client to
focus on the drive phase of running and emphasizes the
quadriceps. For best results, the client’s body should be at a
45-degree angle to the sled.
Modified strongman. This type of training uses strongman
apparatus, such as tires and farmer’s walk handles, to
perform exercises that tax the total body strength of the
trainee and their short-term energy system.
Cycling. Cycling is predominantly a lower body activity,
although the upper body is used significantly during hill
climbs. As opposed to stationary cycling, which provides
constantly controlled resistance, outdoor cycling offers more
variety in terms of resistance.
Manipulating Loading Parameters
for Best Results in Energy System
Training
Loading parameters include reps, sets, rest periods, intensity,
exercise selection and frequency.
Best times for energy system work. The choice of when to
train an energy system depends upon the goals of the client.
If a client’s major goal is strength, it is best to do energy
system training after the primary strength workout.
athletic fitness quality should be trained early in the week.
For example, if fat loss is the primary goal, the most difficult
anaerobic lactic capacity workout should be performed on a
Monday (assuming Sunday is a rest day).
Creating progress with energy systems training. Just as
there are many ways to manipulate training variables to
stimulate progress in resistance training, there are also ways
to manipulate training variables in energy system training.
Here are four of them:
a). Increasing work time. This refers to prolonging the
training activity while keeping all the other variables
constant.
b). Decreasing rest time. This refers to reducing only the
rest periods between bouts of activity while keeping the
intensity of the activity constant.
c). Increasing work density. Density is the amount of work
performed in a period of time. Increasing density can be
achieved by performing longer periods of work with less rest
time without increasing intensity.
d). Increasing total volume of high-quality efforts. This
refers to increasing only the intensity of the bouts of activity
(i.e. increasing weights), keeping workout density and rest
periods constant.
How to use a heart-rate monitor for energy systems
training. Monitoring the heart rate is an effective way to
determine how hard an athlete is working their energy
systems during a bout of exercise as well as their ability to
recover from each bout of exercise. High-tech heart rate
monitors can download the details of an entire workout onto
your computer.
Good training splits that include energy systems training.
A client who is training twice a day should train the most
important physical or athletic fitness quality during their
first training session. This is because the fatigue produced
from the first training session can adversely affect the ability
to perform the second training session. In the scenario of
a weeklong training cycle, the most important physical or
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91
Chapter 16
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Chapter 16
Sample Programs/Methods
Summary
One effective way to design long-term
workouts is to divide a year into four 3-month
programs. During these workouts the trainer
should incorporate structural balance training
into the training sessions.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the concept of periodization
2. Know how to set goals with measurable
outcomes
3. Understand and list various factors that
influence how the trainer sets realistic goals for
the client
Key Terms:
Periodization, anthropometric, microcycle,
4. Describe the differences between each of these
terms: microcycle, mesocycle and macrocycle
mesocycle, macrocycle
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93
Chapter 16
Sample Programs/Methods
Chapter 16
Sample Programs/Methods
Now it’s time to start designing your own workouts. When
studying these workouts, observe that the components of
the workout formula are arranged in this sequence:
Exercise Order, Exercise Name, Sets, Reps, Tempo, Rest
Sample components:
Name Sets
Reps Tempo Rest (in seconds)
Order
_______________________________________________________
A.
Back
3
5
40X1
90
Squat
Based on the above components, this is how you would write
the workout formula:
A. Back Squat, 3 x 5, 40X1, rest 90 seconds
If you use a range of repetitions for an exercise, indicate it by
using two numbers separated by a hyphen (e.g., 5-8), as in
this example:
A. Back Squat, 3 x 5-8, 40X1, rest 90 seconds
When two exercises are to be performed as a superset,
insert “1” or “2” after the capital letters, as in this example:
A1. Back Squat, 3 x 5, 40X1, rest 90 seconds
A2. Seated Cable Row, 3 x 5, 3011, rest 90 seconds
When three exercises are to be performed as a tri-set,
number them and group them as in this example:
A1. Back Squat, 3 x 5, 40X1, rest 90 seconds
A2. Seated Cable Row, 3 x 5, 3011, rest 90 seconds
A3. Bench Press, 3 x 5, 30X1, rest 90 seconds
a. Relative Strength Workouts
To develop relative strength, use an intensity level that puts
the muscles under tension for 20 seconds or less per set.
Workouts for relative strength use maximal weights with
extremely low reps, about 1-5, and they require long rest
intervals to ensure more complete recovery. The following
are three sample exercise prescriptions for relative strength
using different set-rep and tempo prescriptions:
_______________________________________________________
Exercise
Total TUT* Rest
Name
Sets Reps Tempo (in seconds) (in seconds)
_______________________________________________________
Bench Press
4
4
40X1
20
180-240
Bench Press
5
3
40X2
18
180-240
Bench Press
6
2
42X2
16
180-240
*Time under tension, or TUT, is determined by multiplying
the reps by the tempo; for example, in the first workout
above, 4 reps x 5 seconds = 20 seconds TUT. The TUT can
vary widely, depending on the tempo (as in the table above)
and on the type of workout (e.g., functional hypertrophy
workouts, as shown in a later table).
Although fewer reps are performed when training for relative
strength, especially when using exercises that involve large
muscle groups and therefore require a greater range of
motion, you still have a large variety of workout protocols
from which to choose. The following subsections illustrate
two of these protocols.
i. Wavelike loading method. This protocol is based on the
principle of post-tetanic facilitation. As it relates to weight
training, post-tetanic facilitation means that a more powerful
muscular contraction can be achieved if that contraction is
preceded by a strong muscular contraction. Wave loading
is a method of applying this reaction, by working up to a
maximal weight in a pyramid fashion, and then reducing
the weight by a significant amount and working back up to
another maximal weight. Here is an example:
Wave #1: 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
Wave #2: 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
Wave #3: 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
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Now let’s apply this exercise prescription to an actual
workout. Using a tempo prescription of 40X1 for every set
after a warm-up, here is how such a workout would look for
a client who can back squat 300 pounds:
Wave #1
3 reps @ 270 pounds
Rest 4 minutes
2 reps @ 285 pounds
Rest 4 minutes
1 rep @ 300 pounds
Wave #2
Rest 4 minutes
3 reps @ 272.5 pounds
Rest 4 minutes
B1. Standing EZ Bar Curl, 6 x 2-4, 4010, rest 120 seconds
B2. Rack Lock-outs, 6 x 2-4, 2210, rest 120 seconds
b. Functional Hypertrophy
Workouts
To develop functional hypertrophy, use an intensity level that
puts the muscles under tension for 20-40 seconds per set.
The workouts use relatively lower reps with heavier weights,
and they require longer rest intervals to ensure more
complete recovery. The following are three sample exercise
prescriptions for functional hypertrophy using different setrep and tempo prescriptions:
_______________________________________________________
Exercise
Total TUT* Rest
Name
Sets Reps Tempo (in seconds) (in seconds)
_______________________________________________________
2 reps @ 287.5 pounds
Back Squat
5
6
40X0
24
120
Rest 4 minutes
Back Squat
4
7
40X0
28
120
Back Squat
3
8
40X0
32
120
1 rep @ 302.5 pounds (if successful, proceed to wave #3)
Wave #3
Rest 4 minutes
3 reps @ 275 pounds
Rest 4 minutes
2 reps @ 290 pounds
Rest 4 minutes
1 rep @ 305 pounds
ii. Patient Lifter method. With this training system, the client
starts off with a weight they can handle comfortably for 6
sets of just 2 reps. Depending on the client’s neurological
efficiency, that will translate into about 80 to 87 percent of a
1-rep maximum. The goal is to increase the client’s strength
so that, over time, they can handle that weight for 6 sets of 4
reps. The reason the Patient Lifter method works is that the
load is increased only when the trainee is able to complete
all sets of 4 reps with the starting weight of 6 sets of 2 reps.
The system works by means of what is called the law of
repeated efforts, because the nervous system is forced
to accept the new load as being normal. There’s also a
psychological factor involved: boredom. The desire to
overcome the boredom of using the same weight over and
over can often motivate a client to utilize every possible
motor unit to raise the weight, and subsequently move on to
a new program.
Be certain when using this training system to allow the client
to rest at least 4-5 minutes between sets, as this will allow
full recovery of the nervous system. That being said, you still
can pair agonist and antagonist muscle groups to maximize
the return on your client’s training time. Here is a sample
arm routine using the Patient Lifter method:
A1. Scott Close-grip Barbell Curl, 6 x 2-4, 4010, rest 120 sec
A2. Close-grip Bench Press, 6 x 2-4, 4010, rest 120 sec
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
To show how functional hypertrophy loading parameters
could translate into workouts, the following two subsections
show two workout programs with functional hypertrophy
as the primary training goal. As you study these workouts,
focus on (1) the number of reps times the tempo and (2) the
length of the rest intervals.
i. 4,4,6,6,8,8 method. This type of program could be
considered a step system; that is, you will use a specific
weight for one set (or several sets), for a specific number
of reps, and then you will change the weight for another set
with a different repetition range. If the reps are decreasing,
then you need to increase the weight. If the reps are
increasing, then decrease the weight. Here is an example:
A. Back Squat, 2 x 4, 40X1, rest 120 seconds
B. Back Squat, 2 x 6, 40X1, rest 120 seconds
C. Back Squat, 2 x 8, 40X1, rest 120 seconds
As a rule of thumb, the weight used for each stage should be
about 95 percent of what the client can lift to failure. In this
example, for the “A” exercise, your client should use a weight
they could use for a 5-6RM, not 4RM.
This workout design, which involves increasing the
repetitions for each stage, is especially effective for
functional hypertrophy. The lower reps will recruit the
Type IIb fibers, and the higher reps will recruit the Type IIx
fibers. It would be difficult to recruit the Type IIb fibers if
the lower reps were performed in the final stage due to the
accumulative fatigue developed during the previous stages.
ii. 5x5 method. This is one of the more classical and most
effective methods of strength and muscle development.
The following is a sample 5 x 5 workout progression for an
individual who can bench press 200 pounds for 5 reps with a
close grip. The tempo is 40X1, and 120 seconds are allowed
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95
Warm-up: 45 lbs. x 5, 95 lbs. x 5, 135 lbs. x 5, 185 lbs. x 5
Work sets: The goal is to complete 5 sets of 5 repetitions
with 200 pounds. On the first workout the client should be
able to complete at least 14 total reps, so the following could
be considered a good first workout:
200 x 5
200 x 4
200 x 3
200 x 3
Chapter 16
200 x 3
If the chosen weight turns out to be too heavy for the client
to complete all the reps using good form, decrease the total
reps in the next workout, as in this example:
200 x 4
i. Schmidtbleicher model. One of the most effective ways
to design long-term workout programs is to alternate
between phases of accumulation and intensification, with
accumulation emphasizing volume (how much work is
performed) and intensification emphasizing intensity (how
much weight is lifted). This model was originally developed
in the Polish weightlifting community, and further validated
by German sport scientist Dietmar Schmidtbleicher,. Here
is an example of the repetition protocols for an 8-week
workout program designed to improve hypertrophy using
this type of system:
Weeks 1-2: 3 x 12-15 reps (accumulation)
Weeks 3-4: 4 x 8-10 reps (intensification)
Weeks 5-6: 4 x 10-12 reps (accumulation)
200 x 3
Weeks 7-8: 5 x 6-8 reps (intensification)
200 x 2
200 x 2
200 x 2
Once the client is able to complete 5 sets of 5 reps with the
given load, have them increase the weight by 5 to 10 pounds
and repeat the process until they complete the three-week
training phase.
Here is a sample arm routine using the 5 x 5 method for this
three-week training phase:
A1. Seated Dumbbell Curl, 5 x 5, 5010, rest 120 seconds
A2. Parallel Bar Dip, 5 x 5, 5010, rest 120 seconds
B1. Scott Reverse Curl, 5 x 5, 5010, rest 120 seconds
B2. Lying EZ Triceps Extension, 5 x 5, 5010, rest 120
seconds
c. Hypertrophy Workouts
The main difference between a workout designed to increase
muscle mass and a workout designed to increase fat loss
is the length of the rest interval, as more rest is needed
for hypertrophy. The following are three sample exercise
prescriptions for hypertrophy using different set-rep and
tempo prescriptions:
_______________________________________________________
Exercise
Total TUT* Rest
Name
Sets Reps Tempo (in seconds) (in seconds)
_______________________________________________________
Bench Press
5
8
4010
40
90
Bench Press
4
10
4010
50
75
Bench Press
3
12
4010
60
60
To show how these loading parameters could translate into
workouts, here are five sample programs with hypertrophy
as the primary goal. As you study these workouts, focus on
96
the type of exercises performed and the length of the rest
intervals, which vary from 60 to 90 seconds.
ii. German Volume Training. German Volume Training
(GVT) targets a specific group of motor units and exposes
them to an extensive volume of repeated efforts. The body
adapts to such extraordinary stress by hypertrophying those
muscle fibers. It was the conception of German National
Weightlifting coach Rolf Feser.
More specifically, the goal of GVT is to complete 10 sets of
10 reps with the same weight for each exercise. Obviously,
you wouldn’t start with a weight that a client could
barely complete for 10 reps, because by the 10th set the
accumulated fatigue would prevent them from performing
10 reps for the later sets, and thereby tapping into a different
motor unit pool. As such, it’s best to start with a weight
equal to 60 percent of the client’s best single or, to put it
another way, a weight that your client could lift for about
20 reps. Therefore, if a client can bench press 200 pounds
for 1 rep, you would start them on about 120 pounds for
this exercise. After the first workout, a good goal is to try to
increase the weight by roughly 2.5 percent for each workout,
as follows:
Workout 1: 120 x 10 x 10
Workout 2: 125 x 10 x 10
Workout 3: 130 x 10 x 10
Workout 4: 135 x 10 x 10
Workout 5: 140 x 10 x 10
Workout 6: 145 x 10 x 10
Not all workouts will progress in such a linear fashion that
enables an individual to perform 100 perfect reps (because
everyone has their off-days), but the key is to use weights
that will enable your client to complete all 100 repetitions,
with all reps being performed in strict form.
There is minimal rest between sets (about 60 seconds
when performed in sequence and 90-120 seconds when
performed as a superset), which incurs cumulative fatigue.
(Interestingly enough, you might find that your client is
stronger during the eighth and ninth sets. This is because of
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a short-term neural adaptation.) Because of the importance
of the rest intervals, you should use a stopwatch to keep the
rest intervals constant.
_______________________________________________________
Exercise
Total TUT* Rest
Name
Sets Reps Tempo (in seconds) (in seconds)
_______________________________________________________
Leg Press
2
15
4010
75
90
Leg Press
2
20
3010
80
90
Day 2: Legs and Abs
Leg Press
2
25
2010
75
90
Day 3: Off
Rather than prescribing a given rest interval, you can use this
unique method to improve strength endurance. Here are the
guidelines:
For a beginner, here is an effective training split to use for
GVT:
Day 1: Chest and Back
Day 4: Arms and Shoulders
Day 5: Off
Repeat
Here is an example of workouts to use with various body
part splits:
Chest and Back
A1. Decline Dumbbell Press, Semi-supinated, 10 x 10,
4010, rest 90 seconds
A2. Chin-up, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 90 seconds
B1. Incline Dumbbell Flye, 3 x 10-12, 3020, rest 60 seconds
B2. One-arm Dumbbell Row, 3 x 10-12, 3020, rest 60
seconds
Legs and Abs
A1. Back Squat, 10 x 10, 4010, 90 seconds
A2. Lying Leg Curl, Feet Outward, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 90
seconds
B1. Low-cable Pull-in, 15-20, 2020, rest 60 seconds
B2. Seated Calf Raise, 3 x 15-20, 2020, rest 60 seconds
Arms and Shoulders
A1. Parallel Bar Dip, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 90 seconds
A2. Incline Hammer Curl, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 90 seconds
B1. Bent-over Dumbbell Lateral Raise, 3 x 10-12, 3020, rest
60 seconds
B2. Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise, 3 x 10-12, 3020, rest
60 seconds
d. Strength Endurance Workouts
Strength endurance can be developed by using a TUT of 70
seconds or longer with relatively high reps and low intensity.
The following are three sample exercise prescriptions for
strength endurance using different set-rep and tempo
prescriptions:
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
1. Take a weight that represents a client’s 6RM, but have
them perform sets of only 2 reps on a 30X0 tempo.
2. Pick two antagonistic exercises, such as pull-ups and
standing military presses.
3. Have the client do as many sets of 2 within 30 minutes
of the two exercises, alternating between pull-ups and
military presses.
4. Record the total number of sets of 2 done for each
exercise in 30 minutes.
5. In the next workout have the client try to complete the
total number of sets for the given 20 minutes.
An upper body workout would look like this:
1. Warm-up
2. Thirty minutes of pull-ups alternated with standing
barbell military presses. Use a load of 6RM for sets of 2.
Perform reps on a 30X0 tempo. Try to do as many sets
of 2 as possible; record the number. In the next workout
try to beat the previous total number of sets of 2.
3. Twenty minutes of barbell bent-over rows alternated
with flat barbell bench presses with chains. Use a load
of 8RM for sets of 4. Do reps on a 30X0 tempo. Try to
do as many sets of 4 as possible; record the number.
4. In the next workout try to beat the total number of sets
of 4.
i. I Go, You Go workout. This workout requires the help of a
training partner. The program consists of alternating sets of
each exercise between partners. For exercises such as chinups, one partner would perform a set of chins for as many
reps as possible, followed by the training partner trying to
match those reps. The partners continue alternating work
sets until a specific number of sets are performed.
ii. 100-Rep method. With this method your client will
perform 100 reps in a single exercise, but not in one set.
Start with a weight that will enable the client to perform 10
reps, and then have them continue performing additional
sets until they reach 100 reps. Record that time. For the next
workout, try to beat that time. This method is especially
effective for arm training.
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97
e. Fat Loss Workouts
B1. Chin-up, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
Chapter 16
For clients who need to lose body fat, the best workouts
are characterized by using multijoint exercises for 40-70
seconds, the same as for hypertrophy, but with short rest
intervals. The higher reps promote and preserve muscle
development, and the shorter rest periods stimulate the
release of fat-burning growth hormone. The following
are three sample exercise prescriptions for fat loss using
different set-rep and tempo prescriptions:
_______________________________________________________
Exercise
Total TUT* Rest
Name
Sets Reps Tempo (in seconds) (in seconds)
_______________________________________________________
Leg Press
3
8
40X2
42
30
Leg Press
3
10
40X1
50
45
Leg Press
3
12
40X1
60
60
As a general guideline the reps for fat loss are 9-15.
The length of the rest period will vary according to the
conditioning level of the client, the difficulty of the exercise
and the total TUT. For example, it would be extremely
difficult for a beginner to perform 5 sets of back squats with
a TUT of 70 seconds per set, but relatively easy to perform 5
sets of biceps curls.
i. 6-12-25 method. The 6-12-25 workout consists of
performing 43 reps with three different rep protocols in the
same set. The sets of 6 develop functional hypertrophy, the
sets of 12 develop hypertrophy, and the sets of 25 develop
strength-endurance and promote the production of growth
hormone.
Your client will perform two exercises each training session
using the following split:
Day 1: Chest and Back
Day 2: Legs
Day 3: Off
Day 4: Shoulders and Arms
Day 5: Off
Repeat
For the tempo, use 4010 for sets of 6 reps, 3010 for sets
of 12, and 2010 for sets of 25. For each tri-set, rest only 10
seconds after the first and second exercise, and rest 120
seconds after the third. If you didn’t allow 120 seconds’ rest
after the third exercise, the client would use considerably
less resistance than would be considered optimal for this
workout. Here is the day-by-day breakdown:
Chest and Back
A1. 45-degree Incline Dumbbell Press, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10
seconds
A2. 45-degree Incline Barbell Press, 3 x 12, 3010, rest 10
seconds
A3. 30-degree Incline Dumbbell Flye, 3 x 25, 2010, rest
120 seconds
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B2. Bent-over Row, 3 x 12, 3010, rest 10 seconds
B3. Seated Cable Row to Neck, 3x 25, 2010, rest 120
seconds
Legs
A1. Back Squat, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
A2. Hack Squat, 3 x 12, 3010, rest 10 seconds
A3. Leg Extension, 3 x 25, 2010, rest 120 seconds
B1. Lying Leg Curl, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
B2. Semi-stiff Leg Deadlift, 3 x 12, 3010, rest 10 seconds
B3. Reverse Hyperextension, 3 x 25, 2010, rest 120
seconds
Shoulders and Arms
A1. Seated Dumbbell Press, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
A2. Seated Lateral Raise, 3 x 12, 3010, rest 10 seconds
A3. L-Lateral Raise, 3 x 25, 2010, rest 90 seconds
B1. Dip, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
B2. Flat Barbell Extension, 3 x 12, 3010, rest 10 seconds
B3. Pressdown, Cable, 3 x 25, 2010, rest 90 seconds
C1. Incline Dumbbell Curl, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
C2. Standing Barbell Curl, 3 x 12, 3010, rest 10 seconds
C3. Scott Pulley Curl, 3 x 25, 2010, rest 90 seconds
ii. German Body Comp. One of the most effective protocols
for fat loss is called German Body Composition (GBC). GBC
workouts are characterized by using multijoint exercises
for 40-70 seconds, the same as for hypertrophy, but with
extremely short rest intervals.
To show how these loading parameters could translate into
workouts, below are five sample programs with fat loss as
the primary training goal. As you study these workouts,
focus on the type of exercises performed and the length of
the rest intervals, which vary from 30 to 60 seconds.
a). GBC 1. This first workout consists of 4 supersets. It is a
beginner’s workout, and the rest time is 60 seconds, which is
relatively long for this type of program:
A1. Barbell Back Squat, Heels Elevated, 3 x 15-20, 2010,
rest 60 seconds
A2. Medium-parallel-grip Chin-up, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 60
seconds
B1. Lying Leg Curl, Feet Neutral, 3 x 8-10, 5010, rest 60
seconds
B2. 60-degree Incline Dumbbell Press, 3 x 12-15, 2010,
rest 60 seconds
C1. Barbell Lunge, 3 x 12-15, 2010, rest 60 seconds
C2. Seated Row, Medium-pronated-grip, 3 x 12-15, 3010,
rest 60 seconds
D1. Barbell Stiff-leg Deadlift, 3 x 15-20, 3010, rest 60
seconds
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D2. Dip, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 60 seconds
b). GBC 2. This workout consists of three tri-sets of
exercises that work the same muscle group. The first two
exercises get only 10-second rest periods, but after the
third set 90 seconds’ rest is allowed due to the high level of
fatigue a tri-set will produce:
A1. Flat Barbell Close-grip Bench Press, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10
seconds
A2. 45-degree Incline Dumbbell Press, 3 x 12, 3010, rest
10 seonds
A3. Decline Low-pulley Rope Flye, 3 x 25, 2010, rest 90
seconds
B1. Incline Dumbbell Hammer Curl, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10
seconds
B2. EZ Bar Close-grip Scott Curl, 3 x 12, 3010, rest 10
seconds
B3. Low-pulley Supinated-grip Curl, 3 x 25, 2010, rest 90
seconds
C1. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press, 3 x 6, 4010, rest 10
seconds
C2. Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise, 3 x 12, 3010, rest 10
seconds
C3. Low-pulley Rope Upright Row, 3 x 25, 2010, rest 90
seconds
c). GBC 3. This is an extremely difficult workout that
contains two giant sets, each of which contains four
exercises for a total of eight exercises. The giant sets start
with the hardest exercise first:
A1. Barbell Back Squat, Heels Elevated, 3 x 15-20, 3010,
rest 30 seconds
A2. Wide-pronated-grip Lat Pulldown, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest
30 seconds
A3. Lying Leg Curl, Feet-in, 1 1/4 Reps, 3 x 8-10, 4010,
rest 30 seconds
e). GBC 5. This workout begins with a giant set followed by a
superset. The giant set alternates between upper and lower
body exercises, and the superset consists of two isolation
exercises for the upper body to correct structural imbalances
(the concept of structural balance is explained in Chapter 4):
A1. Bent-knee Deadlift, 4 x 10-12, 4010, rest 60 seconds
A2. Flat Dumbbell Press, 4 x 8-10, 4010, rest 60 seconds
A3. Dumbbell Lunge, 4 x 10-12, 2010, rest 60 seconds
A4. Pull-up, 4 x 8-10, 4010, rest 60 seconds
B1. Elbow on Knee, External Rotation, 4 x 10-12, 3020,
rest 60 seconds
B2. Flat Side Lying Dumbbell Powell Raise, 4 x 10-12, 3020,
rest 60 seconds
f. Energy Systems Training
Interval training alternates bouts of high-intensity exercise
with low-intensity exercise. For example, if one of your
clients were to sprint the straightaways on a track and walk
the curves, this would be a form of interval training. One
advantage of interval training over other training methods
is that it is a superior method of fat loss (especially of
subcutaneous fat, which is the fat located just below the
skin).
Another extremely effective method to train the short-term
and intermediate energy systems is strongman training,
which was discussed in Chapter 15. Among the tools used
in strongman training are the farmer’s walk, log press, super
yoke, tire flip and sled pulling. This form of training uses the
large muscle groups and should be considered a form of
functional training for athletes. It is also a superior method
of training for clients whose primary goal is fat loss.
The key element in designing energy system workouts is to
stick to the work to rest ratios proper to the chosen energy
system.
A4. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press, 3 x 12-15, 3010,
rest 30 seconds
B1. Leg Press Machine, Feet Narrow, 3 x 20-25, 2010,
rest 30 seconds
B2. Close-parallel-grip Seated Row, 3 x 12-15, 3010,
rest 30 seconds
B3. Horizontal Back Extension, 3 x 15-20, 3010,
rest 30 seconds
B4. Flat Dumbbell Press, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 30 seconds
d). GBC 4. This workout consists of only one giant set and
looks easy on paper. However, the exercises are extremely
challenging, alternating between an upper body exercise and
a lower body exercise:
A1. Barbell Back Squat, 5 x 8-10, 3210, rest 60 seconds
A2. Chin-up, 5 x 8-10, 3012, rest 60 seconds
A3. Bent-knee Deadlift, 5 x 8-10, 4110, rest 60 seconds
A4. Flat Barbell Bench Press, 5 x 8-10, 3210, rest 60
seconds
©
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99
conclusion
100
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conclusion
Conclusion
As you begin your career as a personal trainer, it will serve
you well to put your efforts into becoming a more educated
trainer rather than into advertising and sales pitches.
This manual contains many complex ideas and is meant
for serious study. You’ll find that going through it a second
time, and even a third and fourth, will give you a greater
understanding of the training process. Even so, remember
that studies and research won’t always yield complete
answers to your professional challenges. Rather, experience
in the gym can be the best research and your best guide in
training your clients.
Having thoroughly prepared yourself through study and
experience, you will be able to sincerely tell a prospective
client, “You are my ideal client and I know I can help you.”
Your well-earned confidence will completely change the
sales conversation – prospective clients will listen to you.
When you build your business on authenticity, marketing
yourself is easy. When what you sell can’t be duplicated
because it is built on who you are and what you love, you’ll
sweep away the competition and capture a never-ending
supply of clients.
Personal training is a competitive business and can be quite
lucrative. However, to stay ahead of your competitors you
have to make learning a lifelong habit. To make more money
in this business you have to be smart about it! In other
words, “You’ve got to learn more to earn more!”
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101
Glossary
glossary
Accumulation Phase: a phase of training that emphasizes
volume over intensity
Eccentric Contraction: the type of contraction in which a
muscle lengthen
Adrenal Stress: stress produced by activities that tax the
function of the adrenal glands
Functional Hypertrophy: muscle growth that is considered
strategic in that the growth improves physical performance
Agonists and Antagonists: the agonist is the muscle that
causes the primary movement; the opposing muscle, the
antagonist, is relaxed during this movement
Functional Isometric Contraction: a term coined from the
combination of isometrics and isotonics
BioSignature Modulation: a method of assessing body fat in
specific areas of the body and the relationship of these fat
stores to hormonal imbalances
German Body Comp Program: a workout system
characterized by short rest intervals and multijoint
movements to generate maximum growth-hormone
production
Circumference Measurement: the total measurement
around a body part at its largest point, perpendicular to its
length
German Volume Training: a workout that produces results
from prolonged muscle tension rather than from high levels
of muscle tension
Concentric Contraction: the type of contraction in which a
muscle shortens, such as when an individual curls a barbell
to the shoulders; if X is used in the formula, it implies
explosive action with full acceleration
Giant Set: three exercises for the same muscle group
performed in sequence
Corrective Exercise: a type of exercise designed to resolve
muscle imbalances or specific flexibility deficiencies
Intensification Phase: a phase of training that emphasizes
intensity over volume
Cortisol: a hormone produced in the adrenal glands
Insomnia: a general term describing the inability to sleep
well
Critical Drop-Off Point: the point at which an individual
experiences a 5-7 percent drop in performance; at this time
the person should move to another exercise or body part
Cross Training: the performance of multiple athletic
activities to achieve balanced muscle development and
thereby help avoid injuries; takes advantage of the fact that
individual sports each focus on certain muscles more than
on others
Circuit Training: a training system introduced in 1953
by physiologists at the University of Leeds in England to
describe a method of integrating several components of
fitness into a single workout
Descending Sets: a training method in which virtually no
rest time is taken between weight changes
Dynamic Flexibility: the quality of being able to move a limb
quickly into a stretched position
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Hypertrophy: the growth of muscle
Isokinetic Equipment: exercise equipment that allows an
individual to train at a specific speed
Isometric Contraction: the isometric pause that usually
occurs between the eccentric (lowering) phase and the
concentric (lifting) phase of a repetition, such as when a
barbell makes contact with the chest during the bench press
Length-Tension Test, Hamstrings: a test that measures the
flexibility of the hamstrings in hip flexion
Length-Tension Test, Hip Flexors: also known as the
Modified Thomas Test, a test that measures the flexibility of
the psoas, rectus femoris and the IT band
Length-Tension Test, Upper Body: also known as the
overhead squat test, a test that assesses upper body
structural imbalance
Kaizen Principle: an approach that advocates “constant
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and never-ending improvement” (from the Japanese word
kaizen)
Resistance Curve: the amount of resistance an exercise
provides at specific angles
Medial Hamstrings: the semitendinosus and
semimembranosus
Set: a single series of reps
Metabolism: the rate at which the body burns calories
Skinny Fat: an individual who is not necessarily overweight
but possesses little muscle mass
Muscle Chain: a group of muscles that perform a similar
function; there are two basic muscle fiber types, Type I and
II; Type II consists of subcategories Type IIa, Type IIx and
Type IIb
Speed of Contraction: the rate of movement of a limb or
implement involved in any given strength exercise; this
speed is described or measured scientifically in terms of
degrees per second
Muscle Fiber Types: a method of classifying muscles
according to their strength and endurance qualities
Stabilizers and Fixators: terms that describe the function of
muscles when they are used to anchor a body part so that
the prime movers have a stable base to pull or push from
Neural-Metabolic Continuum: a graph showing the
influence of muscle tension on the nervous system
Olympic-Style Weightlifting: competition that consists of
the snatch and clean and the jerk; also known simply as
weightlifting
Overload Principle: the concept that a muscle will get bigger
or stronger only if overload is applied to it
Overhead Squat Test: a squat performed using a stick or
light barbell held overhead with a wide grip; used to assess
flexibility in a dynamic manner
Par-Q Questionnaire: also known as the Physical Activity
Readiness Questionnaire, a questionnaire that helps trainees
identify pre-existing conditions that could affect their ability
to participate in physical activity
Post-Exhaustion Superset: a type of superset in which an
individual performs a compound exercise and then follows it
with an isolation exercise that taps into the same motor pool
of the muscle receiving the focus
Pre-Exhaustion Superset: a type of superset in which an
individual performs a single-joint exercise and then follows
it with a multijoint exercise involving the same muscle group
and additional muscle groups
Principle of Individualization: the concept that the number
of sets in a workout should be individualized because each
individual has a unique response to a given program
Radar Graph: a graph that is used to illustrate structural
balance; the graph resembles a radar screen, displaying
values that revolve around a central point
Relative Strength: the ratio of strength to muscle mass
Rep: a complete movement of an exercise, from start to
finish
Repetition Bracket: the range of repetitions performed in a
set
Repetition Maximum: the weight that can be lifted in an
exercise for a single repetition; also known as 1RM
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
Static Flexibility: the quality of being able to move a limb
slowly into a stretch position and hold it
Stretch Shortening Cycle: a rapid stretching of a muscle
(eccentric phase) immediately followed by a rapid (no
longer than .25 seconds) shortening of that muscle
(concentric phase); also known as plyometrics
Strength Curve: the natural strength curve is the amount of
force a muscle can exert at specific angles
Strength Endurance: the capacity of a muscle to maintain
consistent force output with repeated contractions over
time and a percentage of maximal strength greater than 30
percent
Structural Balance: an assessment method based upon the
premise that optimal athletic performance and a pain-free
quality of life require addressing specific ratios of strength
imbalances
Subcutaneous Fat: a type of fat located just below the
outermost layer of skin; subcutaneous fat levels are tested
with calipers or by pinching between the fingers
Supercompensation Effect: the body’s response to stress
in which a decrease in an individual’s fitness preparedness
is followed by a resistance phase that results in the body
adapting to a higher fitness state
Superset: a pairing of two different exercises for different
muscle groups performed in sequence; pairing agonist and
antagonist muscle groups is the most common form of
supersets
Tempo: total amount of time it takes to complete an entire
repetition
Tempo Prescription: a four-digit abbreviation that describes
the four types of muscular contractions during a repetition;
for example, 4210
Time Under Tension (TUT): the time it takes for a
contracted muscle or muscle group to complete a set
Training Frequency: the number of training sessions
performed per week
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103
Training Logbook: a journal that enables trainees to monitor
and evaluate the efficacy of a their training programs and set
realistic short-term goals
Training Split: a method of dividing up the exercises in a
workout over several training sessions
Training Volume: the total number of repetitions completed
in a given time frame
glossary
Upper Body Movement Screen, Structural Balance: an
assessment that compares strength ratios using the closegrip bench press as the central lift
Vastus Medialis Oblique: a teardrop-shaped muscle in the
lower quadriceps that assists in knee extension; also known
as the VMO
Visceral Fat: a type of fat that sits deep behind the
abdominal wall and surrounds the organs within the
peritoneal cavity
Wave Loading: a training method in which an individual
works up to a maximum weight for a specific number of
reps, backs down in weight for one or more sets, and then
works up to even heavier weights
Work Capacity: the amount of quality work that can be
performed over an extended period
104
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index
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Index
2 Percent Rule........................................................... 74
overhead squat................................................... 22, 23
accumulation............................................................ 32
oxidative.................................................................... 86
adrenal stress........................................................... 38
Par-Q Questionnaire................................................ 26
aerobic. . .......................................................... 86,87,89
periodization............................................................. 54
anaerobic. . ...................................................... 86,87,88
physiological assessments....................................... 17
anthropometric......................................................... 54
PNF.. ............................................................................81
ATP-CP...................................................................... 86
Poliquin ® BioSignature Modulation ..................... 24
ballistic strength.. ................................................ 80,81
relative strength................................................. 13, 28
compound exercise............................................ 48,49
reps............................................................................. 13
concentric................................................................ 7,8
resistance curve.. ........................................................ 6
critical drop-off point.. ............................................. 65
Rickard Nilsson......................................................... 48
DePaul University Fatigue Questionnaire...............16
set.............................................................................. 64
descending set. . ........................................................ 64
skinny fat. . ................................................................. 29
Dietmar Schmidtbleicher. . ................................. 48,96
slow-twitch muscles.................................................. 9
dynamic stretching. . ............................................ 80,81
static stretching.. ............................................ 81,82,83
eccentric. . ................................................................. 7,8
strength endurance.............................................. 12,13
fast-twitch muscles. . .................................................. 9
strength curve . . ........................................................... 6
functional hypertrophy........................................ 12,13
structural balance.............................................. 20, 21
functional hypertrophy............................................ 28
superset. . ................................................................... 64
German Body Comp................................................. 29
survival stretching. . ...................................................81
German Volume Training......................................... 29
time under tension.................................................... 13
glycolytic................................................................... 86
training frequency...............................................38,39
goal setting........................................................... 16,17
training journal.......................................................... 17
growth hormone....................................................... 68
training level............................................................. 64
handgrip dynamonetry. . ........................................... 76
training split. . ............................................................ 39
hypertrophy.. ......................................................... 12,13
tri-set. . ....................................................................... 64
intensification........................................................... 32
unloading . . ........................................................... 72, 73
intensity.. .................................................................... 13
isolation exercise . . .............................................. 48,49
isometric.................................................................. 7,8
length tension test.............................................22, 24
macrocycle................................................................ 55
metabolism............................................................... 68
muscle chain............................................................... 6
myofibrillar growth . . ................................................. 69
nutritional intervention. . .......................................... 39
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109
About the Authors
110
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About the Authors
Stephane Cazeault
Kim Goss
Stephane Cazeault, PICP Level 5, is the director
of strength and conditioning at the state-of-theart Poliquin Group gym in East Greenwich, Rhode
Island.
Kim Goss is a prolific author, editor and strength
coach with a 30-year career in the fields of fitness
and strength.
With a strong athletic background and a university
degree in exercise science. Stephane has personally
trained professional athletes in football, baseball
and hockey. His resume includes training these
NFL, MLB and NHL athletes: Steven Jackson
(Atlanta Falcons), James Butler and Mark Clayton
(St. Louis Rams); David Freese, Chris Carpenter
and Matt Holliday (St. Louis Cardinals); Dennis
Wideman (Calgary Flames) and Mike Green
(Washington Capitals). In 2011 Freese was the MVP
of the World Champion Cardinals, and Jackson
rushed for over 10,000 yards.
Alexandra Bernardin
Unlike most young people, Alexandra Bernardin
had no difficulty deciding what she would do for
the rest of her life. She always knew her career
path would involve sports and nutrition. Now Alex
is following her chosen path as a skilled trainer
and PICP/BioSignature instructor for the Poliquin
Group.
In 1987 Kim became a strength coach for the US Air
Force Academy, and during his career he designed
and supervised off-ice workouts for a dozen
figure skaters who competed in the Olympics. His
weightlifters competed internationally in the junior,
senior and masters world championships.
Kim earned a master’s degree in human movement;
his undergraduate studies were in journalism. In
the 1980s Kim was a writer for Runner’s World
Publications. He has written articles for over 50
print publications, and has edited or ghostwritten
20 books. He has been editing articles and books
for Charles Poliquin since 1992.
Kim is currently a writer and editor for the Poliquin
Group, where he works alongside its team of PICP
course conductors to provide the most current
articles and educational materials in the fields of
nutrition, functional medicine, and strength and
conditioning.
As a competitive gymnast and later a gymnastics
coach, Alex experienced firsthand how nutrition
knowledge was lacking in the coaching community.
Academically, Alex earned degrees in kinesiology,
dietetics and human nutrition from McGill
University in Montreal, Quebec. From there she
worked in high-end gyms in Montreal and later in
St. Louis, Missouri.
Alex has trained people of all ages, from toddlers
to the elderly, and each person has had their own
challenges that she needed to work on to make
them better.
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111
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
This document cannot be shared, duplicated, or copied.
© 2014, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC
This document cannot be shared, duplicated, or copied.
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