Mike: I’m Mike Matthews, and that is Muscle for Life. Thanks for becoming a member of me immediately for a brand new episode on the artwork and science of optimizing your train choice based mostly in your circumstances, based mostly in your targets. As a result of if you wish to get into nice form, if you wish to acquire, let’s say, many of the muscle and power that’s genetically out there to you, it’s a must to do a bit extra than simply carry heavy issues and you actually start to appreciate that and expertise it firsthand if you find yourself properly into your intermediate part, possibly transitioning into your superior part in your health journey.
So after you’ve a very good, let’s say two, three. 4 years of weightlifting underneath your belt. If you wish to hold making progress with out getting damage, it’s a must to begin taking note of some subtler points of coaching. I assume you would say that weren’t essential in your newbie part, and even at first of your intermediate part, the primary one to possibly three years, you didn’t actually have to concentrate to those issues.
You possibly can simply take note of the larger issues and make nice progress that approach. However ultimately, these subtler points of coaching change into cumulatively. Extra essential, far more essential. And two of these issues are train choice and train execution. What workouts are you doing and why? And the way are you doing them and why?
And people two matters are the main focus of immediately’s episode. And in immediately’s episode, you’ll be listening to principally from my visitor, Cassem Hanssen, who’s an educator and researcher, primarily identified for his work with biomechanics. He has produced numerous instructional materials on biomechanics and the way we are able to use biomechanics to optimize our coaching.
And properly, in immediately’s episode, he’s in his wheelhouse as a result of that’s what we’re gonna be speaking about. Now. Cassim can be the founding father of N one, which is an academic useful resource and training service that focuses on fully individualized coaching packages and vitamin. So if you happen to like immediately’s dialogue with Cassim, you’ll in all probability additionally like what he’s doing over at N one.
Hey Cassim. Thanks for approaching my podcast.
Kassem: Hey Mike, glad to be right here. Lengthy-term fan of the podcast. So I knew this one was gonna be on the listing ultimately.
Mike: Thanks. Thanks. Nicely, uh, I’m glad we’re right here to speak about train choice,
train modification. I assume in some instances, a subject that, , we’re simply speaking offline just isn’t essential and these, that is my opinion.
And if you happen to disagree, I’d love to listen to why. However that is one thing that I, I’d assume just isn’t essential to people who find themselves model new. So if you happen to’re new to power coaching, properly, I assume you will need to choose appropriate workouts. Let’s simply say if you happen to’re in your first yr of power coaching, It’s very arduous to mess it up.
In the event you simply have a midway intelligently designed program that simply takes you thru some primary actions, primary workouts, you get sturdy on them. That’s form of your first yr. That’s in all probability gonna produce kind of all the muscle and power you could acquire in that first yr. However then as you progress into your second yr and past, it will get a lot more durable to proceed gaining muscle and power.
That’s the place one thing like. What we’re gonna discuss immediately, I feel can change into worthwhile. It may be, it may be a productive approach to make use of your time, even if you happen to’re, you’re the person going, okay, so how do I make my second yr maximally productive? How do I make my third, fourth, fifth yr till ultimately I simply can’t actually acquire a lot muscle and power anymore?
There’s a level, I feel, the place it is sensible to study a bit extra in regards to the many alternative workouts that you are able to do to coach your main muscle teams and perceive variations, perceive benefits, disadvantages, perceive sure modifications to make workouts more practical. And a few folks would possibly say, properly, you would level to any particular person determination alongside these traces and say, properly, it’s probably not gonna matter whether or not you do the barbell curl otherwise you do the cable drag curl.
Uh, so long as you’ll be able to proceed getting stronger. And then you definitely go, properly, right here’s a bonus of possibly this cable drag curl in a sure situation, and you’ll in all probability do some bit higher and go, properly, yeah, who cares? Okay, however. In the event you make sufficient of these enhancements although cumulatively, it could possibly add as much as one thing significant.
In order that’s why I assumed this might be a, a helpful dialogue, not simply attention-grabbing, however one thing that individuals can study. They will ideally come away from it with some concepts about how they’re going to switch. They’re programming to attempt some new workouts or attempt doing workouts in numerous ways in which they’ve all the time finished a technique, as a result of that’s form of the usual technique to do it.
Kassem: Yeah. One of many methods I wish to put the nuances of these items is not one of the stuff issues till it does. And , I feel that’ll fluctuate relying, , on everyone’s journey. Like on the subject of the train choice, , if you happen to’re simply beginning off, typically this stuff are gonna be extra like troubleshooting issues like, Hey, I don’t have this piece of apparatus.
What’s one thing related? Or, this train both doesn’t match me properly, or I’ve, , orthopedic concern once I carry out it, or one thing like that. Cool. These are options for there, however by way of like, , hypertrophy, yeah, it’s gonna scale with every thing else that you simply do. The more durable you prepare, the extra that you simply prepare, the longer you’ve been coaching, I feel.
If you take a look at this stuff is these items change into extra worthwhile as you convey up the opposite variables, they’ve that compounding impact, proper? However if you happen to’re, , you’re simply hitting the gymnasium twice every week, you’re not doing numerous quantity, properly then, like this stuff aren’t gonna transfer the needle.
You’re not gonna be capable to choose an train that will get you twice as a lot out of the identical quantity, so to talk. However if you happen to’re doing numerous quantity, otherwise you’re coaching actually arduous, That’s the place this stuff will help, , not simply from the her phy perspective, however they will kinda actually offer you much more choices together with your coaching frequency and your quantity.
As a result of you can begin being extra particular and like giving your self like, Hey, usually once I skilled legs, it’d take me so many days earlier than I might do a sure motion. However now if I’m somewhat bit extra particular with my actions, now unexpectedly now I can hit legs Monday and Thursday as a result of I’m selecting actions which can be just a bit bit extra particular and divergent.
So the restoration, , between these two periods, there’s so many ways in which stuff can be utilized for aside from identical to, Hey, what is healthier for hypertrophy? And I feel it’s simply essential that individuals look by that lens of numerous occasions getting higher. Hypertrophy is utilizing these instruments, not simply because, oh, in isolation, simply these two is nice, but in addition what.
What do these instruments enable me to get from the opposite points of coaching, whether or not that be, , how a lot effort and proximity to failure, or how a lot quantity or how can I construction my stuff by way of my frequency all through the week and stuff like that as properly?
Mike: Yeah, nice factors. So we are able to get proper into it.
Uh, wherever you wish to begin. If you wish to. You, you led with simply an instance there concerning decrease physique. If you wish to bounce proper in there only for people who find themselves questioning. About how which may look. How will you modify your decrease physique coaching to make it higher suited to, let’s say, coaching twice every week, which for folks listening, you’re gonna must do, if you happen to’re an skilled weightlifter, you’ve gained quantity of a good quantity of muscle and power in your decrease physique, and also you’re attempting to achieve no matter’s left.
Simply the sheer quantity of quantity alone, like I, I’d guess you’re gonna must in all probability do not less than 12, and that’s in all probability low, in all probability extra like 15 arduous units in your decrease physique per week. And if we’re speaking about all decrease physique, we’re gonna say quads, hamstrings, glutes, possibly calves. In the event you care, and also you’re not gonna do this multi functional session, you’re gonna have to do this in not less than two periods.
And so the way you program that’s going to matter as a result of it’s not only a matter of doing the amount. You need to additionally progress. You need to obtain progressive overload indirectly. In the end, that ought to in all probability flip into extra weight on the bar or on the dumbbells or on the machines. So how do you get there?
Virtually when it’s a must to do this a lot quantity and now you’re doing two periods per week.
Kassem: So there’s two form of two logics that we are able to go down right here. One is, okay, how do I begin breaking apart the workouts in order that, , possibly I might have, , possibly a quad dominant day and hip dominant day or no matter.
Two, get extra restoration all through the day. However then there’s additionally the inside session, like simply being extra particular with the train choice. ’trigger one of many issues that occurs as we begin to, , get our diversifications to coaching is, is that. The brink of stimulus that we want begins to go up.
And if you happen to’re only a newbie and also you begin doing an train, that train may very well be above that threshold for a complete bunch of synergistic muscle tissues. However as you begin to change into extra superior, what occurs is it’s gonna keep the brink for sure muscle tissues, however different muscle tissues are gonna drop off. Like if you wish to take this to an excessive, when a newbie begins the squat could also be enough sufficient to coach their calves.
That’s how low the brink is at first,
Mike: or presumably, presumably hamstrings. Otherwise you assume that it by no means will get there with hamstrings.
Kassem: I imply, if you happen to wanna take it to the acute of the untrained, then sure, even hamstrings. ’trigger I imply we, within the untrained strolling, Produces hypertrophy. So the brink could be very low, however most individuals listening to this in all probability aren’t rolling away from bed, relaxation into the gymnasium.
So simply principally, if we’re considering like, properly, is the squat gonna be a very good hamstring train? Like Yeah, in all probability not. Except you might be actually simply beginning on the gymnasium and also you don’t have some other like bodily laboring exercise.
Mike: Yeah. Yeah. I ask that as a result of some folks have excessive opinions a technique or one other on that.
Kassem: I feel there’s a pair various things that, , that make folks get misplaced on a few of these matters. And one is most individuals aren’t ever coaching only one train. So it may be arduous for them to be like, Hey, yeah, it looks like, , my hamstrings are rising and I’m doing squats. But it surely’s like, properly, are you solely doing squats?
’trigger they’re in all probability doing leg curls they usually’re in all probability performing some form of hinge and, and no matter. So typically it’s simply, you’re simply conflating, , the general impact of your program and also you occur to have x, y, Z train in there. And the opposite is, is that your, the vertical fibers of your adductor magnus, so that they’re principally those that.
Are the longest on the within of your leg. Loads of textual content, we’ll name that the hamstringing division, but it surely doesn’t cross the knee, but it surely’s proper subsequent to the hamstrings. So if you happen to get sore in that tissue otherwise you really feel that working, it’s gonna really feel quite a bit just like the hamstrings. Um, it really even shares like the identical nerve root because the hamstring, so it’s gonna be an identical feeling, related sensation.
And likewise you’re gonna get soreness. And since it doesn’t cross the knee that’s gonna be extra concerned in your squatting sort motions. It’s principally gonna be concerned, , in every thing that may contain the glutes in a sagittal sort airplane sort movement. Like a, like a squatter, a break up squat. So constructing on that, if we take a look at beginning to separate workouts, if we take the squat is like that is the bottom train that’s form of just like the hit every thing, proper?
So we’ll say it’s just like the least particular that you would, um, you would apply that very same precept to love leg presses and hack squats relying on the way you sit them. However we are able to begin with workouts which can be very balanced, which is nice once we wish to prepare a complete lot of muscle with one train. However as we advance, we begin working into the purpose the place, man, A kind of muscle tissues is gonna be what causes you to really attain failure in that set.
And the opposite muscle tissues are basically gonna have reps within the tank nonetheless, so that you’re not coaching to the identical r i r throughout all of the muscle tissues inside an train. And that separation begins to occur extra as we change into extra superior in coaching. In order that’s the place it’s like, okay, now can I do a squat that’s extra for my quads through the use of a heel elevation, proper?
After which can I do one thing that’s extra hinge like an R D l? And so like between these two workouts, now we’re principally getting all the muscle tissues that we have been in a squat. However I’m ensuring that my quads are actually the limiter and getting all of the stimulus once I do the squat as a result of it’s extra quad dominant and I’m ensuring my hip extensors are getting, are literally inflicting failure with the hinge motion quite than doing a squat.
And possibly, , I’ve some reps in reserve left in my glutes and my adductors as a result of my quads are what really failed first. So I’m turning my quads near failure, however I may need, , 6, 7, 8. 10 reps within the tank, , in my glutes, underneath those self same situations. You may proceed constructing that out and that’s form of what occurs.
And so if we take a look at this on a continuum, the very first thing that you’d do is you’d be like, okay, how do I modify my squat setup? Like probably the most relevant factor I feel there’s utilizing a heel elevation. Which lets you get your knees ahead extra. And when our knees go ahead, that basically signifies that the quantity of labor that the quads must do relative to the hipc sensors is gonna be extra.
And if we take a look at most individuals’s squats, as soon as it begins to get difficult, like later within the set, the tendency is all the time to love kick the butt again, proper? And what that does is actually takes somewhat little bit of load off the quads. So once we use a heel elevation, we’re basically doing the reverse of that.
We’re placing extra load on the quads. And it really makes it more durable to do this cheat ’trigger now as an alternative of, , pushing your butt again somewhat inch, now you actually see your type deviate like, , 4 to 6 inches of translation within the Shara airplane, like pushing your butt again. It’d be very noticeable when you form of begin breaking that approach.
We’re doing two issues there. One is we’re making the quads work more durable, however the different is, is we’re really reducing how a lot work the hip extensors and the lumbar backbone and your whole erectors, all the burden on the posterior chain is being relieved. And that opens up the chance now for us to place.
One other train in,
Mike: yeah, to do an R D L, which can not really feel nice if you happen to have been simply doing a barbell again squat and attempt to observe it up with heavy R dls.
Kassem: Yeah, like one of many cardinal issues is, is like whenever you begin placing right into a program is you gotta watch out of like when, how a lot squatting and deadlifting can you’ve together?
How shut collectively can you’ve these? And if you happen to like, if we glance on the continuum from newbie, like an absolute newbie would possibly be capable to do each of these in the identical exercise, simply positive. You then take the alternative excessive, which be like, , any person that’s like at a good stage of energy lifting, they may must alternate weeks wherein they prepare these.
Train. One week is a squat week, the opposite week is a pull week the place they do their deadlift proper? As a result of there’s a lot crossover fatigue, proper? And so relying on the place you exist on that spectrum of like how lengthy you’ve been coaching and the way a lot you’ve advancing these actions, unexpectedly then it turns into like, okay, properly I’ll not be capable to do a deadlift, however I might do different issues.
Or if I make my squat extra knee dominant, then I can really match. Each workouts in the identical week, and I don’t have as a lot fatigue crossover, which is probably going the trail that you simply’re gonna select in case your purpose is hypertrophy, proper? Like if you happen to’re an influence lifter, you’re, your programming is predicated round these, these lifts.
In case your focus is hypertrophy, you don’t have to remain loyal to any train, proper? Like you’ve the liberty to go wherever you need. In order that signifies that we are able to proceed down that continuum so far as we wish. So if step one is doing a heel elevated squat, properly then the subsequent step is perhaps shifting to a hack squat, proper?
As a result of now we’ve basically eliminated the backbone, the erectors out of the motion fully, proper? We’ve added stability, which tends to extend the quantity of output. So we’re, we’re basically gonna be capable to prepare the muscle to a better diploma of, , we’ll say like, Failure’s normally outlined by whether or not or not you’ll be able to full the rep.
But when we are saying physiological failure, that means identical to how a lot stress we’re capable of impose on the muscle, when we now have extra stability, we’re capable of get to nearer to physiological failure. Like we’re capable of like get somewhat bit extra stimulus. We’re capable of recruit somewhat bit extra motor models as a result of our mind doesn’t must stabilize as many joints, so it’s received fewer muscle tissues and to work with.
So it could possibly principally make the muscle tissues which can be working work more durable. And so including that stability element could be good. After which we are able to nonetheless do, , if in case you have a hack squat the place the platform can enable for like, , somewhat little bit of plantar flexion in order that, , ankle mobility is just isn’t a problem and you’ll nonetheless get like that full deep vary of hamstrings to calves, that’s gonna be good.
And the principle advantage of. Switching to that hack squat, moreover it being steady, is simply that when you’ve one thing behind your butt, basically what that does is often, like on the squat, we talked about how your hips would push again whenever you would wanna cheat. Now, on this occasion, when your quads are pushing, they really create somewhat little bit of friction ahead, like in direction of your toes, proper?
And that pressure is now absorbed by that. Again, relaxation being behind your butt. So what that does, it permits you to principally use as a lot of your quads as you’ll be able to all through the entire rep, the place in a squat it’s a must to stability. So that you’re form of restricted on how a lot you’ll be able to hearth every muscle as a result of it’s a must to go up and stability the place you.
You’ll fall over, proper? So that you’re eradicating that stability element and it’s basically permitting you to make the most of the constraints of the machine to make use of your quads much more. And that is the place we take {that a} step additional and take a look at the pendulum, which is actually designed to amplify that aspect.
’trigger now that again piece, you’re really form of really pushing your butt again up into it. However as an alternative of it being like a squat movement the place you’d be shifting horizontal, you’re form of on this like swing sort movement. So whenever you drive again, you’re actually driving with the quants. So if we take a look at the comparability of these, we’re basically attending to identical to somewhat bit extra quad bias to somewhat bit extra quad bias, somewhat bit extra quad bias.
After which that shift from the hack to the pendulum is actually making it much more quads, much less hips. And for lots of people, in the event that they nonetheless battle somewhat bit with vary of movement in a hack squat, they may discover that within the pendulum. As a result of basically what the pendulum does is it principally pushes your butt in direction of your heels on the backside, which that’s closing the knee joint.
That’s attending to that very stretch place, which , The an increasing number of analysis we see, that appears to be probably the most worthwhile place that you simply wish to be going by way of vary of movement and the place you really need the train to be difficult from a hypertrophy perspective. So the pendulum principally ticks all the packing containers by way of, okay, now we now have stability, we’re getting deep into that vary of movement.
It’s very biased in direction of the quads, and also you’re not gonna be capable to cheat a lot, , together with your glutes and stuff like that to get outta that place as you fatigue. So whenever you, , figuring out what failure is in your quads is gonna be very, very obvious
Mike: and you’ll, you’ll be able to safely go actually as, as, so you’ll be able to go proper as much as failure if, if that is sensible.
However I typically don’t do this. I on on pendulum, I’ll normally. Have yet another rep left. So, however that’s, , it’s fairly near failure. Max can be two reps left and I, and I can do this with out even having to consider it on the pendulum. I can simply take into consideration simply pushing as arduous as I can. That’s all I’ve to consider.
Kassem: That’s really the purpose that I used to be rolling into is these workouts which can be extra particular. It tends to be simpler to gauge that. R i r.
Mike: Yeah. And that only for folks listening, reps in reserve, what number of good reps left do you’ve? So that you’re in a set. It’s getting arduous and if you happen to ask your self, alright, if I actually needed to, what number of extra reps might I do?
And when you get nearer to failure, if you happen to’ve been coaching for a bit, you’ll have a reasonably good sense of it. All of us in all probability are inclined to underestimate quite than overestimate, however you must, if you happen to, if you happen to’re considering I might do possibly two extra, possibly you would get three extra, once more if you happen to’re skilled, however not 5 extra.
Kassem: Usually workouts which can be extra particular, it’s simpler to know when that time is. And likewise workouts the place there aren’t as many different parts to fatigue or problem. So there’s a extra ability, just like the extra of a ability element there’s to an train, the more durable that’s to gauge, proper? And the extra there’s a chance for there to be, say, like a respiratory fatigue.
Like whenever you’re squatting, if you happen to’re going to failure, you’re gonna be like huffing and puffing until you’re doing, , like, , three or 4 reps, proper?
Mike: Like doing units of eight, units of 10, squat, deadlift. Inside even ending these inside, let’s say one to 2, uh, one to 2, r a r. I imply, it, it seems like cardio towards the tip of that set.
I imply, it’s, it’s, uh, it’s cardiovascularly demanding, that’s for certain.
Kassem: Yep. So by eradicating that element, I feel one, it makes it simpler for most individuals to really prepare a pair reps they in any other case wouldn’t have. But it surely additionally simply permits you to be extra certain that like, okay, that basically is 2 reps away, proper?
The place it’s identical to, okay, this felt actually arduous as a result of I’m respiration arduous and, , I’m stabilizing this with my again and I’m additionally, , form of fearful that I’d go down or not come again up. Like, all of these issues are gonna lean you, lean you, or push you in direction of possibly reducing that set somewhat sooner than you’ll comparatively to, , hack or, or pendulum.
Mike: Yep. And with a few of these workouts, uh, in my coaching, I additionally every now and then will push to failure the place like, actually I can’t get, I’ve to on the pendulum, I’m gonna be sitting down, I. Simply to maintain my sense of failure form of calibrated, so to talk. I don’t must do it fairly often, however simply to remind myself what that really looks like and what number of grinder reps you actually can do if it’s a must to.
Kassem: Yeah, I feel that’s an important aspect as a result of if you happen to by no means go to failure, how are you aware that you simply’re. Two reps in reserve is absolutely two reps in reserve. So I imply, I’m an enormous fan of, , normally it’s like, Hey, the final set of an train is gonna be taken to failure. Like, I imply, it’s not a rule, but it surely’s a apply that we use, I’d say nearly all of of the time now, there could be intervals of time the place you particularly like say, Hey, all of those units are gonna keep like a pair reps away or whatnot.
However then in these instances I say, Hey, properly not less than in some unspecified time in the future in a protracted mezo, or if you happen to change Mezzos extra ceaselessly, like possibly each different one, you throw that again in there so that you simply don’t form of lose that. I, I don’t wish to get an excessive amount of on a tangent away from the train choice, however that is an anecdote remark from simply teaching from years or no matter, uh, no matter, and dealing with, , everyone from like, , folks on the Olympia stage to, , simply your common gen pop is that r p e, which is, , rated to protect exertion.
Like how’s arduous one thing is on a one to 10 versus reps in reserve don’t scale the identical as you get greater and stronger. Like when you attain a sure power, like, it’s like, man, every thing over a sure load. Seems like an r p e 9 or 10. Prefer it, prefer it doesn’t matter if there’s a number of reps reserve, it turns into very arduous to gauge that ’trigger you simply attain a degree the place it’s like, yeah, all the masses that you simply’re utilizing are actually heavy, proper?
That is principally for those that this isn’t gonna occur within the first like two years of your coaching. However , if you happen to’re getting nearer to that decade, , of coaching, proper? And also you’re like, you’re, you’re possibly you’re getting near, , pushing two to 3 occasions your physique weight on the large lifts, like that sort of situation.
You’re in all probability in a state the place r p E is principally all the time excessive and it’s not an excellent gauge. So if you happen to don’t often calibrate that, it’s very arduous as a result of your notion of the hassle is form of what we’re form of intuiting to that r i r. And if we don’t keep that calibration, then that’s powerful.
So I feel particularly as you get extra superior
Mike: and your notion’s additionally influenced by how properly you slept the final evening, which, which can not affect your efficiency, you’ll have it in you. To do precisely what you should do. However yeah, your sleep wasn’t so nice. And so every thing within the exercise is simply feeling more durable than it usually does.
Or, um, your psychological state. How targeted are you in your exercise or do you’ve different issues in your thoughts? I. So there are different elements that may make a exercise, uh, or an in a set really feel more durable or simpler, and it’s subjective. Whereas objectively, if we’re trying extra at what number of reps might you do if you happen to needed to, your performances not influenced by these elements which can be making it really feel more durable or simpler.
Kassem: Yeah. In the event you guys have been to see this in actual time, so we now have these stay occasions that we train, , we train biomechanics, however part of what we train can be effort and attempting to really get folks to calibrate to this. And the way in which our occasions go is the primary day we form of heat everyone up by doing arms, proper?
As a result of it’s like, how arduous is it to go to failure on like, , biceps and triceps and, and no matter, proper? After which the second day we now have the squat patterns and stuff like that. And within the morning is the extra advanced workouts the place we don’t push folks, , as arduous by way of proximity to failure.
After which within the afternoon we throw folks in stabilized workouts and we now have this. Wonderful, like glute bias, leg press that we use basically on that day. I simply, simply homicide folks. That’s, that’s basically what occurs. However I take them to a spot that they in all probability have by no means, by no means been earlier than, and it’s an ideal alternative as a result of okay, it’s a steady train.
They’re extraordinarily secure of their, , they received good spotters and in addition the surroundings. In order that’s a, that’s an enormous aspect is, is that whenever you’re in a room and now you’ve like 20 different college students yelling and screaming for you, and then you definitely’re additionally, you paid a complete bunch of cash to come back and hang around with these nerds and discuss health for 4 days.
, having a coaching associate, having motivation, even good music, all of these issues can actually influence that, proper? Like simply the surroundings on the day. And so one of many issues that I, , will typically assist inform folks is like, look, Select the place you wish to put in that effort. Like set it up proper.
? Okay. Like, , put your favourite music on, , be sure to have your, , you select a very good train the place you’re gonna be secure, assured, have a spot or no matter, , movie it, , put some pores and skin within the recreation, , if you wish to or no matter. Proper. , um, no matter it takes.
And that approach. Such as you’re actually setting the bar for what you’re able to. After which when all these different issues are available like, oh, hey, I didn’t sleep that properly, you’ll be able to form of regulate your customary relative to love, okay, that is what it will be on my finest day. Immediately’s not my finest day. So what’s a practical expectation?
But it surely’s actually good to know what you’re able to in your finest day in the perfect scenario, , attainable. Proper?
Mike: Yeah, that’s a very good tip. It’s, my coaching is a bit totally different now. I’m simply extra in a upkeep mode. However for 2 or three years I used to be pushing for progress and a part of that programming was AM wraps, in order many reps as as attainable pre dropping.
And I’d do this after 4 months of coaching. I do it on the large workouts, and I wasn’t comfy going really to failure on a, a deadlift or a squat simply because I, I don’t wish to get damage. I, I, it’s not. I’m not competing, , I’m doing this for enjoyable. To me, it simply, the, the extra threat wasn’t definitely worth the reward, however I used to be prepared to, to push shut, like let’s say like one, , one to 2 good reps left possibly, possibly much more usually.
Once I was doing these AM reps, it was one, just like the final rep was actually a grinder. And I got here to note after doing that for a few years, that simply these factors alone of being somewhat bit, uh, I used to be trying ahead to it, like getting no matter, no matter music was, , received me fired up. Being actually targeted, figuring out that, okay, that is form of the fruits of a number of months of coaching.
Let’s see what I can do. And being prepared for that may produce, in some instances, surprisingly, higher performances than the place, If I, I’d take a look at my coaching logs over the earlier, it was like a 4 month mesocycle. I like to trace r a r, I don’t monitor rp, however take a look at my R and know that once more, , if I’m, I’m pretty correct with them.
I wasn’t, I wasn’t fully diluting myself, however to have a look at simply my efficiency with given weights versus that amrap, there was all the time an inexplicable bounce in efficiency the place it’s like, the place did that come from? Like my one RMM simply went up by 35 kilos on that in the future, uh, on my squad, or my deadlift or my bench press or no matter.
So it was simply an attention-grabbing expertise and I, , I’d come to anticipate it after which I used to be okay, particularly following that was a reasonably powerful week. The place I’d do it was only one set of amrap and a few again units. However I’d do my AM wraps in a single week, after which the next week deload after which restart.
And so for the subsequent couple of weeks, typically I’d discover, all proper, my efficiency. Particularly in that deload week, it will, it was form of a joke the way it felt like we simply fell off a cliff after which slowly would come again and repeat the method. However I’ve skilled that firsthand. It’s attention-grabbing.
Kassem: I made a transition just like that.
Like once I turned 35, I used to be like, what? There actually isn’t a purpose for me to ever put 600 kilos on my again ever once more. Like they’re simply, , there’s not, um, but in addition excessive rep squats suck.
Mike: Yep. I nonetheless return to love, , I, I actually, I just like the 4 to possibly max eight rep vary, and I’m Okay pushing comparatively near failure on the large workouts with that.
I’m not murdering myself with these 10 rep, which I used to be doing beforehand. I used to be doing, so the mesocycle would begin with, um, greater quantity if we wish to view it as time period by way of reps or, or, or identical to tonnage. And so it was greater rep ranges, in order that was units of 10 on the squad, on the deadlift. The remainder of the workouts have been refined.
I imply, it. A ten rep bench press is nothing in comparison with a ten rep deadlift, however I hear you. After which after doing that for some time, I’m like, , I simply don’t wanna do this anymore. I, I simply wanna do units of 5 six, possibly I’ll do a number of units of eight every now and then. Yeah.
Kassem: So the answer that, that I form of resided on is that, , there’s sure workouts the place I’m gonna depart a pair reps within the tank and there’s no wiggle room on approach.
However then I’ve different workouts the place then, , now it’s tremendous secure and I can go to that place. So as an illustration, if, , since we’re on the squat, I’ll depart a pair reps within the tank of the squat. And as quickly as I get to the purpose the place I really feel like, hey, , prefer it’s virtually like I squat as a form of hybrid of like, that is simply to take care of my power and approach within the motion.
However then what I’ll do is, , my second train might be a leg press or a pendulum or, or one thing, or possibly it’s a leg extension. And on that it’ll be like, cool, this, I can take that. All the way in which as a result of I, , I like coaching arduous like that, however , the danger to reward in among the huge compounds isn’t there, particularly if you happen to don’t have a purpose that’s like actually, actually essential.
However I imply, what’s the danger reward to love taking a set of leg extensions? I. All the way in which to the place you’ll be able to’t even transfer at an inch. It’s like, you’re gonna be positive. I imply, it’s gonna damage, it’s gonna be, uh, it’s gonna be uncomfortable, it’s gonna burn, however you’ll be able to safely go there and you’ll kinda get, , that dopamine hit from that coaching expertise, ?
And likewise I feel it, I really feel higher leaving the reps within the tank on these different workouts, and I don’t get grasping as a result of I do know I’ve one other outlet, , for that effort. Yeah. Yeah.
Mike: It’s humorous. That’s precisely what I’m doing now, particularly once more, after the 2 or three years of pushing heavy and arduous for, I imply, I made good progress, however good progress for me.
I, I couldn’t have gained a couple of or two kilos per yr of muscle in, in these couple of years. And, uh, a good quantity of power and hit a pair prs, particularly relative to physique weight, however Okay. I used to be like, all proper, that was enjoyable. However now I’m gonna prepare, I’m gonna change my coaching a bit, and that’s one of many modifications that I made as such as you, I like to coach arduous.
I wish to push myself, however I don’t wish to get damage. And as, because the weights get heavier, additionally, I’m 39. I’m not 25 anymore. I’m not invincible like I used to be earlier than. And so I’ll swap between again squat and entrance squat. However I, I wish to hold in a barbell squat. I’m simply not pushing as arduous as I used to be. After which I’ll transfer to a, one thing extra quads targeted, like a leg press or a pendulum, and be prepared to push even more durable there.
And identical factor with if I’m, if I’m doing any form of leg curl, um, I’m not involved about proximity to failure. It simply hurts. However you’re not gonna get damage. Your skill to achieve muscle and acquire power is significantly impacted by how properly your physique can get better out of your coaching and the way sturdy you get in your coaching.
And that’s why it’s not sufficient to simply hammer away on the weights each week. You need to watch your energy and watch your macros. You need to keep good sleep hygiene. You need to keep away from over-training, and you too can pace up your post-workout restoration and your muscle and power acquire with supplementation.
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Use the coupon code muscle and save 20% or get 6% money again in reward factors. Attempt recharge, risk-free and see what you assume. So for elevating heels on a squat, if we simply return to that, for people who find themselves questioning how ought to they finest go about that? Some folks is perhaps considering, oh, ought to I put a pair plates beneath my ft, or ought to I get some squat sneakers or a slant board to get it extra excessive or one thing else?
Kassem: An important factor is, is that you simply select one thing that’s gonna be steady and secure, proper? That’s identical to the naked minimal. So on the subject of utilizing plates, they’re not unattainable, however you’re not on a flat floor, you’re on like the sting of a rounded floor. So by way of stability, that’s in all probability just like the lowest quantity of stability that you would use by way of elevating your heels.
So if in case you have some other possibility, I’m gonna say in all probability select that over utilizing plates, proper? But when for for no matter purpose you’re identical to, look, I’m not gonna put money into something. Then my gymnasium doesn’t have something. It’s stand on plates or nothing. By all means. Go forward. Stand on the plates. Simply, , possibly that is a type of situations the place it’s a must to like pull from the opposite variables the place like, hey, if you happen to begin feeling the place like, all proper, the steadiness’s possibly impacting your approach.
Perhaps you don’t load it as a lot, otherwise you don’t do these couple reps that you’d had, you had a extra steady foot platform. Then on the subject of the opposite choices, so. If you’re both trying on the particular person wedges or slant boards the place you principally have one for every ft, otherwise you’re squat sneakers or inserts.
The advantage of all of these is the truth that they’re particular person to the foot, which signifies that wherever your stance must be, the platform is within the airplane of your foot, and that helps quite a bit with stability and it additionally decreases pointless forces going by. The knee and the ankle. So what I don’t actually like is that if folks have like a, like a toe out stance after they squat.
I don’t like them to make use of a single slant board. So if you happen to, all you might be gonna use is a single slant board. You just about must restrict your squat approach to no matter you are able to do the place your toes are principally gonna be easy and also you’re gonna be comparatively slim. Like every thing’s form of shifting principally in the identical airplane as it will be if you happen to imagined your self on a pendulum squat sort factor the place it’s like, okay, your knees are form of in entrance of your hips and your toes are just under your knees and every thing’s form of shifting ahead and again.
You don’t have this toes and knees going out factor happening, however if you happen to can have the sting. Particular person to the foot, then you’ll be able to principally get that impact in a wide range of totally different stances, which isn’t identical to higher per se. It additionally provides you choices by way of like, hey, , somewhat bit narrower stance is gonna goal somewhat bit extra of the glutes and somewhat bit wider stance.
It’s gonna goal somewhat bit extra of that, , adductor magnus that we have been speaking about earlier. So it additionally provides you, , variations in your setup and it permits that no matter your like pure stability squat is, that the wedges are proper in there. Now by way of, , evaluating the slant boards and wedges to both squat sneakers or the inserts, numerous that’s simply gonna be magnitude proper.
And comfort, , are gonna be the factor. So like my suggestion normally is rather like, hey, in case you are competing and you’ve got squat sneakers, then by all means you need to use your squat sneakers. However in case you are simply, if you happen to don’t have something and also you’re gonna put money into it, I’d put money into particular person wedges as a result of not solely can you employ them for squats, however you need to use them for a wide range of different workouts and also you’re not restricted to.
The sneakers they received’t put on out, so that you don’t must hold shopping for them. Truly, most squat sneakers are dearer than a pair of wedges are anyway. Um, however I’d love wedges for different issues like break up squats and I’ll use ’em for all types of, like, you’ll be stunned at what number of random makes use of you discover for a easy wedge within the gymnasium after you have entry to it.
After which there’s additionally heel inserts. So principally it’s like a cork factor that you simply put inside your shoe that may be nice for those that journey. So that you simply, you simply throw ’em in your suitcase after which cool, prefer it, like there. But when that is one thing that you would have at your gymnasium or you would hold in your trunk or no matter, I feel the wedges are the most suitable choice.
’trigger one, you’ll be able to select a number of sizes, you need to use them for a number of workouts, and also you’re not caught utilizing them for the entire session. Like if you happen to put in your squat sneakers and also you’re doing this and then you definitely’re gonna go do a hinge, you may very well not need that heel elevation in your different workouts.
So then it turns into, , an inconvenience. The one caveat of that’s, is that the squat sneakers and the heel, uh, inserts do permit you to principally get that impact on poorly designed machines. So say you’ve a leg press or a hack squat or whatnot, and it’s simply not designed very properly. So you’ve hassle getting full vary of movement in it.
You may both do like a sissy model approach the place you come up in your toes, which is completely positive. Lots of people are like, oh, isn’t that gonna restrict you or, no, it’s, it’s simply positive. However if you happen to needed to have the ability to hold the strain by your complete foot, one thing like a squat shoe or the he insert would permit you to form of get.
That sort of an impact on a leg press or a hack squat. However ideally, , in an ideal world you simply have a leg press and hack squat that’s received a well-designed foot platform to start with, proper? So there’s some execs and cons to all of them, however, uh, if I needed to choose like, what I feel can be the perfect general, it will be the, , simply get your self a set of, , wedges or particular person slant boards and this, my second possibility can be both the sneakers and the inserts.
My final possibility of one thing that you’d really buy can be a single slant board, as a result of that offers you the fewest choices, proper? After which if you happen to don’t wish to put money into something, sure you need to use plates, however simply be conscious of that stability issue as a result of it does change. Kinda like that threat reward equation.
Mike: Is sensible. And switching then rapidly to hack squat, simply as a observe for folks listening, it relies upon what sort of hack squat. Discuss a. Machines which can be properly designed or not properly designed. It relies upon what sort you’ve. So I, uh, a few years in the past I used to be coaching in a gymnasium that had what might be a extra conventional hack squat the place you’re extra upright.
Whereas the gymnasium I’m in proper now, you’re nearer to laying down than you might be. I. Standing up and also you have been mentioning simply the, if you need to use the, the, the backward pressure, put extra emphasis in your quads as a result of it’s simply pushing now again into the hack squad. I keep in mind I used to be considering again once I was within the hack squad that was extra upright.
I benefited from that. However now the hack squat that it’s okay, however the, the one which, that I’m utilizing now, sadly, since you’re, you’re virtually laying down your, your butt tends to, Come off of the again relaxation somewhat bit, after which that simply feels uncomfortable. So I’ve to, I’ve to consciously hold my butt down on it, which
isn’t splendid.
I, I,
Kassem: so on the subject of the supine, , the place principally you’re, you’re not in as a lot of a hip fluxx place. Proper? Truly, that’s what I’d contemplate probably the most customary hack squat, or it’s most typical is, is that sort and the opposite one, it’s like, it’s form of like a, an the other way up leg press, proper?
However numerous occasions terrible model additionally branded as hack squat, proper?
Mike: I don’t keep in mind the angle. I don’t, I, it in all probability wasn’t a forty five diploma, it was extra acute than that. However possibly you’re at a 30 diploma angle the place you’re extra, you’re extra upright and now it’s form of the opposite approach round.
Kassem: So if you find yourself utilizing the one the place you’re extra hip prolonged, in order that’s the, the one the place you’re extra laying down.
The way in which to have the ability to nonetheless make the most of that’s to verify your ft are low sufficient. So in that lots of people, they will put their ft up greater and nonetheless get full knee flexion ’trigger their butt can simply come down behind it. However basically what you wish to do is, Attempt to get your ft somewhat bit decrease.
And that is the place if it’s properly designed, it’s received a platform that , permits for the ankle mobility so that you can get your heels nearer to beneath your butt, proper? And if you happen to do this, what’s going to occur is, is then your quad pressure will find yourself pushing you extra into the again pad, particularly on the backside.
With the upper foot place, what occurs is on the backside proper and also you begin to push up, your quads aren’t gonna be pushing you into the platform fairly as a lot and also you’re gonna get to a degree the place principally as your glutes are coming in, they’re form of like hip extending you off. So you’ll be able to attempt to do this with, by reducing your ft somewhat bit, you would attempt to mentally accomplish it by simply specializing in driving together with your quads and possibly pushing your toes ahead somewhat bit.
And one other factor that you are able to do that may just about remove that. Is to go together with just like the up in your toes, like heels underneath your butt movement. Proper? And once more, there’s nothing improper with that. And it, it will get a fantastic stretch and it makes the profile very, very size and bias. So from a hypertrophy perspective, it’s nice.
From an ego perspective, you’re gonna put quite a bit much less weight on the machine. , for any person such as you that really could also be like, nice, it’s like, hey, cool, I don’t must put as very like simply stress on my physique as a complete, proper? I can actually problem my quads. So as an alternative of, , 4 plates on there, I can use two.
And I, , I’m fixing form of two issues directly the place it’s like, okay, I moved my ft decrease. I’m getting a deep stretch in my quads, making the underside actually arduous. And likewise now it doesn’t really feel like my butt’s coming off as a result of basically making it close to unattainable for my glutes to do a lot of the work.
Proper?
Mike: Yeah. Nice. Nice suggestions. So these are the 2 follow-up questions. I simply, earlier than we moved on to possibly you wanna speak higher physique, we might go in dumbbell versus cable workouts. That’s, and I, I’ve seen an increasing number of dialogue about not simply shoulders, but in addition biceps and triceps and wherever else you would possibly wish to go together with that.
I feel that that is perhaps a very good subject that, um, Could be very topical.
Kassem: Yeah. So within the gymnasium, principally we’re simply strolling round with, , and a bunch of sources of resistance, whether or not they’re machines, dumbbells, cables or no matter. After which the query is, properly what can I do with that? And does that really go well with the gold that I need?
Proper? So once we’re utilizing free weights, whether or not it’s barbells or dumbbells, principally we now have physics to work with. So gravity’s flattening and that’s principally the route that pulls. In order that works nice in workouts the place what we wish is one thing that’s principally pulling us straight right down to problem us.
However for some workouts, like having one thing that might pull horizontal is definitely gonna work out quite a bit higher. And that’s the place cables are available is we are able to principally, basically what a cable does is it’ll, the cable system does, is permits us simply to vary the route of gravity, proper? So as an alternative of down like now it’s pushing again.
So, , so might we do it? We are able to sit and do a chest press as an alternative of laying and do a chest press. There are small particulars by way of like, oh, there’s friction with cables and stuff like that. However these are just like the nuances of the nuances. So if you happen to assume that these items solely issues somewhat bit, stuff issues like even much less.
If you take a look at having the ability to say, Hey, if I’m doing a lateral race proper for my center delt, a daily dumbbell lateral race just isn’t gonna problem you a lot on the backside as a result of principally the load’s simply pulling you drown. Proper? Prefer it’d be extra just like the dumbbells are extra suited so that you can do a shrug than a lateral race at that cut-off date.
And there’s a large number of results that may have, proper? So one is, , the resistance problem, which that principally is only a fancy phrase for the place is that this train arduous just isn’t the place we’d need it to be for hypertrophy as a result of. For her perch weave. We typically need it to be arduous when the muscle’s being stretched at its lengthy size.
So for a lateral elevate, the delta is in a extra stretched place when your arm is down and it’s getting shorter as we’re arising. The opposite factor is when we now have workouts which can be, we’ll say very gentle on the backside, and we’re shifting an enormous piece of mass like a dumbbell, it encourages us to wish to swing it and do different issues.
, you incorporate different motions that aren’t essentially useful to the hypertrophy stimulus we’re going for.
Mike: And it’s arduous to not do this with a dumbbell sideways as you get stronger until you’re simply gonna do units. And typically you’ll see those who they’ll attempt to do tremendous gradual reps or tremendous excessive rep units, however if you wish to do a set of eight reps or 10 reps with sufficient weight that.
Feels difficult and also you wish to finish near failure. I’ve discovered it simply troublesome to stability the coaching load and approach and never enable myself to swing round an excessive amount of.
Kassem: Have you ever ever seen like a really younger athlete, that very new to the gymnasium, but it surely’s only a bodily specimen by way of power after which they go into the gymnasium, you see them carry and all of their methods are that approach, proper?
They’re accelerating and swinging issues. The humorous factor is, is like that’s really the extra, we’ll say, the extra environment friendly approach for us to maneuver that mass, proper? So intuitively that’s what our physique needs to do. And numerous occasions for hypertrophy, what we’re doing is we’re basically working, , away from all the athleticism that’s wired in us to say, Hey, let’s not do that probably the most simplest way.
Let’s do that in the way in which that really is probably the most difficult and struggling for that muscle. , evolutionarily, if we did this again within the caveman days, all of us would’ve simply starved as a result of we’ve simply been losing power to perform little or no, , energy aren’t, , aren’t arduous to seek out.
Um, so we, we now have power to waste, proper? Yeah. Uh, so we’ve like flipped to the alternative facet of the spectrum in order that, that could be a studying curve to grasp like, hey, The purpose just isn’t for me to simply transfer weight by house. The purpose is for me to problem this muscle in a approach that’s gonna produce hypertrophy.
Nicely, what we’re leaning extra in direction of of that’s it’s like, okay, I need this train to get that muscle tissues into nearer, , to a stretch place. I need it to be arduous there and once I, once I select to maneuver the load, I wanna transfer it in a approach the place principally this muscle’s doing nearly all of the work all through no matter vary of movement I’m utilizing, proper?
Not let anything take over. So if we arrange a cable, what we are able to do is we are able to set the cable to principally be pulling horizontal from like our hand top. And what that does then is that’s really gonna make the train pulling us right into a deeper stretch and in addition making it more difficult the place the muscle is longer.
So principally it’s like form of flipping the resistance problem, whereas a daily Dumbo lateral race, if you happen to really did it gradual and managed, it’s very simple on the backside, very arduous on the high. If we take that very same tempo and do this with a cable, it now turns into difficult on the backside and simpler on the high.
And I’m saying backside and high, however actually what issues is on the lengthen versus the quick place. And so on the subject of dumbbells versus cables, numerous occasions we’re simply is like, okay. Does the cable supply me the chance to get nearer to getting that muscle both to a greater stretch and making it more difficult there than I can with the dumbbells.
But when we take a look at one thing like, say a dumbbell press, then the dumbbells do only a positive job at that as a result of , as you’re reducing the dumbbells into the stretch place, the dumbbells are, they’re loading your chest like as a lot as they will there. After which as you get to the highest, that’s, , the place it will get simpler.
Proper now there’s a small little caveat that I’ll simply throw in there. ’trigger any person might be like, properly then how can I battle to lock it out? We all the time fatigue. In the direction of the quick place, no matter the place the train is hardest with at first. So simply perceive that that’s all the time gonna be a component, proper?
So if you happen to attain failure on a barbell press, everyone normally will get the bar a pair inches off their chest earlier than then they get caught, proper? And there’s quite a bit that goes into why that’s. And I don’t assume that’s essential. I simply needed to let folks know like that is a component of fatigue, not essentially the problem of the train.
’trigger in just about most workouts, no matter the place they’re difficult from the start, you’ll fail on the lockout or the quick place. Re regardless. So for workouts like dumbbell presses, , and even issues like squats, , I do know we’re speaking about, uh, decrease physique, however like squats are arduous on the backside, simple on the high.
So the free weight movement and gravity, , does a positive job of constructing these workouts more durable, greater than muscle is longer. However delta are an enormous one as a result of principally your whole delts get shorter by bringing the arm into the physique in some unspecified time in the future, proper? So your lateral delts, it’s extra of a frontal airplane, that means like, , pulling in direction of like your hand, like coming into the facet of your butt.
So, okay, so I would want a load like basically pulling by my physique and you would argue that, properly, might I lay sideways and do a dumbbell lateral? In idea it’s like, properly, yeah, that’s form of doing it, however. The problems of orientating that approach after which having to stability the mass. Lots of people might be like, that is unnecessarily troublesome and arduous to coordinate.
And that’s ’trigger ideally we wouldn’t be lifting straight out to the facet, however we’d be lifting somewhat bit extra within the scapular airplane, which the scapular airplane is actually the angle that matches the bottom of our ribs. So it’s like, it’s not straight out to the facet. It’s somewhat bit in entrance and it’ll fluctuate between particular person and the place your arm path is, but it surely’s simply not straight out to the facet.
It’s a, it’s somewhat in entrance. And so if you happen to’re simply lifting a dumbbell and also you begin going out in entrance, properly then unexpectedly it’s gonna wanna like fall in entrance of you and , so there’s a balancing act there that it’s not excellent with a cable. We’re not restricted to that. So like, A cable, I can pull straight out to the facet or I can pull barely in entrance.
I can pull extra particular to the muscle that I need. And that’s the opposite aspect that’s actually essential for, , hypertrophy is it’s not simply the vary of movement and having it difficult there, but in addition that the precise movement could be very particular to that muscle. So this identical factor applies to entrance delts and rear delts.
Like, okay, properly your entrance delts principally come into your physique. Nearly consider it like, it’s like if you happen to have been form of like attempting to shorten your lat and push your arm behind you, that’s basically stretching your entrance delts, , within the entrance. So if you happen to might have a weight that was pulling.
Backwards that you would then pull up versus a dumbbell, that may be arduous when your hand was like in entrance of your face, proper? Nicely, then the cable’s gonna be somewhat bit higher, after which that very same factor occurs. Nicely, we might lay on a bench, like on an incline bench and do entrance raises with dumbbells.
That will make it more durable on the backside and somewhat bit simpler on the high. However once more, you’re gonna discover that the movement just isn’t fairly excellent. ’trigger possible what you’re gonna wish to do is go somewhat out to in together with your cable entrance dealt elevate. Whereas with the dumbbell, you’re just about simply gonna go straight up and down.
Or if you happen to do resolve to drag your arms in, there’s no resistance to coming in. So that you’re not really doing any, you’re not creating any additional mechanical pressure actually to get the the load there, as a result of the resistance doesn’t pull sideways with a dumbbell, it solely pulls down in direction of gravity. So cables simply enable us to be extra particular.
And quite a bit, numerous occasions it’s additionally simply extra handy, proper? So, ’trigger it’s such as you discuss like, okay, I might set a bench sideways after which attempt to like straddle it, , and wrap my ft round it and one way or the other stability after which carry the dumbbell. Be like, cool. In the event you’re at residence and all you’ve is free weights, by all means, then you are able to do that stuff.
However if you happen to do this standing subsequent to a practical coach, , at your gymnasium, I’m gonna be like, why are you making this harder than it must be? Proper? You could have a wonderfully properly designed machine proper there to make it so that you simply don’t have to love, , break your fingernails off into the underside of the bench when you’re attempting to carry onto it.
Doing a facet lateral race. For hypertrophy, we’re attempting to select motions which can be more and more extra particular to the muscle as we form of advance in our coaching age. And cables give us the, we’ll say, a bigger library of motions than free weights do.
Mike: Yeah. Simply so as to add to that, it turns into an increasing number of essential as you, uh, and I do know this, however for folks listening, as you acquire extra muscle and power, if you wish to hold gaining muscle and power, it’s a must to do extra quantity.
You need to work, it’s a must to make these muscle tissues work more durable. And in case you are not doing, let’s say, sufficient direct quantity for particular person main muscle teams, they’re simply not going to progress a lot, if in any respect. So for folks listening in, consider the way you’re performing some, some rowing. Is that quantity in your biceps?
To some extent. Not direct quantity, that’s oblique, however that one set of, uh, Any sort of row just isn’t gonna be as efficient for rising your biceps as one set of a biceps curl. And in order that applies to. Particular person delta, it applies to each main muscle group. And to your level, cassim, if you find yourself programming and you might be an intermediate or superior weightlifter and you might be prepared to place within the time and the hassle that it’s gonna take to proceed gaining muscle, you do have to be excited about this stuff due to simply the sheer quantity of systemic fatigue that comes from an train like a squat or a deadlift or an overhead press that was capable of present an efficient coaching stimulus to many muscle teams.
And also you had talked about this earlier within the podcast, so simply form of tying it again into, into that. But it surely is a crucial level and it could possibly appear form of counterintuitive, the place I’ve had folks attain out to me they usually’ve seen how my coaching has form of modified through the years and, they usually observe different sensible folks on social media and see that you’ve got these very match individuals who have been coaching for a very long time and.
Their coaching appears extra like bro coaching, they might say, than some other break up, actually, really, like some folks, they, they’re simply stunned to see, oh, all these, all these form of bodybuilding physique half actions as a isn’t that form of inefficient. Why aren’t you doing extra compound workouts? Why do you accomplish that many machines?
Why do you employ cables? And so that you’re answering a few of these questions now, if it’s purely for the aim of upkeep, properly then we really kinda go within the different route. That’s, that’s the place I’ve gone now with my coaching. I’m lifting three days every week so I can spend much less time within the gymnasium, make some extra time for cardio, make some extra time for work and so forth.
And in these 70, 80 minute exercises, I’m attempting to profit from a few of that oblique quantity. ’trigger I, I don’t have the time to. To do a bunch of direct quantity for all the person muscle teams that may require that if I have been attempting to get greater and stronger. However proper now, I’m glad the place I’m at.
I simply wanna keep it. So such as you, I’m doing among the huge workouts ’trigger I like them and I simply wanna keep a baseline stage of efficiency, however I’m additionally performing some, uh, of the rows, for instance, figuring out that like, okay, I’ll do these eight units of rows plus 4 units of biceps. That’s it, that’s my biceps quantity for the week.
Realizing that, that’s lots to take care of.
Kassem: So I feel, , you’ll be able to take a look at units as like a forex and so the extra units it’s a must to work with, then that opens up the train choice. However if you happen to solely have a number of, if in case you have a small variety of units to work with all through every week or for a physique half, then you definitely want every of these units to be much less particular.
’trigger you want it to cowl, cowl extra. The opposite side is like, if it’s not a set. Forex factor, but it surely’s simply merely a time factor. Be like, Hey, I received, , one hour, thrice, or no matter it’s. Lots of people assume that that’s the one route you could go, but it surely’s not, it simply relies on how a lot creativity do you wanna put into your program.
And are a few of these like form of extra, we’ll say like bouncing round sort packages the place you’re doing a number of workouts in a circuit sort trend, is that really possible to do the place you prepare? Proper, as a result of , if you happen to’re leaping in a busy gymnasium at 5 o’clock, properly that’s in all probability not, you’re in all probability not gonna be capable to do like, , a large set.
However if in case you have the time, prefer it’s like, okay, it, if you happen to have been speaking about, hey, I’m gonna do a barbell press, , and attempt to depend that as some triceps, some delts or no matter, it’s like, properly you would match a, , a fly and a tricep extension and possibly a shoulder press or one thing. Do a circuit by that and take the identical period of time as like doing all of your barbell press after which taking your compulsory relaxation interval or no matter.
So I feel one of many issues that makes good coaches, good coaches is, is that they’re capable of like actually maximize each. Time financial system and set financial system by selecting and organizing their train. I imply, ’trigger it’s, these are instruments. A shopper is principally an issue that you should resolve with these instruments and simply determine, okay, they’ve entry to this, this, and this.
How can I take advantage of that? Not solely from a hypertrophy perspective, but in addition identical to, Hey, if we now have a couple of technique to go at this, which means we’re not having to be caught to the identical boring sort of routine on a regular basis. And a few routines will favor totally different stimulus, , whether or not you’re focusing extra on physique comp or power or whatnot than others.
So having the ability to have that flexibility and figuring out, hey, right here’s a approach that, , let’s say this individual actually loves having extra direct arm work of their program. Proper? Cool. Like we might discover a technique to design that in there, or this different individual. Completely needs to do probably the most naked minimal quantity of direct arm.
, we, you would, you would basically, , simply reverse engineer that’s like, okay, cool. Nicely, since they don’t like doing that, I’m gonna select workouts the place, such as you stated, we’re getting extra of that oblique quantity so we are able to decrease the precise quantity of direct works they would want to do.
Proper. We’re getting away from like, speaking about like optimum hypertrophy, however very a lot so like sensible for people that finally, like you’ll be able to argue like, hey, there’s an enormous element to really making packages that persons are gonna take pleasure in and be in line with. And that having a better magnitude by way of just like the outcomes over time versus like, Hey, physiologically, I’ve written you probably the most excellent program ever, however possibly you’ll hate it.
Or, , you, you received’t really do it, otherwise you received’t push arduous otherwise you received’t be in line with it, et cetera. Proper. , so having the ability to discover that stability is, is wonderful. However I feel an essential message is that like, if you happen to’re prepared to be inventive, the extra instruments you’ve, the extra methods you’ll determine how you can use them.
However going again to the bro break up, what I’ll say is lots of people take a look at the bro break up as like, Hey, that’s the very we’ll say it’s the the most secure approach of programming. As a result of basically you’re like, look, I received a complete week to get better from no matter I do, proper? So if I do an excessive amount of or , I don’t select good workouts or no matter, that’s not gonna influence the subsequent part that a lot.
However whenever you’re attempting to coach a muscle group or a, , a sample two or thrice every week, you don’t have the posh of constructing numerous dangerous selections by way of train choice and quantity, as a result of now it’s a must to be recovered inside applicable timeframe. So I feel lots of people simply do the bro break up, and I’m, I’m not towards bro splits, like I feel, , there’s some ways you could go at this, however I feel lots of people recognize the shortage of, we’ll say mental effort.
That it takes to write down a bro break up versus one other break up. ’trigger I’m identical to, okay, all the push issues, simply throw them on that day. There we go. In the event you’re doing different issues, prefer it does take somewhat bit extra thought, proper? And once more, that’s the place , both if you happen to’re placing extra thought into your coaching otherwise you’re hiring a coach or no matter, like these are the issues that you simply get that you ought to be actually good at fixing.
And that’s the place you’ll be able to ship numerous numerous worth. As a result of I do assume that for most individuals, particularly earlier on or whatnot, I feel lots of people are gonna profit from. Dividing up their quantity to coaching most issues, like twice every week. In the event you’re within the part the place you’re like, man, I’m actually attempting to get hypertrophy, it appears that evidently man, like two occasions every week appears to be like that candy spot since you’re form of attending to that time the place it’s virtually a battle to suit all that quantity on in the future you’re like reaching a degree of diminishing return.
So it’s like, what am I actually getting out of those later units within the exercise? , if I’m doing, , 20 some units of, , no matter physique half or whatnot, , and in addition then the identical to, , it turns into, we’ll say a, uh, a logistical drawback typically, or a sensible drawback typically too.
’trigger it’s like, okay, now what it’s a must to do is you’re gonna be like, you’re, one thing is all the time gonna be like both crippling, sore, um, and , for sure days it is perhaps a two hour exercise after which one other day it’s a forty five minute exercise and , so like, it simply, you find yourself with numerous logistical issues.
However if you happen to simply wish to be like, Hey, how do I guarantee that I’m gonna be prepared for chest once more the subsequent time I prepare it? Cool. Prepare it as soon as every week. Proper. , if you happen to’re writing a program and 7 days later you’re. Chest continues to be sore, then you definitely do, you in all probability must make some, like, that’s, you’ve actually botched that the amount and stuff on that program.
If, if you happen to can’t meet efficiency after, , a complete week of restoration.
Mike: Nice factors. Coming again briefly to cables versus, let’s simply say different choices, are you able to communicate briefly about, I simply wanna hear your ideas on cables for biceps, cables for triceps versus free waste versus machines. Additionally cables for glutes, simply because I see lots of people, normally ladies doing pull throughs and, and different workouts that they’ve heard are, are, are more practical in the event that they use a cable versus a machine or a free weight.
Kassem: So the biceps are just like chest in that, , there’s extra choices for kinda loading that stretch with a free weight than there, than there’s for triceps.
Mike: Like, typically folks will ask, okay, what do you concentrate on an incline dumbbell curl versus possibly a cable drag curl, for instance,
Kassem: with an incline curl, we’re going into shoulder extension, proper?
So that you’re getting the biceps longer. The place is a, a drag curl? You’re really like, you’re form of pulling your elbows again as you do the motion. And so mockingly, lots of people are like, oh yeah, I do drag curls for biceps. However really a drag curl can be higher for the quick elbow flexors that don’t cross the shoulder.
’trigger you’re lengthening the biceps by doing the shoulder extension, pushing the elbows again and shortening them on the elbows. So the the brachialis and the brachial radis, that are the elbow flexors that simply cross the elbow, that don’t cross the shoulder, these are literally gonna be somewhat bit higher skilled with the drag curl ’trigger you’re doing the alternative perform.
Of the biceps at one joint, ? So if you happen to’re gonna do this, you would do it with like a impartial or a pronated grip and form of intensify that somewhat bit extra, versus doing one thing like an incline curl. You’re lengthening the muscle. However apparently, there was a latest research that really in contrast the preacher curl to the incline dumbbell curl, and what they discovered is, is that the preacher curl, regardless that it’s at a shorter muscle size, as a result of a preacher curl is difficult on the backside, whereas an incline dumbbell curl, regardless that you’re in a stretch place, it’s nonetheless simple the place the muscle is stretched, that the preacher curl is somewhat bit higher.
So we are able to’t essentially identical to depend on like, Hey, we’re, we’re in a stretch place, and that’s adequate. It additionally must be difficult there. So an train I actually like higher than a incline dumbbell curl. Is both to do a cable curl the place the cables are pulling behind you in order that principally your shoulders are prolonged, however you additionally, the train is difficult in that stretch.
So you would simply, , you set the cables, , somewhat under your hand and then you definitely simply stroll away from them. And you are able to do it that approach. However you are able to do an identical train with dumbbells by basically laying on the slanted a part of a preacher curl. So principally like now you’re not fairly as stretched as an incline curl, however the profit is, is now your higher arm is supported.
Mike: And, and simply so folks perceive, so that you’re saying not seated on the preach, however you’re like standing and form of draped over it together with your, am I listening to that proper?
Kassem: Your again is on it supine. So your chest is up within the air. Yeah. So the, the reverse preacher the place your, your chest is down, proper? That’d be shifting the bicep into a brief place.
However basically what we’re doing is like in an incline bench, it’s solely supporting our again after which our arms simply grasp down and so due to this fact we’re simply straight up and down. But when we lay on our preacher, principally what it does is it helps our humus and it picks it up. So, however what that does is it, Makes it in order that the train is gonna be arduous on the backside as a result of your humorous is gonna be at like a forty five diploma angle on the backside as an alternative of straight up and down.
And likewise it’s supporting it. So between these two, folks ask me like, properly, however which one is healthier? And I don’t know. ’trigger that is the, we’re within the case of the a number of variables the place it’s like, hey, the cable curls get is somewhat bit extra of a stretch, proper? ’trigger you’re gonna be in sho extra shoulder extension, however the preacher curl the place you’re mendacity on it.
So I simply name it a supine preacher curl. Like, , so if you happen to’re searching for it, that one has extra stability, proper? And so my, my suggestion is, hey, attempt each if you happen to like yet another than the opposite. Cool. Or alternate them. As a result of once we get to love a few of these stage of nuances of like, okay, we’re speaking about vary of movement, we’re speaking in regards to the resistance problem, we’re speaking about issues like stability and specificity.
Loads of occasions there received’t be an train that’s excellent. And I feel that’s the place understanding these items somewhat bit is like, okay, I selected an train that I actually appreciated and it was actually good ’trigger it was steady, however possibly this subsequent meso I’m gonna select this different train ’trigger it will get me to a variety of movement or a resistance problem that that different one didn’t fairly get.
So understanding like, hey, how is that this totally different than that? However they’re each good, however only for barely totally different causes. I feel that’s extraordinarily worthwhile as a result of numerous occasions we discuss workouts, in the event that they’re the one train that that’s all you’re gonna do eternally. When in actuality such as you’re gonna rotate by workouts.
So understanding like, hey, how do I choose workouts? , three or 4 of them which can be all the time gonna be like actually huge hitters for my bicep. And I’m like, okay, these are like two good choices they usually’re so shut. However in numerous ways in which I’d be fully guessing on what the end result was if we have been really to do a research on which a type of can be higher for her prophy.
However I’d enterprise to say each of them would do considerably higher than an incline dumbbell curl, as a result of they’re each difficult they usually’re on the identical or longer muscle size.
Mike: Proper. Is sensible. After which what are your ideas on triceps? I imply there’s clearly, there’s simply the standard, any, any form of push down you are able to do overhead or some other.
Cable versus free weight or or train. Would love to listen to your ideas.
Kassem: So I just about do virtually completely cable tricep work, proper? Whereas with biceps, it’s in all probability near 50 50, proper? As a result of there’s numerous good workouts the place I can problem the size of place, like a preacher curl or verse preacher curl, issues like that.
However on the subject of triceps, principally with the intention to load the tricep within the stretch place, like your hand needs to be getting pushed to the identical shoulder, which doesn’t actually depart room for a dumbbell. It’s very arduous to additionally like place your physique into the shoulder positions that you really want after which be capable to form of push towards it.
So what I have a tendency to seek out is that, , if we’re speaking in regards to the niggles or the elbow ache that individuals get, numerous occasions when the important thing aggravators. Is mounted grip tricep work since you’re basically caught in a width and a airplane and also you’re additionally not capable of load the tricep as properly in its stretch place.
Whereas with a cable now, basically we are able to principally place our shoulder nonetheless we wish it, and we are able to attempt to get the cable pulling in direction of the shoulder as a lot as attainable. Now once we take a look at a standard push down the place the cable’s in entrance of you, whenever you come to the highest, it’s gonna be fairly simple.
’trigger basically the cable would have to be like pulling by your physique. Like if you happen to drilled a gap by your chest and ran the cable behind you, properly cool, then that may be nice. In all probability some sensible challenges there, proper? However we are able to do issues the place we are able to form of place it so {that a} cable could be pulling both behind our again or over our shoulder.
And in these situations, we are able to get that problem within the size and place, proper? And nonetheless form of line that up. And so my favourite tricep cable workouts is one principally is the place just like the cable is like behind you form of working over your traps. And you are able to do that as a pressy sort movement, virtually form of like a JM sort, , press the place it’s a really elbow extension dominant press there.
Or you are able to do it as a partial extension solely. After which I additionally like a model the place you, you attain over the alternative entice, so the cable’s over the alternative entice, and so your arm’s form of coming throughout the physique. And that’s gonna stretch somewhat bit extra of the lateral head. ’trigger the lateral head form of ties into the posterior delta within the fascia there.
After which for the lengthy head, that’s the one the place principally if the cable is gonna be like behind you flattening. In order that’s what most individuals will do. An overhead, , overhead helps getting the muscle lengthy. However the principle profit that you simply wish to have there on high of that’s you need that cable to principally be pulling you down like in direction of your butt.
So that you’re in all probability gonna set the pulley behind you, form of like near the underside of your shoulder blades. And then you definitely’re gonna be good and near that as a way to get principally a problem within the lengthened place in a wide range of shoulder positions. However anytime the cable is out in entrance of you, then possible that’s gonna problem the quick place extra.
It’s gonna be more durable nearer to the lockout, proper? And simpler and the stretch. And it’s not that these are dangerous workouts by any means, proper? It’s not prefer it’s you do lengthened workouts otherwise you get no hypertrophy. But when we’re speaking about like, hey, if you happen to’re gonna, if you happen to’re really gonna take into consideration these workouts, For her phy, these workouts are a number of share factors higher.
You probably have the cable, would possibly as properly use the cable in the way in which. That’s a number of share factors higher.
Mike: Yeah. And I, I personally, I really feel the distinction in an overhead versus only a conventional push down. And I favor an overhead, that cross physique, I’m gonna attempt that, that I like that, um, that makes numerous sense.
However I can really feel that distinction when, once I’m coaching, whereas in all probability I, I’d not discover a distinction as a lot between simply an ordinary dumbbell curl and absolutely anything else that I’ve tried for dumbbells. I imply, possibly I’m simply not, it’s not standing out to me now. Perhaps our pal within the gymnasium doing it, I’d discover it, but it surely simply, the distinction within the stimulus to the triceps could be very noticeable to me by making that change, I.
Kassem: Yeah, properly you’ve two issues happening there. ’trigger the opposite factor is, is that you simply’re principally taking the scapula near its finish vary. And so because the lengthy head form of anchors there, once we get the bone, that’s form of the anchor near its finish vary. It’s a extra steady place too. So that you are inclined to really feel a greater contraction and get somewhat bit extra out of it.
Um, versus when it’s down, , the scapula can transfer everywhere, , and the tricep can be gonna be a part of what’s serving to handle that shoulder extension. So, It’s somewhat bit extra of a fancy motion, which implies, , the hassle relative to the stimulus is perhaps thrown off somewhat bit.
And the quantity of motor recruitment, like all these little, these little issues, they begin to construct up. , it’s like, oh, properly it’s simply this, but it surely’s like, oh, properly there’s stability, there’s positioning, there’s motor unit recruitment, and particular, all these issues. And like, oh, whenever you add all them to bump, it is perhaps a really, say, noticeable change in coaching expertise.
Mike: Yeah. Yeah. Good level. After which lastly, if in case you have a number of extra minutes, I needed to the touch on glutes simply because it, it’s in style. I see a, once more, it’s principally ladies, however doing numerous, numerous glute quantity, numerous totally different workouts, numerous totally different variations and cables are undoubtedly within the combine.
Kassem: One of many issues that’s difficult for the decrease physique versus the higher physique is, , for our higher physique we’re utilizing our arms and hooked up to our arms as arms, which implies we are able to seize issues and we are able to push and we are able to pull and we are able to do all these good issues.
After which on the subject of decrease physique, we’re just about principally identical to, properly, our shin is pushing right into a blunt object, or our foot is on one thing, however we’re probably not capable of like articulate that factor round, proper? Like there’s not a leg press the place you’ll be able to kinda like transfer the factor sideways and no matter, proper?
It simply strikes on a predetermined path. Cables afford us to maneuver in numerous motions that we are able to’t get with workouts the place we both standing on the bottom or utilizing machines the place we now have a hard and fast footpath. So particularly like issues the place we’re doing abduction and stuff like that. Now, by way of particular to the glutes, one factor since we’re form of have hit this button of like vary of movement appears to matter, is that the glutes are literally stretched.
Each by doing hip flexion, which is, , bringing your knee up, but in addition with a deduction, which might be bringing your knee, like throughout, like in direction of midline. So the, the totally different divisions of the glutes are gonna be totally different variations of these. Like every thing from like, , like if you happen to simply sort in like Google stretch into Google, what you’re gonna see is principally any person with like 90 levels of hip flexion after which a deducting, like pulling their leg throughout their physique.
Proper? Otherwise you would possibly see the ground model proper. Okay, in order that’s gonna work one side, however then additionally arising greater, however not as far throughout is gonna work decrease parts of the glute max. So on the subject of cables, I’d say business as a complete, lots of people are doing workouts that basically deal with the quick place, proper?
So that they’re simply doing kickbacks, , or they’re doing AB deductions and whatnot. In comparison with doing, if you happen to needed to go from doing no ab deduction work to doing cable abductions, however solely doing the quick place, for certain, that’s gonna be an enchancment to your glute development, but it surely’s not gonna max out the potential development that you would be getting versus doing AB deduction workouts the place you’re really profiting from the stretch place as properly.
So train is the place you principally are coming throughout the physique indirectly, form, or type. So, In the event you actually needed to capitalize on the abductions, like we now have an train that, most individuals name it a glute mead kickback, but it surely’s basically, it’s like a 30 diploma airplane. So it’s principally abduction with some hip extension.
Proper? Like I feel the, the way in which that I normally describe the distinction between the glute max, which is the large muscle on the again versus the glute mead, which is on just like the again quarter, proper? So it form of, , some folks confer with it as higher booty ’trigger it form of helps like the highest again quarter stick out somewhat bit extra.
The glute max is especially hip extension and a few abduction. So all of the actions are gonna be principally entrance to again, however just a bit little bit of that facet to facet. When you get to the glute meat, you flip that and it’s principally facet to facet with somewhat again, proper? So if you happen to’re doing cable motions and also you’re specializing in that, I feel that if you happen to’re seeking to get like a spherical, , peach trying booty, then you definitely in all probability must be incorporating some AB deduction work.
That’s in all probability the very first thing to incorporate since you’re possible getting sagittal work if you happen to’re doing leg presses and lunges and break up squats and , all of these issues. You’re working hip extension in some unspecified time in the future, or possibly you’re doing, , hip thrusts and bridges and issues like that. However all of these are like, these are good for glute max.
’trigger we’re working primarily hip extension, however you’re not working numerous the kidnapping. So first a type of, I’d say that if you happen to have been gonna add one thing in can be one thing that’s extra abduction bias. So utilizing a cable that principally would pull your leg throughout. And what I principally inform folks is like, it’s virtually such as you wanna take the adductor of 1 leg and scrape it throughout the quads of the opposite leg.
Nicely, it’s a must to go ahead to get in entrance of the quads, however you’re principally gonna be going horizontal. After which basically you’re simply gonna hold following that leg path as you do the. The kickback or out if you’ll. And in order that’s a in all probability a very good place to start out by way of like, Hey, I wanna begin suing one thing there, however set it up in a approach the place that cable is making it problem when the muscle is stretched.
Proper when the leg is pulled throughout you. Proper. As a result of what, what I see numerous is folks simply stand subsequent to the machine and principally they’re ranging from simply standing after which simply pushing their leg out from there and like, properly, you’re lacking just like the 30% most lengthened portion of the vary of movement by not letting your leg cross over.
So we’re actually specializing in her per feed. We may very well be much more environment friendly, getting much more stimulus per set, getting that additional stretch in there on the subject of the glute max, if you happen to needed so as to add one thing in, that’s the place it’s like, okay, in all probability the superficial higher portion of that, which is commonly referred to as the iliac glute max.
In the event you, if you happen to observe our stuff, , you’ll see folks tagging the iliac glute. Kickback, and that’s basically gonna be somewhat bit extra hip extension. However basically what you’re gonna do, like if you happen to think about that properly, in a leg press, you would break your knee in direction of your chest and straight again down, however that’s so far as you will get it when an iliac kickback is, it’s bringing you into flexion, but in addition bringing your knee form of in direction of your reverse pec, proper?
So it’s a form of cross physique hip flexion. So it’s, it’s extra hip extension than the glute mead kickback, proper? In flexion and rather less abduction. And for that one, what I actually like is for folks to arrange, to load the stretch of that one, you’re gonna must have a excessive cable so that you simply’re basically doing like a, like a foot pressed down, virtually like if you happen to, like, if you happen to have been doing a step up.
So what’s actually worthwhile is if in case you have a cuff that goes underneath the foot, proper? Not simply the factor that goes across the ankle. ’trigger if you happen to get sturdy you’re simply gonna, one, you’re gonna in all probability gonna rip out of that. But it surely’s additionally simply gonna be like, , choking your. Half if you happen to wanna do these, I recommend that you simply attempt to discover the, the cuffs the place you’ve a chunk that goes underneath the foot.
’trigger with the intention to make it difficult within the stretch, you want it principally to be pulling you up proper at first so that you simply’re principally form of pushing extra down. So we’ve form of referred to as these press backs as an alternative of kickbacks. ’trigger that’s form of what it’s, is it’s form of like a leg press beginning place.
Proper? And being in that form of like a deducted place once more, is one thing that you simply’re probably not gonna be capable to get with a machine or a free weight. So sometimes these are the primary two elements that I add in for any person that wishes to form of up their glute recreation on high of all the different stuff.
Now I’ll say that, , doing issues like leg presses and drop lunges, break up squats and stuff like that, I feel these are nonetheless in all probability a very powerful factor for identical to general glutes. As a result of one, they’re concentrating on the glute max, which is the most important one, and we’re capable of load them within the size of place.
And issues like a leg press are extraordinarily steady. However as a result of we are able to’t be as particular to these different areas, and normally these areas will say extremely correlated to the look that persons are going for. I feel that including in one thing for the iliac, the higher portion of the glute max, or the glute meat, which is gonna be extra of a abduction train, these are nice issues so as to add on.
And also you sometimes have a tendency to have the ability to do this with out actually impacting the amount of your different work due to the specificity of these workouts. Since you’re probably not fatiguing these divisions of the glutes together with your different workouts. So that you have a tendency to have the ability to slot these in and slot in that quantity comparatively properly with out it actually taking away from the opposite stuff that you simply’re doing.
Mike: You may also take quads out, which, uh, I say that as a result of I’ve had many ladies through the years attain out and say that. The butt that they need. In the event that they have been to simply do quad dominant workouts like leg press and various kinds of squats and so forth, would require them making their legs greater than they need them to be.
So that they wish to do solely a lot of the of the quad stuff to have good muscle, muscle definition and the look they need there, however they need a butt that solely will get their butt to this point. And so, These are some, some good methods to get some additional quantity in focused that aren’t going to require your decrease physique as a complete to simply get greater.
Kassem: Yeah. In the case of isolating the glutes over different issues, you are able to do some issues to make a few of these greater compound workouts. Much less quad or much less hamstring or much less adductor. Proper? And that is the place understanding, like how you can place your ft on a leg press comes into play. Proper? So, , if we transfer our ft somewhat bit greater on a leg press, we’re gonna use somewhat bit much less quads, proper?
If we convey our ft somewhat bit narrower, we’re gonna use rather less adductor, proper? So we’re slowly getting to creating it somewhat bit extra, extra glute biased, proper? , if you happen to’re doing R DLS and also you enable somewhat bit extra knee bend, it’s gonna be somewhat bit extra glute, rather less hamstringing.
So there are issues that we are able to accomplish that that you simply don’t essentially must remove these different issues. However what you must do is you must use probably the most glute particular model of these. After which what it’s possible you’ll must do is it’s possible you’ll must. Like say, Hey, there’s a specific amount of quantity that I can use these as a result of they’re gonna be a very good quantity of stimulus, however I’m not gonna go over that.
As a result of if you happen to hold driving up the amount of these, ultimately it should attain a threshold for a few of these muscle tissues that you simply don’t wish to develop. And so then you definitely fill in all of that additional quantity with then your hip thrust, your bridges, your cable motions and whatnot which can be much more particular, however possibly aren’t as sturdy of a stimulus on a per set foundation in some instances, as a result of both you’re dropping some stability otherwise you’re not capable of load the vary of movement that you simply wish to as a lot and stuff like that.
Like you’ll be able to load the size and place of a glute max rather well in a leg press, however doing it in a cable. The soundness problem is considerably greater, particularly as you get stronger, and particularly as you’re like, , ’trigger a few of these folks, they’re comparatively small people with, , simply cannon balls hooked up to their pelvis now, proper?
So that they don’t have numerous physique weight to carry them down relative to how sturdy their glutes are, which signifies that, okay, now if we’re doing these workouts, they both must be greater reps or I’ve to make use of pauses, or possibly I do tremendous units or publish exhausts or, , clusters. Like it’s a must to discover methods to make it difficult with out simply having the ability to simply apply, , common, like, simply progressive load and go near failure.
As a result of now the, the loading of the train creates an excessive amount of of a stability and a setup problem as a result of the train is simply too unstable and the individual doesn’t have, , sufficient physique weight. Proper?
Mike: So, I’ve seen that with cable pull throughs with ladies who’re too sturdy for the setup and don’t weigh sufficient.
It simply doesn’t work properly.
Kassem: Yeah. So that is the place once more, , being inventive and understanding, hey, when can I take advantage of this? The place to, the place to make use of it? So once I was in my prime by way of, , working with bikini rivals, like we used publish exhaust methods and stuff like that on a regular basis. So as an illustration, like if we have been doing an R D L or a leg press or one thing like that, , publish exhausting that with a glute bridge hip thrust cable factor was a good way to lower the loading demand on that second train.
And it allowed us to not additionally must go to as near failure on the opposite one, we have a tendency to make use of extra of the synergist muscle tissues in these compound workouts. The nearer we get to failure, even in a glute dominant leg press, you’ll use extra quads. As you get nearer to failure, ’trigger your physique might be reaching out to extra, we’ll say, inefficient synergies to assist nonetheless a lot it could possibly.
So having the ability to say, Hey, we’re gonna miss out on somewhat little bit of stimulus magnitude if we don’t go as near failure on this train, however we’re gonna take that muscle nonetheless near failure, however in additional isolation by tremendous setting it or publish exhausting it with an train that’s extra particular. However we’re gonna nonetheless get among the advantages out of, , coaching it as much as, , Three two r i r.
Proper. After which we’re simply gonna bounce out of it earlier than our quads would actually begin to kick in. After which we’re gonna do, , thrust bridges, kickbacks, , one thing that may be somewhat bit extra remoted, drop lunges or drop lunges or like, by way of these sort of actions, they’re, they’re one of many ones the place it actually takes out the quads within the hamstrings.
So like, if you happen to want one thing that’s not cable, however could be very, very glute biased, a reverse drop lunge is an excellent free weight various if you happen to don’t have entry to do like cable press backs, kickbacks and issues like that as properly.
Mike: Superior. Yeah. Nice recommendation. Plenty of, numerous info. I like it. Spend an hour and a half.
I, I can hold going, however I, I feel that is in all probability a very good level to wrap up what may very well be a primary dialogue and it might, I’m certain we might discover different issues to, to speak about in a follow-up interview. So why don’t we wrap up right here and why don’t we let folks know the place they will discover you and discover your work.
If there’s something specifically that you really want them to learn about.
Kassem: Um, so yow will discover us on YouTube and Instagram. It’s N one, the primary, uh, training. And yow will discover me personally if you wish to like hearken to somewhat little bit of my bss. It’s simply Coach Casm. However many of the train stuff we put out is on our train platforms.
Mike: And that’s the place I’m guessing they will discover numerous demonstrations of numerous the stuff that you simply’ve been speaking about.
Kassem: Yeah, so the, we now have programs for those that actually wish to get into the nuances, however then we even have a membership website that has principally identical to train tutorials. So you’ll be able to actually like, Hey, I wanna see, , glute max lengthened workouts and it, you’ll be able to, you’ll be able to filter by vary of movement and, and stuff like that.
Um, which is, , I feel for the folks which can be searching for that stage of nuance, it’s form of cool to have the ability to filter the workouts like that. On that subject, I’m within the technique of ending up, hopefully possibly by the point that is launched, our lengthened bias coaching guides. So principally we’re doing every thing from masking the science element to the sensible element and the other ways you could form of transfer issues somewhat bit extra into that size and bias coaching to get simply, , get these additional share factors , of hypertrophy.
So if this can be a subject that pursuits you, We’re principally making a complete guidebook on that to form of capitalize on numerous the latest analysis that’s been popping out. And truly Milo Wolf, who has been doing or intimately concerned in a lot of that analysis has really been, uh, contributing to the, the science portion of that.
So I feel if you happen to like these items, that’ll be an excellent information to, , making use of these items in, , throughout the physique and understanding the ideas behind that. So if it’s not the precise train, you’ll be able to nonetheless apply it to no matter you’ve.
Mike: That’s nice. And the place can folks, in the event that they’re enthusiastic about that course, let’s say it’s out by the point that is out or the place can they discover it?
Kassem: So that you’ll be capable to discover that on N one coaching or if you happen to’re following us on socials, I’m certain as quickly because it’s launched we’ll be spamming all, everywhere in the locations there. Proper. And if it’s, , if we get it finished in time, I’ll shoot you the hyperlink and you’ll throw it within the YouTube model of this if, if it’s finished.
Mike: Yeah, completely. Alright, Cassem, properly thanks once more for taking your time. I actually recognize it. It was a fantastic dialogue.
Kassem: Yeah, that’s nice, Mike. Let’s do it once more.
Mike: Nicely, I hope you appreciated this episode. I hope you discovered it useful. And if you happen to did subscribe to the present as a result of it makes certain that you simply don’t miss new episodes.
And it additionally helps me as a result of it will increase the rankings of the present somewhat bit, which after all then makes it somewhat bit extra simply discovered by different individuals who could prefer it simply as a lot as you. And if you happen to didn’t like one thing about this episode or in regards to the present normally, or if in case you have, uh, concepts or solutions or simply suggestions to share, shoot me an electronic mail, [email protected], muscle f fo r life.com, and let me know what I might do higher or simply, uh, what your ideas are about possibly what you’d wish to see me do sooner or later.
I learn every thing myself. I’m all the time searching for new concepts and constructive suggestions. So thanks once more for listening to this episode, and I hope to listen to from you quickly.
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