Light and Heavy Days..?

[ngm21084]

Hey bros Iv'e been reading alot and I noticed alot of guys do lets say their back workout heavy today then 10% lighter the next time then repeat...at least thats what it seems most are saying...how many of you here do that and WHY...just wondering if I'm doing somehting wrong...but I always go as heavy as possible and have been hitting it this way for about 2 months now...thanks bros

[wes]

You can`t,and shouldn`t go as heavy as possible all the time.

Periodization is key.......I go heavy one day, then next workout I may go a bit lighter,but rest less between sets to create more intensity to compensate for the slightly lighter weights I`m using.

If I feel extra good on any particular day,I go all out regardlesss of how heavy I went the previous training session.

Best bet is to listen to your body and adjust poundages accordingly.

I see guys in gyms maxing out on benches twice a week in the mistaken beleif that this will increase their medicre bench press poundage..........not true at all,most times this method leaves them overtrained and their bench numbers actually go down a bit.

Cycling between heavy and light days is best,but like I said,if you feel great on any day,by all means push the envelope and train heavy.

Also,heavy is a relative term......heavy for 3 reps, and heavy for 10 reps is still heavy..............get my point?

[ngm21084]

yea i get ya but what im saying im not maxing out ever but i use the heaviest wieght on each set possible...i work out one section every 8 days....i dont feel tired or overtrained and the days i feel good i put an extra 10-20 for the set that im on and eventually that becomes the normal wieght for that set...but your recommending to change it to every other...interesting.....

[wes]

I don`t always change it up but it is a good way to do it.

Go according to how your body feels strengthwise on any particular day.........every few weeks,go a bit lighter to rest the joints,tendons,and ligaments.

Train lighter,but with less rest.

I just used the bench max analogy to illustrate a point.....I think maxing is good once in a great while........sets of 3-5 reps is better.

[ngm21084]

i might just try it like you suggested like every other week or so...im always up for new ideas and new routines...we will see..thanks for the tip, do alot of people do this and im just the wierd one that doesnt??

[wes]

I`m sure a lot of people do it,but they`ll learn over time!!

Good luck bro!

[Emmortal]

I always go lighter on the second work out.  I always hit 4 body parts twice a week rotating the other 2 major parts in every other week.  I usually go heavy at the beginning of the week then light later on in the week.  My rotation allows for plenty of rest between the first and second workouts.

[A2daMIR]

Hey bros Iv'e been reading alot and I noticed alot of guys do lets say their back workout heavy today then 10% lighter the next time then repeat...at least thats what it seems most are saying...how many of you here do that and WHY...just wondering if I'm doing somehting wrong...but I always go as heavy as possible and have been hitting it this way for about 2 months now...thanks bros

Its all about INTENSITY... The only way to grow and keep making gains is through intense workout in my opinion.heavy lifting is intense, but its snoty the only way to have  an intense workout. Methods such as drop sets, forced reps, supersets etc. are all different methods for making a workout more intense..

so bacially pick you own method, if you want to go lighter the next workout, dont sacrifice the intensity, i mean if on your normal heavy days you rest 90 secs between sets, next time when your going liughter dont wait 90sec, wait 55-60 secs depending how light your going and how much you were orignally resting..

at all about intensity...

[ngm21084]

i get what your saying A2 but do you think that changing up the type of intensity is going to make one bigger or stronger faster??thats the real question and if so you could say because of muscle shock??

[pjs]

hey bro

most people here don't have any idea what they are talking a bout, they are just parroting wut thay red in a muscle magasine with pikturs in it.

k bro thx.



'Heavy' and 'light' days are one of the basic ways to introduce periodization to your training.  The vast majority of people don't have anything else much right about programming their training, and they get this wrong, too.

If you want to understand programming, buy 'Practical Programming' by Mark Rippetoe.  It's well written for the layman.

[John O]

I don't have light days, but I only train each body part once a week.

[ngm21084]

yea john i do the same type of program....i part every 7 days except legs gets hit twice in 7...

[Devon97]

You shouldnt have "Light" days.
You should have HEAVY and FAST days.

[ngm21084]

devon explain a little more...faster with same amount of wieght or what?

[Devon97]

devon explain a little more...faster with same amount of wieght or what?

Good question...

Strength training can be accomplished in three ways:
1.   lifting a maximal load, a.k.a, the maximal-effort method
2.   lifting a sub-maximal load to failure or near failure, a.k.a, the repeated-effort method
3.   lifting (or throwing) a sub-maximal load with the highest possible speed, a.k.a, the dynamic-effort method

No where would the weight be considered "light"... granted a R.E. and D.E. day will have a lighter load then a M.E. day.

However you should try to move the weight as fast as possible no matter what the chosen workout is.

[ngm21084]

so you would agree that one should cycle for lack a better term programs?  and if so why...does it do anything better for you then not doing it???

[wes]

Periodization in Bodybuilding:

Periodization is a word that is commonly thrown around in powerlifting and bodybuilding circles to describe training that varies. More specifically, periodization can be defined as the frequent variation of techniques, weights, exercises, speed, and reps & sets in order to facilitate new muscle growth. The belief system behind periodization is that the human body adapts very quickly to a particular routine, and once the body adapts, it is no longer forced to grow in order to possess the muscle required to meet the workload. By continuously changing routines, bodybuilders and powerlifters hope to keep 'shocking' the muscle into growing. It has three sequential stages the trainer will encounter when using this technique.

Shock If a bodybuilder has been using a 5 on, 1 off body part split routine for five years, he is pretty set in his ways. If one day he decides to engage in a 2 on, 1 off routine in which half the body is trained one day, and the other half is rained the next (a standard push/pull split), he is going to surprise his body. By day 4 of the routine, the chest, triceps, and quads might be faced with a second workout in 4 days, and they will be forced to grow. Any new configuration of rep/set, body part, or weight numbers constitutes variation.

Acclimation This is the stage in which the muscles of the body realize there is a new type of stress, and grows to meet the challenge. Torn muscle fibers grown back stronger. The increasing weight being moved is your verification that the shock training is working, the muscles have adapted, and your body is growing.

The Wall This is the stage where the body needs a break. Exhaustion sets in as the muscle groups reach a level where they are no longer able to adapt to increased workloads. At this time, the athlete should analyze the routine he tried for a period of time, make lots of notes and observations, and move on to another routine.

Periodization can be very simple, or incredibly complex. Trainers can just mix up body part splits and set/rep schemes, on the simple end. On the more complex end, they can choose to record all data, calculate percentage increases of 1RM after each program, and mathematically determine the exact effect of a new routine in terms of numbers. Whatever your measure of detail, periodization can be a good tool to use to keep things fresh, and keep your muscles growing.
Dane Fletcher is the world's most prolific bodybuilding and fitness expert and is currently the executive editor for BodybuildingToday.com. If you are looking for more bodybuilding tips or information on weight training, or supplementation, please visit www.BodybuildingToday.co m, the bodybuilding and fitness authority site with hundreds of articles available FREE to help you meet your goals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dane_C._Fletcher

More articles on periodization:

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=periodization+in+bodybuilding+training&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[Devon97]

so you would agree that one should cycle for lack a better term programs?  and if so why...does it do anything better for you then not doing it???

Im not sure what you mean by "cycle" but when you follow the Russian Conjugate Method you train multiple strength quailites simutaniously.

There is no need to having training "blocs"  "cycles" or "Phases" .

This should get you started:
http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/archive/articles_westside.htm

[Devon97]

Periodization in Bodybuilding:

Periodization is a word that is commonly thrown around in powerlifting and bodybuilding circles to describe training that varies. More specifically, periodization can be defined as the frequent variation of techniques, weights, exercises, speed, and reps & sets in order to facilitate new muscle growth. The belief system behind periodization is that the human body adapts very quickly to a particular routine, and once the body adapts, it is no longer forced to grow in order to possess the muscle required to meet the workload. By continuously changing routines, bodybuilders and powerlifters hope to keep 'shocking' the muscle into growing. It has three sequential stages the trainer will encounter when using this technique.

Shock If a bodybuilder has been using a 5 on, 1 off body part split routine for five years, he is pretty set in his ways. If one day he decides to engage in a 2 on, 1 off routine in which half the body is trained one day, and the other half is rained the next (a standard push/pull split), he is going to surprise his body. By day 4 of the routine, the chest, triceps, and quads might be faced with a second workout in 4 days, and they will be forced to grow. Any new configuration of rep/set, body part, or weight numbers constitutes variation.

Acclimation This is the stage in which the muscles of the body realize there is a new type of stress, and grows to meet the challenge. Torn muscle fibers grown back stronger. The increasing weight being moved is your verification that the shock training is working, the muscles have adapted, and your body is growing.

The Wall This is the stage where the body needs a break. Exhaustion sets in as the muscle groups reach a level where they are no longer able to adapt to increased workloads. At this time, the athlete should analyze the routine he tried for a period of time, make lots of notes and observations, and move on to another routine.

Periodization can be very simple, or incredibly complex. Trainers can just mix up body part splits and set/rep schemes, on the simple end. On the more complex end, they can choose to record all data, calculate percentage increases of 1RM after each program, and mathematically determine the exact effect of a new routine in terms of numbers. Whatever your measure of detail, periodization can be a good tool to use to keep things fresh, and keep your muscles growing.
Dane Fletcher is the world's most prolific bodybuilding and fitness expert and is currently the executive editor for BodybuildingToday.com. If you are looking for more bodybuilding tips or information on weight training, or supplementation, please visit www.BodybuildingToday.co m, the bodybuilding and fitness authority site with hundreds of articles available FREE to help you meet your goals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dane_C._Fletcher

More articles on periodization:

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=periodization+in+bodybuilding+training&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

I would avoid Linear/Western Periodization but Undulating or Conjugate is far superior.

[ngm21084]

hey bros thanks for the bountiful amount of info this shit is great...im not quite sure what type of changes i am going to make to my program but i will and i cant wait to start something new...

[wes]

Just wanted to give him some articles to read so he gets a better understanding of periodization.

Personally,I go by how I feel on any given day,and on how heavy or light I went on any particular bodypart at the last workout.

[wes]

No problem dude......if you need help,just post any problems you`re having.

Someone here will know what to do.

[ngm21084]

that info is great and i really enjoy reading about things that can benefit my workouts....what do you think about the 5x5 methods??...have you used it and liked it or not??

[Fulgorre]

also take hormones!  it will help more than heavy light.

  doh! sorry 

[John O]

that info is great and i really enjoy reading about things that can benefit my workouts....what do you think about the 5x5 methods??...have you used it and liked it or not??

I have done the 5 sets of 5 reps. It's great but taxing!! do them sparingly