Look at article by Chris Aceto...Any thoughts on this 10 day split?
Strength Training vs Mass Training
by Chris Aceto
Over the years, strength has become synonymous with muscle mass. Take a look at some of the biggest bodybuilders of all time, and you’ll find them to be some of the strongest people on earth. Check out Ronnie Coleman’s latest training video. Eight weeks from the Mr Olympia, he’s dead lifting 800 pounds! No wonder his back is so amazing. Kevin Levrone’s video features him bench pressing over 500 pounds for a few reps just a few short weeks from competition. No wonder his side chest shot is truly world class, complete with massive shoulders and triceps. It takes a mammoth amount of muscle – including the chest shoulders and triceps to move 500 pounds. Even Bev Francis, the women who was the first to bring eye-catching muscularity to female bodybuilding was able to bench over 300 pounds and use to squat 350 pounds for 10 –12 repetitions. The bottom line is muscle strength plays a huge role in gaining muscle size.
Although strength influences gains in size, it’s important to make the distinction that the two types of training are very different. Exclusive strength training results in gains in strength. In general, the stronger you become, the more muscle you can gain. To gain more strength, you should focus on “how to” add strength. There’s more to it than simply hoping you’ll get stronger. You have to know how to put together training plans that result in the addition of strength, how long to rest, how often to train and all the other details that allow the body to move heavier weights. Who knows: a 400 pound bench press may be only a few months away. Here’s the low-down on how you can add strength – which will help you add size.
Strength Reps
While its possible for the bodybuilder to get stronger – even a lot stronger – by training like most every bodybuilder does; 8-12 reps with shorter rest periods between sets, real gains in strength require a decrease in the number of reps you perform on every set. The ‘strength rep range’ is any set where the athlete performs anywhere from 2- 6 reps. That is, muscles adapt to a rep range of 2-6 reps by increasing their muscular strength. For example, the athlete looking to add strength to his bench press will experience success by performing sets in the 2 to 6 rep range. On the other hand, an athlete performing 10-12 reps would likely see very little gains in strength. Of course, beginners and intermediates will experience gains in both muscle mass and muscle strength simply by performing any rep range as the natural adaptation to any type of training in the first year or two is rapid gains in size and strength.
As a rule, a lower rep range stimulates big gains in strength. However, gains in strength do not always translate into gains in muscle mass. In order to gain both – mass and strength- you’ll need to spend some time training exclusively for strength. As you gain strength, you can return to training more like a traditional bodybuilder. The new or added strength from training with strength reps will help add more mass to the body. From a practical point of view, you’ll need to lift heavy – using anywhere from 2-6 reps on each set – for 3-4 weeks, then move on to a higher rep range.
Strength Sets
Bodybuilders use a higher set scheme to promote muscle gains. Anywhere from 9-15 for most body parts is the norm. With strength training, the goal is to perform fewer reps as a lower rep range helps add strength. The paradox here: with fewer reps, you can actually perform quite a few sets. With regards to taxing or exhausting the body, when the total number of reps you perform decreases, you can compensate by performing more sets. Many trying to gain strength tend to limit their really heavy sets to just one or two sets per exercise. I believe the athlete can perform 5 and up to 8 heavy set on every exercise he performs depending on the number of reps he chooses on each set. For example, a person can perform – after warm ups – up to 8 sets of squats in the 2 to 6 rep range and not risk over training. He can also perform 5 to 8 heavy sets on many basic exercises like leg presses, hack squats, bench presses, incline bench presses, shoulder presses, bent over rows, dead lifts, etc.
Rest
When you train, you have to rest. That’s when the body recovers and rebuilds. Strength training not only stresses the muscles, but it also puts an added stress on the nervous system. So there are two parts of the body that require rest; the muscles and the nerves that connect to them, stimulating them to contract and work. That said, it’s possible for the muscles to have recovered while the nervous system may still be tired. In other words, the muscles may be ready to train, yet the nerves that support the muscles may be fatigued. Therefore, strength training requires special attention to rest.
The first step in getting the right type of rest is to slow the temp of each training session. When training larger body parts like chest, back, legs and shoulders, you can rest up to 3 or even 4 minutes in between sets. For example, the bodybuilder trying to add strength can rest for 3 or 4 minutes between sets on heavy bent over rows and dead lifts or leg presses, squats or pressing movements for the chest and shoulders. These exercises take a lot out of the muscles and nervous system and require plenty of rest between every set to support the body so it can perform another set of heavy work. Recall I suggested up to 8 sets on some exercises like bench presses. You;’ll need the longer rest periods to remain strong all the way through each workout.
Frequency
Most bodybuilders train every body part once every 7 days. With strength training, you need even more rest. Therefore, it’s best to train each body part once every 10 days. The following programs would work well
Day 1 : Chest
Day 2 Back
Day 3 Off
Day 4 :Arms
Day 5 Off
Day 6 Legs and calves
Day 7 Off
Day 8 Off
Day 9 Shoulders and abs
Day 10 Off
The bodybuilder who trains more frequently than the above recommended plan will end up over trained and exhausted and will not experience serious gains in strength.
The Sample Workouts
Chest
Bench Press
2 warm up sets
1 set moderate weight 8 reps
1 set 6 reps taken to your own failure where you can not perform any more reps rest: 2-3 minutes between each set
2 sets 4 reps taken to failure
rest 2-3 minutes between each set
2 sets 3 reps taken to failure
rest 2-3 minutes between each set
2 sets 2 reps taken to failure
rest 2-3 minutes between each set
Incline Bench Press
1 set 6 reps taken to failure
rest 2-3 minutes between each set
1 set 4 to 5 reps taken to failure
rest 2-3 minutes between each set
3 sets 2-4 reps taken to failure
Dumbbell Flies
2 sets 6 reps taken to failure
rest 2-3 minutes between each set
2 sets 4-6 reps taken to failure
The Strength Stack
Creatine is one of the best supplements for adding strength. It helps trap water within muscle cells which contributes to greater muscle leverage and improved strength. It also serves as a fuel source for explosive reps, especially the first one or two of each set. During a strength building phase of training, the bodybuilder can take more than normal or approximately 10-12 grams in the meal following training.
ZMA, the zinc magnesium complex, is very effective in adding strength. Research has continually shown a supplement providing 30 mgs of zinc with 450 mgs of magnesium increases strength by 15%-18%.
Like all athletes, bodybuilders and strength training athletes require more vitamins and minerals so supplementing with a good vitamin and mineral is a good idea.
The Strength Meals
I believe bodybuilders can make their best gains in mass by following a high carbohydrate and moderate protein diet. Carbohydrates are essential as they not only provide the fuel for training, but increase the amount of insulin within the body. Insulin is anabolic. It helps repair damaged muscle tissue as long as there is a sufficient amount of protein and calories in the diet.
When it comes to getting stronger, research shows the strength training athlete requires more protein than the bodybuilder. During a strength building phase, bodybuilders should increase their protein from 1 gram per pound of body weight to 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. There’s speculation as to the need for added protein. Some suggest additional protein is needed to mend damaged fibers. Others claim the stress on the body puts an added stress on the immune system and protein is a vital component that helps the immune system remain strong and active.
Due to the slower pace of training, with longer rest periods between sets and fewer training days each week, the athlete engaged in strength training will not have the larger demand for carbohydrates compared to the bodybuilder. The strength training athlete can get by with 2 grams of carbohydrates per pound of bodyweight on training days and a little less on non training days. Usually, eating more than 2 grams per pound of bodyweight will result in an increase in body fat.
