Backward training: it's the best way to build muscle and strength that you've never tried

Men's Fitness, April, 2005 by Chad Waterbury

IF I HAD TO PICK ONE TRAINING REGIMEN TO follow until the end of my days, I'd die huge. That's because I'd use the plan I'm about to share with you. It's simple, fast, and works for everyone. In fact, there's nothing I've found that's better for building muscle size and strength for my clients--or myself--than this largely unknown method. The secret: It requires you to do 10 sets of three repetitions instead of the standard three sets of 10. So it's the complete opposite of the way most guys lift. Call it "backward training" Used properly, this simple set-and-rep reversal will allow you to challenge your muscles more effectively than ever before. Of course, if you're satisfied with conventional results, stick with your conventional workout. But if you want a better way to build massive size and super-strength, read on for the details. After all, backward training is for forward thinkers. Just like more muscle.

THE SCIENCE OF MUSCLE, PART 1

Before we get to the specifics of backward training, it's useful to understand the basic science of building muscle. There are two keys to stimulating maximal growth. The first is ensuring that you perform an adequate amount of volume, or total number of repetitions. My research has shown that a volume of 24-50 total reps per muscle group (or movement pattern) is perfect for increasing muscle size. That's why three sets of 10 repetitions work. It gets you in the optimal range--30 total reps--for growth. Unfortunately, the lighter weights you're forced to use to complete all the reps will never train your muscles to their full potential. So you'll grow, but not as much as you could. The reason: Those lighter weights don't provide enough tension, the second crucial factor for massive gains.

THE SCIENCE OF MUSCLE, PART 2

The more weight you use, the more tension you place on your muscles. That activates a greater number of fibers, leading to greater growth. It also builds strength faster, which means you'll be able to lift even heavier weights, increasing the tension on your muscles even more. But there's one problem: Lifting near maximal weights means you won't be able to do as many reps per set, and you'll need more time to recover in between, limiting the total volume you can perform in a workout--and the size of your muscles. Thankfully, there's a loophole.

A POWERFUL COMBINATION

By simply flipping your sets and reps so you're doing 10 sets of three repetitions--instead of three sets of 10--you can easily combine the concepts of high-volume and high-tension training into a single workout, creating a program that works your muscles maximally. The low number of reps allows you to use a much heavier weight than you would for a 10-rep set. And by strategically adjusting the amount of weight you use--the final ingredient of the backward training formula--you'll be able to take shorter rests between sets and still hit all your reps. The result: You'll keep both volume and tension high.

HOW TO TRAIN BACKWARD

Choose a weight that lets you perform no more than six perfect reps, but do only three, lifting as fast as you can. The keyis notto go to failure--the point at which you can't complete one more repetition--so that you don't become fatigued before you've completed all the sets. Rest for 1-2 minutes and then do another set of three reps. Repeat the process until you've done 10 total sets.

Each week, add one more rep to each exercise in each workout, so that by the third week, you're performing 10 sets of five reps for every exercise (that's 50 total reps, which means you'll have run the whole gamut for optimal muscle growth). Three weeks into the program, retest your six-rep max--it'll be a lot heavier--and then repeat the program for another three weeks.

MASS COMMUNICATION

Your strength will increase dramatically from week to week, primarily because your central nervous system--the command center of your muscles--improves its ability to recruit more motor units, the scientific name for a nerve and the muscle fibers it controls. You see, when you lift heavy weights, you not only train the muscles themselves but also the network of nerves that activates those muscles, leading to better mind-muscle communication. Ultimately, that means you'll work more fibers for greater growth. The graph below shows that backward training activates as many motor units as sprinting and jumping. And if you've ever seen track and field athletes, you know they're about as lean and muscular as a guy can get.

Workout A

FREQUENCY: Do this workout once a week for three weeks. On the following day, do Workout B (on page 86).

HOW TO DO IT: Perform the exercises as straight sets, completing 10 sets for each before moving on to the next. Between sets, rest exactly 90 seconds. You'll perform three reps per set the first week, then four reps the second, and five reps the third.

WEIGHT: Choose the heaviest weight you can lift for six perfect reps but do only the prescribed number. Use the same weight every workout for three weeks, then retest your six-rep max and increase the weight for the next three weeks.