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Intensity Techniques, Part Two

 

In "Intensity Techniques Part One"intensity I gave some background as to why one might want to use the various intensity techniques that I covered. I recommend reading that article first:

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-training-room-workouts-and-tips/9713-intensity-techniques-part-one.html 

In part two, I want to continue discussing some additional intensity techniques. Before proceeding, I want to clarify that I’m not suggesting that one train with these techniques as a sole method of training. I strongly believe in using more standard training techniques such as straight sets with heavier weights (among other more traditional workout structures such as Circuits, Antagonistic Supersets, etc.). Rather, these techniques are an excellent alternative that will allow you to maintain a high ‘intensity of effort’ while giving your joints a break from constant heavy loading. I have found they give me a serious pump as well!

Remember that you will have to use considerably less resistance than you might be accustomed to in order to get through these workouts. I generally recommend 8-12 reps for multi-joint and 10-15 reps for isolation movements, but you can definitely experiment to find what works best for you.

Also I generally like to use a light to heavy pyramid, increasing the resistance and reducing the reps as I repeat the given exercise sequence.

 

Compound Supersets: These use two exercises for the same body part. Please note that some writers refer to antagonistic muscle groups (ex. Chest/Back) when speaking about Compound Supersets, I am using it to refer to exercises for the same muscle group because you are compounding the work on that area.

Here are examples using two multi-joint exercises per muscle group.

 

CHEST: Neutral Grip Dumbbell Chest Press (palms facing inward) /Dumbbell Chest Press (standard grip). You could also do this on a Chest Press Machine with both types of grips.

 

LATS: Wide Grip Pull-down/ Reverse Grip Pull-down.  

 

LEGS: Squats/Walking Lunges w/ dumbbells

 

Here are examples using two isolation exercises for the purpose of compounding work to the muscle groups being targeted.

 

SHOULDERS:  Standard Side Delt Raises/ Thumbs-Up Side Delt Raises

 

BIS: Curls/Hammer Curls (Note: You can also go from using bilateral reps for the curls and then alternating reps for the hammer curls).

 

TRIS: Overhead Triceps Extensions/Reverse Grip Triceps Extensions.

 

 

TRI-SETS: Tri-sets use three exercises to hit the same muscle group. Note that there is a lot of variation here in terms of how you can combine compound and isolation movements.

 

CHEST: Incline Dumbbell Flye/Incline Dumbbell Press/Incline Cable Flye – This particular example combines both Pre and Post exhaust techniques. (Note: You can emphasize one area of the chest such as the upper pectorals as shown above, or you can hit the chest from multiple angles such as Flat Dumbbell Flye/Incline Dumbbell Press/Decline Cable Flye. The overall pectorals are still receiving intense stimulation since you can only ‘emphasize’ rather than ‘isolate the various pectoral fibers.

LATS: Straight Arm Pull-down/Wide Grip Pulldown/Reverse Grip Pulldown

DELTS: Front Raise/Side Raise/Bent Dumbbell Laterals

BIS: Incline Curls/Hammer Curls/Cable Curls

BIS (Brachialis emphasis): Incline Dumbbell Hammer Curls/Cable Curls/ Standing Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls

TRICEPS: Rope Pressdown/Overhead Rope Triceps Extension/Skull Crushers w/ Dumbbells

LEGS: Leg Extensions/Leg Press/Alternate Reverse Lunges

Typically multiple tri-sets are performed for the same muscle group in a consecutive manner (ex. three tri-sets for chest). However you can also use tri-sets to alternate between two or more muscle groups.  Though not a tri-set in the strict sense, it allows you to extend the time under tension to each of the muscle groups in a novel way.

 

Antagonistic Alternating Tri-sets: This can be accomplished by alternating a triset for Chest with a tri-set for Back. The key is to move quickly from the Chest to the Back Tri-sets. This takes a LOT of mental toughness!

CHEST:bobbychest2 Dumbbell Flat Flye/Dumbbell Neutral Grip Flat Press/Dumbbell Incline Press (In this tri-set you are starting with a pre-exhaustion exercise for the pecs, then moving on to a triceps-dominant compound movement, and ending with a pressing movement that incorporates more of the upper/clavicular pectorals).

BACK: Dumbbell Pullover (or Stiff-Arm Pull-downs)/Wide-Grip Pulldown/Low Pulley Row

 

Push-Pull-Legs Tri-set Circuit: This tri-set circuit is great to use if you have limited time and want to hit all the major muscle groups in a very efficient manner while still using a high intensity of effort. At most, I would run this type of circuit twice due to the sheer intensity of effort involved.

However if you are in a time-crunch, you can blast through this circuit once to hit the whole body quickly and efficiently.

CHEST: Dumbbell Flat Flye/Dumbbell Incline Press/Cable Crossover

BACK: Stiff Arm Pulldown/Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown/Low Pulley Row

LEGS:  Leg Extension/Squat/Alternate Reverse Lunge

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