Thread: What are your "shock" routines?

I have incorporated some sets with X-reps in shock week. Example is squats - I go all the way down, rise about half way up, go back down and then a full ROM rep. So you in effect do 1-1/2 reps - stopping so there is no bounce at the bottom. I use this technique for curls, OH DB press, BB bench press, etc. It is a variation of 21's that I used in high school.

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Since I am doing P/RR/S, it seems for the Shock week, I can do some crazy shit, but I want to hear some more ideas other than gopro's.

I want to hear everyone's little ideas to jump start some growth or strength. Whether it be from what you read, perform, or instruct to clients, lets hear it.

Tomorrow I am scheduled to do a hamstring dominant day. I was going to incooporate some Singe Legged RDLs, but other than that *new* exercise selection, I need some more hamstring shockers. Ive done supersets of single legged hamstring curls, followed immediately by deads. Ive done drop sets of hamstrings curls. Other than that I am all ears.

Of course, I want to hear upper body shit too. Tomorrow is my 1st day of my second cycle of p/rr/s, so any ideas are appreciated since I workout 4 times this week.

I like to do supersets, during shock week. I like to work on machines and i will pick two machines that work the same group of muscles and go back and forth (thats usually for compound lifts). for lifts that isolate muscles, I will do x-reps or for lifts usuing dumbells, I start at a weight and by the time I'm done I will be doing a much lighter weight (burn out).

Ive never done PRRS, but how about Glute Ham Raises/Hypers with an incredibly slow negative?

Originally Posted by forum9351

I like to do supersets, during shock week. I like to work on machines and i will pick two machines that work the same group of muscles and go back and forth (thats usually for compound lifts). for lifts that isolate muscles, I will do x-reps or for lifts usuing dumbells, I start at a weight and by the time I'm done I will be doing a much lighter weight (burn out).

Supersets...are you using 2 machines that involve the same movements as well? E.g. Two machines that are called "chest press" but since both are from different manufacturers, their angles or grips are different..? Or are you talking a chest press machine, followed by a pec deck?

X-reps...these are the only things I havent used. I dont think I should do them for deads, but a sumo squat or a ham string curl?

Dropsets...thats what youre talking about with the DB curls yes?

Originally Posted by Gazhole

Ive never done PRRS, but how about Glute Ham Raises/Hypers with an incredibly slow negative?

Its not a bad idea, but during the Power week, the tempo instructs you to do a 4 second negative. Thats pretty hard as it is. To tell you the truth, Ive never agreed with it.

Pull-throughs, you should try them. Great for hams/glutes/lower back. Chances are you haven't tried them. Maybe super set those with RDL's or leg curls?

Originally Posted by fufu

Pull-throughs, you should try them. Great for hams/glutes/lower back. Chances are you haven't tried them. Maybe super set those with RDL's or leg curls?

I thought those were more anterior deltoid? Its a cable exercise yes?

You stand facing away from the pulley. The pulley is at your feet with a rope attached. You squat down to grab the rope and basically pull through between your legs to the end position which is you standing upright, with your arms extended in front of you?

Am I thinking of something else?

Originally Posted by AKIRA

I thought those were more anterior deltoid? Its a cable exercise yes?

You stand facing away from the pulley. The pulley is at your feet with a rope attached. You squat down to grab the rope and basically pull through between your legs to the end position which is you standing upright, with your arms extended in front of you?

Am I thinking of something else?

That is something else, as far as what I have learned as a pull through.

What you are explaining sounds like a swing done with a cable.


Then you just come back to upright, with a forward lean.

You can also do it so you keep your back straight and push back your hips with a slight bend in the knee for more hamstring/glute and less lower back.

Hmm, thats the workout I was picturing in my head.

Does the cable split your nuts?

Pauses
Slow reps

Drop Set
Double Drop
Down the rack(superduper drop sets)
Super Set
Double Super Set
Tri-Set
Rest-Pause technique
1-1/2 Reps
Pre-Fatigue

I use a basic linear periodization protocol in which i will linearly increase a certain variable (usually intensity, volume or density) to a certain point over a 3-5 week period, then unload and begin anew with either a different variable or the same variable but with my higher level of fitness. Might not be the greatest of methodologies but school is killing me right now and i don't have time to write out long winded programs like i used to, so i just stay basic and try to improve slowly w/out injury. Over the past couple of weeks my day 1 strength work was like this wk1-squats 3x3, wk2-squats 3x5, wk3-squats 4x5, wk4-squats 5x5. Today is week 4 and i will try hitting 5x5. Next week will be a maintanence week where i will go 5x5 again or maybe even add a set or rep to every set then the following week will be deload week, which is when i'm going away for the weekend to South Beach Miami for the WMC's. When i get back i'll start something different.

Also keep in mind i don't always hit what i have on paper. Sometimes i will be tired or feel like a tweaked something in my back, at which point i might call it a day with the strength work. Sometimes i won't hit all my reps etc. I go by instinct a lot nowadays as i find that if i push myself to always hit my numbers on the paper i wind up getting hurt very quickly.

My shock period is my week off.

My "shock" usually includes changing the rep variables to something different than what is normal, and doubling or tripling the volume while reducing rest intervals.

[QUOTE=AKIRA;1583774]Supersets...are you using 2 machines that involve the same movements as well? E.g. Two machines that are called "chest press" but since both are from different manufacturers, their angles or grips are different..? Or are you talking a chest press machine, followed by a pec deck?

X-reps...these are the only things I havent used. I dont think I should do them for deads, but a sumo squat or a ham string curl?

Dropsets...thats what youre talking about with the DB curls yes?

yes, dropsets with dumbells are awesome. As far as supersets, I try to do two machines that have different movements so I will do like an incline bench press machine and machine flys. Of course you don't need machines, you could do bench press and dumbell flys, but pretty much I will do four sets on each lift, alternating the sets on each lift, and taking no more than a 15-20 second break.

for biceps one of my favorite lifts is 21's. first 7 reps are partial from an extended arm to half way, next 7 reps are partial from halway to flexed, last seven reps are the full bicep curl.

Incredibly, Ive never done 21s. Not a bad idea for a shocking arm day.

Compound movements are the movements I am stumped on.

gopro uses a hack squat as an example in 1 of his shock passages. What exactly does a hack squat target? I mean is it a quad or ham dominant exercise?

Originally Posted by Duncans Donuts

My "shock" usually includes changing the rep variables to something different than what is normal, and doubling or tripling the volume while reducing rest intervals.

Can you state an example?

I actually thought of doing 2 different types of deadlifts tomorrow for my hams....but now you mention volume doubling, so it makes me wonder.

Well, my routine is very low volume naturally (20 minutes or so in the gym). What I normally do is adjust the rest intervals every 6-8 weeks (from 30seconds to 3 minutes). If my actual rest interval has been 3 minutes for a time, I will cut it down to 1 minute. The more extreme the better for my "blitzing" cycles, but they don't last for more than 10 days and are followed by a week off.

If I normally am doing 2 sets, I will do 4 or 6 sets of an exercise. That's what I meant by doubling or tripling the volume. It usually is correspondent with lowering the rest intervals. When I do this, it is a huge imposition on my body and drains me bad.

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Incredibly, Ive never done 21s. Not a bad idea for a shocking arm day.

Compound movements are the movements I am stumped on.

gopro uses a hack squat as an example in 1 of his shock passages. What exactly does a hack squat target? I mean is it a quad or ham dominant exercise?

Quad.