The Slingshot Training System

[Ronnie Rowland]

I really like this training protocol. It combines many excellent techniques and principals and is very well thought out. I don't know about some of the exercise selections and I would use antagonistic pairs to increase efficiency during the higher volume phase. But the flow of the plan, protocols and method of causing progressive overload is very good. I use all the techniques myself. The deloading phase in particular is a very important piece of this that many people neglect. Starting with that is a good idea since most trainers I know are chronically overtrained, and just giving their poor CNS a break will likely increase strength gains and the desire to go to the gym and train with intensity. Well done.

Thanks for the kind words Sonny.

The exercises I listed are mere sample exericses and each individual must find the exercises that works best for them and then incorporate those in the STS.

I can tell you have done your homework!

[Ronnie Rowland]

I have no problem posting the link.

One thing though,

I think my prime stage looks bit different:

I split the training into days A and B that cover all muscle groups. I just switch day A with B.

6 days a week, A B A B A B one day off.

Diet is just as the guide lines say.

If you are ok with me posting it sill... I will sure get the link.

Not an issue with me at all. Go ahead and post your link. The main thing is the PRIME/BLAST/CRUISE!!!

[UberSteroids]

Here it boss.

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...44#post3665544

[moush]

btw what kind of form as we using i just read that in one of the posts...is there specific form we have to use?

[Ronnie Rowland]

Anyone who has been in the iron game for any length of time knows they’ll experience much better muscle development when they use less weight and a controlled form that allows the muscles to work harder without the use of momentum. The muscles are clueless as to how much weight is being lifted because they only know tension. It’s been proven that trainees who focus on the muscle being trained as opposed to how much weight is being lifted will activate more muscle fibers. I’m not saying our muscles only react to stress because no top-level competitor could have obtained their size if they where still lifting the same weight loads used as a novice. The muscle building progress occurs by making the exercise as hard as humanly possible and then gradually adding weight to the bar over a period of time while simulataneously using proper periodization.

Very explosive form is best for power-lifters because their only concern is moving a weight from point A to point B. Bodybuilding is about applying stress to the targeted areas. The form to be used for power- bodybuilding is a bit different than power-lifting. With compound movements, bodybuilders should smoothly explode the weight faster with full power after completing approximately one fourth of the complete repetition. It should take you about a second and a half to complete the positive stroke when performing heavy compound movements.

With isolation movements, you should wait and move the weight faster at about the half way point of the repetition. With full-stretch exercises the muscle and tendons are easily damaged with sudden burst at the beginning of the movement. With isolation movements the positive stroke should take you around 1 ½ to 2 seconds to complete! The controlled negative should be around 2 seconds for both categories of exercises. The positive stroke should be somewhat explosive yet controlled to the point it’s working the muscles to the fullest extent.

Moving the weight too slow (for i.e. a 3 second positive and a 4 second negative) won’t allow you to use enough weight to fully break down the type 2 muscle fibers due to lactic acid build-up. As you approach the end of a work set, you’ll need to increase the explosiveness within each repetition (not speed of the repetition itself) as your muscle begin to fatigue and build up lactic acid. Do not fall victim of using very slow reps to try and gain additional muscle size. This means avoiding the use of slow negatives and slow positives. The only time you can gain more muscle mass by converting to slow reps is if you have been under-training or using very poor form. In these particular cases it’s the increase in time under tension, not the slow reps that are actually making the difference. The secret to increasing the recruitment of the fast twitch muscle fibers that are repsonsible for most of your muscle size and stregnth is using the rep speed I have recommended. All that's required from that point on is to simply increase the amount of weight you can lift in conjunction with extra time under tension during the appropriate periods.

Several bodybuilders I come in contact with think they are using proper form and there not! In fact, many of them will make fun of some guy bouncing a weight off their chest, but little do they realize they too are guilty of just going through the motions in order to get a certain amount of reps or to try and use more weight. Some where down the road they have forgotten the importance of feeling the negative, the stretch, the squeeze, and the contraction of their muscles as they lift.

A very critical component that many avoid is peforming a slight pause before engaging in the positive stroke. Most injuries occur during the transition phase between the negative and positive portions of the movement. For example: A rapid lowering of the weight (negative stroke) prior to moving the weight upwards (positive stroke) will create a scene where momentum comes into play. When these forces come together it can exceed the strength of your muscles, joints, and tendons. This is why you must lower the bar with complete control. This does not mean you should do a long pause, but there should be a very brief stopping of the weight to keep momentum out of the picture. You won’t be able to lift as much weight on the positive stroke when you do a brief pause at the beginning of each repetition followed by a deliberate movement, but in the long run you'll build a lot more muscle and inguire a lot less injuries. I think a lack of education and an inflated ego is to blame for the bad form being used in gyms across the world.

[Ronnie Rowland]

FYI...I'll be without internet service for the next few days...I should be back in the saddle by the middle of next week.

Everyone take care and keep training hard!

[moush]

sweet...the form part ive got down...im not one to try and lift insane weights without proper form. Ive never lifted like a power lifter everything is controlled and making sure the muscle is worked to its fullest. Great read BTW...

[Drive]

Buddy boy if you lift like a powerlifter everything will be perfectly controled.
GURU: I will post a before and after in about 3 weeks.
I have done well using all the info I have gotten from you. Thanks again for being so quick to answer.

PS... I am still a powerlifter., I am just prettier now

[Ronnie Rowland]

Buddy boy if you lift like a powerlifter everything will be perfectly controled.
GURU: I will post a before and after in about 3 weeks.
I have done well using all the info I have gotten from you. Thanks again for being so quick to answer.

PS... I am still a powerlifter., I am just prettier now

You sound like a closet bodybuilder!

[UberSteroids]

What are good hi-insulin carb foods?

Also, with creatine, when would you recommend taking it? I got the CEE.

Thanks

[moush]

at the 2 anabolic meals...where you would have the insulin /aa spike

[Ronnie Rowland]

What are good hi-insulin carb foods?

Also, with creatine, when would you recommend taking it? I got the CEE.

Thanks

With creatine I would take in on an empty stomach 10-30 minutes before breakfast (first anabolic meal of the day) and 10-30 minutes before your second anabolic meal.

The best book on the market at the present relating to carbs and the glycemic index scale is called the "New Glucose Revolution". It's worth the money IMO. Here's a few samples.


SAMPLES OF HIGHER GLYCEMIC INDEX CARBS

Baked potatoes
Instant mashed potatoes
White Pasta with sauce
Corn flakes
Cheerio
Macaroni and cheese
Pretzels (over baked wheat flour)
brown rice pasta
Whole grain wheat thins
Rice cakes
Oat bran
Fruit bar
Gatorade
Cream of wheat
Honey
Raisins
Pineapples
Dates
Rice Pasta
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Papaya
Dark cherries
Taco shell
Whole wheat bread/white flour
Corn bread
Rye Bread
White flour pancakes
Rice pasta brown
Dextrose
Maltodextrin
Waxy Maize
White bread
Quick oats
Milk (although it has a low GI, its insulin index is extremely high like all milk products (for i.e.; cottage cheese & yogurt)
Fat free cookies, muffins, etc
Ice cream
Honey
Sugar


SAMPLES OF LOWER GLYCEMIC INDEX CARBS

Bananas
Kiwi
Orange
Green beans
Oat bran cereal
Red beans
Broccoli
Yams (sweet potato)
Kidney beans
Pinto beans
Ezekiel bread (a flourless, seeded and sprouted grain bread)
Grain bread with whole grain
White beans
Strawberries
Red lentils
Apple
Grape fruit
Peach
Lemon
Fettuccini
Protein enriched spaghetti
Wheat pasta (***** 3 enriched),
Old fashioned Quaker oats or steel cut oats
Green vegetables
Most pre-prepared Lean Cuisine meals
Most pre-prepared Nutri System meals

[moush]

great info...thanks bro

[Tenmoney]

I've been going back and forth between this thread and Big Kevs legs workout that you posted on. I love all the great info. I'm not doubting you in any way, but I haven't been able to find anything about the specifics of overloading your CNS and how it effects the muscles. I'm just one of those guys that likes to read the science behind it all. (That's the Nursing Student in me.) Do you have, or know where I could find, any info on the subject?

[Ronnie Rowland]

I've been going back and forth between this thread and Big Kevs legs workout that you posted on. I love all the great info. I'm not doubting you in any way, but I haven't been able to find anything about the specifics of overloading your CNS and how it effects the muscles. I'm just one of those guys that likes to read the science behind it all. (That's the Nursing Student in me.) Do you have, or know where I could find, any info on the subject?

Tenmoney, there's an article about this very thing in the July 2, 2007 Muscle Fitness-ARNOLD 60th BIRTHDAY SPECIAL. It can be found on page 243.

Researchers from Truman State University (Kirksville Missouri) investigated whether the amount of rest taken between sets had an impact on the immune system/CNS.

Here's a quote of what they found: "Nine male college students performed two workouts of 10 sets of 10 reps of the leg press, resting either 1 minute or 3 minutes between sets. They found that the one-minute rest periods caused more strain on the subjects immune systems compared to 3-minute rest periods".

The graphs shown in this article suggest that higher-intensity training techniques by way of shortening rest periods by only 2 minutes increases strain on the immune by an extra 60% on the Lymphocytes scale and 40% on the Monocytes scale. . Now just imagine how much more of an an increase you would get by using beyond failure techniques!!!!!!!

Regardless of what anyone claims, no ones body does well moving rapidly between sets or pushing beyond failure. It's just not as effective for increasing weight load-range and workload capacity as common power-lifting fundamentals. If so, every power-lifter and strongman on the face the planet would be using beyond failure training techniques instead of straight sets and we know that’s not the case.

When over-training of the CNS occurs you are exhausting all the neurotransmitters in the nerves so that now they have trouble telling the muscles how to contract with optimum efficiency!

[Tenmoney]

Thanks! I'll definitely go look that up. If you happen to remember anything else along those lines, please send it my way.

[Ronnie Rowland]

Leaving town on a business trip. Should be back on Friday.

Take care everyone!

[UberSteroids]

Thanks a lot Guru, great info.

Have a save trip!

[Ronnie Rowland]

Thanks! I'll definitely go look that up. If you happen to remember anything else along those lines, please send it my way.

Will do...

[Ronnie Rowland]

Returns you get for your efforts

Returns you get for your effort!!!

[Ronnie Rowland]

How leg training affects the Central Nervous System.

BIGKEVS workout.... over training for legs?

[Ronnie Rowland]

"Extreme Stretching" and muscle growth! Stretching muscle fascia = more muscle size/growth

[Ronnie Rowland]

Selecting the proper chest exercises!

best chest exercise overall!

chest

[Ronnie Rowland]

Training has to do with adaptation!


Training has to do with adaptation!!!

[Tenmoney]

Those are some great threads. Keep 'em coming.

[Ronnie Rowland]

Training while using steroids!

sets, reps & AAS

[Ronnie Rowland]

High-intensity cardio verses Moderate-intensity cardio!

real advice

arobic vs anorobic?

[moush]

great reads...appreciate the info!

[Tenmoney]

Guru, after reading everything you wrote about doing Decline bench I tried it yesterday and HOLY CRAP! I have never felt my chest work like that before. I'm feeling soreness the day after that I don't ever feel until 2 days later. I also feel sore in areas of my pecs that that have never been sore before. I LOVE IT! Decline will be apart of my workouts from now on. Thanks for the advice!

[Ronnie Rowland]

Guru, after reading everything you wrote about doing Decline bench I tried it yesterday and HOLY CRAP! I have never felt my chest work like that before. I'm feeling soreness the day after that I don't ever feel until 2 days later. I also feel sore in areas of my pecs that that have never been sore before. I LOVE IT! Decline will be apart of my workouts from now on. Thanks for the advice!

That's what I want to hear! Now just imagine what your chest is going to feel like after your first workout during the anabolic blast...

[moush]

oh man my chest blew up! i was sore for 4 days bro!! insane i love these workouts!!! Ronnie you Rock Bro!!

[Ronnie Rowland]

Heres a summary of the (3 day per week) STS-"Single-Shot" Slingshot Training System

There are 3 phases to each cycle:

1. Prime: 2 weeks 1 set per body part, low volume
2. Blast: 4 weeks 4 sets per body part, high volume
3. Cruise: 2 weeks 2 sets per body part, moderate volume

During each phase organize your workouts as follows:

A.
Chest
Shoulders
Triceps
Back width
Biceps
Brachialis

B.
Calves
Lat thickness
Traps
Quads
Hams
Abs

Alternate workouts as follows:

Monday: A
Wednesday: B
Friday: A
Monday: B

Choose 1 key (or primary) compound exercise and 1 secondary (compound or isolation) exercise for each muscle group. Then take those exercises and rotate them using only 1 per workout so that the above rotation looks like this:

Monday: A Key
Wednesday: B Key
Friday: A Secondary
Monday: B Secondary
Wednesday A Key
Friday B Key

REPS- Unless otherwise stated all reps are performed to "good failure" i.e.
the point at which no further reps are possible in good form

SETS Do up to 3 warm up sets and then perform your work sets as follows (with the exception of abs/brachialis/traps and hams which only require 1 set)

1. PRIME- Key exercises are performed only
1 set 12-15 reps

2. BLAST
i) Key
1st set- 6-8 rep 1 rep short of good failure
2nd set 4-6 reps
3rd set 6-8 reps
4th set 12-15 reps
ii) Secondary
1st set- 12-15 reps
2nd set 8-10 reps
3rd set 8-10 reps
4th set 4-6 (or 6-8 reps if isolation exercise)

3. CRUISE- effectively 1st and 2nd sets of BLAST
i) Key
1st set 6-8 reps 1 rep short of good failure
2nd set 4-6 reps
ii) Secondary
1st set 12-15 reps
2nd set 8-10 reps




Summary of Slingshot Training System: (5 day per week) training system

You simply choose 2 key exercises for each major muscle group. Then use both of those exercises in the same training session once a week. If your best chest movement is 15 degree declines, simply start out with that exercise and do the lowest rep-set during the second work set. Next, finish off your chest with a secondary exercise (for i.e.; 15 degree incline flyes). Since it’s considered a secondary movement, do the lowest rep-set during the final work set. You’re hitting each bodypart once a week. The volume changes during each of the 3 training phases but the split remains the same through the entire 8 week training phase. Perform as many warm-up sets as you need before going into your work sets. That can be anywhere from no warm up sets for a muscle group that is getting warmed up indirectly or up to 3 warm-up sets for a cold muscle group or areas that are prone to injury.

Day 1 would be Monday and would consist of:

Chest
Calves

Day 2 would be Tuesday and would consist of:

Lat Width
Lat Thickness
Abs (optional)

Day 3 would be Wednesday and would consist of:

Shoulders
Traps

Day 4 would be Thursday and would consist of:

Biceps
Triceps
Brachialis/Forearms


Day 5 would be Friday and would consist of”

Quads
Hams

(weekends off)

Day 8 would be the following Monday (week 2) and would be the same workout as done on day one (Monday of first week)

And the cycle continues on- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, weekends off, etc.



1) Weeks 1 and 2 (prime) use low volume (2 sets per body part once a week). Add aerobics if needed.

2) Weeks 3, 4, 5 and 6 (blast) use high volume (10 sets per body part once a week) No aerobics allowed.

3) Weeks 7 and 8 (cruise) use moderate volume (6 set per body part once a week) Aerobics allowed IF NEEDED..

4) Weeks 3-8 (blast and cruise) make up the 6 week mass phase.

[Tenmoney]

guru,
So I've noticed that you seem to like DB press for shoulders, as do I. However, at my gym the DB only go to 125lbs. I can already do the 90's for a set of 14. I know 125 won't be enough for a heavy 4-6 rep set. So... My question is, what would be your alternative? I'm a big fan of standing military press, but what would you do?

[Ronnie Rowland]

guru,
So I've noticed that you seem to like DB press for shoulders, as do I. However, at my gym the DB only go to 125lbs. I can already do the 90's for a set of 14. I know 125 won't be enough for a heavy 4-6 rep set. So... My question is, what would be your alternative? I'm a big fan of standing military press, but what would you do?

You have some strong shoulders...LOL...Since you have been experiencing some lower back pain I would opt to do the seated version of the military press as opposed to the standing version.

[Tenmoney]

Thanks, I'll see if gives me any trouble, and if so then I'll def go with the seated.

[Tenmoney]

You have some strong shoulders...LOL...

Don't be too impressed, it was all those years of cheering in college.
There were some GO BIG girls that I had to stunt with.

[Ronnie Rowland]

Don't be too impressed, it was all those years of cheering in college.
There were some GO BIG girls that I had to stunt with.

Ahh..The truth is finally revealed. You have back trouble from lifting hot looking cheerleaders. Something tells me you enjoyed that a bit too much.

I guess the standing military press is the closet thing you have now. You should have stayed in school!!!!!!!!

[Tenmoney]

That's ok, I still coach it part time. So, I still get to stunt w/ hot cheerleaders from time to time. lol

[Ronnie Rowland]

That's ok, I still coach it part time. So, I still get to stunt w/ hot cheerleaders from time to time. lol

I've trained some hot looking (female) cheerleaders. Does that count?

[Tenmoney]

I've trained some hot looking (female) cheerleaders. Does that count?

That all depends how they let you spot them.