01dragonslayer
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Plateau-Busting Training Methods
When you first start lifting, just about anything works. But when you hit a plateau, it's time to bust out these methods to build muscle.
Build Muscle… Again
Few things are as frustrating as hitting a training plateau. With even the slightest whiff of stagnation, most lifters scour the internet and hop onto a different program. As a result, they never build muscle or strength. They fail to improve their technique, and they build the self-defeating habit of chasing novelty.But the intelligent and jacked lifters? They analyze their training for gaps. Sometimes those gaps are diet-related, but the issue is often workout design or a lack of intensity.
Here are three proven plateau-busting methods to help you get back on the gain train.
1. Cluster Training
Cluster Training
A cluster set breaks down a set into several mini-sets with short rests between them. There’s a pre-determined number of reps you’ll perform. For example, to do a set of 5 reps cluster-style, you’d perform 1 rep, rest 20 seconds, perform another rep, rest 20 seconds, etc., until you hit 5 reps. The secret? You’ll use more weight than you would with a straight set of 5 continuous reps.
The mini-breaks between reps can be 15 to 30 seconds long. Those brief rest periods allow your phosphocreatine (PCr) system to recover partially. Your PCr system is primarily responsible for high-intensity muscular contractions like sprinting and heavy lifting.
The short, partial recovery allows you to lift a heavier weight for more reps. You’ll maximally train and fatigue high-threshold motor units: the ones best suited for strength and muscular development.
Heavier weight for more reps creates more progressive overload – a primary driver for building strength and size.
Here’s how it looks:
Use a load between 85-95% of your 1 RM (a weight you lift 3-5 times) and do 4-6 reps.
Here’s a comparison of straight sets versus cluster sets:
- Straight Sets: 5x5 at 225 pounds
- Cluster Sets: 5x1-1-1-1-1 at 275 pounds
Cluster training works best with compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, rows, overhead presses, and bench presses. Your goal is to optimize rep execution rather than chase fatigue. Using a heavier weight with more focus for more total reps is a recipe for gains.
Note: Check out this complete 12-week plan: The Ultimate Cluster Training Program 5
2. Rest-Pause Training
Rest-Pause Training
Rest-pause training uses activation sets followed by one all-out rest-pause set where you break a set into multiple mini-sets using an abbreviated rest period.
The result? You’ll perform more reps at a particular weight than you would with a straight set, increasing total work.
Here’s what rest-pause training might look like with a dumbbell bench press:
- Perform 3 sets of 6-10 reps as you normally would. These first three sets accumulate some fatigue and ramp up the nervous system. On the last set, put the weight down and rest for 15-20 seconds.
- Now do your three rest-pauses. It might look like this:
- Do 70 pounds x 5 reps.
- Rest for 15-20 seconds.
- Do 70 pounds x 4 reps.
- Rest for 15-20 seconds.
- Do 70 pounds x 3 reps.
With rest-pause training, you’re lifting a heavier weight for more reps, creating more progressive overload to trigger muscle growth. The short breaks between sets allow a short yet incomplete recovery period to maximally fatigue muscle fibers and stimulate growth.
Rest-pause sets can be used on major multi-joint lifts and isolation work. Emphasize optimal technique, but don’t be afraid to hit muscular failure.
How Are Clusters and Rest-Pause Different?
Rest-pause training is similar to cluster training, and some people use the terms interchangeably, but there are subtle differences between the two:- Cluster training is more strength-performance focused. Rest-pause is more muscular fatigue-focused.
- In cluster training, fatigue and failure are generally avoided. With rest-pause training, metabolic stress and fatigue are delayed but still a goal.
- Cluster training is best done with heavy loads and a barbell. Rest-pause training can be used with various training tools and loads.
- Cluster training uses a set load and pre-determined volume. Rest-pause training uses a set load and variable volume.
- Cluster training focuses on hitting a certain number of reps. Rest-pause training focuses on accumulating fatigue and doing as many reps as you can at a given weight.
3. Post-Activation Potentiation (PAP)
PAP is an advanced training method that combines heavy, compound lifting in a superset with an explosive, lighter exercise. For example, do a set of heavy bench presses, rest 30 seconds, then do a set of explosive clap push-ups.PAP describes the immediate enhancement of muscle force during explosive movements after a heavy resistance exercise. (1). You bridge the gap between strength and explosive athleticism by working opposing sides of the force-velocity curve (heavy strength, low-speed movement) with high velocity (low strength, high-speed movement).
Think of your car. Now, think of your car with a nitrous oxide booster. Post-activation potentiation gives you a hit of N.O. to boost strength, athleticism, and muscle fiber recruitment.
The caveat? To properly use post-activation potentiation, you need a significant base level of strength and skill in performing your big lifts. Otherwise, PAP will backfire in the form of…
- Extreme neurological fatigue, leaving you feeling lethargic.
- Increased risk of injury due to fatigue and technical breakdown.
- Looking like an ass-hat.
More importantly, you’ll improve both intermuscular and intramuscular coordination. Intermuscular coordination occurs between muscles – you synchronize movements together more efficiently.
Intramuscular coordination happens inside the muscle in the form of improved:
- Rate Coding: The capacity to increase firing rate (motor unit discharge rate) to express more strength.
- Recruitment: Recruiting more motor units simultaneously when performing a muscular action.
- Synchronization: The ability of muscle units to contract nearly simultaneously, with very minimal delay.
PAP Exercise Pairings
The first exercise is a heavy compound movement, which is then paired with an explosive movement.Bench Press + Clap Push-Up
Clap Push-Up
Shoulder Press + Overhead Medicine Ball Slam
Overhead Medicine Ball Slam
Squat + Jump Squat
Jump Squat
Deadlift + Kettlebell Swing
Kettlebell Swing
This training method is best done with high training loads (80-95%) on your compound exercise for 1-6 reps. The explosive exercise should be unweighted or lightly weighted but performed with maximum explosive intent.
A sample PAP setup would look like this:
- A1. Squat 5x5, rest 30 seconds
- A2. Jump Squat 5x5, rest 3-5 minutes
How to Get the Best Results
All three of the methods provide a novel training stimulus to push past strength and size plateaus. But increasing intensity without also improving recovery or increasing caloric intake is pointless. Adding more stress only serves to dig a deeper hole from which your body must recover.Implement only one of these training methods at a time and increase calorie intake by 5-10 percent, primarily from carbohydrates and protein (Buy at Amazon). Ensure you’re getting ample sleep: 7 hours should be the minimum. Otherwise, endlessly piling on more stress won’t lead to a breakthrough – it’ll lead to a prolonged plateau.
Train hard. Adjust your programming to amplify intensity. Double down on your recovery. With these protocols dialed in, there’s no plateau you can’t overcome.