Few Exercises Vs. Many Exercises

[quote]Airtruth wrote:
dankid wrote:
Airtruth wrote:
A person that can’t do one pull up, your going to try to make them do pull-ups? rather than curls and lat pull downs?
[/quote]

No, I would hve them do pulldowns, assisted pullups, and Rows (BW, Cable, 1-arm) They would probably have a vertical pull day, and a horizontal pull day. For person that cant do pullups, pulldowns and assisted pullups are going to be the two best exercises. Obviously they wouldnt do an exercise they cant do. Thats the basis of them not being able to do it. But the main thing is I wouldn’t have them doing straight arm pulldowns, curls, rear delts, etc.

Of coures training someone, you’d probably throw in some curls and rear delts, because that is what people want to do, but these would come at the end if at all. And if it was me, or a person that wanted to know what was best, i’d tell them to skill the isolation work.

As for the OP bringing up O-lifts. On these forums you’ll find few people that ever do any o-lifts for size. I agree that you can build muscle with them. But there are generally some changes that need to be made to make them for size.

Breaking the lift up is a good idea, and performing the simpler versions is as well.

So a hang power clean will work.

DB snatches

Push press

Front squat

Other than those lifts, the conventional bb’ing lifts are going to be better for size due to there ease of learning, TUT, and the amount of muscular damage possible. If you look at the o-lifters that are big, they are freaking strong. If you want to build a 400+ lb clean to build your shoulders you can. But it would be much easier to get your bench up to 300+ and shoulder press to 200+. It depends how you want to do it, and what you are trying to accomplish. Im a long limbed lifter myself, so exlposive lifting tends to be better than heavier lifts. So for stuff like traps and shoulders, I choose cleans and Push press, over shrugs and shoulder press.

How fun, this thread is quite firey, so time to fan the flames.

Recent advanced training programmes and periodization models in the literature are really coming along in regards to how advanced level trainers (powerlifters/bodybuilders/just your average guy who is just as strong) can make great progress over periods of time with how we structure programmes long-term (lots of unknowns, lots of variables to play with).

One very effective training model that is being used more frequently as is showing good results is to specifically train an overreaching period (4-10 weeks) with high volume/high intensity conventional BASIC resistance exercises (the big boring ones).

Then, in a structured rebound period (around 4 weeks usually), individuals perform a REDUCED volume of BASIC resistance exercises, but add in POWER type movements (such as jump squats, bench press throws, power cleans etc) with lower relative loads (50% 1RM) for 3-5 sets x 5 reps with max power each lift.

This has been shown to enhance muscle hypertrophy post the overreaching period, and restore the normal hormonal balance (test levels tend to decrease in an overreaching period, not good huh!).

I have started to incorporate this model of periodization into my athletic/advanced prescription individuals and they really enjoy it, plus when they get back into a heavy loading phase their training loads are making nice jumps. Nothing like literature working.

So anyway, a bit both ways but hopefully relevant to what the topic of this post originally was.

I’m currently finishing off a new type of programme I’m trying, but I am about to move into a 3.5 month period with this style of training (overreaching then power) used in it. Will have full body comp, strength, etc etc measured before, during, and after so I can see what happens.

for exercises like pull ups, I dont see how working the weakest muscles involved ie the biceps, rear delts, would hamper your ability to do more pullups. It defies logic