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Forced Reps

A partner will help you perform the last few reps by giving you assistance in lifting the weight. This is an excellent technique for developing strength through intensity. However, don’t use this technique on all sets. I’d suggest that you use it only on your last set or two of an exercise in order to avoid overtraining.

Modified Reps

This technique does not require a training partner. When you have completed your full regular reps, you continue to move the weight through a partial range of motion. You could perform a quarter rep, a half rep or a three quarter rep. Additionally, you could perform 21’s. With this technique you do bottom to middle half reps for 7, and top to middle half reps for 7, and full reps for 7. This method of 21’s is popular with curls, but it could be done just as easily with other exercises.

Drop Sets

With drop sets, you do a set to failure, and immediately reduce the weight, and without rest continue with the next set. As a strictly hypothetical example, an individual could be doing bench presses . His 1RM is 315 lbs. On the first set he does 85% of his 1RM, or 270lbs., and does 8 reps. He immediately lowers the weight to 80% of his 1RM, or 250lbs., and again does 8 reps. Next, he lowers the weight to 75% of his 1RM, or 235lbs., and does 6 reps. (At this time his pecs are starting to burn and he’s getting an incredible pump.) He takes off weight to 70% of his 1RM, or 220lbs., and does 6 reps. Lastly, he lowers the weight to 65% of his 1RM, or 205lbs., and can only do 2 reps. The reason he failed at 2 reps is because his pecs were totally exhausted after 30 continuous repetitions. Again, this is a purely hypothetical example, however, the planned drop sequence based upon 1RM is a very precise and efficient way to train. The less scientific, but simpler method, is to simply slip five pound plates off the bar after every set.

Super Slow

With this method you do your repetitions very slowly. For example you could use a 7/1/5 tempo. (Up 7 seconds, hold 1 second, and down 5 seconds.) Another application of this technique would be to lower yourself very slowly from a chin bar, taking as long as 30 seconds to complete the descent. This exercise is great as a last set on biceps training days. Super slow is an excellent technique to use to blast yourself out of a rut and into growth.

Flexing (Isotension)

I recently read an article by one of the great bodybuilders of my era who referred to this technique as “synapse”. In days gone by, we simply posed after we had worked a muscle group. As an example, the “most muscular” pose is an excellent exercise for the pecs. As I indicated in the chapter on “Success Factors” in The Barnett Training System Book, flexing your muscles hard, or until they cramp, has always been a great method for developing muscle density and cuts.

Super Sets & Giant Sets

The utilization of super sets and giant sets is a very good intermediate method for increasing intensity and conserving time. I like to superset push and pull muscle groups. For example, you could superset biceps and triceps exercises, or chest and back exercises. Giant sets are a series of exercises done continuously without rest. For example, you might do bench presses, flys and pullovers. Giant sets should be used to develop definition and muscular endurance, but not for size and strength.

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