Chapter 1 - Common Training Concepts

Repetitions (reps) - the amount of repetitions of a movement in a single set.

Sets - a given amount of exercise repetitions, usually intertwined with rest time.

Rest - the amount of time between sets. In general, shorter rests are best for endurance; longer rests for strength training.

Tempo - the speed at which the exercise is performed. It comes in the XXXX notation, where each X stands for the respective phase of the exercise.

Intensity is the difficulty of the exercise, and relates to the 1 repetition maximum.

In general, strength and endurance training lie at opposite places in the repetition spectrum. However, it is possible to develop both, simultaneously, a fair amount. Developing greater strength allows for the possibility of greater endurance. Strength is, on the other hand, much harder to develop than endurance.

Chapter 2 - Physiology of Strength and Hypertrophy

This is a tough chapter.

Motor units are composed of motor neurons and the muscle fibers it innervates; innervation is from the motor neuron to the muscle fibers.

There are Low Threshold Motor Units (LTMU) and High Threshold Motor Units (HTMU). The first are more geared towards endurance, and the latter to strength. In between there are MTMU.

LTMU are slow-twitch fibers; they are very red in colour, because of high amounts of mitochondria. HTMU are high-twitch fibers; they are white in colour. They fatigue very quickly because they can only use anaerobic metabolism to supply energy. In between, MTMU has a pinkish color, and can adapt towards more strength or endurance.

The activation from LTMU to HTMU increases as the needed force to exert. When lifting a cup (very little force), only LTMU are required. But when doing more strenuous exercise, with bigger weights and forces, HTMU come into play as well as LTMU.

It would be ideal to have a predominant strength-oriented training, with exercises that are "intense and difficult". Priority is to perform the repetitions with good form and technique, as fast as possible, specially in the concentric phase of the movement.

Neural Adaptations for Strength

There are six primary ways in which the nervous system increases strength.

Recruitment refers to the number of neural motor units that are activated on a movement, and will increase as force requirements increase. There are some limiters to the amount of force we can produce (related to tendons), but these go away with training.

Firing rate is the amount of time between each electrochemical signal sent to the musculature, increasing rate of contraction;

"Synchronization" is the amount of time between motor units firing and working together, while contribution is how efficient the different contributing muscles to a movement are timing their firing;

Reciprocal or antagonist inhibition is the reduction of resistance from the muscles opposite to the ones performing the movement;

Finally, there is "motor learning", which refers to the neural connections within the brain that affect the developing of learning movements.

Eccentrics refer to the component of an exercise where the muscles are lengthening; Isometrics are exercises where the body is held in one position, while exerting strength.

Mechanisms of Hypertrophy

Mechanical tension-based hypertrophy occurs on HTMU activation. The body adds muscle mass when there is enough high-intensity activity on the muscles.

Eccentric Damage and Microtrauma occurs when there is enough time under tension.

Chapter 3 - Progression Charts and Goal Setting

Action steps for untrained beginners:

- Introduce fundamental exercises and become proficient in them;

- Utilize higher repetitions to solidify movement patterns and build connective tissue strength;

- Focus heavily on individual weaknesses. For example, a desk job often creates or perpetuates poor posture.

- Begin a generalized, balanced routine that starts with high repetitions and then transitions into traditional strength training.

(other tips for further progress can be found on page 24 of the book)

Set goals the SMART way.

In general, you will want one to two goals from each category for skill, pushing, pulling, legs, core, and flexibility.

progression charts

Chapter 4 - Structural Balance Considerations

Fundamentally, dips are one of the best upper-body pushing exercises for brute strength, and an excellent comparison would be that they are similar to an upper-body squat.

In a perfect world, everyone would work both handstands and the manna as coupled skills.

Pick horizontal and vertical pushing exercises.

• For newbies, the handstand covers vertical pushing upward, so choose a vertical pushing downward.

• Pick a vertical pulling exercise and one horizontal pulling exercise.

• Put the L-sit progression to manna and handstand in your routine.

Chapter 5 - Intro to Programming, attributes, and the hierarchy of a routine.

The key of any single workout is to have a high enough amount of intensity and enough volume to stress the body so it will adapt to increase strength and hypertrophy.

The easiest way to progressively increase the stress is:

1. Increasing repetitions.

2. Increasing sets.

3. Increasing the total amount of exercises performed

Basic periodisation and inter-workout structure

The microcycle is typically based around one week of training. A mesocycle is a combination of four to eight microcycles.

Building a routine

These are the five main categories that you should construct a workout routine around

1. Warm-Up and Mobility

2. Skill or Technique Work (Handstands, Flips, Gymnastics Tumbling, Break-dancing Work, etc.)

3. Power, Isometrics, Eccentrics, Regular Strength Work

4. Endurance, Metabolic Conditioning, Tabata Method, Interval Training, Specific Exercises, etc.

5. Prehabilitation, Flexibility Work, Cool Down