It's really not a groundbreaking concept to decrease the weight and pump up the volume on the intensity that is high-rep training. But there's more to the approach than a ton of reps -- there needs to be special emphasis placed on full range of motion, strict emphasis on proper posture, and TOTAL control during the positive and negative portions of the movement.
With Summer just around the corner, many of us are eager to get ripped (watching our meal-intake, doing cardio, etc), but many of us are also keen to the fact that while our numbers (on lifts) may be going down, this is an approach that can tone our bulky muscles and bring about promising, aesthetically-pleasing striations and cross-striations.
When a bodybuilder or powerlifter walks around in a stocky, sometimes bulky state, he/she is most likely his/her strongest. But that's the irony of the sport of bodybuilding -- when competitors look their strongest, leanest, and most cut -- they're actually their absolute weakest.
So what about Chest? Well, let's forget about those heavy bench presses and dumbbell presses and let's instead start working more on:
- Incline (1st, 5 Sets of 8 Reps)
-Flat Bench (2nd, 3 Sets of 8 Reps)
- 3rd Decline (1 Set of 8 Reps)
Flyes, as performed by Josh on the featured video, are so essential for pectoral definition, creating that valley between the two muscles.
Other great exercises that should also be considered for 3-5 sets per workout include: Smith Machine Bench Press, Push-Ups, Machine Press, and Cable Crossovers. The objective in this style of training is to assist you in dieting w/o losing quality muscle; however, there is heavy burden on your shoulders - you must treat those 30-50lb presses w/ the same R-E-S-P-E-C-T and conviction that you would for movements with 3x as much weight. The Low Weight / High Rep Approach is so much more mentally-challenging than throwing around big weights w/ simple brute force.
this approach that you will become more aware of how your body responds to stimulation - and - you will begin to develop your very own training techniques (this is like the passing on of the Holy Grail of weight-training).
Good Luck! And if you do this type of training -- another huge hurdle to overcome is how others perceive you -- or how YOU THINK they are perceiving you. Like I said before, this approach involves so much more than Strength, it's truly a very psychologically-draining process, but it's well worth it. You will grow as an athlete in ways too many to count and discuss here. :)
Another great magazine practically fell into my lap. The employees at my favorite supplement store in Michigan (GNC at the Lansing Mall) gave me the new issue of Muscle / Body when I purchased a couple protein bards. I had already made my monthly purchase a week earlier and renewed my goldcard, but they wanted to be sure I was taken care of and offered me this great read. :)
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