Principle "Pyramid" for muscle growth

Principle "Pyramid" for muscle growth

Shakes a variety of different options and ways to change the power load during training at the gym. You can do this load is very light due to small scales and amount of work. Or you can make it incredibly difficult by increasing the severity and intensity. And it can be done not only with the help of weights, size (count of approaches) and intensity (rest between sets) but also through numerous training principles. Some of which directly influence the complexity of the load, and some indirect - through assistance in this case is not easy. Today I want to talk to you about one of these "helpers" who called the principle of a "pyramid". You will learn why this technique helps you grow muscle and strength. And as for their correct use it.

Pyramid Principle - it increase or decrease in the weight of the projectile each subsequent approach while reducing or increasing the number of repetitions.

Why increase WHY REDUCE?

Consistent increase in operating weight from approach to approach gives us a warm up your muscles and mind, preparing the muscles to work hard in the latter approach. In this vein, the principle works as an indirect assistant. But if you'll lose weight on the approach to the approach, it gives us the opportunity to further deplete the muscles, injure and achieve greater growth in the recovery phase. In other words, you can immediately see two possible uses of the pyramid:

·         At the beginning of - warm-up and training of the muscles

·         At the end of - exhaustion and muscle injuries

All true. In the first case, the failure - a rare visitor. At this point you are only willing to work hard in the following approaches. But in the second case, the failure - the working time, because the muscles are depleted marginal work, and you do not stop.

Accordingly PYRAMID is of several types, depending on the load changes:

·         DIRECT PYRAMID + = Weight growing Replays fall

·         Truncated pyramid P. = Direct + load without changes

·         CONTACT PYRAMID + = Weight falls Replays grow

·         COMPLETE PYRAMID + = DIRECT CONTACT ie first work you increase the weight in the exercise, and then, when tired, continue to work through its reduction.

·         FULL truncated pyramid = DIRECT CONTACT + + truncation ie this version of the complete pyramid in which several approaches in the middle of the work is done with the same weight and reps. At the beginning of the weight increases, then it is not changed, then it falls.

I must say that in its pure form FULL truncated pyramid will not work because our muscles are tired. If you're after a warm-up (straight pyramid) take the maximum load (weight), it is unlikely that you will not make a long rest should be approached with the same weight or the same number of repetitions (you need for a truncated pyramid). If you work, then it means that either did not work was the most severe in the previous approach or rest too much (not typical for bodybuilding because it reduces the intensity required for muscle growth).

DIRECT PYRAMID

Direct pyramid - a classic. In 90% of cases when you hear about the principle of a "pyramid" we are talking about a straight line. This technique is used in large quantities in bodybuilding since the second half of the last century.

The bottom line is very simple: In the first approach we take light weights and do more reps, and in the subsequent approaches we increase the weight and reduce the number of repetitions. Old School Bodybuilders usually omitted reps from 12-15 to 5-6 (some law enforcers to 2-4). In parallel, there is a gradual increase in weight of the projectile 40% to 80% -90% (1 Repeated Maximum PM = 100%). A typical embodiment of the pyramid for direct human zhmuschego lying 150 kg per 1 times might look like this:

• ·         60 X 12 repetitions kg (40% from 1 PM)
• ·         80 X 10 repetitions kg (55% from 1 PM)
• ·         8 X 100 kg of repetitions (70 1% from PM)
• ·         110 kg x 7 repetitions (75% from 1 PM)
• ·         120 kg x 6 repetitions (80% from 1 PM)

If you make a straight pyramid leg, then use a large number of repetitions, because the muscles of the lower body tired slower than the top ie our legs recover faster and stronger after approaches. Therefore, in the squat with a barbell makes sense to start with 15-20 repetitions and gradually drop to 8-10 reps.

The biggest question that arises in the study of neophytes with the principle of direct PYRAMID - a fear of light load in the first approach of the pyramid. People say, "How so? I came to work hard or relax. I do not feel heaviness in the first approach works. Time spent in vain ... "

This is of course nonsense. Have you ever wondered WHY COLD HOT MUSCLE always weak? The answer is actually very simple - because cold muscles stronger running protection from injury in order to your own safety. This protection works as a brake is not letting you take a weight, which are not prepared your muscles and ligaments. If such protection is not there, then you would often injure your body that it is not profitable. Therefore, the work units. As long as your muscles are cold, their strength and mobility is limited. And this happens not only at the level of physics, but also at the level of the psyche. The colder body, the weaker the nerve impulses to the brain sends a muscle contraction.

The more your muscles are warmed up, the more the hard work they can do. As needed for muscle growth, progressive load (more from workout to workout), then we have to work as hard (as close to the limits of the possible muscle) growth. In this regard, DIRECT PYRAMID - an indispensable tool that helps to make the most in the exercise.

TIP: Warm jacket in the beginning of the great work increase the efficiency by storing heat and faster time to working condition. This is particularly important during the cold season (winter).

DIRECT PYRAMID sets you on the hard work in all areas. Your ligaments and muscles are heated. Your nerve impulses become more powerful. In addition, the implementation of the first approaches with lighter weights helps you configure the correct technique and muscle contraction in the right muscles. Almost always, when you're working with 50% of your maximum you work out better to reduce muscle and monitor equipment. With regular repetition of such "easy" steps you learn to reduce what you need, and in more severe approach.

And lastly, another important advantage of direct pyramid - the change time under load! An important factor that affects the performance of our muscles. The more time, the more energy is spent and deeper depletion on the one hand, but the less weight on the projectile on the other hand (and also affects the weight of the load, because the need for growth, strength training). Using different weights and ranges of time under load, we employ the advantages of each of these points (and now more and more weight on the rod). In total, this gives us more optimistic chances for further growth.

                                                                                                                           Truncated pyramid

During power operation occurs resynthesize of energy through anaerobic glycolysis. This reaction is not possible without the formation of lactic acid that burns your muscles the more, the longer approach (the more repetitions). One of the features of acidification of muscles during training is that lactic acid reduces the ability of muscles to use ATP. That's why the less you rest between sets, the more you fall force in each succeeding. That's why lifters rest for a long time between sets. That's why the classic truncated pyramid is unlikely to succeed with bodybuilding training with short rest between sets.

Take our example zhimom rods lying. Ideally, a truncated pyramid for it should look like this:

• ·         60 X 12 repetitions kg (40% from 1 PM)
• ·         80 X 10 repetitions kg (55% from 1 PM)
• ·         8 X 100 kg of repetitions (70 1% from PM)
• ·         110 kg x 7 repetitions (75% from 1 PM)
• ·         120 kg x 6 repetitions (80% from 1 PM)
• ·         120 kg x 6 repetitions (80% from 1 PM)
• ·         120 kg x 6 repetitions (80% from 1 PM)

5th, 6th, 7th approach UNCHANGED: we work with the same weight in the same reps. Anyone who has experience training agree that in practice it is unlikely to succeed. Most likely the number of repetitions in the last two approaches will drop to 5 or even up to 3-4.

In practice, experienced athletes usually follow a certain "corridor repetitions" when entering the last 2-4 business approach. I personally, for example, using 6-8 reps. So if I happen consistently reducing repetitions 8-7-6 in their last three approaches with the same weight, then I'm not sorry, and I will say that this is also a truncated pyramid.

CONTACT PYRAMID

Losing weight of the projectile in each subsequent approach - it's one of my favorite versions of the pyramid. The basic version is recommended to reduce weight + Increase the number of repetitions. Personally, I do not always scrupulously adhere to such a concept. For me, the inverse pyramid - is primarily a reduction of the burden that is most logical to do with the weights on the bar. In other words, when I'm tired, I reduce the weight on the bar, but not always increase the number of repetitions in order to remain in a working range of repetitions. In the original, it is assumed that you are doing a warm-up (2-3 sets with light weights). After that, put on post its maximum weight and do the most difficult approach to failure. The following approaches you reduce weight and increase the number of repetitions because it is gradual muscle fatigue. Take for example our option with zhimom rod (at 1 PM = 150 kg). Reverse pyramid will look like this:

• ·         warm-up approach
• ·         warm-up approach
• ·         warm-up approach
• ·         120 kg x 6 repetitions (80% from 1 PM)
• ·         110 kg x 7 repetitions (75% from 1 PM)
• ·         8 X 100 kg of repetitions (70 1% from PM)
• ·         80 X 10 repetitions kg (55% from 1 PM)
• ·         60 X 12 repetitions kg (40% from 1 PM)

There are different options. Quite possibly you force will remain better than those shown in this example. Then you will be able to reduce the STEP (the difference between the working weights). This is just an example, not a dogma. Meaning - to gradually reduce the burden to continue to deplete your muscles.

In my opinion CONTACT PYRAMID very important in bodybuilding because it promotes muscle growth more than FORCE. In this regard, for workout it works even better than straight pyramid. Why?

The fact that different from BODYBUILDING LIFTING primarily by the fact that we train than force, and muscle RABOTSPOSOBNOST (deplete muscle)! We need not so much strength as its ability to demonstrate an approach for the approach. In this regard, the inverse pyramid gives us more than a straight line. After all, we continue to ship ALREADY EXHAUSTED (not fresh in direct pyramid) MUSCLE! This, in my opinion gives you more for muscle growth, because it is better to adapt to the long-term power load.

In bodybuilding, there are similar on the back PYRAMID reception, which is called drop weight (DROP-sets). Its essence is the same: lower operating weight in order to continue to work tired muscles. The only difference is that when the drop weight rest between sets is absent or minimal. While the reverse PYRAMID rest between sets is present. But the essence, as you see, is very similar. Both methods allow a deeper exhaust trained muscles.

       COMPLETE PYRAMID

Finally we come to my most favorite. You may have noticed in the examples of the reverse PYRAMID presence of warm-up approaches, from which we can not escape (cold muscle - the muscle is weak). Arose Do you have thoughts on this?

I immediately arose a simple idea: if we are in any case have to do 2-3 warm-up approach, Then why not make them more Effective I through direct PYRAMID before running back? In such hands, it turns out to gather all the advantages of both types of pyramids and workouts in one place. Actually I often do. Returning to the bench press, it would look like this:

• ·         60 X 12 repetitions kg (40% from 1 PM)
• ·         80 X 10 repetitions kg (55% from 1 PM)
• ·         8 X 100 kg of repetitions (70 1% from PM)
• ·         110 kg x 7 repetitions (75% from 1 PM)
• ·         120 kg x 6 repetitions (80% from 1 PM)
• ·         110 kg x 7 repetitions (75% from 1 PM)
• ·         8 X 100 kg of repetitions (70 1% from PM)
• ·         80 X 10 repetitions kg (55% from 1 PM)
• ·         60 X 12 repetitions kg (40% from 1 PM)

Here is an example of a truncated pyramid FULL:

• ·         60 X 12 repetitions kg (40% from 1 PM)
• ·         80 X 10 repetitions kg (55% from 1 PM)
• ·         8 X 100 kg of repetitions (70 1% from PM)
• ·         110 kg x 7 repetitions (75% from 1 PM)
• ·         120 kg x 6 repetitions (80% from 1 PM)
• ·         120 kg x 7 repetitions (80% from 1 PM)
• ·         120 kg x 6 repetitions (80% from 1 PM)
• ·         8 X 100 kg of repetitions (70 1% from PM)
• ·         80 X 10 repetitions kg (55% from 1 PM)
• ·         60 X 12 repetitions kg (40% from 1 PM)

Full pyramid gives us the advantages of direct and inverse pyramid with one hand. On the other hand greatly increases the number of sets performed in the exercise.

WHAT TO PYRAMID

I would not advise beginners to use reverse or full pyramid. Why? Contact pyramid needs a very good workout, which suffers from the Cubs. In this regard, it is wiser to warm up in a straight pyramid (it also generates the correct technique). A full pyramid will require a lot of energy and reducing the body's resources, which are not for beginners (can be overtraining).

The lower the fitness of (novice) better work right pyramid. The more experience and muscle adaptation to the load (experienced and trained), the better it will work CONTACT pyramid.