Bruce Lee, the founder of the “Jeet Kune Do” combat form is a name synonymous with martial arts all over the world and it comes as no surprise that many consider him godlike and try to follow everything he did. His ripped appearance that many people desperately try and emulate was intimidating and he was considered invincible. To get such a body, it requires complete dedication and 100% mental and physical focus. His workouts and his diet are the two biggest factors that contributed to his godlike body. To do the meticulously timed jumps, stunts, dropkicks, blocks and punches of Bruce Lee, you need to read the rest of the article.  

His diet:  

He was known to take a lot of Chinese food which is rich in fiber. The best fiber rich foods are vegetables and fruits. Moreover, such foods consist of anti-oxidants that help flush out harmful toxins from the body. Simple and nourishing, his diet consisted of six to eight small meals a day as meals taken in frequent bursts are known to boost metabolism. He was also known to drink ten to 12 glasses of water daily as a hydrated body is a healthy body. To go one up on Bruce Lee, you should take protein supplements such as whey and casein with your diet so that proper energy levels are maintained.  

His workouts:  

Bruce Lee’s workouts included a combination of four different workouts, namely weight training, martial arts, body weight and stretching. His chiseled appearance stood testimony to the fact that he was a fitness freak. To get a body similar to that of Bruce Lee’s, you must perform a variety of free hand exercises such as kickboxing, jumping or running. Stretching exercises should also be performed as they help the body become flexible which is extremely important in martial arts.  

Warm up exercises should always be done before you begin the weight training exercises of bench presses lat pull-ups, and dumbbell curls. Body weight workouts like pushups and pull ups should be performed as warm-up exercises.

Immense strength, stamina and endurance are what are needed to perform such high intensity exercises. This can be provided to the body by taking nitric oxide supplements. Such supplements work by pumping more blood to your body. This in turn nourishes the muscles cell with fresh oxygen and water and this results in increased muscle growth.

Moreover, nitric oxide has other benefits such as immune system rejuvenation, prevention of deadly diseases, reduction of recuperation time etc.  

When it comes to bodybuilding and weight gain, there are a few factors that are going to affect how much protein you need to be getting. While it doesn’t necessarily benefit you all that much to get more protein than you need, getting to little will have very detrimental consequences in terms of your progress.

Here is what you need to think about when deciding how much protein you need to be taking.

Total Calorie Intake

Calories tend to be protein sparing, so the higher the calorie intake, the lower your need for protein.

For example, those who are really dieting hard, must up their protein intake so they do not risk muscle loss. Those who are eating maintenance will require between one gram and 1.5 grams per pound of body weight to maintain their current nitrogen balance.

Those who are eating in surplus may be able to get away with slightly less than one gram, but one gram per pound is generally the recommended value.

Cardio Activity

Again, cardio activity can also impact how much protein you should be getting, with the more cardio you are doing, the more total protein you require.

Those who are combining their weight lifting with a good amount of distance running for example, would probably want to take in closer to the 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, assuming a caloric surplus. This will help to offset any protein that may be used while doing the cardio activity for

energy, or any extra muscle breakdown that occurs while doing it.

Stress

Stress is one thing that many people forget to think about when it comes to protein needs. If you are a high stress person in general, or just going through as stressful period in your life, getting a bit more protein is a very smart plan.

When under stress, the body tends to shift into a slightly more catabolic position, which could then impact your ability to build muscle. By getting that extra bit of protein you can help prevent any negative consequences from taking place.

Aside from that, obviously do whatever you can to rest up so that serious stress-related health problems don’t start up.

Quality of Protein

For the most part, in America, most of our main protein sources are of good quality, however if you happen to be eating with a more vegetarian approach, getting the majority of your protein from beans, legumes, and grains, then you need to pay extra attention to ensuring not only that you are achieving full proteins (often by mixing certain foods together) but that you do get enough as well.

If you are on a vegetarian diet, I’d actually aim to take in slightly more protein, if possible, just because of this fact.

If you have trouble doing so, look into some of the vegetarian protein powder options that are available as this will make it easier to meet your needs.

So, be sure to take into account these factors when assessing your protein needs and coming up with a weight gain diet. It’s something that you simply cannot overlook if you hope to achieve any type of results.

Are you troubled in having to mingle and interact in school because of your lanky body structure? No one likes to feel left-out, discriminated or made fun of because of the old body weight issue. We all know that in order to gain confidence, we definitely have to feel good about ourselves, not only in the inside but also in the out. Looking good exudes an aura of confidence that will then allow us to mingle and socialize with others. If this is your case, then you have come to the right place. We have awesome tips on how to build muscle fast, especially programmed for teenagers.

At a young age, it’s good to know that you have the desire to get a well-designed body. It is important to have your body toned and sexy, to establish confidence- and at the same time enjoy a healthy and invigorating lifestyle. Here, you will be guided by proven tips based on experience and research on how to achieve muscle growth in a more speedy and convenient manner.

Progressive Muscle Development

Building muscles should be rooted from basic exercises until your body is ready for a more intensified set of exercises. You have to prepare your body little by little to condition the muscles you wish to develop progressively. Progressive muscle development allows the muscles to become stronger and sets the right conditioning in preparation of the different sets of exercises that will be needing execution for faster muscle growth. The muscles cope-up and adapts with the exercises little by little. Once the muscles are solid, you may advance to another set of exercises. This is a proven technique for fast muscle development.

Prepare a Balance Diet

You have to eat the right kind of food to supply your muscles with the much needed nutrients for immediate muscle progress. Avoid eating foods that are processed and soaked in oil or preservatives. You have to eat a balanced diet as you must carefully choose the foods that are rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and fats- fats from nuts, avocados and the like. These foods contain the essential nutrients that are good for muscle repair, maintenance and development. It is best for you to eat 4-6 times a day. Eat in small portioned meals. Frequent meals will provide your body the needed energy it needs to last throughout the day.

Eating frequent meals allows the body to break down the food that you eat approximately 2 hours after you finish eating the said meal. Since you are into building your muscles, constant supply of nutrients and energy is needed to cope-up with the tiring workout sessions you will go through. You also need to drink 4-6 liters of water, on a daily basis. As you sweat throughout the day, and most especially throughout your workout, you must replenish the lost liquids to rehydrate your body. Our approach on how to build muscle fast for teenagers is extremely effective. All that needs to be done is you must utilize a healthy approach, consisting of a well-balanced diet, hydration and follow our recommended workout regimen.

Adequate Rest

Increasing muscle mass will not happen overnight, rather it will happen throughout a lengthy duration of consistent workout, dieting and loading up on liquids. It is about balancing everything for a remarkable muscle building technique. You have got to sleep at least 8 hours a day to allow your body to gain strength and recharge for the day ahead. Sleeping well will provide the body with proper ammunition of bagged energy to perform and deliver exercises on a daily basis. It also allows your body to repair the muscle cells that will inevitably be damaged during exercises as this is how the body works into building bigger, stronger and buffer muscles. Adequate rest will surely deliver the results you are aiming for in a shorter amount of time, as you are empowered and energized during your workouts, allowing you to endure the intensity of your workout until you reach your desired structure and shape.

In this article I will share with you proven eating and training strategies that will help you to add high quality lean muscle mass to your frame.

I know that you want to gain weight, but the fact is that you do not want to gain any kind of weight. You see, a lot of people who are new to fitness do not realize that gaining weight is not about eating whatever the hell you want and increase your body fat stores. No way! Gaining weight is about gaining high quality lean muscle mass so eventually you would have an aesthetically pleasing physique. Got it?

Now let me share with you few simple tips that will help you to achieve that:

Increase your daily caloric intake

I know that you have probably heard this before, but the fact is that there is only one way to make your body grow and that is to increase your daily energy intake. Energy which is needed to make your body grow can only come from calories, therefore the first step you need to take if you want to start gaining lean muscle mass is to increase your daily caloric intake.

The fact is that some calories will make you fat, whereas other will make you gain high quality lean muscle mass. To avoid gaining body fat make sure that you get your calories from high quality proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Start lifting weights

To start gaining high quality lean muscle mass you will need to start pumping iron. The single most effective way to start gaining weight quickly is to combine a good eating plan with a good weight training workout plan.

At the end of each weight training session your muscle fibers will break down on a micro level and once they will recover they will grow bigger and stronger.

Forget about supplements

A lot of people who are new to gaining weight think that there is some sort of pill or powder that will make things easy. The fact is that all of these pills and powders that are promoted by the fitness gurus will not make you big!

Everything that works is right in front of you. Stop looking for secrets, stick to the basics, take the baby steps and move one step at a time.

Apply proven eating and training principles and you will add high quality lean muscle mass to your frame.

I am going to show you how much to eat to gain muscle, because most people do not realise how much is enough. You see, muscle building nutrition is one of the most important aspects of packing on muscle mass.

All your training will go to waste and will not mean squat, if you do not eat enough to fuel new muscle growth.

It is a bit like paying someone to build you a wall, but not giving the builder any bricks. You can pay the builder as much as you want, but they still cannot build a wall without the bricks.

So, enough of the reasoning for eating and all that, lets take a look at how much to eat to gain muscle.

How Much To Eat To Gain Muscle

I will show you some examples on how to put all this together at the end of the article. But for now, it is important to understand how to work out how much food you need.

How much you need to eat to gain muscle, will depend on your metabolic rate and how much energy you take in and out, from food and exercise.

Your metabolic rate is basically a combination of how much energy your body needs to stay alive. Processes like breathing, maintaining body temperature and the like. All affect your metabolic rate.

There are formulas to work out your metabolic rate, but I do not want to turn this into a mathematical article, as they are quite long.

Therefore, I have put a simple calculation you can use to guide you below:

Slight weight gain: 30-35 calories per kg OR 14-16 calories per pound

Greater weight gain: 35-40 calories per kg OR 16-18 calories per pound

To use the figures above, you simple multiply your bodyweight (in kilograms or pounds), by the figures shown. For example: if you weight 200 lbs and you want to put on a lot of weight, you multiply 200 x 16 = 3600 calories.

The above calculation means that you need 3200 calories a day to gain weight.

Now that may seem like an awful lot of eating, but that is the sort of calories you need to be eating, to put on muscle!

Maybe now you realise why some people have a hard time gaining muscle?

If you are going to use the above figures, you will need to use some trial and error. As the figures are not set in stone, so you may have to increase or decrease your calorie intake. You are best aiming for your calorie target, for a few weeks, while keeping an eye on your weight and muscle gains.

Alrighty then, are you still with me after this? Starting to realise how much you actually have to eat? I hope you are.

Now lets take a look at what food to eat to gain muscle, as this is terribly important. Because eating the wrong calories from foods can ruin all your efforts.

What Food To Eat To Gain Muscle

Once again, I am going to keep this next section as simple as possible. Not because I do not think you are not smart enough, but because I want to keep this article as streamlined as possible for you. I do not want you reading any ‘filler’ information from me.

The foods you need to eat can be broken into 3 different categories, which are also called; macro-nutrients. Every food that you eat has these 3 macro-nutrients in them, these 3 macros are:

Protein

Carbohydrates

Fat

So, what does this have to do with you? Well, it is very important to eat the right macro-nutrients to fuel new muscle growth. Each macro-nutrient provides your body with certain nutrients which are essential.

Protein: is the building block of life and is what your muscles are actually made up of. If you take the water content away from a muscle, you are mainly left with protein.

Carbohydrates: are sugars which provide you with energy. You can get energy from other macro-nutrients, but it is important to eat carbohydrates so that other nutrients are not wasted on energy.

Fats: are an often misunderstood nutrient, but should form an essential part of your diet, be it for muscle gains or even weight loss. Fats are involved in literally thousands of bodily processes; One stand out one being hormone production, (can you say testosterone?)

The list above is not exactly a complete detailed look at the macro-nutrients, but I put it there to give you an idea of what they do. What is important to know, is how much of the macro-nutrients you should be eating.

I will show you a sample plan on what food to eat to gain muscle, with these macro-nutrients. But for now I will give you a quick guide, to let you see how it is worked out.

The best ratio of these macro-nutrients to use is the easy to remember 40-30-30 ratio. Do not worry I will explain what this means and it is quite simple.

The 40-30-30 ratio basically means to get 40% of your diet in carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fats.

Remember this is only a guide, so do not start sweating at the thought of trying to work all this out exactly. But your total calorie intake should be roughly made up of: 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fats. Understand?

Weak muscles might be an initial problem for those beginning a fitness program, but the biggest issue to impact any overall goals is the attitude or the mindset of the individual. For instance, if someone is using personal training in New Jersey they will receive consistent verbal encouragement and support throughout their various fitness routines. If, on the other hand, they were working out independently and allowed themselves to think about how tired they were or how they didn’t think they could finish the workout, it is likely that their brain would win the debate. This is a very common issue and is a reason that so many trainers and fitness experts recommend always having at least one workout buddy who will help you complete a routine or session.

Why is mind power so effective? Most New Jersey personal training experts would say that it is the minds of their clients that is the number one tool to success, and not always the services of the trainer that comes in first. Using visualization, positive “self talk”, and personal affirmations will usually be just as potent as a trainer pushing the client to go a bit farther and work a bit harder.

When relying on personal training in New Jersey it is a good idea to find a trainer who emphasizes the individual responsibility of the client for the overall success of the program. While a commitment to a diet plan and frequent workouts will yield excellent results, a qualified New Jersey personal training expert will always know that those who envision themselves with the body they want will usually be sure to succeed.

Using mind power for fitness goals begins with training the individual to set aside a few minutes of each day to visualize themselves with the muscles they want, or at the weight they hope to reach. This is a form of reward that will encourage their efforts more than nagging or pushing ever could.

The trainer will also help their client to select a few key phrases or words to be used as a personal “mantra” or as a form of positive self talk that will instantly override any negative thinking. This might be as simple as thinking the phrase “toned muscle” instead of allowing the mind to focus on the shakiness of the developing thigh muscles. Many trainers also encourage clients to view themselves as fit and in shape regardless of where they might be in their overall program. If someone “thinks fit” they are going to feel fit and attractive, which will always lead to confidence and better results.

If you are an enthusiastic fan of most aerobic exercises, you may have considered escalating your workout intensity with step aerobics equipment. The objective of participating in step aerobics are the mostly the same as other aerobics workouts which is to raise your heart rate and maintain it for at least twenty minutes and at the same time toning your muscles and burning fat. Step aerobics will help you achieve all these goals, while adding an extra dimension to your exercise program. To start with step aerobics program, you can sign up for a step aerobics class, or you can purchase the stepper with the instructional videos learn to do it at home.

The advantages of step aerobics are:

1) It adds extra fun to your regular exercise routine

2) It is simple and easy to learn

3) The equipment is fairly cheap

4) It utilizes the large muscles of the lower legs which helps strengthen those muscles

5) It strengthens the tendons and ligaments that connect the muscles and the bones to each other

How To Use Step Aerobics Equipment

You can buy a book or video or even join the local gymnasium to learn step aerobics. However, you can also simply begin with simple exercises by just stepping onto the platform and then stepping down. These simple exercises can then progress steadily from simple steps to more complicated aerobics routines.

Besides that, you can also increase the rapidity of the steps or raise the aerobics step platform which will result in increased fitness and skill. The step aerobics exercises can grow in complexity as you become more proficient.

The step aerobics exercise are usually choreographed to music just like other aerobics routines, but instead of exercising with side to side movements on the floor, you will be exercising vertically by stepping up and down from the platform of your stepper. The most important thing to an effective workout is to be observant of your posture. Always keep your head up, your shoulders back, and your back straight as you do your workout. When stepping onto the platform, your foot should be solidly on the surface and when you step down from it, your feet should stay close to the back of the stepper. This is to avoid the back strain of lunging backwards.

When you step on a steps aerobics platform there is no shock experienced by your joints.

Cost Of Step Aerobics Equipment

If you have decided to purchase your own set of step aerobics equipment, you should know that it will cost you anywhere from $30 to $100. However, if you can afford to purchase a higher end model, you will get some advantage. These more expensive models are usually adjustable in height so that it can accommodate different skill levels or workout intensities.

For a beginner a four inch step is sufficient, but when you increase your intensity, you can raise the aerobics stepper in two-inch increments. This is why the more expensive model which is adjustable may be more economical in the long run.

However, if you have a low budget, or you want to try out step aerobics without buying the equipment first, any household item can be an adequate substitute. You can use things such as a block of wood, a milk crate, or, even a short stool which can act as a raised platform for you to start practicing step aerobics.

Precautions To Take During Step Aerobics

As with any regular exercise activities, there are certain precautions that you should take when participating in step aerobics. One such precaution is to make sure that you execute step aerobics exercise routines properly.

Some of the proper techniques of working out with step aerobics are:

1) Stepping up onto the platform using the entire soul of your foot

2) Being close to the step when stepping up

3) Alternate the legs used to step up and down

4) Perform no more than five consecutive step ups per leg

5) Do not allow your knee to lock

6) Step up to and down from the step softly

Other precautions you must take include utilizing a step or platform that is at the proper height. This range is usually determined by the expertise of the step aerobic exercise participant. A height of four inches is usually suitable for a beginner and a 12 inches high platform only suitable for an expert.

Found in most gyms and hotels, the arc trainer is a unique cardio exercise machine. It is actually named after its patented advanced stride technology – the Reverse Arc motion. This unique design does not place the user’s toe behind the knee; thus, reducing stress to the knee joint. Another excellent feature that is different from same low-impact cardio machines is that the leg and arm on the same side move together. In turn, this allows for optimal posture during exercise.

What Benefits Can You Get From This Exercise Machine?

Less join stress – Using this equipment is an efficient way of getting your heart rate up in low-impact environment. It is designed to allow user to experience a complete range of motion for the hip and knee, without the need to place undue stress on the joints. As compared to other low-impact machines, the toe moves behind the knee, and this can increase the stress on the knee joint. Based on most manufacturers, the patented stride technology will move the legs in a biomechanically correct pathway.

Efficient calorie burning – Calorie expenditure has been proven to be higher on the arc trainer as opposed to motion trainer and elliptical in a 30-minute workout session. It was emphasized that exercising in this fitness equipment would result in the greatest reduction of body weight in just a short period of time.

Enhanced muscle engagement – This fitness equipment will come with a wide range of variable resistance and incline. Also, it has longer arm features as compared to other low-impact machines. Be aware that higher inclines will emulate a stepping motion as well as target the quadriceps muscles in your upper thighs. On the other hand, lower inclines with increased resistance are sure to target and tone the butt muscles. And the longer arm features will allow you to get a harder upper body workout whilst maintaining proper wrist alignment.

Program variety – It comes with 9 custom workouts and 8 present programs. One program stimulates a series of hills. Moreover, this exercise machine offers 3 different exercise zones. Apart from the variety of workout programs, this offers various grip options. Hence, you can keep your hands on 2 different grip features on the arms or perhaps in the side rails for more stability.

Health experts highly emphasized that working in the arc trainer will help improve your stamina and enhance your power for running, sprinting and jumping, without introducing stress on your joints. To make the most out of your chosen high-quality arc trainer, you can actually mix up your workouts.

All sport coaches would like big, strong athletes and most combative athletes want to be big and strong. However, most athletes and coaches run into a problem when training for both size and strength at the same time. The longer an athlete trains; usually they begin to hit a plateau with their current routine. They increase the volume (an increase in sets) or they increase the intensity (percentage of 1 repetition maximum, not perceived muscular discomfort), however they do not do both. Volume training is great for increasing muscle mass, and increasing strength-endurance, however it is not an effective method for stimulating neural (strength) gains.

Muscle mass is generally stimulated by neural gains. The higher the athlete’s maximal strength levels, the higher the intensity used in repetition exercises can be used. Another problem coaches and athletes run into with neural training is the rest intervals must be higher in intensity training for recovery of the neural system (CNS).

The problem is in the old saying, a trainee can train hard (intensity) or train long (volume) but cannot do both. Some coaches, such as T-Nation’s Chad Waterbury have proposed using a low(er) intensity 75-85% bracket and increasing the volume to accommodate this intensity bracket and a decrease in the rest intervals (i.e. 10 sets of 3 with a 6 repetition maximum, with 60 seconds rest intervals). While this is an excellent method and I am not putting it down, I feel there is a better way to work in a higher intensity bracket (80% to 100%) and utilize sufficient volume to increase both size AND strength!

Generally, novice athletes and trainees can make fantastic gains within the 60-70% intensity bracket, usually working their way to 80%. This 80% threshold rule is that strength generally is stimulated above this percentage and this usually calls for a decrease in sets and an increase in rest intervals. So our method will be working above this 80% threshold in every scenario.

Enter Cluster Training

Cluster training is not a new concept; in fact most Olympic weightlifters use this method without knowing it! Some very well know authors have done much to bring this powerful method to light such as Charles Poliquin, Christian Thibaudeau, and Mike Mahler to name a few. Olympic weightlifters must drop the weight to the ground after each repetition; this is followed by a short pause, and another repetition. Most Olympic weightlifters outside of the super-heavy weight division sport tremendously muscular, athletic physiques to go along with their incredible strength!

Cluster training allows the athlete or trainee to utilize intensity above the 80% threshold rule (generally even higher 85-100%), with sufficient volume to increase both strength and size (i.e. more reps at a higher intensity). However, this method is highly demanding on the central nervous system and is not recommended for beginners or high school freshmen and sophomores. While this is a powerful method, it should only be applied to ONE lift per movement group (horizontal push/pull, vertical push/pull, etc.) or ONE exercise per body part. Another caveat is that this method necessitates excellent spotters. If you do not have at least one good spotter, do not do this method. This is not a method that will be kind to an athlete if their spotter(s) decide to take a nap! Cluster training must also be broken into, not jumped into. I show will a progressive model to breaking into cluster training and moving into more advanced methods. Coach Thibaudeau breaks them into levels, level 1 consisting of three methods, level 2 consisting of three methods and level 3 consisting of two methods. For athletic purposes I will only be covering levels 1 and 2, level 3 will come at a later time.

Level 1

The first progression in cluster training is the extended 5s method, coined by Coach Thibaudeau. The goal of the extended 5s method is for the athlete to do 10 repetitions with a weight they can only do for 5 repetitions. Obviously this is an outstanding growth stimulus, as there is an increase in both intensity and volume (85% x 10 repetitions). An extended 5s set would go like this…

The athlete takes their 5 repetitions maximum (RM) and does 5 reps and then racks the bar. Resting approx 7-12 seconds (counted out loud by a training partner or spotter), the athlete then un-racks the bar and does another 2-3 repetitions. Upon racking the bar again, another rest of 7-12 seconds is taken, and a final 2-3 repetitions are performed. The goal of the set is to get 10 repetitions total. Generally an athlete will need two to three pauses to accomplish this. The athlete rests 3-5 minutes and repeats 3-5 times. This is an excellent introductory method to cluster training! Here is a summary…

Extended 5s Method

· Load- 80-85% of 1 RM or 5 RM (repetition maximum)

· Reps- 5 Reps with 5 RM, 7-12 pause, 2-3 Reps, 7-12 pause, 2-3 Reps

· Sets- 3-5

· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes

· Target Goal- 10 Repetitions with a 5 RM

The next progression in cluster training is the classic cluster method. Charles Poliquin wrote about this method in his text Modern Trends in Strength Training (2001) and Mike Mahler has written articles on this method calling it Rest-Pause Training. Regardless of the name, it is a powerful and effective method. This method is best used for increases in relative and maximal strength and hypertrophy of the type II-B muscle fibers (the ones with the most potential for force and power output). This method uses a higher intensity bracket than the extended 5s method, usually 87-92% of 1 RM and attempts to hit 5 intermitted repetitions with that load. A classic cluster set would go like this…

The athlete would take their 3-4 repetitions maximum and performs 1 rep, racks the bar, 7-12 seconds pause, 1 rep, 7-12 second pause in the rack, 1 rep, 7-12 seconds pause, 1 rep, 7-12 seconds pause, and a final 1 rep, and a 3-5 minute rest. Usually 3-5 sets are employed. Here is a summary…

Classic Cluster Method

· Load- 85-92% of 1 RM

· Reps- 5 Total Reps, intermitted, 1, pause, 1, pause, 1, pause, etc.

· Sets- 3-5

· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes

· Target Goal- 5 Repetitions with a 3-4 RM

The last progression in level 1 is the antagonist cluster method. This is basically a variation of the classic cluster method, with the exception being that the athlete alternates between to opposing exercises with minimal rest (the pause is taken by the opposing exercise being performed). Reps and sets still apply, however the execution of a set is a little different…

The athlete would take their 3-4 repetitions maximum and performs 1 rep of bench press, racks the bar, proceeds to do 1 rep of bent over barbell rows, 1 rep on the bench press, 1 rep of the row, 1 rep bench press, 1 rep of the row, 1 rep on the bench, 1 rep on the row, and a final 1 rep on the bench, and 1 final rep of the row and a 3-5 minute rest. Usually 3-5 sets are employed. Here is a summary…

Antagonist Cluster Method

· Load- 85-92% of 1 RM

· Reps- 5 Total Reps each antagonist exercise, 1 Rep Exercise 1, 1 Rep Exercise 2, etc.

· Sets- 3-5

· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes

· Target Goal- 5 Repetitions with a 3-4 RM on two opposing exercises

· For those who need to know antagonists, examples would be horizontal push and horizontal pull (bench and row), vertical push and vertical pull (shoulder press and chin up), quad dominant and hip dominant (squat and good morning), arms (curl and triceps extensions).

Level 2

It goes without saying that a foundation of cluster training should have been built in the previous level prior to taking on the more advanced methods here!

The first progression of the second level is named after the late Mike Mentzer, a highly successful bodybuilder. I first learned the Mentzer cluster method through Coach Thibaudeau’s excellent DVD on cluster training, and I continued to research it by reading Weight Training the Mike Mentzer Way. This is a very powerful method and should not be taken lightly. The goal of this method is to perform 4 to 5 total reps at 100-80% intensity. First the athlete will perform 2-3 singles in classic cluster fashion at 90-100% intensity and drop the weight approx 10% and perform another 1-2 repetitions with that weight in classic cluster fashion. For example…

The athlete takes 98% of their 1 RM and does 1 rep, racks the bar, 7-12 seconds pause, another 1 rep, 7-12 seconds pause, another 1 rep, 7-12 seconds pause, the spotter reduces the weight (in 7-12 seconds) and the athlete performs 1 more rep with this weight. Here is a summary…

Mentzer Cluster Method

· Load- 90-98% of 1 RM

· Reps- 4-5 Total Reps, intermitted, 1, pause, 1, pause, 1, pause, reduce weight 10%, 1 Rep

· Sets- 3-5

· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes

· Target Goal- 4-5 Repetitions with a 1-3 RM

The second progression is called the drop set cluster. This is a blend of the classic cluster method and the Mentzer cluster method. Most trainees know what a drop set is, a descending scheme of dropping weight after performing some repetitions. The drop set cluster still uses high intensity (90-100%) and drops the weight 5-10 lbs per drop on single repetitions. Again 5 reps are the target goal. An example being…

The athlete does 1 rep with 98-100% intensity, racks the bar, and the training partner or spotters remove 5-10 lbs from the bar during the 7-12 seconds pause, the athlete does another single, Racks the bar, the spotters proceed to strip 5-10 lbs, athlete performs another single, racks the bar and more weight is stripped, athlete does another rep, racks and spotters reduce weight further, and athlete completes last rep. The drop set cluster allows a higher level of muscular tension, due to the repetition’s slow speed and the rep is being performed at 100% maximal momentary strength (i.e. all muscle fibers are being recruited to lift the load) (Poliquin, Modern Trends in Strength Training, 18-19). A summary can be found here…

Drop Set Cluster Method

· Load- 90-100% of 1 RM

· Reps- 5 Total Reps, intermitted, 1, pause lower weight 5-10 lbs, 1, pause lower weight 5-10 lbs, 1, pause lower weight 5-10 lbs, 1 Rep, pause lower weight 5-10 lbs, 1 Rep, pause lower weight.

· Sets- 3-5

· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes

· Target Goal- 5 Repetitions with a 1-3 RM

The final progression in level 2 is called the accentuated eccentric cluster method. Caution: this method will require a competent spotter! As you might know, I do like to accentuate the eccentric portion of an exercise (see Eccentric Training for Athletes article). This method combines the classic cluster method with an accentuated eccentric portion of the lift. Again, the set and rep scheme stays close to the classic cluster method, however during the eccentric or lowering portion of the exercise, the training partner will push down on the bar and release at the mid point. This requires a very skilled spotter! They should only apply enough resistance to have the athlete still lower the bar under control! If the bar is dropping like a bag of bricks, it is not helping the athlete it is hurting them! Here is an example…

The athlete would take their 3-4 repetitions maximum and performs 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, racks the bar, 7-12 seconds pause, 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, 7-12 second pause in the rack, 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, 7-12 seconds pause, 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, 7-12 seconds pause, and a final 1 rep with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, and a 3-5 minute rest. Usually 3-5 sets are employed. Here is a summary…

Classic Cluster Method

· Load- 85-92% of 1 RM

· Reps- 5 Total Reps, intermitted, 1 with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, pause, 1 with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, pause, 1 with the training partner applying pressure to the bar in the lowering portion, pause, etc.

· Sets- 3-5

· Rest Intervals- 3-5 Minutes

· Target Goal- 5 Repetitions with a 3-4 RM

Advantages for the Athlete

In his Modern Trends in Strength Training (2001) text Charles Poliquin points out the advantages of using cluster training for athletes, this is what he wrote…

· A higher total number of repetitions with a higher mean intensity in the same amount of time as classic strength or neural based training

· Increased total training time under tension for the high-threshold fast-twitch fibers; a prerequisite for reaching hypertrophy of these selected fibers. This may seem contradictory to the concept of relative strength, but hypertrophy can be beneficial if it is done in the right motor units.

· Higher force/lower velocities repetitions-a prerequisite for inducing maximal strength gains.

Putting it together

Cluster training is without a doubt a growth and strength stimulus. But how do you incorporate it into a plan? Clusters should not be used for more than 3-4 weeks, or else the method will become stale and your body will have adapted to the method anyway. So the method must be integrated into a yearly plan or at least a periodized cycle.

If an athlete or coach utilizes a conjugate method approach, cluster training would fall into the plan as a Maximal Effort Method, due to its use of high loads. So one would essentially use it like this…

Max Effort Day

ME- Classic Cluster Method

Assistance work done using classic hypertrophy methods (2-4 x 8-12)

If the athlete or coach decides to utilize linear periodization, cluster training would fall within the Strength Phase bracket and each movement would be given the cluster training method.

Strength Phase

Day 1- Horizontal Push/Pull

Bench Press- Classic Cluster Method

Bent Over Barbell Row- Classic Cluster Method

If the athlete or coach is utilizing undulating periodization (i.e. rotating between various strength methods by weeks with a training cycle) cluster training could be used for maximal strength work.

Strength Weeks

Week 1 and 5

Day 1- Horizontal Push/Pull

Day 2- Hips Dominant/Quad Dominant

Day 3- Vertical Push/Pull

1 Exercise per Movement Group-

Classic Cluster Method

Cluster training is very versatile, and athletes can benefit from this method by increasing both strength and size. However, like any other training tool, this one should only be used in moderation due to the intense fatiguing effect it has on the Central Nervous System. Also this method requires competent spotters, a luxury some do not have.

Cluster training done properly can help to jump start new growth or new strength adaptations in athletes. It can also increase all ready existing levels of size and strength. Any athlete (with the proper foundation) can benefit from this style of training! Good luck implementing this method in your and your athlete’s training!

Sources & Further Study

1. Poliquin, Charles Modern Trends in Strength Training (Self Published) 2001.

2. Thibaudeau, Christian (2005) Cluster Training [DVD].