Comments on: Building Muscle – Alternate Training for Size and Working for Strength And Never Hit a Plateau Again http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:34:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Yavor http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-6002 Yavor Sat, 12 Nov 2011 11:23:43 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-6002 Alex, you can go size first or strength first. What matters is to alternate between the two. Alex, you can go size first or strength first. What matters is to alternate between the two.

]]> By: Alex http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-5996 Alex Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:14:27 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-5996 Yavor, you recommend Visual Impact,I am going to give it a shot.But I am a little confused.I thought the first base is to make stronger body and afterwards shape it up.Visual Imact advocates right the opposite,first sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and the last fase is for myofibrillar hypertrophy.What do you think about it? Yavor, you recommend Visual Impact,I am going to give it a shot.But I am a little confused.I thought the first base is to make stronger body and afterwards shape it up.Visual Imact advocates right the opposite,first sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and the last fase is for myofibrillar hypertrophy.What do you think about it?

]]> By: Yavor http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-3772 Yavor Mon, 07 Feb 2011 07:35:41 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-3772 "...eventually you're going to have to start training on the other side of the pendulum( size training) to make any more progress in getting stronger. Is that basically what you're saying?" Yes, that's correct. My advice - continue what you are doing. If at one point you decide you are getting stocky, decrease training. It's simple. “…eventually you’re going to have to start training on the other side of the pendulum( size training) to make any more progress in getting stronger. Is that basically what you’re saying?”

Yes, that’s correct. My advice – continue what you are doing. If at one point you decide you are getting stocky, decrease training. It’s simple.

]]> By: Michael http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-3771 Michael Sun, 06 Feb 2011 19:19:55 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-3771 “You can’t flex bone,” he likes to repeat. Strength is mostly neurological. It’s the ability to contract your muscles hard. It makes sense to be able to generate more force with a bigger muscle at your disposal. It just doesn’t work to train for strength only with a body that has hardly any muscle. If you are to contract your muscles harder and have barely any muscles, what are you going to contract? ^ Hey Yavor so according to that quote, even if you're just training for muscle tone(strength training), you will eventually come to a plateau and have to start training for size in the 6-15 reps to continue with your original goal of getting stronger and developing more tone? I'm a beginner, and i'm really not interested in bulking up just muscle tone, but it sounds like according to what you said even if you go the 5X 5 route for strength training, eventually you're going to have to start training on the other side of the pendulum( size training) to make any more progress in getting stronger. Is that basically what you're saying? The reason i bring this up is because even though i probably could use some size, i really dont think "bulking up" would look good on my frame, and it's even harder for me to find the right balance then the average guy because of my height ( 5'5). What's your advice for me? I'm training right not in a caloric deficit because i'm trying to get leaner, BUT once i'm eating normal again, what would you suggest? I want the lean and toned look, not stocky and bulky. thanks “You can’t flex bone,” he likes to repeat. Strength is mostly neurological. It’s the ability to contract your muscles hard. It makes sense to be able to generate more force with a bigger muscle at your disposal. It just doesn’t work to train for strength only with a body that has hardly any muscle. If you are to contract your muscles harder and have barely any muscles, what are you going to contract?

^
Hey Yavor so according to that quote, even if you’re just training for muscle tone(strength training), you will eventually come to a plateau and have to start training for size in the 6-15 reps to continue with your original goal of getting stronger and developing more tone?

I’m a beginner, and i’m really not interested in bulking up just muscle tone, but it sounds like according to what you said even if you go the 5X 5 route for strength training, eventually you’re going to have to start training on the other side of the pendulum( size training) to make any more progress in getting stronger. Is that basically what you’re saying?

The reason i bring this up is because even though i probably could use some size, i really dont think “bulking up” would look good on my frame, and it’s even harder for me to find the right balance then the average guy because of my height ( 5’5). What’s your advice for me? I’m training right not in a caloric deficit because i’m trying to get leaner, BUT once i’m eating normal again, what would you suggest? I want the lean and toned look, not stocky and bulky.

thanks

]]> By: Yavor http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-3626 Yavor Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:59:26 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-3626 Tom, training to failure is beneficial because it engages all the muscle fibers. However, the more complex the exercsie, the more training to failure exhausts the central nervous system and hinders strength gains. so a single joint exercise is to be done to failure. A complex, multi joint, heavy weight exercise like the squat or deadlift, is to be done 1-2 reps away from failure, so you can do more total work and also do it more often. Strength training is all about more work, more often with more intensity With time you adapt to the volume, frequency and intensity and get stronger. Muscle building is about maximum exhaustion and then full recovery. Each time you recover fully, you are able to exhaust the muscles a little more. They've grown. These two overlap but are 2 completely different styles of training. Tom, training to failure is beneficial because it engages all the muscle fibers. However, the more complex the exercsie, the more training to failure exhausts the central nervous system and hinders strength gains.

so a single joint exercise is to be done to failure. A complex, multi joint, heavy weight exercise like the squat or deadlift, is to be done 1-2 reps away from failure, so you can do more total work and also do it more often.

Strength training is all about more work, more often with more intensity With time you adapt to the volume, frequency and intensity and get stronger.

Muscle building is about maximum exhaustion and then full recovery. Each time you recover fully, you are able to exhaust the muscles a little more. They’ve grown.

These two overlap but are 2 completely different styles of training.

]]> By: tom watson http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-3625 tom watson Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:37:02 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-3625 ps he seems to be saying "train to failure and you won't get stronger" but "stop before failure and your body will learn not to fail"(by getting stronger presumably).... is myofibrillar hypertrophy attained by training at intensity to failure or stopping just short of it? thanks ps

he seems to be saying “train to failure and you won’t get stronger” but “stop before failure and your body will learn not to fail”(by getting stronger presumably)….

is myofibrillar hypertrophy attained by training at intensity to failure or stopping just short of it?
thanks

]]> By: tom watson http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-3624 tom watson Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:32:45 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-3624 Ok thanks that's really helpful. But all of the other articles I've read have said avoid failure when you're doing strength training - am i missing something here? could you explain it for me?? Like your low-rep training, the key to learning how to apply maximum intensity is to use as heavy weights as possible in each and every overload set you do, yet avoid failure like the plague! If your mind says "no," you've succumbed. You've failed, go home! Come back to the gym tomorrow with a renewed determination not to fail. Make your mind say, "Yes," and then obey the command! http://drsquat.com/content/knowledge-base/high-intensity-training cheers Tom Ok thanks that’s really helpful.

But all of the other articles I’ve read have said avoid failure when you’re doing strength training – am i missing something here? could you explain it for me??

Like your low-rep training, the key to learning how to apply maximum intensity is to use as heavy weights as possible in each and every overload set you do, yet avoid failure like the plague! If your mind says “no,” you’ve succumbed. You’ve failed, go home! Come back to the gym tomorrow with a renewed determination not to fail. Make your mind say, “Yes,” and then obey the command!

http://drsquat.com/content/knowledge-base/high-intensity-training

cheers
Tom

]]> By: Yavor http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-3616 Yavor Wed, 29 Dec 2010 05:01:18 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-3616 When training for strength, you should be doing heavy low reps. So with your example on the fourth and fifth sets you should be having a hard time on the last 1-2 reps (a sixth rep should be <strong>impossible</strong>). Push-ups are not a good exercise for strength, because you can't easily overload them, unless you find a difficult pushup variation (decline pushups are still easy). When training for strength, you should be doing heavy low reps. So with your example on the fourth and fifth sets you should be having a hard time on the last 1-2 reps (a sixth rep should be impossible).

Push-ups are not a good exercise for strength, because you can’t easily overload them, unless you find a difficult pushup variation (decline pushups are still easy).

]]> By: tom watson http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-3614 tom watson Tue, 28 Dec 2010 21:43:52 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-3614 hey yavor i'm slightly frustrated when training for strength - how should doing an exercise feel? i've read that it shouldnt burn and you shouldn't fatigue but then how do we know when we've done enough?? i find doing 5 or so sets of 4-6 reps of decline push-ups but they don't make me feel worked - but i'm around 85% of my 1RM... cheers tom hey yavor
i’m slightly frustrated when training for strength – how should doing an exercise feel? i’ve read that it shouldnt burn and you shouldn’t fatigue but then how do we know when we’ve done enough??
i find doing 5 or so sets of 4-6 reps of decline push-ups but they don’t make me feel worked – but i’m around 85% of my 1RM…
cheers
tom

]]> By: Yavor http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-2118 Yavor Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:12:23 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-2118 Alex, Osho is a source of amazing wisdom. Glad you like him too. Yavor p.s. here is another easter quote that I really like, this time coming from Japan: <blockquote>Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought. ~Matsuo Basho </blockquote> Alex,

Osho is a source of amazing wisdom. Glad you like him too.

Yavor

p.s. here is another easter quote that I really like, this time coming from Japan:

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought. ~Matsuo Basho

]]> By: Alex http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-2110 Alex Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:19:38 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-2110 Ha you read Osho? Thats awesome. Ha you read Osho? Thats awesome.

]]> By: Yavor http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-1926 Yavor Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:36:24 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-1926 <strong> chica</strong> yes you can. But in the end strength correlates with size. So for size you ultimately need more strength (i.e weight on the bar) Cheers, Yavor chica yes you can. But in the end strength correlates with size. So for size you ultimately need more strength (i.e weight on the bar)

Cheers,

Yavor

]]> By: chica http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-1811 chica Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:44:49 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-1811 can you train some parts of your body for size while training others for strngth? i seem to have hit a plateau with my upper back and biceps, while still making good progress with my chest, shoulders and triceps using bodybuilding style workouts can you train some parts of your body for size while training others for strngth? i seem to have hit a plateau with my upper back and biceps, while still making good progress with my chest, shoulders and triceps using bodybuilding style workouts

]]> By: admin http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-190 admin Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:18:06 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-190 <strong>Adam,</strong> Thanks for pointing me to that post. I have a lot of reading to catch up on over at your blog. Yavor Adam,

Thanks for pointing me to that post. I have a lot of reading to catch up on over at your blog.

Yavor

]]> By: Adam Steer - Better Is Better http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/building-muscle-alternate-training-for-size-and-working-for-strength-and-never-hit-a-plateau-again/#comment-189 Adam Steer - Better Is Better Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:33:41 +0000 http://relativestrengthadvantage.com/?p=635#comment-189 Hey Yavor, I like where you're going with this. Especially the idea of the pendulum swinging too far in one direction or another. The biggest problem with the "Functional Training" craze was the fact that it really wasn't all that functional!! The mainstream of trainers picked up gimmicky exercises and called them functional, but most of them could be described more suitably as "corrective" exercises. Real "functional" training is more about the applicability of new found strength and conditioning to whatever your life or sport has in store for you. Throughout history, most strong men were training <b>for</b> something. I think that is an interesting thing to keep in mind. I wrote a post about that not so long ago: <a href="http://www.bettersbetter.com/the-beauty-of-a-functional-physique.html" rel="nofollow">The Beauty of a Functional Physique</a> If you combine the ideas in this post with the pursuit of the Functional Physique, I think you have a real winning formula. Thanks for more food for thought Yavor. Cheers, Adam Hey Yavor,

I like where you’re going with this. Especially the idea of the pendulum swinging too far in one direction or another. The biggest problem with the “Functional Training” craze was the fact that it really wasn’t all that functional!! The mainstream of trainers picked up gimmicky exercises and called them functional, but most of them could be described more suitably as “corrective” exercises.

Real “functional” training is more about the applicability of new found strength and conditioning to whatever your life or sport has in store for you. Throughout history, most strong men were training for something. I think that is an interesting thing to keep in mind. I wrote a post about that not so long ago:

The Beauty of a Functional Physique

If you combine the ideas in this post with the pursuit of the Functional Physique, I think you have a real winning formula.

Thanks for more food for thought Yavor.

Cheers,
Adam

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