Training Types

Before trying a new training method, always read as must about it as you can, either in books or on the internet to avoid injury or non representative results. Most training methods discussed can be performed three times a week (with at least a days break between them). Full body or part body workouts can be used and most types of training let you choose which exercises you wish to perform from many available. As discussed in the guide, it may be a good idea to note down the ones you choose and stick to that order until your body gets used to it. Remember, all the sections in the guide such as log books and healthy eating can be applied to which ever method of training you choose to do.

The Training Types available are numerous.  Just a few include:

• Positions of Flexion (POF)
  Sets: 1 or 2
  Reps: Many To Failure
  Positions of Flexion is a training method largely recommended by 'Ironman' magazine and dictates you must use three exercises for each muscle you wish to develop. These exercises must be done in sequence and to failure over 1 or 2 sets. The first exercise you pick for the muscle must be Mid-range - one which doesn't stretch the muscles as you perform it (such as the barbell curl). The second exercise should be Stretch - one which stimulates the muscle in its stretched position during the exercise (such as the inclined dumbbell curl). Finally the third exercise should be Contraction - one which stimulates the muscle in its contracted position (such as the concentration curl). When all three types of exercise are completed for one muscle, the next set of three should be started for the next one. In this way each muscle will be stimulated in all its positions (midrange, stretch and contracted states).

  This also insures that the maximum number of motor units are activated for each muscle as each exercise will activate different motor units, leading to maximum muscle hypertrophy. Like most training types, the exercises and weights used must all change over a period of time to prevent undertraining - something which may not be shown in POF literature. If this does not happen the training type may have limitations in the long term.

• Static Contraction Training (SCT)
  Sets: 1
  Reps: 1 To Failure
  One of the more straight forward of training types, SCT simply involves holding a heavy weight until you can no longer hold it in position. When using this method of training, choose exercises which you can hold in the final position - such as dumbbell curls for the biceps or inclined flying for the shoulders. Select a good starting weight which will not stress you too much at the beginning, 5-7 kg. Then, as you execute the exercise, hold it in its full stretched or contracted position depending on the exercise. Hold in this position for as long as you can before slowly lowering the weight back to the starting position.

  In this way only one rep needs to be used for each muscle as the muscle should be too tired to undertake more reps after the first one. Very little mechanical work occurs during this action and so you may find you are only strongest when the muscles are in the position normally reached during your exercise. Most parts of the body can be worked effectively using common exercises but special ones may need to be developed for parts of the back etc. The weight used will also need to be adjusted from time to time to promote growth and strength - the problem being that you may not use a heavy enough weight for your body.

• High Intensity Training (HIT)
  Sets: 1 - 2
  Reps: 11 or 12
  Quite an open training type and one which many beginners find easy to stick to. The key to HIT training is to perform your exercises quite slow and to keep the sets and reps down to a minimum. If you choose to undertake this type of training, select any exercises you wish to do from the many available. Because the training is fairly open book you may wish to choose one exercise per muscle or many to fully stimulate the area you wish to train. Once you begin training it is important to note that it should not take you more than an hour to complete your routine. If it takes longer than this you may need to move some exercises to another day to decrease the number of reps. You can perform the exercises in any order and separate the sets if you wish. The most important thing to note however is the time. The first part of the exercise should take you no MORE than 2 seconds to complete - the second part no MORE than 4. For example, a dumbbell curl should take 2 seconds to raise and 4 to lower again. You can extend these times if you wish as the slower you repeat each rep, the better.

  You must also finish the set in 11 or 12 reps if possible. If you can only do 1 or 2 then you may need to change exercises or reduce the weight. If you can do more than 12 then you muscle isn't failing soon enough and you must add weight to your apparatus until you can only manage 7 or 8 again. In this way you can judge just how heavy your weights need to be. As always mentioned, change the weights and exercises frequently to stimulate growth. For an example HIT log, see logbooks .