Have you ever reached the end of your prescribed weight training session and still felt as though you’ve got a little bit more left in the tank? What did you do: opt for further exercises or simply slope off and hit the showers?
Ideally, if you’re an advanced weight lifter you should know the limits of your body and devise your unique training sessions accordingly, so that when the end of a session is reached you have little or nothing more to give. Occasionally, however, you might experience a feeling as though you could train and train forever without fatiguing. It seems pointless to simply waste the potential to further build and develop your physique, especially when you’re in possession of this mind set.
Should you choose to prolong your time in the gym, the next issue often revolves around how to successfully do this, as your training session should have already included all of the key exercises for that particular muscle group. Do you simply choose to repeat some of the earlier exercises or try and add variation with a few alternatives that you wouldn’t normally perform?
Ultimately, the goal of this additional workout phase is to find an exercise (or set of exercises) that is likely to leave you feeling as though you have nothing left to give. With this in mind, the fitness team here at FashionBeans thought they’d eliminate some of the thought processing and provide you with numerous training methods which have the ability to successfully finish off any weight training session.
Methods To Finish Off A Weight Training Session
It should be noted that this is by no means a definitive list as there are endless exercise variations and opportunities from which to choose from. Furthermore, the purpose of this article is not to evaluate the effectiveness of each training method but to simply highlight the variations available.
Each of the training methods below can be applied to any muscle group and any exercise. The chosen muscle group and exercise utilised throughout will be that of the chest and bench press respectively.
Twenty-Ones (21s)
The name 21s makes reference to the number of repetitions that are required for each completed set of this training method.
Of the twenty-one repetitions required of you, seven are undertaken at the inner range, seven at the outer range and a final seven throughout the full range.
If we take the bench press example, the inner range would be the range of movement from your chest to the midpoint of the upward phase while the outer range would be the range of movement from the midpoint to the top of the upward phase.
Finally, the full range would be an amalgamation of both the inner and outer range and require you to go from the chest to the top of the upward phase:
One Hundreds (100s)
Once again, the name of this training method makes reference to the number of repetitions that are required from you, although they are not required in a single set.
The aim of 100s is to achieve one hundred repetitions in as few sets as physically possible while only allowing for minimal rest periods between attempts.
An example of 100s might be as follows: set one achieving forty repetitions; set two achieving thirty repetitions; set three achieving twenty repetitions; and a fourth and final set to complete the remaining ten repetitions.
In the example above you would have achieved one hundred repetitions within four sets, which can be used as a benchmark for you to try and beat next time.
Drop Sets/Exhaustion
As the name suggests, this training method requires you to complete numerous sets of the same exercise, exercising to the point of exhaustion on each set.
With each set you complete, the resistance should be suitably dropped to allow you to continue exercising to the point of failure.
If we take the bench press example, initially you might set the bar up with three 20kg plates on each side, giving a total weight including the bar of 140kg. At this weight, you might achieve three repetitions before failure.
Remove 20kg from each side, giving a new weight of 100kg, and again work to a point of failure. Continue to remove the plates until there are none left:
DTP (Dramatic Transformation Principle)
Out of the four training methods mentioned so far, this one can be considered the most gruelling and time consuming out of them all.
You are required to undertaken ten sets of your chosen exercise with little rest between each set. The first five sets require you to complete the following repetitions: 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10.
For each drop in repetitions there should be an increment in resistance. For example, if you complete fifty bench press repetitions at 30kg then you will be required to complete forty bench press repetitions at 40kg, and so on.
After completing these initial five sets you then reverse the process and do it all over again: 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50.
You can find out more about the benefits and effects of DTP training here.
Final Word
So there you have four very different yet all extremely demanding training methods which can be implemented at the end of any given training session, to ensure you have left it all in the gym. As mentioned previously, this is by no means a definitive list. Other methods which have not been listed within this article but also fit the bill include ‘Negatives’ and GVT (German Volume Training).
This article has not considered the effectiveness of each exercise technique. In reality, there is no right or wrong answer and each prescribed method has the ability to leave you feeling as though you have nothing left to give, which is the ultimate aim at this late phase of the training session.
Before signing off, it’s important to highlight a few safety issues. Although obvious, it should be noted that as these training methods are to be performed at the end of a training session, it is likely that your target muscle group will already be considerably fatigued. Consequently, you should alter the resistance suitably and never substitute good form for further resistance. Where possible, always try and locate a spotter, as nearly all of these training methods will push you to the point of failure.
So next time you reach the end of your prescribed training session and are still feeling invincible, why not implement one or more of the above training methods for your chosen muscle group? Happy training.