Here’s 3 Tough Intensity Techniques!
Here’s 3 Tough Intensity Techniques – Myo-Sets, Cluster Sets, & Rest-Pause! Many lifters may think of extended set techniques when they think about intensity. These intensity techniques are designed to help you push past failure. Now, I know that not everyone trains to failure, let alone past it, it’s not currently very popular. However, the beauty of these techniques is that you can apply them to your workouts without pushing intensity too far. Or, you can use them to push past failure – it’s up to you. In this article, I’ll look at the differences between each of these intensity techniques, give you routine examples, and more!
Myo Sets
This intensity technique is also called myo reps. It originated back in the early 2000’s, making it a fairly new set approach. You might wonder where the name came from. It actually comes from the Greek word for “muscle” and was named by peak performance coach Borge Fagerli.
The concept behind myo sets is to exhaust your muscle fibers gradually, thereby allowing for extended muscle fiber activation and stimulation. To use this technique, you perform (after warmups of course) a heavy initial set taken close to failure. Then take a short 10-15 second rest, followed by performing several of these “myo sets” with short 10-15 second rest intervals in between. This helps you extend time under tension and, as noted, maximize muscle fiber recruitment. So, in other words, you’re doing several sets with very short rest breaks in between.
Here’s An Example:
- After warmups, perform 8-12 reps about 2 reps shy of failure for your first working set.
- Take a 10-15 second rest break.
- Using the same weight, perform 3-5 reps, again close to failure.
- Rest another 10-15 seconds.
- Continue in this manner until you reach failure and can’t continue.
It should go without saying, and applies to all 3 intensity techniques: make sure you are performing full, complete reps done using a 2 second concentric, 4 second eccentric, and 4 second pause in the fully stretched position on your last set. No quarter or half reps!
Cluster Sets
OK, with the cluster set technique, you will take a set and break it down into several mini-sets by adding short in-set rest periods. Sounds pretty similar to myo sets, right? In this case, you do not go to failure on each “mini set”. Instead, you’re working with a challenging weight, and basically making the set achievable by resting in between a predetermined number of reps. For me, while this is intense, it’s not quite as intense as myo sets.
Here’s An Example:
- Let’s say your rep goal is 12 reps.
- Perform 5-6 reps.
- Take a 15 second rest break.
- Using the same weight, perform another 3-4 reps.
- Take another 15 second rest.
- Perform your final 2-4 reps.
You can easily make this more intense by using a weight that barely lets you hit your rep goal for each cluster set. Ot, you could go farther by failing on each mini set.
Rest-Pause
This is a classic extended-set technique that’s been around since the 1940’s, and for me, it’s one of the best intensity techniques. There are actually several variations of rest-pause.
Here’s A Classic Example
- After warmups, begin with a weight that lets you fail around 6-8 reps.
- When you reach failure, rack the weight and take a 5-10 second “rest-pause”.
- Then unrack the weight and knock out as many reps as you can until you hit failure.
- Take another 5-10 second rest-pause.
- Unrack your weight and again knock out as many reps as you can until failure.
- At this point you’re done and that is counted as one set.
As mentioned, there’s several versions of rest-pause. This next version was apparently observed by Joe Weider way back in the 1940’s, and of course he added it to his “Weider Principles”.
- Begin with a challenging weight and perform 2-3 reps
- Rest for 30-40 seconds.
- Knock out 2-3 more reps
- Then rest another 30-40 seconds.
- Do 2-3 more reps.
- Do this for a total of 3-4 rest pauses.
While this version does not mention taking each set to failure, you certainly can if you want to.
The Connection Between These 3 Techniques
The connection among each of these is that the short rest periods allow time for ATP to be re-synthesized. This in turn allows you to do more reps than usual. It’s clear that myo sets and cluster sets are pretty close to the rest-pause versions presented above (there are quite a few versions). In fact, rest-pause may have been the inspiration for the other techniques. The differences among them are minor, and in each case it mostly comes down to whether or not you’re going to failure.
These are techniques that extend time under tension, increase intensity, and shorten workout length. If done in a progressive manner, they are also a form of progressive overload. Using techniques like this moves you away from forever trying to add more weight. This concept works well for those lifters that have been at it for a long time and have pretty much reached their strength ceiling. It’s also a good approach for those older lifters that may have sore joints from all the heavy lifting. (1)
How To Work Them Into Your Routine
OK, any of these techniques can be used by all but the brand new lifter. Why? I suggest that new lifters be concerned with exercise form and increasing strength by sticking with a basic routine. Once you’ve spent 6-12 months training, feel free to adapt some of these techniques to your workouts. I suggest warming up and going right into whichever technique you want to use. A good approach is to rotate them so you’re doing a different one either every week or even every workout. Plus, you can use them on both compound and isolation exercises. To be honest, there’s no wrong way to do it.
If done correctly, rest-pause sets, myo sets, or cluster sets mean you shouldn’t have to do a lot of volume, it’s condensed into the techniques. That makes them ideal for any lifter with limited training time. Finally, these techniques are, as mentioned, perfect for the older lifter who’s reached their strength ceiling. Not to mention, it’s easier on your joints.
Don’t Forget Your Nutrition & Supplements!
As always, I advise you consume approximately 50% of the day’s carbs, and that should include all of your simple, sugary carbs, in the hours around your workout. In addition, I suggest consuming at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, and that should be evenly divided into several meals throughout your day.
Supplement Suggestions
The first supplement I suggest is a high-quality protein powder. It’s a cornerstone product, as are all of these suggestions. The powder I almost always recommend is Hi-Tech Precision Protein. This is a whey protein powder that is different from every other protein powder out there. Why, you might ask? Simple. It’s designed to release the anabolic amino acid leucine in the initial stages of protein synthesis, which is a direct trigger of muscle growth.
I also advise using a premium pre-workout, such as Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode. This exceptional pre-workout took the supplement market by storm by coming in with an ultra high citrulline dose, and also by offering exceptional dosing across the board. It literally forced every other manufacturer to increase the dosing of their pre-workouts! The entire formula is well-balanced and effectively dosed.
Next, I suggest adding creatine monohydrate to your arsenal of supplements. This is the original type of creatine that has been tested and proven time and time again. The brand I suggest is AllMax Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate.
Finally, I suggest a good multivitamin/mineral supplement, such as AllMax Nutrition Vitastack, undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive multi’s on the market.
Summary
Ok, so there you have it – 3 great intensity techniques that help keep the intensity ramped up high! Along with how to perform these techniques, we’ve seen how to work them into your routine, and I have provided nutritional guidelines and supplement suggestions. Are you done shopping at illpumpyouup.com? Great – then let’s train!