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5 Popular Training Systems

There are many different training approaches to both resistance training & CV based training. Here we are going to look at 5 of the most popular training methods that are currently being used within the fitness industry.

HIIT TRAINING

We talked about HIIT training in a recent blog so you can check out the benefits of HIIT there. The technique doesn’t require fitness influencer-level skills, either: you can do HIIT with any workout, as long as you’re mixing up short, intense bursts of activity with less hardcore moves or complete rest in between. Its both time effective & you really feel like you’ve gotten a good workout. You don’t need any equipment & can be done anywhere which is why over the past few years it is probably one of the most popular training methods out there!

SUPERSETS

A superset is a form of strength training in which you move quickly from one exercise to a separate exercise without taking a break for rest in between the two exercises. Typically, you will take a brief break to catch your breath or grab a drink of water between sets of an exercise. This also gives time for the muscles to recover. But when doing supersets you move from one set to another without a break.

Supersets can be used as a way to do more exercises in a given length of time. While your muscles are recovering from one set, you are performing another exercise rather than taking a break. You can switch back to the first exercise to perform another set and continue with that pattern until you need a break for a drink or recovery. Supersets place an emphasis on stamina as well as ability, as the lack of a break between sets can be extremely challenging.

DROPSETS

A drop set is the simple technique where you perform a set of any exercise to failure or just short of failure, then drop some weight and continue for more repetitions with the reduced poundage. According to Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, the drop set method was originally “discovered” in 1947 by Henry Atkins, editor of Body Culture magazine. Atkins called it the “multi-poundage system.” Since then, this muscle blasting technique has gone by many different names including breakdowns, descending sets, triple-drops, down the rack, strip sets or the stripping technique.

Drop sets were a favorite of none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. Thanks to Arnold popularizing the method, it’s a common sight in any gym today to see even recreational lifters doing barbell curl “stripping sets” as Arnold liked to call them. But this method only scratches the surface of the many ways drop sets can be used.

GVT (GERMAN VOLUME TRAINING)

GVT training programs emphasise different muscle groups each day in order to work the targeted muscle groups close to their breaking points, causing the body to build muscle mass quickly. GVT is a mainstream bodybuilding program and can be done at a frequency suitable to the trainee.

Guidelines ensure trainer safety – rest is important between sets, and should last between 60 and 90 seconds. During the set the lifter must also consider the amount of weight. For any given exercise, only about 60% of the lifter’s one rep max should be used. For example, if a lifter’s maximum bench press amount is 100 pounds (45.36 kg) then they should only lift 60 pounds (27.22 kg) for each rep. Another important consideration when using this type of training program is recovery time.

NEGATIVES

A negative repetition (negative rep) is the repetition of a technique in weight lifting in which the lifter performs the eccentric phase of a lift. Instead of pressing the weight up slowly, in proper form, a generally aids in the concentric, or lifting, portion of the repetition while the lifter slowly performs the eccentric phase for 3–6 seconds. Negative reps are used to improve both muscular strength and power in subjects, this is commonly known as hypertrophy training.

Due to its mechanical properties, this form of training can be used for both healthy individuals and individuals who are in rehabilitation. Studies have shown that negative repetitions or “eccentric training phase” combines a high amount of force on the muscle with a lower energy cost than normal concentric training, which requires 4–5 times the amount of energy. This justifies why this type of training is more beneficial and less of a risk to subjects rehabilitating or with a limited exercise capacity.

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