steave89
03-02-2009, 08:34 AM
Many bodybuilders, in their pursuit of maximum muscle mass, use basic exercises. Practice shows that these exercises, especially the standard ways of performing them, are not always the most effective in stimulating maximum muscle growth for different reasons - weariness, poor development or not good enough recovery of the accessory muscle groups. The principle of pre-exhaustion is an out of the ordinary method of dealing with this problem.
The idea behind this principle is to do first an isolation exercise for a given muscle group and then repeat the series with a basic exercise working the same muscle group. Basic exercises are the ones which work the main muscle group and a great number of synergists (groups of muscles working together). Isolation exercises are those which work the main muscle group and a minimum number of synergists.
The method described reminds of compound set. A compound set is in fact performing two exercises one after the other for one and the same muscle group, but the basic exercise is done first and then the series continues with the isolation exercise.
Barbell bench press is a basic (combined) exercise . The main load is taken on by the chest muscles, but the exercise is specific in that part of the load is carried by the triceps . If the triceps are incapable of performing the part of work that is assigned to them, the whole movement becomes more difficult. This can happen when they are not strong enough or if they are tired. When the triceps are not able to perform their task in lifting the load, they get tired before the chest muscles, so the chest will not be effectively worked. If, for instance, you have to do eight repetitions and for tiredness of the muscles you stop at the fourth or the fifth, the chests won?t be worked enough.
In this case it is better to use the principle of pre-exhaustion. First, you start with peck-deck or lying dumbbell flyes. Thus the chest is worked, excluding the triceps. After failure is reached, the series continues with barbell bench press. As the chest muscles are already tired by the flyes and the peck-deck, a lighter than normal weight is used and the triceps will be able to work in cooperation with the chest. Thus, effective workout of the chest muscles is achieved.
If triceps are unable to work together with the chest muscles, then why should barbell bench press be done at all? Can one simplify things by doing flyes only, instead of first doing flyes and then barbell bench press?
In this case doing only flyes is possible, too.
However, barbell bench press works the chest in a different way. Combining flyes with barbell bench press ensures better loading of the chest muscles.
As a rule, in this combined series during barbell bench press muscle fibers will be included that have not taken part in the flyes, to make the chest work together with the triceps. And on the whole, a much larger number of muscle fibers will take part.
Involving a great number of muscle fibers is the second application of the principle of pre-exhaustion.
In shoulder bench press, if the triceps are unable to work together with the shoulders, the principle of pre-exhaustion can be applied as well.
For example, you can start dumbbell bench press for the shoulder front or dumbbell lift before the body and continue the series with shoulder bench press.
The principle of preliminary fatigue can be used in work-outs for thighs. The series could start for example with lying extension (thigh extension exercise) and after reaching failure continue with barbell squatting. As the quadriceps are already tired by seated thigh extension, in barbell squatting a smaller than normal weight will be used. The lighter weight used decreases the risk of injuries. Tendons, joints and joint connections get loaded less. The disadvantage of this combination is that due to the preliminary fatigue of the quadriceps it is possible to unconsciously direct the load at the glutes. This can be avoided by doing leg press instead of barbell squat.
A model variant for applying the principle of pre-exhaustion in workouts for chest:
1. Barbell bench press - 15 repetitions (warming-up series);
2. Dumbbells flyes - 12 repetitions, followed by barbell bench press - 12 repetitions (warming-up series);
3. Dumbbells flyes - 10 repetitions, followed by barbell bench press - 12 repetitions (warming-up series);
4. Dumbbells flyes - 8 repetitions, followed by barbell bench press - 8 repetitions. Such weight should be used as to make the failure in both exercises come about the eighth repetition.
You can do more than one heavy series like the above, but bear in mind that there is the risk of overworking.
A similar system can be used in workouts for the upper and lower part of the chest. The exercises done are up to you. Instead of flyes you can do peck-deck, and instead of barbell lying lifting - barbell bench press or lying or seated machine bench press, etc.
The principle of the pre-exhaustion is not recommended for beginners or intermediate bodybuilders.
The idea behind this principle is to do first an isolation exercise for a given muscle group and then repeat the series with a basic exercise working the same muscle group. Basic exercises are the ones which work the main muscle group and a great number of synergists (groups of muscles working together). Isolation exercises are those which work the main muscle group and a minimum number of synergists.
The method described reminds of compound set. A compound set is in fact performing two exercises one after the other for one and the same muscle group, but the basic exercise is done first and then the series continues with the isolation exercise.
Barbell bench press is a basic (combined) exercise . The main load is taken on by the chest muscles, but the exercise is specific in that part of the load is carried by the triceps . If the triceps are incapable of performing the part of work that is assigned to them, the whole movement becomes more difficult. This can happen when they are not strong enough or if they are tired. When the triceps are not able to perform their task in lifting the load, they get tired before the chest muscles, so the chest will not be effectively worked. If, for instance, you have to do eight repetitions and for tiredness of the muscles you stop at the fourth or the fifth, the chests won?t be worked enough.
In this case it is better to use the principle of pre-exhaustion. First, you start with peck-deck or lying dumbbell flyes. Thus the chest is worked, excluding the triceps. After failure is reached, the series continues with barbell bench press. As the chest muscles are already tired by the flyes and the peck-deck, a lighter than normal weight is used and the triceps will be able to work in cooperation with the chest. Thus, effective workout of the chest muscles is achieved.
If triceps are unable to work together with the chest muscles, then why should barbell bench press be done at all? Can one simplify things by doing flyes only, instead of first doing flyes and then barbell bench press?
In this case doing only flyes is possible, too.
However, barbell bench press works the chest in a different way. Combining flyes with barbell bench press ensures better loading of the chest muscles.
As a rule, in this combined series during barbell bench press muscle fibers will be included that have not taken part in the flyes, to make the chest work together with the triceps. And on the whole, a much larger number of muscle fibers will take part.
Involving a great number of muscle fibers is the second application of the principle of pre-exhaustion.
In shoulder bench press, if the triceps are unable to work together with the shoulders, the principle of pre-exhaustion can be applied as well.
For example, you can start dumbbell bench press for the shoulder front or dumbbell lift before the body and continue the series with shoulder bench press.
The principle of preliminary fatigue can be used in work-outs for thighs. The series could start for example with lying extension (thigh extension exercise) and after reaching failure continue with barbell squatting. As the quadriceps are already tired by seated thigh extension, in barbell squatting a smaller than normal weight will be used. The lighter weight used decreases the risk of injuries. Tendons, joints and joint connections get loaded less. The disadvantage of this combination is that due to the preliminary fatigue of the quadriceps it is possible to unconsciously direct the load at the glutes. This can be avoided by doing leg press instead of barbell squat.
A model variant for applying the principle of pre-exhaustion in workouts for chest:
1. Barbell bench press - 15 repetitions (warming-up series);
2. Dumbbells flyes - 12 repetitions, followed by barbell bench press - 12 repetitions (warming-up series);
3. Dumbbells flyes - 10 repetitions, followed by barbell bench press - 12 repetitions (warming-up series);
4. Dumbbells flyes - 8 repetitions, followed by barbell bench press - 8 repetitions. Such weight should be used as to make the failure in both exercises come about the eighth repetition.
You can do more than one heavy series like the above, but bear in mind that there is the risk of overworking.
A similar system can be used in workouts for the upper and lower part of the chest. The exercises done are up to you. Instead of flyes you can do peck-deck, and instead of barbell lying lifting - barbell bench press or lying or seated machine bench press, etc.
The principle of the pre-exhaustion is not recommended for beginners or intermediate bodybuilders.