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Confuse your muscles to gain size and strength
Confuse your muscles to gain size and strength
HYPOTHESIS: Periodization refers to the systematic changing of workout variables every few weeks (i.e., weight, reps, sets, rest, exercises) to prevent plateaus in strength and muscle gains. A “newer” style of periodization — undulating periodization, which involves changing variables every workout — has exercise scientists very excited. Most exercise scientists think this is an innovative way to train, but Joe Weider has been promoting this style of training for decades. It’s called the Weider Muscle Confusion Training Principle. By constantly changing the training variables, this method prevents stagnation and better promotes gains in muscle strength and muscle mass than changing training every few weeks.
RESEARCH: For 12 weeks, researchers from Brazil had trained subjects follow either an undulating periodization program, a standard (linear) periodization program or a consistent program of 8-10 reps per set that was not periodized. The training program consisted of a two-day split with three or four total training days per week.
FINDINGS: They reported that the group following the undulating (muscle confusion) program increased their bench-press strength by about 60 pounds, almost 200% more than the linear periodization and the nonperiodized programs, which both led to an increase in their bench press
by slightly more than 20 pounds. The undulating program also increased the subjects’ strength on the leg press by a staggering
275 pounds (400% more than the nonperiodized program) and leg-press strength by about 65 pounds (over 300% more than the linear program, which increased by 55 pounds).
CONCLUSION: This study shows that the Weider Muscle Confusion Training Principle is one of the best ways to increase muscle strength. None of the subjects gained significant muscle mass, likely because the training programs were not bodybuilding-style regimens, but rather sport-conditioning
programs. Therefore, they did not do enough exercises and total sets for each muscle group to experience decent gains in muscle
mass. However, if you used muscle confusion (undulating periodization) in a bodybuilding workout, you would probably make serious gains in both strength and size.
APPLICATION: Change the weight you use and the corresponding rep ranges the weight allows. For example, when training legs, use light weight and high reps (12-15) one workout, heavy weight and low reps (5-7) the next leg workout, very light weight and very high reps (20-30) the following workout, and then moderate weight and moderate reps (8-10) in the session after that. Keep cycling your weight and rep ranges in a similar fashion every workout.
— Jim Stoppani, PhD
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I like this principal in that some days I just dont feel like killing myself with heavy weights which is perfect for the lighter weights which will shock the muscle into growth. Goes both ways as well as sometimes if I am doing periodization I feel like lifting a house!!!! Great principle!
*Commitment to Excellence* Excellence is our goal here at BOP. There is a saying that goes like this....if you dont have any haters then you arent doing something right! Haters love success so lets blow the top off of the Bodybuilding internet world!"
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Originally Posted by
gator-mclusky
I like this principal in that some days I just dont feel like killing myself with heavy weights which is perfect for the lighter weights which will shock the muscle into growth. Goes both ways as well as sometimes if I am doing periodization I feel like lifting a house!!!! Great principle!
I know what you mean bro.
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Nonuniform Response of Skeletal Muscle to Heavy Resistance Training: Can Bodybuilders Induce Regional Muscle Hypertrophy?
ANTONIO, JOSE
Abstract
Skeletal muscle is a heterogeneous tissue that exhibits numerous inter-and intramuscular differences (i.e., architecture, fiber composition, and muscle function). An individual muscle cannot be simplistically described as a compilation of muscle fibers that span from origin to insertion. In fact, there are unique differences within a single muscle and within single muscle fibers with respect to fiber size and protein composition. Electromyographic data indicate that there is selective recruitment of different regions of a muscle that can be altered, depending on the type of exercise performed. Longitudinal resistance-training studies also demonstrate that individual muscles as well as groups of synergist muscles adapt in a regional-specific manner. The author speculates that no single exercise can maximize the hypertrophic response of all regions of a particular muscle. Thus, for maximal hypertrophy of an entire muscle, athletes (particularly bodybuilders) are justified in incorporating various exercises that purportedly stimulate growth in a regional-specific manner.
Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research:
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PAiN thanked for this post
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Originally Posted by
ODB
Nonuniform Response of Skeletal Muscle to Heavy Resistance Training: Can Bodybuilders Induce Regional Muscle Hypertrophy?
ANTONIO, JOSE
Abstract
Skeletal muscle is a heterogeneous tissue that exhibits numerous inter-and intramuscular differences (i.e., architecture, fiber composition, and muscle function). An individual muscle cannot be simplistically described as a compilation of muscle fibers that span from origin to insertion. In fact, there are unique differences within a single muscle and within single muscle fibers with respect to fiber size and protein composition. Electromyographic data indicate that there is selective recruitment of different regions of a muscle that can be altered, depending on the type of exercise performed. Longitudinal resistance-training studies also demonstrate that individual muscles as well as groups of synergist muscles adapt in a regional-specific manner.
The author speculates that no single exercise can maximize the hypertrophic response of all regions of a particular muscle. Thus, for maximal hypertrophy of an entire muscle, athletes (particularly bodybuilders) are justified in incorporating various exercises that purportedly stimulate growth in a regional-specific manner.
Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research:
Great addition to the thread!
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 1 Likes, 0 Dislikes
PAiN liked this post
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Very interesting post, thx.
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