Training Technique For More Muscle

August 21, 2009 on 3:37 pm | In Strength Training | 1 Comment

I picked this technique up from a fellow trainer a few years back and it has worked great for added muscle and strength during the accessory exercises.   Since then I have heard of other trainers using it with success.

Instead of setting a specific rep and set scheme, choose a TOTAL repetition number goal.  This builds right off of yesterday’s Train with the End In Mind post.

Example:  Instead of 3 x 8 for pull ups, perform 30 total.  Do as many as you can, rest, then repeat until you get your goal number.  Try the same thing for a few weeks and then attempt to cut down the number of sets it took you to reach your goal number. 

Working some variations in during the sets help! (Towel, thick grip, tennis ball etc)

Personal Experience:  I’ve had successes with this approach on body weight exercises more so than the rest of the training.  Exercises used:  Push ups, box jumps (increasing height and rate of force development as opposed to fending off fatigue like with the other exercises) pull ups, chin ups, and supine rows.

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -