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Wish I didn’t have to stop during Covid. I did body weight exercises and what I could to maintain and tightened up the diet but with them closing gyms down which to me was BS I did what I could
Veteran Thread Training to failure and other means of upping the intensity
- Thread starter Mobster
- Start date
Veteran Discussion
Better than f'all like many did
Rest Pause
I read about this one when reading Mike Mentzer stuff back in the day. In simple terms it's a straight set, even with a bunch of other intensifiers, where you rest briefly (ideally hands etc stay on the kit) then do 1-2 reps. Rest again and do another 1-2 reps. Then, assuming you're fully fatigued, you're done.
I read about this one when reading Mike Mentzer stuff back in the day. In simple terms it's a straight set, even with a bunch of other intensifiers, where you rest briefly (ideally hands etc stay on the kit) then do 1-2 reps. Rest again and do another 1-2 reps. Then, assuming you're fully fatigued, you're done.
Machines vs a barbell vs a dumbbells
To date a lot of the intensifiers can be used regardless of the gym equipment. But there had been many arguments regarding which is best - machines or free-weights. I suggest here that you could run a very simple test for yourself and that dumbbells would be trhe hardest to use and therefore a way of making an exercise more productive (and thus ,more intense).
Let's pick bench press. Start on a machine version - say an iso-lateral version (Hammer type). 30kg/66lbs a side x 15 reps. Rest and recover. Barbell bench with a similar weight (so 1 x 20kg/44lbs plate a side then). Rest and recover. Now again but dumbbell bench press and 30kg/66lbs per dumbbell. The literal instability (harder to hold in position) of the dumbbells makes it a far harder exercise. Now there's a GREAT point to be made of machines etc enabling a much greater focus on a targeted muscle (in this case the pecs).
So here's a suggestion. Pick a movement which enables that direct and intense form of hitting the pecs. That's a kind of pre-exhaust (if I've not mentioned this I'll add it shortly) THEN use a more unstable way (viz the dumbbells or something else - even cable flyes). Give this a try and see how it feels
To date a lot of the intensifiers can be used regardless of the gym equipment. But there had been many arguments regarding which is best - machines or free-weights. I suggest here that you could run a very simple test for yourself and that dumbbells would be trhe hardest to use and therefore a way of making an exercise more productive (and thus ,more intense).
Let's pick bench press. Start on a machine version - say an iso-lateral version (Hammer type). 30kg/66lbs a side x 15 reps. Rest and recover. Barbell bench with a similar weight (so 1 x 20kg/44lbs plate a side then). Rest and recover. Now again but dumbbell bench press and 30kg/66lbs per dumbbell. The literal instability (harder to hold in position) of the dumbbells makes it a far harder exercise. Now there's a GREAT point to be made of machines etc enabling a much greater focus on a targeted muscle (in this case the pecs).
So here's a suggestion. Pick a movement which enables that direct and intense form of hitting the pecs. That's a kind of pre-exhaust (if I've not mentioned this I'll add it shortly) THEN use a more unstable way (viz the dumbbells or something else - even cable flyes). Give this a try and see how it feels
Pre-Exhaustion
The late Bob Kennedy banged this drum hard via booklet courses sold via his magazine Muscle mag International (I own 100's of the mag inc the 1st issue). He did not invent it (little being new even when he pushed it in the late 1970's or 1980's). In simple terms you use an isolation movement to strictly target a muscle and then a more compound type movement to bit the area more generally and thus really f**k up (LOL) the target muscle. An easy example would be high-ish reps on leg extensions and hit the quads and then leg press, hack squats or squats right after. Another example would be side laterals then press for delts or concentration curls and cheat BB curls for biceps and so on.
Grip Harder
Now I'm a grip guy. Won competitions and all that. So I'm bound to say this right? How about a very simple test you can do for yourself to prove that gripping harder make a difference. Indeed I did this at Expos when working for a company that sold grip equipment. Here's what we did:
We'd have a pair of 10kg/22lb dumbbells. One (say the left) you'd hold loosely. The other (right) you'd squeeze hard on the handle. You'd curl them both for a few reps with me asking you to contract the bicep at the top of the movement. Now rest and feel which bicep was worked harder? It'll be the one where you squeezed the handle harder. We sold FatGrips and so, if I still had their interest (and yours ha ha) I'd get them to try squeezing hard with both hands but with one dumbbell fitted with a blue 2-inch (so close to 3-inch once added to the handle) rubber FatGrip. The bicep got a better workout with the FatGrip.
You can try the 'FatGrip' idea without owning one just by using a small sponge or even a hand towel added to the handle and squeezing through that. Give it a try and give me feedback.
The late Bob Kennedy banged this drum hard via booklet courses sold via his magazine Muscle mag International (I own 100's of the mag inc the 1st issue). He did not invent it (little being new even when he pushed it in the late 1970's or 1980's). In simple terms you use an isolation movement to strictly target a muscle and then a more compound type movement to bit the area more generally and thus really f**k up (LOL) the target muscle. An easy example would be high-ish reps on leg extensions and hit the quads and then leg press, hack squats or squats right after. Another example would be side laterals then press for delts or concentration curls and cheat BB curls for biceps and so on.
Grip Harder
Now I'm a grip guy. Won competitions and all that. So I'm bound to say this right? How about a very simple test you can do for yourself to prove that gripping harder make a difference. Indeed I did this at Expos when working for a company that sold grip equipment. Here's what we did:
We'd have a pair of 10kg/22lb dumbbells. One (say the left) you'd hold loosely. The other (right) you'd squeeze hard on the handle. You'd curl them both for a few reps with me asking you to contract the bicep at the top of the movement. Now rest and feel which bicep was worked harder? It'll be the one where you squeezed the handle harder. We sold FatGrips and so, if I still had their interest (and yours ha ha) I'd get them to try squeezing hard with both hands but with one dumbbell fitted with a blue 2-inch (so close to 3-inch once added to the handle) rubber FatGrip. The bicep got a better workout with the FatGrip.
You can try the 'FatGrip' idea without owning one just by using a small sponge or even a hand towel added to the handle and squeezing through that. Give it a try and give me feedback.
Mobster you just shared tons of important details.......thanks man........
Always a good idea to have some weights at home,I've trained at home for years,all free weights but a bench,dip bar,squat rack and select bars and plates,dumbells,is all I need for what I do.
Statics hold Tom platz style is intense I would do 30seconds tho but you need a trusted person for this I’d never ask a normal person to do this.
Cluster sets are a great intensity tool I like reps of 6/6/6 or 8/8/8
Do 6 reps rest 10-15 seconds you can do 30seconds but I feel that’s too long
Then after you’re 10second rest unrack do another 6, re rack, rest 10seconds, un-rack complete another 6 and that’s 1 set.
I like these cause you’re getting added volume but you can use heavier weight
Cluster sets are a great intensity tool I like reps of 6/6/6 or 8/8/8
Do 6 reps rest 10-15 seconds you can do 30seconds but I feel that’s too long
Then after you’re 10second rest unrack do another 6, re rack, rest 10seconds, un-rack complete another 6 and that’s 1 set.
I like these cause you’re getting added volume but you can use heavier weight
Pick a weight you can squat 10 reps for 3 sets and do 20 reps. Once u hit 10 reps rest at top for 5-10 seconds catch your breath and do 2 reps and rest a few sec and repeat. Do 1 set and that’s all u need. You can barely walk afterwards. I’ve done this and it’s the first time I thought I was going to vomit. 
100%. Randall Strossen did a whole book on this 'Super Squats'.Pick a weight you can squat 10 reps for 3 sets and do 20 reps. Once u hit 10 reps rest at top for 5-10 seconds catch your breath and do 2 reps and rest a few sec and repeat. Do 1 set and that’s all u need. You can barely walk afterwards. I’ve done this and it’s the first time I thought I was going to vomit.
nice info mobster we talk about the stuff also on the podcast if you guys haven't checked that out
This thread is awesome and a real trip down memory lane. Trying to think of all the other techniques such as negatives at end of sets or negatives only sets. 21s with the top range, bottom range and full range on various exercises, Or squatting to failure then doing 10 more half reps. But yeah drop sets are probably my all time favourites to destroy a muscle group. Also using a power-rack to focus a few weeks on say top half of bench or top half of deadlifts and see how that improves your overall strength. Could go on and on, lol.
Do go on and on. The more input the better. I'm liking the 21's so will write that up now. I'd probably never do squats to failure cos I can see that fkin my lower back up to the point of spasms and pain. I've discussed using the power rack as you've mentioned as a means to improve sticking points (I think it's in my big tips thread) but not as a way of making training more intense.
21's
Usually I see this done on biceps but it can easily transfer over to exercises such as Leg Extensions or even Bench Press. Simply put it's 7 reps from the bottom to the middle of as lift, 7 reps from the middle to the top and then 7 full reps bottom to the top. Key is to be STRICT. It's surprisingly hard to do strict half range reps. There's a cool video of Dexter Jackson doing this with Charles Glass.
Thanks mate. Yeah when it comes to messing up ones lower back, I'm king there! Haha.
Another technique I like is to warm up bench on an angle just higher than 45 degrees (as much more than that it's too much front delts working) and then it a working set to failure of say 10-12 reps. Once you've racked the weight you get off and lower the bench by one notch and then go again, you may squeeze out a few reps. Keep repeating until you are at the lowest setting you can do on that bench, should be in the decline setting. The theory is that we are stronger the lower the level of the bench since the arms have a shorter distance to move, culminating in that final set on a decline. This really fries your pecs. If you struggle to squeeze out more than a couple of reps on each drop, which is ok btw, then feel free to do a very small drop of the weight but you shouldn't need more than a 2.5kg total drop in weight really given the lower angle. The ideal scenario is having 2-3 guys available during this exercises so you can just sit up each time they drop the bench +/- weight, but even alone it can be done and although it's not going to be as high intensity that way.
This whole thing can be done in reverse with dropping the weight as you raise the angle. Either way you'll fry your pecs in one giant set. If you're really crazy you can do 2-3 sets of this but if you are someone that is able to push out every last ounce from every rep and know how to contract your pecs at the top of the movement, whilst keeping your should stuck to the bench with a conscious effort, one set can be enough to stimulate growth.
Another thing I like to do that's a little different is giant sets for arms and by that I mean you warm up a biceps exercise then warm up a triceps exercise and then go for a max to failure on each and then drop the weight a little and repeat maybe 3-4 times and your arms will be blown up like never before. E.g. warm up biceps curl and skull crushers. then do a set of curls to failure and immediately do skull-crushers to failure. Drop the weight on both and get right back in. And repeat a few runs. The theory here is that your biceps gets a rest whilst triceps are working and vice versa. Additionally one is being stretched whilst the other is working since they are antagonistic muscles, potentially reducing the lactic acid build-up and re-oxygenating them. On top of that, the extra blood that floods the arms potentially creates a larger fish-tank i.e. the bigger the fish-tank, the larger the fish can grow. Although that's debatable, it's still a nice thought. Right? Lol.
Both of those are great.
The last bit reminded me and I'm not sure if I covered it so I'll do it again
Go to a bigger/better/more hardcore gym
The big fish in a little pond analogy applies here. I was 'THE BIG FISH' in our local swimming baths gym. Stacking stuff, doing 20 reps on everything and the like. But I go try a more hardcore place just for the crack. Humbling. Cos now I'm a fkin tiddler again. Which made me up my game = growth.
Give it a try
21s are cold school,remember doing these 20 years ago to finish every arm or bicep day.
Absolutely. I used to train in the same gym as some great British bodybuilders in the 90s. Very humbling. One of them actually put Dorian to shame with his calves, they truly were cows. Lol.
Motivation to train harder was extreme in those days.
