Training methods for strength and muscle growth
A method is sometimes just the small change in your training that gets your body working again. Here are five old-school but still widely used techniques that add tension, weight and variety to your exercises.
Why does the method matter more than a new exercise?
Many people swap out their entire program at the first plateau. In reality, you don’t always need a new machine, a new split or a completely different training style. Often it’s enough to perform the same exercise with a different tempo, set scheme or pause.
These techniques suit trainees whose technique is already more or less in place. If your squat, press or pull-up is still wobbly, start with something simpler. But if the usual 3 sets no longer move the needle, a technique like this can give your body a new reason to adapt.
Honestly, several of these methods look simple on paper but feel quite brutal in the gym. That’s exactly why they’re worth using in moderation, not on every exercise in every workout at once.
Method 1: doubles for the same muscle
With doubles, you perform three sets back to back with no rest. Don Ross is the name often associated with this technique, although in the end it matters less who came up with it first. What matters is the work itself.
The logic is simple: you start with one exercise, move straight to a second exercise that loads the same muscle, and finish with the first exercise again. For triceps, for example, you could do barbell overhead triceps extensions (behind the head) for 8–10 reps, then close-grip barbell presses for 8–10 reps, and finally barbell overhead extensions again for as many repetitions as you can manage with clean technique.
It’s a good idea to keep the same weight in the first and third sets. That way you can see honestly how much your strength drops off. This method forces you to push, because by the third set your mind wants to match the result of the first set.
1 ½ repetitions and longer tension
The 1 ½ method was popularized by Ian King. The idea is to extend each repetition by half a movement. Using the squat as an example, it looks like this: you do one squat, pause at the bottom, rise halfway up and then lower back down. That is 1.5 squat repetitions. Then you stand all the way up and start again.
You can use the same logic for leg extensions, presses and other controlled exercises. So what actually happens? The muscle spends longer under tension. This is often called TUT, or time under tension.
This technique is useful when very heavy weights aren’t sensible. For some people an old injury gets in the way; for others the joints simply don’t feel good. 1 ½ repetitions let you use a lighter weight, but the training load doesn’t get easy as a result.
The 1:6 method for combining strength and volume
The 1:6 method is used to develop both strength and hypertrophy. Dragomir Cioroslan used it in weightlifting training. The principle is as follows: you work up in a pyramid to close to your max, do one repetition, rest 2 – 3 minutes and then do a set of six with a lighter weight.
The interesting part comes after the heavy single. Often the trainee can do a set of six with a heavier weight than they would normally use for an ordinary six. That’s why it’s done in waves: 1:6:1:6:1:6.
Translator’s note: I’ve tried it and it really is very interesting. I haven’t done the exact 1:6 myself; I’ve done 3:6 and 4:8, which also works well – a set of one is probably too short for a bodybuilder. Whether you also increase the weights from set to set is up to you. You can use constant weights, or pyramid on the singles, the sixes or both. You can also progress from workout to workout.
It’s a good method to apply to quite a lot of exercises: pull-ups, presses, squats, and also triceps and biceps exercises.
The 6×4 method for training the nervous system
With the 6×4 method, choose a weight you can do 6 x 2 with, meaning 6 sets with 2 repetitions in each set. This weight usually falls in the range of 80 – 87% of 1RM. The end goal is to reach 6 x 4 with the same weight.
You don’t raise the weight until you’ve hit 6 x 4. A simple truth: when the nervous system sees the same weight often enough, it becomes more familiar with it. That doesn’t magically make the weight feel light, but it reduces surprise and uncertainty.
Rest 4 – 5 minutes between sets. That’s a long break. In practice this often means alternating with antagonist muscles. For example, after two sets of presses you don’t have to simply wait 5 minutes; you can fit in pull-ups in between.
Waves: the 4-3-2 rep system
The wave method sounds almost funny, but it works on the nervous system quite cleverly. One wave consists of sets where you first do 4 repetitions, rest 3 – 4 minutes, raise the weight and do 3 repetitions, rest another 3 – 4 minutes and finish with 2 repetitions.
The weight increases with every set, but there’s no point in going to failure. After the first wave comes a second wave: 4, 3, 2 again. You can usually use slightly heavier weights in the second wave than in the first. The translator’s note in the original text was honest: unfortunately, it doesn’t say how many waves to do per workout.
FAQ: the method and how to use it in practice
Can you use these techniques in every workout?
Preferably not. Pick one method at a time and use it on a single main exercise or a single muscle group. That way you can see what really works, and recovery doesn’t get out of hand.
Should a beginner try them?
A beginner gets more out of a simple program and solid technique. Once you’ve mastered the movements and your progress stalls on a simple program, you can add these techniques carefully.
Which method is best for muscle growth?
Doubles, 1 ½ reps and the 1:6 method are all good for muscle growth. The choice depends on the exercise, your recovery and whether you want to emphasize tension, weight or both.
Article: “The Little Black Book of Training Methods” by TC Luoma
Translated by: Janar Rückenberg
Source:Turg.Fitness.ee
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