WHEN TO INCREASE YOUR WEIGHT IN TRAINING - by GLEN TITHER

Website: www.gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk
Email: glen@gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk


I often get asked by PT clients how I know when to increase their resistances being used; or when they should increase resistances when they're working without me.
It's simple - because of chainges in your daily biorhythms you'll have days when you feel stronger than others, and days when you feel weaker too. Therefore, it's best to workout within a repetition range, as opposed to limiting yourself to aiming for a single number. Otherwise when you're feeling stronger you won't be stressing your muscles enough or working them to fatigue, and when you're feeling weaker you'll struggle to reach the relevant number, and find yourself breaking strict form just to complete the set.
My advice is to work within a 3 rep range, no matter how many sets you perform e.g. 2 - 5, 5 - 8, 6 - 9, 9 - 12 , 12 - 15 etc.
When you can, with strict form, complete the higher repetition range for 2 or more sets then you should increase your resistance slightly, so that you can only perform the lower end of the range.
If you make small increases to the resistance, each time you hit the higher repetiton range, then you'll ensure 'overload' and subsequent muscular strength increases.

1 - 6 TRAINING PRINCIPLE, AND MY 2ND ADAPTATION OF IT (1-3RM/6-9RM TRAINING PRINCIPLE). - by GLEN TITHER

Website: www.gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk

Email: glen@gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk

1 - 6 TRAINING PRINCIPLE, AND MY 2ND ADAPTATION OF IT (1-3RM/6-9RM TRAINING PRINCIPLE).

Further to my original article/blog "1 - 6 TRAINING PRINCIPLE, AND MY ADAPTATION OF IT (1-3RM/6-12RM TRAINING PRINCIPLE)", and having fully tested the principle, I decided to make a small change to the second set repetition range. Therefore, the new repetition ranges are 1-3RM/6-9RM. This decrease of 3 repetitions enables greater resistances to be used and, as a result, further increases in muscular hypertrophy and strength.

In keeping with the overload principle, I have also changed the workouts for this adaptation (see below). The exercises are still performed in supersets and the smaller muscle groups require performance of 2 sets of the higher repetition range (6-9RM).

BACK & TRICEPS

Sternum Chins Ups superset with EZ Bar Close Grip Presses

Suspension Trainer T,Y,I,W,Facepulls (1 of each = 1 repetition, do 6 reps) superset with 

Seated EZ Bar Overhead Tricep Extensions (2 x 6-9RM)

Close Grip Pull Ups superset with Decline Bench Dumbbell Tricep Extensions (2 x 6-9RM)

CHEST & BICEPS

45 Degree Incline Bench Barbell Presses superset with 

Incline Bench Dumbbell Bicep Curls (2 x 6-9RM)

30 Degree Incline Bench Barbell Presses superset with 

Dumbbell Preacher Curls (supinated grip)

30 Degree Incline Bench Dumbbell Chest Flyes tripleset with 

30 Degree Incline Bench Dumbbell Presses tripleset with Close Grip Chin Ups (2 x 6-9)

TRAPEZIUZ & SHOULDERS

Barbell Single Arm Shrugs (2 x 6-9RM) superset with Dumbbell Lateral Raises (2 x 6-9RM)

EZ Bar Close Grip Upright Rows superset with Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Dumbbell Shrugs (2 x 6-9RM) superset with Dumbbell Prone Lateral Raises (2 x 6-9RM)

TRICEPS & BICEPS

Seated Squat Rack Half Shoulder Press superset with Seated Dumbbell Zottmann Curls

EZ Bar Lying Tricep Extensions (2 x 6-9RM) superset with 

Dumbbell Preacher Curls (neutral to supinated grip)

Raised Leg Bench Dips (to failure) superset with Dumbbell Concentration Curls

LEGS & CALVES

Barbell Front Squats superset with Seated Barbell Soleus Raises (2 x 10)

Barbell Deadlifts superset with Donkey Raises (2 x 50)

Barbell Good Mornings superset with Standing Barbell Calf Raises (2 x 30)

Bulgarian Split Squats superset with Barbell Standing Calf Raises (2 x 9 -12)

Barbell Romanian Deadlifts (2 x 6-9RM) superset with Seated Barbell Soleus Raises (2 x 40)