The Ultimate Guide to Advanced Training Techniques (For All Experience Levels)

The Ultimate Guide to Advanced Training Techniques (For All Experience Levels)

Whether you're new to training or an experienced lifter, advanced training techniques can be used to spice up your routine. There are many reasons why advanced techniques can be a great addition for anyone: maybe you don't have the time to dedicate to a traditional workout, or maybe you find a change of scenery motivating, or are simply curious to try something new.

Whatever your reasons, it can be difficult to understand what advanced training techniques are available and how best to incorporate them, so I've put together a one-stop shop for the most common advanced training practices that anyone can use. When programmed correctly, they provide many of the same muscle building benefits as traditional straight set training in a fraction of the time and can be used effectively to break through those pesky plateaus you encounter.

Advanced training techniques come in many fitness variations: supersets, drop sets, traditional rest-pause and cluster sets are among the most popular. Let's look at each of them and find out how to properly program them into your routine!

Supersets

Supersets are a great way to increase work volume when time is limited. They involve performing two exercises quickly (forming a couplet) with little to no rest in between. Supersets consist of either exercises that work the same muscle group or opposing muscle groups (agonist/antagonist), with no rest between the exercises themselves. They are also easy to program because they have similar set/rep ranges to straight set training.

I recommend choosing agonist/antagonist supersets (such as pairing biceps:triceps or quads:hamstrings) because using two exercises from the same muscle group will result in greater muscle soreness, reduced work volume, and potentially more recovery for no additional benefit. Antagonistic, on the other hand, does not have a negative effect on training volume or muscle activity.

As an example, you can program a superset of four sets of 10 reps of bicep curls and triceps overhead extensions. In practice, you would perform 10 reps of bicep curls and then immediately move on to 10 reps of triceps overhead extensions without resting between the two exercises. Once both exercises are completed one after the other, this is considered a set, and then you rest as you would between traditional sets before moving on to your second round of the four sets discussed previously.

Example

Drop sets

Drop sets are one of my favorite ways to ensure I'm fully engaging a muscle and are particularly beneficial when it comes to improving weak muscles. They really force you to thoroughly exhaust the trained muscles in a time-efficient manner.

Performing dropsets involves completing an initial set in the traditional manner, then immediately lowering the lifted weight by 25-50%, and performing a second set to temporary failure, then (optionally) lowering the load a third time by 25-50%. of the weight of the second set and performing a final set to instantaneous muscle failure.

This way you have a traditional set of one to two “drops” that count as a single overall dropset. After each dropset, rest for as long as you would between traditional sets. I recommend incorporating one to three sets of these as the last exercise of the training day in a muscle group or movement you want to improve.

Traditional rest break

Rest-break is another great way to increase work volume. It has been shown to produce similar strength and size improvements compared to traditional sets while reducing overall training time.

Rest-Pause converts a single set into multiple mini-sets with very short rest between each set (typically 15-30 seconds). Technique varies from trainer to trainer, so I'm sharing my methods to help you adjust this for either hypertrophy or strength.

For hypertrophy, I recommend aiming for a rep goal. The number of reps you achieve on your first mini set will determine how many total reps you will perform for the entire rest-pause set. Choose a weight that is 80-85% of your one-rep maximum. Take this weight and lift to failure and then record how many reps you achieved. Double this value to determine your total rep goal (example: if you hit eight on your first miniset, your total rep goal for all minisets combined is 16). Rest for 15-20 seconds and then perform your second mini-set to failure. Add the number of reps you achieved in this second mini-set to those in the first. Repeat the lift:rest cycle until you reach the rep goal for the entire rest-rest set.

For strength, I aim for a rep goal of 10-12 reps. Choose a weight that is 85-93% of your one-rep maximum. For each mini-set, perform a single rep, rest 20-30 seconds, and then repeat the cycle until you reach your rep goal.

You typically won't do more than one rest-pause set per exercise.

Cluster sets

Cluster sets are a distinct variation of rest periods that involve lifting heavy weights in triples, with very little rest between exercises within groups of three (typically 10-15 seconds). Each triplet ultimately counts as a single set in your programming. Similar to the rest period, each triplet is brought to temporary muscle failure.

There are a variety of schemes used in cluster sets, but they typically involve 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps. The volume of sets or repetitions is increased weekly over 4-8 weeks to increase training demand.

As an example of a scheme I use: Let's start with a group set of front squats with three sets of 2-2-1 reps. Choose a weight that challenges you strongly for two repetitions. Start the set of three with 2 reps, rest 15 seconds, perform 2 more reps with the same weight, rest 15 seconds, and then perform the final rep to complete the first cluster set of the three total. After completing each cluster set, rest for as long as you would between traditional sets

Example

Time to hit the gym with advanced training techniques

Here you have it! A variety of new tools are available to add to your training toolbox if you find your progress lagging or you simply want to try something new. I recommend only using one or two of these in each individual training cycle, but have fun incorporating them as you see fit.

Over time, you will be able to try them all to find which one works best for you. Happy lifting!

Allan Bacon, DDS, is an online personal trainer who specializes in training powerlifters and body composition clients. You can find it at@drallanbaconor atwww.mauiathletics.com.