Max Strength – ‘How To’ and Sample Week

Ever heard people discuss their “phase” or “stage” of training and wonder what the heck they were talking about?  Like a lot of fitness buzzwords, people like to throw these terms around without much explanation as to the what/how/why.  If you are fuzzy on the purpose of training phases in general, please check out my most recent article on what the phases are, and how to transition through them.

As I discussed previously, progressing through phases of training can provide a structured way to change up your routine and continually challenge yourself, provided it is done with planning and care.  I myself use my own modification of the NASM’s phases for my personal and my client’s programs.  One of my favorite phases to work in is the one I just started last week called Max Strength, and what that entails is what I would like to discuss today.

Why: The purpose of Max Strength training is fairly self-explanatory with the goal being to increase the maximum amount you can lift in a single repetition or very short period of time (__<6 reps).  You do this by performing a relatively LOW number of repetitions, at a high intensity, for a high number of sets.   This increases the density of your ‘fast twitch’ or explosive muscle fibers by placing short time/high resistance strain on the body.

What:  Exactly what do I do to place this kind of strain on the body? The breakdown of structure is as follows.

	Sets	Reps	Timing (Ecc/Iso/Con)	Intensity % of 1RM
Week 1	4-5	6	1/0/1	85%
Week 2	5	6	1/0/1	85-90%
Week 3	5-6	4-6	1/0/1	90%
Week 4	6	4	1/0/1	90-95%
Week 5 *	6-7	3-4	1/0/1	90-95%
Week 6 *	7	1-3	1/0/1	95-100%

*Optional

How: What does this look like in a day to day? Now that you have a basic idea of what Max Strength Training involves, here is a sample using my personal workouts from last week.  If you were interested you could take this week as an example and repeat it across your entire phase, changing reps/sets/ and weight as needed.

Week 1 – Day 1: Legs

	Super-set 1
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
Reverse Lunge	6/95#	6/95#	6/95#	6/95#	6/95#
Single Leg Calf Raise on decline	10/+20#	10/+20	10/+20	10/+20	10/+20
	Super-set 2
Stiff Legged Deadlift	6/125#	6/135#	6/135#	6/135#	6/135#
Back elevated Glute Bridge, with band	10/BW	10/BW	10/BW	10/BW	10/BW
	Final – Stand Alone
Sumo DL	6/155#	6/175#	6/155#	6/155#	6/155#

 

Week 1 – Day 2: Vertical Push/Pull (Lats, Shoulders, Legs)

	Circuit 1
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
Wide Grip Lat Pull down	6/105#	6/105#	6/105#	6/105#	6/105#
Shoulder Fly/abduction	6/12.5#	6/12.5#	6/12.5#	6/12.5#	6/12.5#
Functional Squat (to 90 deg, band below knees)	10/ BW	10/ BW	10/ BW	10/ BW	10/ BW
	Circuit 2
Neutral Grip Lat Pull down	8/105#	6/110#	6/110#	6/110#	6/110#
Barbell Shoulder Press	8/50# *no 60# available	8/50#	8/50#	8/50#	8/50#
Single Leg RDL	10/BW	10/BW	10/BW	10/BW	10/BW
	Circuit 3
Underhand Grip Lat Pull down	7/105#	6/110#	6/110#	6/110#	6/110#
Post Delt cable pull back	6/40#	6/40#	6/40#	6/40#	6/40#
Monsterwalks, heavy resistance band	8/BW	8/BW	8/BW	8/BW	8/BW

 

Week 1 – Day 3: Horizontal Push-Pull (Chest, Back, and Legs)

	Circuit 1
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
Dumbbell Chest Fly	5/2×30#	6/2×25#	6/2×25#	6/2×25#	6/2×25#
Single Arm Dumbbell Row (lawn mowers)	6/50#	6/50#	6/50#	6/50#	6/50#
Back elevated Glute Bridge with band around knees	10/ BW	10/ BW	10/ BW	10/ BW	10/ BW
Jump Rope	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec
	Circuit 2
Machine Chest Press (neutral)	6/80#	6/80#	6/80#	6/80#	6/80#
Machine Wide Row	6/2×50#	6/2×55#	6/2×55#	6/2×55#	6/2×55#
Monster Walks with heavy band	8 each direction	8 each direction	8 each direction	8 each direction	8 each direction

 

Week 1 – Day 4: Legs

	Super-set 1
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
Hex Deadlift	6/155#	6/165#	6/175#	6/185#	6/190#
SL calf raise, on decline	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW
	Super-set 2
Leg press	6/315#	7/340#	7/350#	6/360#	6/360#
Single leg RDL	8/ BW	8/ BW	8/ BW	8/ BW	8/ BW
	Super-set 3
Sumo Dead-lift	6/155#	6/155#	6/155#	6/155#	6/155#
Jump Rope	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec
	Super-set 4
Hip Thrust with Barbell	6/135#	6/155#	6/155#	6/155#	6/155#
Low Ab-roll	8/bw	8/bw	8/bw	8/bw	8/bw

 

* Here is a short video I took of myself doing HEX dead-lift that night.

 

 

Week 1 – Day 5: Vertical Push-Pull (Lats, Shoulders, Legs)

	Circuit 1
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
Underhand Grip Lat Pull down	6/120#	6/120#	6/120#	6/120#	6/120#
Barbell Shoulder Press	5/60#	5/60#	5/60#	5/60#	5/60#
Functional Squat, band around knees	10/BW + heavy Band	10/BW + heavy Band	10/BW + heavy Band	10/BW + heavy Band	10/BW + heavy Band
	Circuit 2
Neutral Grip Lat Pull down	6/120#	6/125#	6/125#	6/125#	6/125#
Dumbbell Shoulder Fly	6/2×15#	6/2×15#	6/2×15#	6/2×15#	6/2×15#
Single Leg RDL	8/BW	8/BW	8/BW	8/BW	8/BW
	Circuit 3
Wide-grip Lat Pull Down	6/105#	6/105#	6/105#	6/105#	6/105#
Posterior Delt Cable Pull back	6/35#	6/35#	6/35#	6/35#	6/35#
Back elevated, glute bridge. Band around knees	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW

 

Week 1 – Day 6: BEACH!!! (Arms, Abs, Calf)

	Circuit 1
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
Cable Tricep Extension, forearm pronation (bar handle)	8/30#	8/35#	8/40#	7/42.5#	7/42.5#
Dumbbell Hammer Curl	7/2×20	7/2×20	7/2×20	7/2×20	7/2×20
V-up core	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW
	Circuit 2
Standing, single arm Tri extension, (neutral forearm)	8/15#	8/15#	8/15#	8/15#	8/15#
Preacher Curl with bar	6/40#	6/40#	6/40#	6/40#	6/40#
Single Leg Calf Raise on decline	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW	12/BW
Leg Raise	10/BW	10/BW	10/BW	10/BW	10/BW
	Circuit 3
Classic Crunch	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec
Oblique Crunch Left	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec
Oblique Crunch Right	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec
Bicycle	30 sec	30 sec	30 sec
Clam 3	20/bw	20/bw	20/bw
Band resisted Glute Bridge	20/bw	20/bw	20/bw

 

Keep in Mind that these are my personal workouts, and thus what you can do in the gym may be much more, or less.  Go based on how you feel, but always try to challenge yourself.

I hope this was helpful.  Please leave any feedback in the comments below.

Best,

Nicole Mims.  PT, DPT.

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How to survive a busy gym AND get a good workout!

Photo by Mike Chai on Pexels.com

Scenario: You leave work and head towards the gym with all the best intentions… You pull up and the parking lot is PACKED… S#!T.   Immediately your brain starts coming up with reasons to turn your car around “it’s too busy to get in a good lift” “all of the equipment will be taken” “some one always gets on the machine I’m using between sets” “I feel like people are judging me” “I’ll go in a few hours”..etc.   (hint: you probably won’t go back in a few hours. )

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

As a person who used to work at a gym 4 am – 7pm I developed a few strategies on how to get in a good workout (or help your client get in a good workout) during the busy times.  So lets review and quiet those demons on your shoulder.

1. Know the muscle groups you are trying to exercise, not just the exercises themselves and learn alternative exercises.  That way if  ‘x’ machine is being used, you have other options.  This reduces stress and waiting around.  So for example say the Bench Press is being used, you can grab a set of dumbbells or even a resistance band and do a press or chest fly. If you’re going heavier try putting some plates on your back and do push-ups, or challenge your stability with kettlebell push-ups or stability ball chest press.
2.  Be flexible with the reps you are willing to do/ weights you’ll accept.  Remember that the most important thing is that you challenge yourself! So…if those 35’s you really would rather use aren’t available, try more reps with the 30’s or fewer with the 40’s.  Who knows, you might surprise yourself and hit a PR (personal record).
3.  Try circuits which require 1 piece of non-movable equipment and bring the other things you need to that spot. People are much more likely to understand that you are using the seated cable row if you also have your dumbbells, towel, resistance band and barbell set up with you…. kinda like nesting but for the gym :’D.  Additional benefits are all those related to circuit training in general. Its faster, you hit more groups, its more efficient, you burn more calories and so on.

   

4. Integrate cardio and stretching into your sets.  Perform any stretching you feel you have to do (see my previous posts on flexibility first) during your warm-up sets. Additionally, try jumping rope, step-ups, wall jumps, or mountain climbers in between your sets if the cardio machines are taken.  This will keep your heart rate going and not leave you frustrated waiting for a machine or a mat.
5. Finally: Don’t be afraid. Nearly everyone at the gym is there because they see something THEY need to improve and they are just trying to brave the crowded gym too.  Unless you are breaking gym etiquette, chances are they aren’t looking at you.  In that vein
   1. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to work in or when their sets will be done. Wait until they’ve finished their set (of course) and make sure you put their weights back how you found them. But otherwise its a completely normal thing to do if there is a type of equipment that you really had your heart set on.
   2. Don’t be afraid to tell someone that you are still using something.  Say you come back from refilling your water bottle and some lunk is taking off with your barbell.  You have the right to tell them that it is still in use and you will flag them when you are done.
   3. Don’t ignore a free bench cause its close to someone who is ‘more fit’ than you.  They were where you were once.  (if you’re the fit person in this scenario, keep the grunting and flexing to a minimum…you’re in public dude)

 

I hope you found this helpful.  If you have other tactics or questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments!

Best,

Nicole Mims. PT, DPT.

Exercise for maintaining function

 

 

http://lolsnaps.com/funny/50398

Physical Therapists often work with older patients whose diagnoses have an underlying cause of either stiffness, weakness, or both.  Tragically, many times a loss of independence could have been prevented by a person having maintained their strength into later adulthood.

As we age we can lose muscle strength, bone density, skin elasticity, and metabolism. Balance can even become an issue. This results in a higher risk for obesity, fracture, wounds, poor posture and resulting pain or disability.  The forecast isn’t all doom and gloom though! Exercise can improve all of the above AND it’s never too late to begin.

You don’t need to be bodybuilding grandma to benefit from strength training and you don’t need to go to extremes.   Here are a few things what I recommend to help safely build strength. Everyone who has weakness, but especially older people can use this advice maintain function and prevent injury.

*THIS IS NOT A PRESCRIBED/PERSONALIZED HOME EXERCISE PROGRAM. THESE ARE GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON WHAT I COMMONLY SEE*

 

Sit to Stand: 

Position: Sitting near the front of chair/stool/box
Feet positioned back, knees in line with and almost over toes
Draw navel in towards spine and lean forward from the hips
                            (nose over toes)
Back straight, head in neutral

Action: Squeeze through your glutes and the front of the legs
Push through the feet and come to standing
Stop just before knees and hips are fully extended
Reverse steps and return to starting position without ‘flopping down

Form: Do not arch your back.
Do not allow self to “flop down”
Push evenly through foot, not only heels
Keep glutes contracted the entire time

Sets/Reps: 2-3 sets, 10-20 reps

Glute Bridge:

Modification to increase difficulty

Position: Laying on back, palms up
Knees bent ~100 deg, feet flat
Draw navel in towards your spine and flatten your back

Action: Squeeze through your glutes
Push through your heels
Raise bottom up until shoulders, hips and knees are aligned
Hold 5 seconds, slowly lower to starting position

Form: Do not arch your back.
If you feel this in your back decrease how far you raise your hips

Sets/Reps: 2 sets, 10-20 repetitions (increase hold of this gets easy)

Seated marching:

Position: Sitting upright, Using fingertips for balance. Engage your stomach muscles. Pulling your navel in towards your spine

Action: Pull knee up toward ceiling
Hold 5 seconds
Slowly lower
Perform, alternating sides

Form: Keep your body upright without leaning side to side.
Keep leg straight up and down without rotating in/out.

Sets/Reps: 2 sets, 10-15 repetitions on each side (total of 20-30 per set)

 

Clamshell:

Position: Laying on side,  knees bent, feet together
Heels, shoulders and hips aligned
Tilt body slightly forward (pointing navel toward the floor)

Action: Squeeze through your glutes (buttocks)
Keep your heels together and lift top knee up.
Hold 5 seconds, slowly lower to starting position. (In this photo I have a resistance band around my knees, this is a simple way to increase the challenge but is not necessary to benefit from this exercise)

Form: Do not arch your back.
Do not allow hips to rock back & forth.
–You may want to perform with a wall or other straight surface behind you
Keep glutes contracted the entire time.

Sets/Reps: 2 sets, 10-20 reps (to challenge further, add a band around the knees or increase hold to 10 seconds)

 

Bent knee fall out:

Position: Laying on back,  knees bent, feet together
Draw navel in towards spine, contracting abdomen
Flatten back
Place hands on pelvic bones

Action: Keep hips and abdomen still
Allow one leg to fall out to the side, while keeping the other vertical.
Slowly return the moving leg to starting position.  Perform on opposite leg.

Form: Do not allow hips to rock side to side
You will be able to feel this movement through your hand placement
Keep abdomen contracted and still.

Sets/Reps: 2 sets, 10-20 reps each side

 

Push Up Modified: 

Position: Begin on hands and knees, knees together,
Feet extended back behind you
hands under shoulders
Keep back straight, head neutral
Knees, hips, shoulders in a line

Action: Slowly lower yourself toward ground/mat
Stop just before chest touches ground.
Push evenly through chest and return to starting position

Form: Do not arch your back.  Stomach should not touch before chest.

Sets/Reps: 2-3 sets, 10-12 reps

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Try performing the above exercises 3 to 4 days a week and see how you feel!  Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below.  Also, stay tuned for flexibility for older adults and cardiovascular exercise.

Best,

Nicole Mims.  PT, DPT

outtakes –  Zoee decided to try helping

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to basics. Workout 7/3/18

Its been quite a while since I really structured my training phases like I ought to. Considering things are already ridiculously difficult I figured no time like the present to reset and do things right.

My training background is through NASM and so “back to basics” for me means Stabilization phase. NASM argues that to safely load the body later one should begin by building joint stability and muscle endurance. This entails 2-4 sets per exercise, 3 seconds on eccentric contraction, 12-20 reps, and increasing difficulty by making exercises more unstable.

Without further ado

3 sets/12 reps/ 1 sec concentric-1 sec isometric-3 sec eccentric

• Single leg Romanian deadlift (bodyweight)
• Stability ball dumbell chest press (2×20)
• Stability ball crunch
• TRX row up (bodyweight)
• Functional squat with band around knees (bodyweight)
• Single leg, shoulder fly on bosu (2×8)

Workout wise this felt pretty good. It was nice to slow down and challenge in a different way.

( Of course unexpectedly seeing the person who just hurt your heart while looking like a trainwreck (and apparently not warranting a glance after 3 years dating) can put a bad taste in your mouth. But hey, up and forward right?