5 Things You Need to Do During Your Training

I’m back again with a quick list of 5 Things You Need to Do During Your Training.

This is not going to be groundbreaking information, but sometimes getting reminded of stuff gets the wheels moving.

This list has been assembled for all of us that train but will apply more to those with less time.

I look at my noon crew and they are quite a bit younger, and they also have quite a bit more time to train.

The days of me having 4 hours to train 4 days a week are gone. I need to get in, get it done and get out in 2 hours, max.

I do all of these things as I feel I need them and it really helps out.

Plus, it saves time. Time is our most precious resource.

Adding this stuff in does not have to be done every session, but as you need it, or in a planned fashion weekly.

It also adds ZERO time to your training (except #1).

It’s all done during your rest periods either between warmups on your main lift, or as Active Rest between Assistance/Accessory work.

So, with that in mind, here are the 5 Things You Need to Do During Your Training in no particular order.

1. Strength Therapy: 

Strength Therapy is simply choosing a strength training exercise and hitting it for 100-300 reps.

It is done with very light weights and is designed to get a ton of blood into the muscles which aids recovery.

Some say it thickens the tendons as well, but I have not seen any valid research on that. I do know it works wonders to make me feel better.

Examples of this are:

• Ankle Weight Leg Curls
• DB Benches/Flys
• Face Pulls
• Pushdowns
• Curls
• And any other accessory exercise you think will help you.

As an example, on Monday I did 200 Face Pulls with 50 pounds, 150 Dumbell Bench Presses with 15’s, and 200 Pushdowns with 40 pounds.

It took me less than 10 minutes. Start with 100 reps and do them in as few sets as possible.

Add 25 or 50 reps each week.

For example, on Monday I did about 85 reps on my Face Pulls before taking 30 seconds rest and going again.

Try it.

It is excellent, especially for us older lifters.

2. Mobility/Flexibility between sets:

I don’t think we need to do a ton of mobility work, unless you are a mess, like I used to be.

I also don’t think you need to do much at all if you are not restricted in your movement.

BUT, many of us do have some mobility/flexibility limitations, but why spend 20 minutes or more working on it?

Why not do it between sets?

EG: Your upper back is tight and stuck, not moving, and you are having a tough time getting your upper back to arch on the bench.

Try adding in some work with Acumobility balls between warmup sets, and maybe some flexibility work, like Bench Yoga as Duffin calls it (it’s a Cat/Camel from Yoga with a twist of the hands).

It adds ZERO time to your training and there is a 99% chance it will get you moving better immediately.

Beware of the Coach that says that you do not need to do any mobility work ever, only the barbell lifts. This is simply a bad coach with no regard for his lifters/clients, OR common sense.  

3.  Added volume between sets:

Think about this; If you have an area that needs strengthening, added muscle, or just want to be more jacked, how hard is it to do a pullup between every set, or a dip or a pushup, or a plank?

Get the idea?

Try this:

This week, do 1 pullup between every set, every day after your main lift.

If you do 4 sets of Assistance work and 3 Accessory exercises for 4 sets each, you will have accumulated 16 pullups in one session, and if you train 3 times a week, that is 48 pullups in a week.

Next week do 2.

That brings it up to 96.

The week after, do 3.

You are now at 144 extra Pullups.

Think that will carry over to more strength and size?

If you said no, you are a jackass.

It will.

This can be done with any exercise. Just keep it simple. Don’t do big, compound barbell exercises.

4.  Abs between sets:

The most neglected aspect of many training sessions.

Why?

Abs are usually at the end and people are too tired, out of time or want to eat and blow them off.

All power gets transferred through your torso. Isn’t having one made of steel better than one made of marshmallow?

How hard is it to hit the floor after you do some Tate Presses and hold a Plank for 20 seconds?

The same examples of adding extra volume above holds true here.

It works twice as good with abs because chances are you aren’t doing any right now.

5. Condense work to super sets/circuits:

No, I’m not saying to be a Met Con freak. I am saying that if you are pressed for time, or need to add some conditioning to your training, this is gold.

Pair up 2 exercise or more and hit them just as hard as you would 1. It shaves a lot of time off your session and gets your heart rate up.

That is a winner.

I like alternating movements a lot, or upper/lower.

EG:

DB Bench Press and Rows

Or

GHR’s and Band Pullaparts

Get the idea?

Try out my list of 5 Things You Need to Do During Your Training, and add them in one at a time.

You’ll see more progress faster.

Did you miss last week’s Log?

Read it here.

Ask me a question-Be sure and Type to Murph in the header

AND PS:

My new site, tpsmethod.com is getting ready to launch.

We are shooting for Thanksgiving or before. I think you all will go bat shit when you see it.

It’s loaded with a shitload of awesome content.

AND PPS:

Stay tuned for my AWESOME interview with Dr. Mike Lawrence.

He just did a groundbreaking study on the Safety Squat bar.

He is scheduled to be in tomorrow to film it, and I hope to have it edited by next week.

Find me on Google-search for Total Performance Sports Malden, Mass.

The Best Gym in Boston, Facebook too.

Oh, yeah, follow us on Instagram too. TPSMalden

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Vincere vel mori

C.J. Murphy November 8, 2018