i principi di poliquin

[Baiolo Karonte]

Default The Poliquin Principles - Chapter 1
The Poliquin Principles
By Charles Poliquin (1997)


Chapter 1
The science of reps, sets and workout design
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A thorough discussion of the
most basic elements of
designing a workout


Different from magazines, which can be perused as easily from back to front as front to back, books are nearly always read from the beginning to the end. So I assume you are just beginning your indoctrination to my Poliquin Principles. If you're a strength athlete or a bodybuilder, and especially if you are under the age of 25, I suspect you're looking for the secrets to success in this first paragraph. I won't keep you in suspense for long. By the end of this chapter you will be considerably more sophisticated in your approach to training, and you will also be able to choose one of my workouts to fit your immediate needs. In this chapter I have included bodybuilding programs for the beginner, intermediate and advanced trainer, as well as a routine for weight loss without aerobics that utilizes the principles of my German Body Composition program. Throughout this book you will see the components of many other programs that I have shared to help you reach your training goals in the most efficient manner.

Having worked with elite-level athletes from a variety of sports, including bodybuilding and powerlifting, I have made it my specialty to find new ways to increase muscle growth and strength in the shortest amount of time. Sometimes this is through supplementation. Most often, however, it is through the manipulation of training variables you are already familiar with:
sets, reps, tempo, rest, frequency, duration and volume. What I have learned in that regard is what you will learn in this book. And more.

I am a full-time strength coach, not a full-time bodybuilder. Because of that, I have a slightly different vantage point from which I view the sport. I believe I have a slightly better view of things from here - at least a clearer one than some of the "mentors" in the sport.

I do not know of another sport that is as insular as bodybuilding. For decades the sport's information conduit has been virtually controlled by the Joe Weider empire. Its stars were the athletes Weider wanted to promote-but judging from the reactions of the crowd and contestants, the Mr. Olympia was fixed at least two times, once for Arnold and again for Arnie's sidekick Franco Columbu. However, Weider has so completely dominated the sport for so many years that he literally could get away with anything-and that's evident in the training information he perpetrates in his magazines.

In actuality, I have learned from informed sources that most of what Weider preached was actually penned by Bill Reynolds, who died of unspecified causes a few years ago. Bill was an extremely prolific writer, but his training knowledge was limited. Because of this, bodybuilders have been inundated with inadequate and sometimes inaccurate information. Since Bill's death, Weider has brought in, if not more informed editors, at least a larger variety of editors to provide more diverse viewpoints than in the past.

Of course, Weider is not all to blame. Nautilus guru Arthur Jones has to share the spotlight. I recall my indignation when reading his Nautilus Training Principles: Bulletin No. 1, in which he stated that bodybuilders must work to the point of momentary failure to "reach their individual limits of muscular size and strength very quickly." I agree that overload is essential for increasing maximal motor unit activation. Where I strongly disagree with Jones is when he said this overload "should be done in the performance of sets of at least 6 full repetitions and not more than 20 full repetitions." In fact, low reps are essential for achieving maximal growth.

Misinformation regarding exercise physiology is not confined to the bodybuilding community. Researchers in the US are limited by their environment. Untrained college students - so weak they could probably make significant progress playing Nintendo - are often used as subjects, and practical limitations usually require these studies to be completed within a few months. In contrast, many of the studies in Norway, Finland and Germany use elite athletes spanning a four-year Olympic cycle. Other problems with American studies include poorly motivated subjects and no accountability for important training variables such as tempo and rest between sets.

Today, there is no excuse for mediocre and inefficient exercise routines. I have the utmost respect for bodybuilders for the effort and intensity they devote, but most of their training methodologies are scientifically unfounded! In the case of Mike Mentzer, it's safer to say they are the rantings of a lunatic. With a tremendous amount of new information now available to the strength athlete, I'm amazed by the prehistoric practices that permeate the sport of bodybuilding.

We know more today than ever. Even so, it's been my experience that information doubles every 18 months, and I find myself changing and adapting my own theories within that same time frame. Don't be surprised if you read something in this book that may contradict what I said in an article three years ago. That is the nature of knowledge: it grows. In this case, the knowledge I've gleaned is intended to help you grow.

You may also detect a bit of sarcasm in my tone. I believe it is better to laugh at the state of knowledge in the bodybuilding community rather than viciously decry it - so it's my intention to inform you, and also give you a few smiles along the way. With that, let's begin exploring one of the most basic aspects of weight training: repetitions.

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The Science of Reps

The first question bodybuilders ask is "How much?" The second question, which influences the first, is "How many?" Common wisdom dictated 8-10 reps. But like that old adage about needing eight glasses of water a day (which, by the way, has never been scientifically proven) everyone accepts this "magic" number without questioning who arrived at it or how.

First of all, there is no magic number. As you'll learn, repetition protocols should change given the condition of the athlete, the nature of the exercise and the goal. Learning a little about the principles behind repetition prescriptions will give you a better idea of how to apply this to your own workouts.

The following general principles about rep selection are based upon practical scientific research and empirical evidence from my work with elite athletes. Thus far, I don't believe Weider has taken credit for discovering them - but then again, it's been a while since I picked up Muscle and Fitness!


Follow the Neural-Metabolic Continuum
The amount of weight you lift in relation to your one-repetition maximum (1RM) determines how much tension a muscle produces. And the preponderance of credible research and empirical evidence shows the level of tension imposed upon a muscle is critical for obtaining a strength or hypertrophy response.

The number of reps you select will influence all other loading parameters: sets, speed of contraction, rest intervals and even exercise selection. The bottom line? Strength researchers have found reps in the 1 to 5 range maximally increase strength with minimal gains in muscle mass, and reps in the 6- 15 range maximally increase strength through muscle mass gains. (Table 1)

Table 1: Relationship between maximum number of repetitions, intensity and the training effect
(Poliquin, 1990)
Maximum
Number - - % of
of Reps - - Maximum - - Training Effect
1. . . . . . . 100.0 . . . . Relative strength
2. . . . . . . .94.3 . . . . increases through
3. . . . . . . .90.6 . . . . enhanced neural
4. . . . . . . .88.1 . . . . drive.
5. . . . . . . .85.6
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6. . . . . . . .83.1 . . . . Optimal compromise
7. . . . . . . .80.7 . . . . of maximal strength
8. . . . . . . .78.6 . . . . and hypertrophy gains
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9. . . . . . . .76.5 . . . . Best hypertrophy
10 . . . . . . .74.4 . . . . gains leading to
11 . . . . . . .72.3 . . . . increased
12 . . . . . . .70.3 . . . . maximal strength
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13 . . . . . . .68.8 . . . . Strength-endurance
14 . . . . . . .67.5 . . . . gains and lower
15 . . . . . . .66.2 . . . . hypertrophy gains
16 . . . . . . .65.0
17 . . . . . . .63.8
18 . . . . . . .62.7
19 . . . . . . .61.6
20 . . . . . . .60.6

Extreme muscle mass is one of the primary goals in bodybuilding, but that doesn't mean bodybuilders should never perform low reps. Low reps are the only way to stimulate the development of Type IIb muscle fibers, which are the fast-twitch fibers that have the highest potential for growth. Another benefit of low-rep training is that when you come off a cycle of low reps, you will be able to use heavier weights. Heavier weights create a higher level of muscle tension, which in turn leads to a higher growth response. Mike Payette, a former Mr. Canada I trained who is now a professional wrestler, currently performs 40% of his exercises in the 4-rep range.


Let the Reps Dictate the Weight

You must periodically force yourself to use maximal voluntary contractions to get results. Maximal voluntary contractions occur when you attempt to recruit as many motor units as possible to develop force. This is the physiological basis of what is commonly referred to as the overload principle: If you do not apply overload to your muscles, there is no reason for your muscles to get bigger or stronger (The exceptions are beginners and rehab patients whose strength levels are so low that training to momentary failure is not necessary for optimal results. In fact, these individuals could make significant progress lifting rocks!)

When you plan your workouts you should determine the desired training effect and select a repetition bracket to suit that goal. If you want to gain size, you would select a weight that enables you to complete between 6 and 12 reps. If you can only complete five reps, the weight is too heavy. If you can do more than 12 reps, the weight is too light.

The need to allow the reps to dictate the weight is a problem with some computerized workout programs. Most computer programs determine what you should lift for each workout by taking a percentage of your IRM in each exercise. However, the 1 RM continuum varies greatly from one muscle group to another

Because so many factors affect your strength at any given time, plugging you into a computer-generated program based upon a one-rep max may compromise the quality of the workout. If you're sick, the weights will be too heavy; and if you're feeling great, the weights will be too light, leading to plenty of frustration.


Determine Muscle Fiber Composition

A muscle with a high percentage of slow-twitch fibers responds best to higher reps. The soleus contains predominantly slow-twitch fibers; therefore, repetitions in the 15-25 range may be needed to give sufficient time under tension for these fibers to hypertrophy. In contrast, the gastrocnemius contains predominantly fast-twitch fibers and responds best to lower reps.

One observation I've had is that sprinters and Olympic weightlifters often have much better development of the hamstrings than bodybuilders. This is because the hamstrings are-primarily composed of fast-twitch fibers; and to access these fibers, you must train them at a high intensity level. If a bodybuilder is making exceptional progress on his or her hamstrings using more than eight reps for this muscle group, I would attribute such growth more to pharmacological reasons.

Arthur Jones claims you can determine muscle fiber type by examining how many times you can lift a sub-maximal weight. This is partially true. If two people have a 1RM for the Barbell Curl of 100 lbs, the person who curls 80 lbs only 5 times has more fast-twitch fibers than the person who can curl the same weight 10 times. Compared to the usual method of determining fiber type that involves taking painful muscle biopsies, Jones' test is extremely convenient for untrained individuals. However, you must understand that you can bias this relationship by making the body more neurologically efficient (with relative strength training methods) or less neurologically efficient (with aerobic work).


Consider Exercise Complexity

If an exercise involves multiple joints in a complex skill, such as the Olympic lifts, excessive reps will produce undesirable technical and motor- learning changes. When performing more than six reps in the power clean, for example, the relatively small rhomboid muscles would tire out first, causing a change in lifting technique. I saw an article by a football strength coach who recommended sets of up to 30 reps in the power clean. Since his team won a national championship, I concluded that a scientifically sound weight training program is only one variable responsible for success in collegiate football.

With the increased contributions of science to training methodology, the subject of selecting the appropriate number of reps for your workouts has become very confusing. And because science has not yet provided all the answers, we will continue to see much variation in training methods. Of course, tackling the subject of repetitions is only part of the solution. You also need to define and select the proper number of sets.

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The Science of Sets

Let's start with a simple definition: a set is a group of consecutive reps. Going a step further, an extended rest period or a change of exercises signals the completion of a set. This means one superset, two exercises for different muscle groups performed in sequence, equals two sets. One giant set, three exercises for the same muscle group performed in sequence, equals three sets. Descending sets, in which virtually no rest time is taken between weight changes, equals just one set. Although some individuals endorse one-set training, when you apply the previous definitions, you often find their workouts contain extended sets. With extended sets, the total time the muscle is under tension contributes to the total volume that elicits a hypertrophy response.


Variables Influencing Set Selection: A Top-10 List

The overload principle suggests that stronger athletes need more sets, and real-life examples prove multiple-set systems produce faster and greater gains in muscle mass, strength and power. But there are many variables to consider in determining how many sets you should perform in a workout.

Here are ten of them:

1. Number of reps selected
Most strength coaches believe there is a minimum amount of time the muscles must be stimulated for maximum size and strength gains. Consequently, when training with low reps, you must perform more sets to attain the optimal volume for strength development. This is illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Inverse relationship between reps and sets:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Reps: - - 1 - - 3 - - 5 - - 7 - - 9 - - 11 - - 13 - - 15+
Sets: - - - High (5-12) - - - - - - Low (2-4)


2. Number of exercises per training session
The more exercises you perform, the fewer sets you need to achieve an optimal training effect for each exercise. If you add exercises to your workout without reducing the average number of sets per exercise, you would exceed the optimal time period to complete a workout.

3. Training level
One or two sets per exercise are usually enough for beginners because their training level is low. But when we talk about training level, we don't necessarily mean chronological age; a 17-year-old could be considered advanced, and a 50-year-old could be considered a beginner.

4. Gender
At any given percentage of their maximum for one rep (1RM), a woman will perform more reps than a man. Take the arm curl, for example. At 70% of their 1RM, a woman should be able to perform 17 reps, while a man should only be able to complete 12. Also, because there is an inverse relationship between sets and reps, this difference in neurological efficiency means women should do fewer sets at a given intensity.

5. Nutritional status
With the availability of creatine monohydrate supplements, drug-free athletes can increase their volume of high-quality sets almost as much as those who use drugs that stimulate creatine storage, such as oxandrolone and methandrostenolone.
Furthermore, supplements that assist glycogen loading, such as chromium and vanadyl sulfate, may match some of the gains associated with glycogen-synthetase enzyme stimulation, such as the results from drugs such as oxymethonolone and testosterone suspension.

6. Muscle size
The number of sets performed should be inversely proportionate to the size of the muscle mass trained. Small muscle groups recover more quickly than large muscle groups and can therefore handle more sets. Thus, you could perform more sets for the biceps than you could for the quadriceps.

7. Principle of individualization
Bodybuilders and strength athletes have reached high levels of performance using a variety of training philosophies. An overview of the present scientific literature reveals a similar diversity of programs leading to increased gains. Because everyone has a unique response to a given program, the number of sets should be individualized. Rick Well, a world record holder in the bench press, uses low sets in his training. Early 50s world weightlifting champion Doug Hepburn used high sets to achieve his own record performances.

8. Principle of quality over quantity
Even when you allow sufficient rest intervals to replenish the phosphagens, after a few sets the muscles will fatigue to the point where increasingly fewer reps can be performed before failure. This is what I call the critical drop-off point. The critical drop-off point occurs when you reach a 5-7% drop in performance, and it is at this time you should move to another exercise or bodypart. You'll know you've hit the critical drop-off point when you must reduce the amount of weight you're lifting to maintain the selected rep range or when you experience a drop of two to three reps from one set to the next.
The basic premise of the critical drop-off point, which I learned from discussions with Canadian sprint coach Charlie Francis, is "-never increase the quantity of stimulus at the expense of quality." It is pointless to perform sets in which the resistance is reduced so much that you don't train the appropriate motor units and don't create sufficient tension on the muscles to elicit gains. These additional "garbage sets" would also impede recovery by putting excessive strain on the nervous system and energy stores.

9. Hormonal output and anabolic state
To maintain the quality of the training stimulus, you should not perform more than 30-36 sets per workout. I've seen better results when the total number of sets is kept between 20-25. Bulgarian weightlifting coach Angle Spassov and US weightlifting coach Dragomir Ciorosian believe training sessions should not last over one hour, and 45 minutes would be even better. The bodybuilders I train respond best to brief workouts. Former Mr. Universe Andre Charette made his greatest progress on two 40-minute workouts per day, whereas Mike Payette made his best gains training only once a day for about 52 minutes per workout.

10. Muscle composition
Muscles that are inherently fast- twitch respond best to more sets. Muscles that are inherently slow- twitch respond best to fewer sets. Thus, you can perform more sets for the hamstrings (fast twitch) than for the soleus (slow twitch). Also, muscles not normally subjected to intense loading in daily activities (such as the neck flexors) respond better to fewer sets.


Prescriptions for Increasing Muscle Mass and Relative Strength

One of the most controversial topics in resistance training is the optimal number of sets you need to increase muscle mass. There are the low-set proponents like Dorian Yates and the Mentzer brothers and the high-set proponents like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Anthony Ditillo. Both camps are right! What counts is the proportion of high-set and low-set work through a sound periodized approach to training. However, generalizations can be made. Table 3 contains set-rep prescriptions for increasing muscle mass.


Table 3: Loading parameters for hypertrophy
(Poliquin 1991)

Intensity: 60-82%
Repetitions: 6-20 RM
Sets per exercise: 3-6
Rest Intervals: 2-4 minutes
Concentric tempo: 1-10 seconds
Eccentric tempo: 4-10 seconds
Total set duration: 20-70 seconds
Number of exercises
per workout: 6-12


Strength coaches often encounter the difficult problem of designing training programs to improve an athlete's strength without significantly increasing lean body mass. The type of strength they want is called relative strength.

Relative strength is especially important in sports that involve weight classes, such as boxing, wrestling and weightlifting. Athletes in these sports must be as strong as possible at the lightest bodyweight possible. It is also important to athletes who require strength without excessive muscle mass, like those in skiing, cycling, figure skating, gymnastics and bobsledding. Despite being relatively light, the skiers and bobsledders I coach often have leg strength comparable to elite weightlifters and bodybuilders. Felix Belzcyk and Cary Mullen are both World Cup medalists. Belzcyk weighs 191 lbs and Mullen weighs 200 lbs, and both have front squatted 352 for 3 reps. Ian Danney of the Canadian bobsled team has front squatted 451 lbs, and he weighs 180 lbs. (And we're talking about full squats, as in "leave a stain on the platform.")

The neuromuscular basis of relative strength training involves performing brief but maximal voluntary contractions to improve the neural drive to the muscles. The great voluntary effort associated with such training recruits the highest threshold motor units so as to make use of their greater strength and rate of force development. Near-maximal and maximal weights must be used. Table 4 contains set-rep prescriptions for relative strength.

Table 4: Loading parameters for relative strength
(Poliquin 1991)

Intensity: 85-100%
Repetitions: 1-5 RM
Sets per exercise: 5-12
Rest Intervals: 4-5 minutes
Concentric tempo: 1-4 seconds
Eccentric tempo: 3-5 seconds
Total set duration: Under 20 seconds
Number of exercises
per workout: 6-12


Of course, this is a book about bodybuilding. Relative strength training produces minimal increases in size, so emphasizing these methods, although occasionally good for variety, are not something a bodybuilder should use often.

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The Science of Workout Design

Understanding the science behind reps and sets will allow you to tackle a rather complex approach to training called periodization. Don't worry, there is no test at the end of the chapter.

Periodization is basically a workout plan. It takes into consideration all the variables of training to achieve a specific goal. By the time you finish this book, you should be able to sit down and write yourself a workout that spans a period of time, and utilizes the best information available to plan your reps, sets and volume according to your desired goal. That is periodization.

Why do we need to write out workouts? The classic movie Chariots of Fire tells the true story of two runners, one from Scotland and one from England, who had the talent and determination to achieve Olympic glory. The story contrasts their lives and their radically different approaches to training. The Scottish runner was an idealist, and he ran as he thought best for each day, allowing the purity of his spirit to guide his training. He had no use for a training log book. The English runner used only training methods supported by scientific research, and planned each and every detail of his workout months in advance. He needed a training log, a day planner, and could really have used the latest Microsoft spreadsheet package.

The runners in Chariots of Fire exemplify the philosophical difference between the traditional, instinctive approach to training and the new science of long-term planning called periodization. Ten years ago few bodybuilders talked about periodization. But in their quest to reach the highest level of physical perfection, today's bodybuilders have taken a keen interest in what strength training authorities have been practicing for years: periodization.


The Forgotten Element

Few American bodybuilders have used periodization because most prefer a "quick-fix" solution. In contrast, periodization is used more by European bodybuilders, but I also believe that a lot of pro bodybuilders come to periodization indirectly. In other words, they will vary their training meth- ods but don't have a systematic method - you might call this approach "shot-gun periodization". Schwarzenegger varied his training, but did so in a micro fashion. He didn't map it out like athletes do another sports.

There are some individuals who hold the opinion that if you use steroids, you don't have to worry about overtraining and careful planning of your workouts with periodization - just train hard. Although steroids will enhance recovery, using a periodized program would allow a person to make even better progress. An example of this is Ben Johnson. Yes, he was caught on steroids. But at the drug inquiry, experts testified that Johnson was taking only about six percent of the drugs that his competitors were taking. Johnson could attribute much of his progress to sound training with excellent coaches such as Charlie Francis.

Although Europeans were first to embrace periodization, not every periodization program will be effective for bodybuilding. One of the more bizarre training plans to hit the bodybuilding scene was inspired by the training principles of Bulgarian weightlifting coaches. It made a few people rich, and had endorsements by Tom Platz (after he retired) and other top bodybuilders. My question is, "How many great bodybuilders have come from Bulgaria?" The answer is, "None." Bodybuilding in Bulgaria has been considered an anti-government activity-it probably carries the same status as being a member of the Ronald Reagan Fan Club.

Another even more bizarre bodybuilding plan is called the Heavy Duty training system-that is, simply train hard, train brief, and you should make progress virtually every workout. A training system is only as good as the time it takes you to adapt to it. So Heavy Duty will work, but only for two to three weeks. Also, the system defies any law of neuro-physiology. You can't tell me that doing one set of a biceps exercise will knock off the entire motor unit pool of Type I, Type IIa, and Type IIb fibers - it's physiologically impossible.

I believe the reason Heavy Duty works for a brief time is that most bodybuilders are grossly overtrained. One thing that we have learned from periodization is the process of tapering. Only when volume is reduced can athletes show their true potential. In other words, fatigue masks fitness. Well, sometimes hypertrophy is masked by fatigue, so the bodybuilder who reduces his volume will grow. This means that the bodybuilder who gains ten pounds in seven days on Heavy Duty did so because he was grossly overtrained before he reduced his volume, so at last hypertrophy could take place. The thing is, such gains are short-lived. For most guys who've gained ten pounds through Heavy Duty, that's the only ten pounds they'll ever gain. After that, once they get addicted to that low volume, they can't make any progress.

There are also problems with the instinctive method, one which is quite popular among bodybuilders. By training according to how you feel, without a set model to follow, most people resort to what they are good at. That's fine, except for the fact that most people are lazy and their training will suffer. This philosophy also will not work to address muscle imbalances or weak points. For example, if a bodybuilder tends to have a slow-twitch make-up, he will resort to high reps and short rest intervals - but maybe what he needs to further his development is high intensity, multiple sets and long rest intervals.

Is there is a basic periodization model for a bodybuilder? Well, there is a model in the sense that most will stress a higher level of volume than of intensity at first. The nature of bodybuilding is such that you want to increase body mass as much as possible, so I think that's your best indicator. The problem is that if you only did leg training you would only gain in the legs - your bodyweight goes up and you may not do very well because your calves look like pipe cleaners. For the young athlete, as far as training goes, it's much easier to assess these weak points. For the elite bodybuilder, his gross muscle structure should already be in balance (or he wouldn't be an elite bodybuilder), so it would be total lean body mass that makes a difference.

I predict that periodization, which in essence is nothing more than the careful planning of a long-term program, will eventually become more popular with bodybuilders because a lot of them are fed up at not making any progress. Periodization has been shown to be a valid application in other sports, and it's time that bodybuilders began to use it as well.

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The Poliquin Workouts

Some strength coaches believe there exists a single perfect training program - a program that prescribes all loading parameters such as reps, sets, speed of loading, exercise selection and exercise order. The irony is that no matter how carefully you plan a workout, it may not work for everyone, and it definitely won't work forever. There always comes a need for change, and this variety of training stimulus is a common factor found in all athletes. There are no set rules on how many sets you need to perform. But if you respect the training principles examined in this chapter, you can design the best workout for you!

When I design periodization workouts, I like to work in six-week cycles. At the end of each cycle I evaluate the individual's weaknesses, and then map out the best way to bring the development in balance. For example, if arm development is weak, I determine if the biceps or triceps needs the most work, and include additional exercises that target those areas (such as those presented in my chapter on arms). At the end of six weeks, I evaluate and set upon another plan.

Of course, I know that some of you would prefer to give the Poliquin Principles a try right now, before you have to sit down and begin writing out your own routine or before you read through to the end of the book. For those individuals, I have written four workouts that rely on supersets. Some of the concepts may be unfamiliar to you - such as tempo. You may need to flip ahead a few pages before you can decipher these workouts, but most of you probably can begin immediately.

[Luca T]

L'ho comprato di recente, ma per ora ho letto solo i primi due capitoli!

[sesse1982]

grande Poliquin!