I will name your four new training tools REPS,SETS,REST,TEMPO. Get to know and understand these training principles and you are on the path to becoming a lean machine!
1) REPS - Reps or repetitions determine the desired training effect or goal. A basic rule of thumb is this if you are performing:
- 1-6 REPS your training goal is strength
- 6-8 REPS your training goal is functional strength and mass
- 9-12 REPS your training goal is to increase your lean mass
- 13+ REPS your training goal is to increase muscular endurance
2) SETS - When determining the amount of Sets to be completed, the higher the quantity of Sets the faster strength gains are obtained.One important fact to bear in mind is there is an inverse relationship between Reps and Sets. This simply means the higher the amount of sets performed the lower the amount of Repetitions to be performed. I will give you an example if my goal was to increase my lean muscle mass I would be performing 8-12 repetitions with 3-4 sets. If strength was my training goal then I would perform 4-6 repetitions with 5-6 sets.
3) REST - Rest period between Sets also determines the desired training effect of a program. The intervals themselves need to be based around the repetition range that we determined in the above Reps definition. There are two systems being worked the nervous system which governs strength and the muscular system controlling the force of a contraction. When training for strength I use rest periods of at least two minutes between sets. When training the muscular system I use anywhere from 10 to 90 seconds.
4) TEMPO -Tempo describes the speed an exercise should be performed to. Each number represents how many seconds each portion of a lift should take. Let me give you an example tempo of "4010"
The first number is "4" which is the lowering phase of the weight. Now the weight or resistance could be your own body weight like in the lowering phase of a Chin Up.
Or alternatively the weight or resistance could be a Barbell in the lowering phase of a bench press.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE AND VERY IMPORTANT!
The first number in Tempo is the resistance being lowered!
The second number "0" is the pause in between the lifting and the lowering phase
The Third number "1" is the length of time taken to actually lift the weight or resistance
The fourth number "0" is the pause in between the lowering and the lifting phase
Conclusion- Utilise these training principles in your workouts and make substantial gains in no time....
