Best Strength Training Technique for a Workout Newbie
Even if the creation of a training program is not very straightforward, the adage “The best workout program is the one you’re not following.” contains some insight. The finest single program for set/rep training has been the subject of numerous early weight training studies. In the Highlander series, it is said, “There can only be one.”
One illustration is Reg Park, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s mentor who was also a Mr. Universe and portrayed Hercules in the movies, who popularized the 5×5 approach. Reg Park, who was as powerful as he seemed to be, was the first bodybuilder to be able to bench press 500 pounds.
In a research published in 1981, Mike Stone and his coworkers argued that when it comes to strength training, combining protocols is preferable to focusing on just one. There was a change in the exercises in this study, “A Hypothetical Model for Strength Training,” from low intensity/high reps with fewer sets or high volume to high intensity/low reps with more sets or low volume. This was based on a periodization model that was widely used and published in 1954 by Russian sports scientist Leonid Matveyev. The ultimate goal of this was to be able to lift the most weight possible for one repetition (1RM) at the conclusion of a cycle (1 repetition maximum).
Each of the program’s four phases lasts for three to four weeks.
3-5 reps with 6-12 sets @ 67-85% of 1RM for hypertrophy.
3-5 reps with 6 sets at 85% of your one-rep maximum (BMI)
Strength and power: 3 to 5 repetitions in 1 to 5 sets at 75 to 90% of 1RM
Peaking or maintenance: 1-3 reps with 1-3 sets that gradually decrease in intensity from high to extremely low
Non-linear periodization, a style of program design that is well-liked by strength coaches in schools, focuses on variation in training. This program alters the set/rep protocols with each workout, as opposed to the Stone approach of altering them every few weeks.
The book “Optimizing Strength Training” by Steve Fleck and William Kraemer on this subject proposes a 16-week program with a repetition rotation:
Monday: 12 to 15 reps
Wednesday: 8 to 10 reps
4-6 repetitions on Friday.
1-3 repetitions on Monday.
Wednesday: no more than three repetitions
12–15 repeats on Friday.
I think that it’s important to switch up the repetition routines, especially for more experienced athletes. Every two weeks, I switch up the volume and intensity of my workouts according to a basic rule I follow. However, this approach does not make sense physiologically because it does not give the body enough time to comprehend what it must adapt to.
In order to better grasp this, consider the following example: while sets of 1–5 would aid in the development of “rapid twitch” muscle fibers of type II, sets of 12–15 would put the emphasis on “slow twitch” muscles and Type I muscle fibers. Strength/power athletes like football linemen or discus throwers would not benefit from this workout since Type I fibers cannot be converted to Type II fibers. It is a truth that after aerobic exercise, Type II fibers will start to resemble Type I fibers.
All of this will demonstrate how difficult it is to develop a periodization scheme, but you don’t have to be kept in the dark. The 10/8/6 Training system is one program that can be very helpful and beneficial for beginners. Although this system has been around for more than a century, the earliest reference I could find for it came from one of my colleagues, who said that he first encountered it in 1972 while he was a member of the Bob’s Athletic Club in Fremont, California. Bob Perata was the proprietor of this gym, which bears his name. Ed Corney, whose home gym was the Bob’s Athletic Club, was featured on both the book cover and movie poster for “Pumping Iron.” One of the best bodybuilding posers is Ed Corney. When he had to compete against Ed Corney in the lightweight division of the 1975 Mr. Olympia, Franco Columbu had to put up a fight. Additionally, Corney served as the face of the film “Pumping Iron,” which followed Arnold as he trained for the 1975 Mr. Olympia. Corney also appeared on the cover of the same-titled book by Charles Gaines and George Butler.
As the 10/8/6 program contains fewer reps on the second and third sets, you can use heavier weights, giving the impression that the workout has made you stronger even though the previous sets have created exhaustion. This helps inspire beginners. Beginners’ recovery rates are poor, thus the three sets performed are more than sufficient. The advancement of the students in Bob’s club caused them to temporarily switch to another program, although they can return to this one later. They could add another set and choose permutations like 12/10/8/6 that emphasize muscle packing and 10/8/6/4 for any additional strength requirements as their capacity for recovery improved and they got stronger.
Not all types of workouts are seen to be suited for the 10/8/6 method. Olympic exercises like the clean and jerk, snatch, and deadlift are too technical to be used for these reps. The usage of low weights for strength training would be ineffective if you continued to do this. Vince Gorin proposed a system in 1982 that used a 10/8/6/15 protocol. In this, larger weights were used for 8 to 6 sets, and the set was completed with a 15 rep set with a light “pump.” This would represent the exercise progress if it were translated to percentages:
For six reps, 10 repetitions at 50% of the maximum weight can be used.
8 times at 75% of your 6RM
6 times at 100% of your 6RM
15 times at 35% of your 6RM
A person who can bench press 100 pounds for 6 repetitions would take a 60-second break in between sets. He’d carry out:
50 pounds for 10 repetitions
8 repetitions at 75 lbs.
6 repetitions at 100 lbs.
15 repetitions at 35 pounds
I think this repetition is too many for the body to adapt to in the best way to increase strength, but Gironda’s method has stood the test of time. It works for people who want to leave the gym swiftly and with a significant pump. Read Gironda’s book “2nd Workout Bulletin: 10-3-6-15” for more information on this exercise regimen. Learn about the Iron Game to get the most out of your strength training and to identify the optimal training regimen that will help you reach your objectives.
If you are a newbie, start with the 10/8/6 workout method.