In muscle-building training, an intensive exhaustion of the muscles within a series is considered a necessary stimulus for maximum growth stimulus. For advanced bodybuilders and competitive athletes who are aiming for forced muscle growth, there are intensity techniques for extending the series in order to achieve a more intensive exhaustion of the muscles than with the usual methods.
So, what are intensity techniques?
Intensity techniques are all techniques that force training beyond the normal level. Short pauses between repetitions are used here, for example, as in intensity pause training. If you normally run out of strength after 10 repetitions and then pause for 5 seconds, you may be able to do 1-2 more very intensive repetitions, which will then provide a massive build-up stimulus in the muscles! Classic muscle failure can also be categorised as an intensity technique!
Who are they suitable for?
Intensity techniques should only be used by advanced athletes for several reasons. On the one hand, intensity techniques are very strenuous, as the name suggests. This means that the muscles and, in particular, the nervous system are overstretched. Intensity techniques should therefore only be used by experienced athletes with good body awareness so as not to end up overtraining prematurely. Another reason is that intensity techniques entail a much higher risk of injury than normal training ever could. In any case, the prerequisites are a basic musculature, perfect exercise execution, perfect body awareness and, ideally, a training partner who can intervene in case of doubt!
As the intensity techniques are so effective and strenuous, they should only be used sporadically. They actually serve as a real muscle-building booster for a while, but under no circumstances should you overdo it at this point!
Advantages & disadvantages of intensity techniques
Advantages
- They enable new muscle growth
- They help to overcome training plateaus
- They therefore provide new motivation
- Usually less joint strain due to lighter weights
- Shorter training duration (depending on the method)
Disadvantages
- They are not suitable for beginners
- They involve the risk of overtraining
- Some require a training partner
- They exert a high load on the central nervous system
A selection of proven intensity techniques
Intensity techniques that require a partner
Forced repetitions
Forced repetitions are often mistakenly confused with abduction, although these are two completely different intensity techniques. This technique is performed with a training partner. The partner helps with the final repetitions to tease the last reserves of strength out of the target muscles.
Initially, however, as many repetitions as possible are completed alone until the athlete reaches a point at which no further repetitions can be completed alone. This is where the training partner comes into play: they help with the movement (albeit minimally) so that in the end around 2 to 4 forced repetitions are still possible. It is important that the concentration always remains on the target muscle, as this intensity technique would otherwise lose its positive effect.
Intensity techniques that do not require a partner
Drop sets
The drop sets are super intense and very effective. This intensity technique is also perfect if you are training alone. A drop set is very easy to perform.
You perform the last set of the exercise as usual. If you run out of strength, hang the bar and remove some of the weight. Now do as many repetitions as you can with the reduced weight. Repeat this a few more times until you are really burnt out!
They should only be used sporadically during training, as these sets are extremely stressful for the nervous system!
Supersets
Supersets are a very popular technique for saving time and increasing intensity. Supersets can be used more often, as they offer the advantage of always training opposing muscle groups.
You train the sets a little differently to the classic way! While you would normally first complete exercise A) and then exercise B), two exercises are combined here.
It is important that you choose exercises for opposing muscle groups, such as chest/back and triceps/biceps. For example, once you have completed the exercise for the chest, go straight to the exercise for the back without pausing. Then take a short break and perform another superset. Supersets have the advantage that they are very time-saving. They also train the entire cardiovascular system very well!
Super Slow
Super Slow is an intensity technique in which the repetitions – as the name suggests – are performed extremely slowly in order to increase the strain on the target muscles. Each individual repetition is performed in a very controlled manner, which of course requires precise mastery of the exercises.
Due to the high load, significantly less weight is moved during super-slow training, and attention can also be paid to precise execution. This in turn can minimise the risk of injury. In the final sets, your own body weight is often sufficient to maximise the load on the respective muscle. In the super slow technique, the eccentric and concentric movements take 5 to 10 seconds (5/5 or 10/10), while the highest and lowest points are paused for around 1 to 2 seconds.
Sets of 21
An old, yet relatively unknown and little-used intensity technique are the “Sets of 21”. This involves dividing the movement sequence into two halves.
- For the first seven repetitions, the weight is only moved from the beginning to halfway through the full range of motion.
- The next seven repetitions are then performed from halfway to the upper range of motion.
- For the last seven repetitions, the weight is then moved through the full range of motion until muscle failure.
This technique is ideal for training the biceps in isolation on the Scott bench, for example.
It should be noted that the “Sets of 21” should be started with a lower weight. This ensures that the required repetitions and the full range of motion are achieved.
