Advanced strength training workouts

If you’re no stranger to the gym and are looking to up the ante a bit then you might want to consider incorporating some advanced strength training workouts into your exercise regime. When you started with a strength training programme you probably noticed a rapid increase in strength and muscle mass during the first six months.

Over the next six months, however, you may have felt that you’d reached a plateau as your body got used to your regime. So what can you do to improve the results that you’re now seeing? Read these tips by UK Superior papers to find out how to improve your strength training workouts. UK Superior papers offer help with term papers and provide essay writing tips.

Assess your strengths and weaknesses

It a good idea to review your current fitness levels before embarking on an advanced workout. Are there any muscle groups or areas where you feel you are weaker? If so, use the prioritisation technique to help build up muscle groups that are lagging behind. When designing your exercise programme prioritise these lagging muscle groups by exercising them at the beginning of your workout as they will get the benefit of your full energy and focus. You may also want to increase training for these muscle groups to twice weekly rather than just once.

Change how you do sets

To continue to see improvements you will need to increase the intensity of your workout. One way of doing this is to change the way that you do repetitions. Common techniques to do this are giant sets and super sets. With a giant set you take three or more different exercises and then carry out 10 repetitions of each exercise, three times in a row without pause. Rest for 30   60 seconds and then repeat with three or more different exercises. If you were looking to work your leg muscles you could, for example, include hack squats, lunges and leg curls in your first giant set and barbell squats, leg extensions and leg presses in your second.

If this seems too greater increase in intensity then you may want to consider super sets. These are similar to giant sets, however, you limit yourself to two different exercises that use the same muscles groups. A super set work out, for example, might include 10 repetitions of cable crossover followed immediately by 10 bench presses. Rest for 60 seconds and then repeat.

Use the 5×5 training technique

This technique increases power and strength by focusing on three primary exercises such as dead lifts, squats and bench presses. You will need to workout three days a week, taking a different one of these primary exercises each time. After warming up, complete five sets of five repetitions with a two to five minute rest between sets. Do this in weeks one to four. On the fifth week, decrease the weight you are using and complete three sets, each of eight to 12 repetitions. During the following four weeks increase the weight you are using and complete three sets of three repetitions. In addition to carrying out these primary exercises also do some assistance exercises using a moderate weight.

Use the 666 method

This technique seeks to increase the intensity of your workout by using heavy weights and short rest periods in between sets. You should select a weight that is 80% of the maximum load you are able to use for six repetitions. Carry out six sets of six repetitions every minute, on the minute. Repeat this for each exercise in your workout.