Ep. #1102: Kassem Hanson on Optimizing Your Train Choice

Mike: I’m Mike Matthews, and that is Muscle for Life. Thanks for becoming a member of me right this moment for a brand new episode on the artwork and science of optimizing your train choice based mostly in your circumstances, based mostly in your objectives. As a result of if you wish to get into nice form, if you wish to achieve, let’s say, a lot of the muscle and energy that’s genetically accessible to you, you need to do a bit extra than simply raise heavy issues and you actually start to comprehend that and expertise it firsthand when you find yourself nicely into your intermediate section, perhaps transitioning into your superior section in your health journey.

So after you’ve gotten , let’s say two, three. 4 years of weightlifting below your belt. If you wish to hold making progress with out getting damage, you need to begin taking note of some subtler points of coaching. I suppose you might say that weren’t crucial in your newbie section, and even to start with of your intermediate section, the primary one to perhaps three years, you didn’t actually have to concentrate to those issues.

You would simply take note of the larger issues and make nice progress that method. However finally, these subtler points of coaching grow to be cumulatively. Extra necessary, rather more necessary. And two of these issues are train choice and train execution. What workouts are you doing and why? And the way are you doing them and why?

And people two subjects are the main target of right this moment’s episode. And in right this moment’s episode, you’ll be listening to largely from my visitor, Cassem Hanssen, who’s an educator and researcher, primarily recognized for his work with biomechanics. He has produced lots of academic materials on biomechanics and the way we will use biomechanics to optimize our coaching.

And nicely, in right this moment’s episode, he’s in his wheelhouse as a result of that’s what we’re gonna be speaking about. Now. Cassim can be the founding father of N one, which is an academic useful resource and training service that makes a speciality of fully individualized coaching applications and diet. So for those who like right this moment’s dialogue with Cassim, you’ll most likely additionally like what he’s doing over at N one.

Good day Cassim. Thanks for approaching my podcast.

Kassem: Hey Mike, glad to be right here. Lengthy-term fan of the podcast. So I knew this one was gonna be on the record finally.

Mike: Thanks. Thanks. Nicely, uh, I’m glad we’re right here to speak about train choice,

train modification. I suppose in some circumstances, a subject that, you already know, we’re simply speaking offline isn’t crucial and these, that is my opinion.

And for those who disagree, I’d love to listen to why. However that is one thing that I, I’d assume isn’t crucial to people who find themselves model new. So for those who’re new to energy coaching, nicely, I suppose it is very important choose appropriate workouts. Let’s simply say for those who’re in your first 12 months of energy coaching, It’s very onerous to mess it up.

If you happen to simply have a midway intelligently designed program that simply takes you thru some primary actions, primary workouts, you get sturdy on them. That’s type of your first 12 months. That’s most likely gonna produce roughly all the muscle and energy that you may achieve in that first 12 months. However then as you progress into your second 12 months and past, it will get a lot tougher to proceed gaining muscle and energy.

That’s the place one thing like. What we’re gonna speak about right this moment, I feel can grow to be worthwhile. It may be, it may be a productive method to make use of your time, even for those who’re, you’re the person going, okay, so how do I make my second 12 months maximally productive? How do I make my third, fourth, fifth 12 months till finally I simply can’t actually achieve a lot muscle and energy anymore?

There’s a level, I feel, the place it is sensible to be taught a bit extra in regards to the many various workouts that you are able to do to coach your main muscle teams and perceive variations, perceive benefits, disadvantages, perceive sure modifications to make workouts more practical. And a few individuals may say, nicely, you might level to any particular person resolution alongside these strains and say, nicely, it’s probably not gonna matter whether or not you do the barbell curl otherwise you do the cable drag curl.

Uh, so long as you may proceed getting stronger. And then you definitely go, nicely, right here’s a bonus of perhaps this cable drag curl in a sure situation, and you’ll most likely do some bit higher and go, nicely, yeah, who cares? Okay, however. If you happen to make sufficient of these enhancements although cumulatively, it may possibly add as much as one thing significant.

In order that’s why I assumed this may be a, a helpful dialogue, not simply fascinating, however one thing that folks can be taught. They will ideally come away from it with some concepts about how they’re going to switch. They’re programming to attempt some new workouts or attempt doing workouts in several ways in which they’ve at all times accomplished a technique, as a result of that’s type of the usual strategy to do it.

Kassem: Yeah. One of many methods I prefer to put the nuances of these items is not one of the stuff issues till it does. And you already know, I feel that’ll differ relying, you already know, on everyone’s journey. Like in the case of the train choice, you already know, for those who’re simply beginning off, typically this stuff are gonna be extra like troubleshooting issues like, Hey, I don’t have this piece of kit.

What’s one thing related? Or, this train both doesn’t match me nicely, or I’ve, you already know, orthopedic difficulty after I carry out it, or one thing like that. Cool. These are options for there, however when it comes to like, you already know, hypertrophy, yeah, it’s gonna scale with all the things else that you just do. The tougher you prepare, the extra that you just prepare, the longer you’ve been coaching, I feel.

Whenever you take a look at this stuff is these items grow to be extra useful as you deliver up the opposite variables, they’ve that compounding impact, proper? However for those who’re, you already know, you’re simply hitting the gymnasium twice every week, you’re not doing lots of quantity, nicely then, like this stuff are usually not gonna transfer the needle.

You’re not gonna be capable to choose an train that will get you twice as a lot out of the identical quantity, so to talk. However for those who’re doing lots of quantity, otherwise you’re coaching actually onerous, That’s the place this stuff may help, you already know, not simply from the her phy perspective, however they’ll kinda actually offer you much more choices together with your coaching frequency and your quantity.

As a result of you can begin being extra particular and like giving your self like, Hey, usually after I educated legs, it’d take me so many days earlier than I might do a sure motion. However now if I’m somewhat bit extra particular with my actions, now hastily now I can hit legs Monday and Thursday as a result of I’m selecting actions which are just a bit bit extra particular and divergent.

So the restoration, you already know, between these two classes, there’s so many ways in which stuff can be utilized for apart from identical to, Hey, what is best for hypertrophy? And I feel it’s simply necessary that folks look by way of that lens of lots of occasions getting higher. Hypertrophy is utilizing these instruments, not simply because, oh, in isolation, simply taking a look at these two is nice, but additionally what.

What do these instruments permit me to get from the opposite points of coaching, whether or not that be, you already know, how a lot effort and proximity to failure, or how a lot quantity or how can I construction my stuff when it comes to my frequency all through the week and stuff like that as nicely?

Mike: Yeah, nice factors. So we will get proper into it.

Uh, wherever you need to begin. If you wish to. You, you led with simply an instance there concerning decrease physique. If you wish to leap proper in there only for people who find themselves questioning. About how that may look. How are you going to modify your decrease physique coaching to make it higher suited to, let’s say, coaching twice every week, which for individuals listening, you’re gonna need to do, for those who’re an skilled weightlifter, you’ve gained quantity of a good quantity of muscle and energy in your decrease physique, and also you’re attempting to realize no matter’s left.

Simply the sheer quantity of quantity alone, like I, I’d guess you’re gonna need to most likely do no less than 12, and that’s most likely low, most likely extra like 15 onerous units to your decrease physique per week. And if we’re speaking about all decrease physique, we’re gonna say quads, hamstrings, glutes, perhaps calves. If you happen to care, and also you’re not gonna do this multi functional session, you’re gonna have to try this in no less than two classes.

And so the way you program that’s going to matter as a result of it’s not only a matter of doing the quantity. You must additionally progress. You must obtain progressive overload ultimately. Finally, that ought to most likely flip into extra weight on the bar or on the dumbbells or on the machines. So how do you get there?

Virtually when you need to do this a lot quantity and now you’re doing two classes per week.

Kassem: So there’s two type of two logics that we will go down right here. One is, okay, how do I begin breaking apart the workouts in order that, you already know, perhaps I might have, you already know, perhaps a quad dominant day and hip dominant day or no matter.

Two, get extra restoration all through the day. However then there’s additionally the inside session, like simply being extra particular with the train choice. ’trigger one of many issues that occurs as we begin to, you already know, get our variations to coaching is, is that. The edge of stimulus that we want begins to go up.

And for those who’re only a newbie and also you begin doing an train, that train may very well be above that threshold for an entire bunch of synergistic muscle mass. However as you begin to grow to be extra superior, what occurs is it’s gonna preserve the brink for sure muscle mass, however different muscle mass are gonna drop off. Like if you wish to take this to an excessive, when a newbie begins the squat could also be enough sufficient to coach their calves.

That’s how low the brink is at first,

Mike: or presumably, presumably hamstrings. Otherwise you assume that it by no means will get there with hamstrings.

Kassem: I imply, for those who wanna take it to the acute of the untrained, then sure, even hamstrings. ’trigger I imply we, within the untrained strolling, Produces hypertrophy. So the brink could be very low, however most individuals listening to this most likely are usually not rolling off the bed, relaxation into the gymnasium.

So simply principally, if we’re considering like, nicely, is the squat gonna be hamstring train? Like Yeah, most likely not. Except you might be actually simply beginning on the gymnasium and also you don’t have every other like bodily laboring exercise.

Mike: Yeah. Yeah. I ask that as a result of some individuals have excessive opinions a technique or one other on that.

Kassem: I feel there’s a pair various things that, you already know, that make individuals get misplaced on a few of these subjects. And one is most individuals aren’t ever coaching only one train. So it may be onerous for them to be like, Hey, yeah, it looks like, you already know, my hamstrings are rising and I’m doing squats. But it surely’s like, nicely, are you solely doing squats?

’trigger they’re most likely doing leg curls and so they’re most likely doing a little kind of hinge and, and no matter. So typically it’s simply, you’re simply conflating, you already know, the general impact of your program and also you occur to have x, y, Z train in there. And the opposite is, is that your, the vertical fibers of your adductor magnus, so that they’re principally those that.

Are the longest on the within of your leg. Loads of textual content, we’ll name that the hamstringing division, however it doesn’t cross the knee, however it’s proper subsequent to the hamstrings. So for those who get sore in that tissue otherwise you really feel that working, it’s gonna really feel so much just like the hamstrings. Um, it truly even shares like the identical nerve root because the hamstring, so it’s gonna be the same feeling, related sensation.

And likewise you’re gonna get soreness. And since it doesn’t cross the knee that’s gonna be extra concerned in your squatting sort motions. It’s principally gonna be concerned, you already know, in all the things that might contain the glutes in a sagittal sort aircraft sort movement. Like a, like a squatter, a cut up squat. So constructing on that, if we take a look at beginning to separate workouts, if we take the squat is like that is the bottom train that’s type of just like the hit all the things, proper?

So we’ll say it’s just like the least particular that you might, um, you might apply that very same precept to love leg presses and hack squats relying on the way you sit them. However we will begin with workouts which are very balanced, which is nice once we need to prepare an entire lot of muscle with one train. However as we advance, we begin operating into the purpose the place, man, A kind of muscle mass is gonna be what causes you to truly attain failure in that set.

And the opposite muscle mass are basically gonna have reps within the tank nonetheless, so that you’re not coaching to the identical r i r throughout all of the muscle mass inside an train. And that separation begins to occur extra as we grow to be extra superior in coaching. In order that’s the place it’s like, okay, now can I do a squat that’s extra for my quads through the use of a heel elevation, proper?

After which can I do one thing that’s extra hinge like an R D l? And so like between these two workouts, now we’re principally getting all the muscle mass that we had been in a squat. However I’m ensuring that my quads at the moment are the limiter and getting all of the stimulus after I do the squat as a result of it’s extra quad dominant and I’m ensuring my hip extensors are getting, are literally inflicting failure with the hinge motion reasonably than doing a squat.

And perhaps, you already know, I’ve some reps in reserve left in my glutes and my adductors as a result of my quads are what truly failed first. So I’m turning my quads near failure, however I may need, you already know, 6, 7, 8. 10 reps within the tank, you already know, in my glutes, below those self same circumstances. You possibly can proceed constructing that out and that’s type of what occurs.

And so if we take a look at this on a continuum, the very first thing that you’d do is you’d be like, okay, how do I alter my squat setup? Like essentially the most relevant factor I feel there’s utilizing a heel elevation. Which lets you get your knees ahead extra. And when our knees go ahead, that basically implies that the quantity of labor that the quads need to do relative to the hipc sensors is gonna be extra.

And if we take a look at most individuals’s squats, as soon as it begins to get difficult, like later within the set, the tendency is at all times to love kick the butt again, proper? And what that does is basically takes somewhat little bit of load off the quads. So once we use a heel elevation, we’re basically doing the reverse of that.

We’re placing extra load on the quads. And it truly makes it tougher to try this cheat ’trigger now as an alternative of, you already know, pushing your butt again somewhat inch, now you actually see your type deviate like, you already know, 4 to 6 inches of translation within the Shara aircraft, like pushing your butt again. It’d be very noticeable when you type of begin breaking that approach.

We’re doing two issues there. One is we’re making the quads work tougher, however the different is, is we’re truly lowering how a lot work the hip extensors and the lumbar backbone and all your erectors, all the burden on the posterior chain is being relieved. And that opens up the chance now for us to place.

One other train in,

Mike: yeah, to do an R D L, which can not really feel nice for those who had been simply doing a barbell again squat and attempt to comply with it up with heavy R dls.

Kassem: Yeah, like one of many cardinal issues is, is like if you begin placing right into a program is you gotta watch out of like when, how a lot squatting and deadlifting can you’ve gotten together?

How shut you already know collectively can you’ve gotten these? And for those who like, if we glance on the continuum from newbie, like an absolute newbie may be capable to do each of these in the identical exercise, simply fantastic. You then take the other excessive, which be like, you already know, any individual that’s like at a good stage of energy lifting, they could need to alternate weeks through which they prepare these.

Train. One week is a squat week, the opposite week is a pull week the place they do their deadlift proper? As a result of there’s a lot crossover fatigue, proper? And so relying on the place you exist on that spectrum of like how lengthy you’ve been coaching and the way a lot you’ve advancing these actions, hastily then it turns into like, okay, nicely I could not be capable to do a deadlift, however I might do different issues.

Or if I make my squat extra knee dominant, then I can truly match. Each workouts in the identical week, and I don’t have as a lot fatigue crossover, which is probably going the trail that you just’re gonna select in case your objective is hypertrophy, proper? Like for those who’re an influence lifter, you’re, your programming is predicated round these, these lifts.

In case your focus is hypertrophy, you don’t have to remain loyal to any train, proper? Like you’ve gotten the liberty to go wherever you need. In order that implies that we will proceed down that continuum so far as we wish. So if step one is doing a heel elevated squat, nicely then the following step is likely to be shifting to a hack squat, proper?

As a result of now we’ve basically eliminated the backbone, the erectors out of the motion fully, proper? We’ve added stability, which tends to extend the quantity of output. So we’re, we’re basically gonna be capable to prepare the muscle to a larger diploma of, you already know, we’ll say like, Failure’s normally outlined by whether or not or not you may full the rep.

But when we are saying physiological failure, which means identical to how a lot stress we’re capable of impose on the muscle, when we’ve extra stability, we’re capable of get to nearer to physiological failure. Like we’re capable of like get somewhat bit extra stimulus. We’re capable of recruit somewhat bit extra motor items as a result of our mind doesn’t need to stabilize as many joints, so it’s bought fewer muscle mass and to work with.

So it may possibly principally make the muscle mass which are working work tougher. And so including that stability element will be good. After which we will nonetheless do, you already know, in case you have a hack squat the place the platform can permit for like, you already know, somewhat little bit of plantar flexion in order that, you already know, ankle mobility is isn’t a problem and you may nonetheless get like that full deep vary of hamstrings to calves, that’s gonna be good.

And the principle advantage of. Switching to that hack squat, apart from it being secure, is simply that when you’ve gotten one thing behind your butt, basically what that does is often, like on the squat, we talked about how your hips would push again if you would wanna cheat. Now, on this occasion, when your quads are pushing, they really create somewhat little bit of friction ahead, like in the direction of your toes, proper?

And that pressure is now absorbed by that. Again, relaxation being behind your butt. So what that does, it lets you principally use as a lot of your quads as you may all through the entire rep, the place in a squat you need to stability. So that you’re type of restricted on how a lot you may fireplace every muscle as a result of you need to go up and stability the place you.

You’ll fall over, proper? So that you’re eradicating that stability element and it’s basically permitting you to reap the benefits of the constraints of the machine to make use of your quads much more. And that is the place we take {that a} step additional and take a look at the pendulum, which is basically designed to amplify that factor.

’trigger now that again piece, you’re truly type of truly pushing your butt again up into it. However as an alternative of it being like a squat movement the place you’d be shifting horizontal, you’re type of on this like swing sort movement. So if you drive again, you’re actually driving with the quants. So if we take a look at the comparability of these, we’re basically attending to identical to somewhat bit extra quad bias to somewhat bit extra quad bias, somewhat bit extra quad bias.

After which that shift from the hack to the pendulum is basically making it much more quads, much less hips. And for lots of people, in the event that they nonetheless wrestle somewhat bit with vary of movement in a hack squat, they may discover that within the pendulum. As a result of basically what the pendulum does is it principally pushes your butt in the direction of your heels on the backside, which that’s closing the knee joint.

That’s attending to that very stretch place, which you already know, The an increasing number of analysis we see, that appears to be essentially the most useful place that you just need to be going when it comes to vary of movement and the place you truly need the train to be difficult from a hypertrophy perspective. So the pendulum principally ticks all the containers when it comes to, okay, now we’ve stability, we’re getting deep into that vary of movement.

It’s very biased in the direction of the quads, and also you’re not gonna be capable to cheat a lot, you already know, together with your glutes and stuff like that to get outta that place as you fatigue. So if you, you already know, figuring out what failure is to your quads is gonna be very, very obvious

Mike: and you may, you may safely go actually as, as, so you may go proper as much as failure if, if that is sensible.

However I typically don’t do this. I on on pendulum, I’ll normally. Have another rep left. So, however that’s, you already know, it’s fairly near failure. Max could be two reps left and I, and I can do this with out even having to consider it on the pendulum. I can simply take into consideration simply pushing as onerous as I can. That’s all I’ve to consider.

Kassem: That’s truly the purpose that I used to be rolling into is these workouts which are extra particular. It tends to be simpler to gauge that. R i r.

Mike: Yeah. And that only for individuals listening, reps in reserve, what number of good reps left do you’ve gotten? So that you’re in a set. It’s getting onerous and for those who ask your self, alright, if I actually needed to, what number of extra reps might I do?

And when you get nearer to failure, for those who’ve been coaching for a bit, you’ll have a reasonably good sense of it. All of us most likely are likely to underestimate reasonably than overestimate, however it’s best to, for those who, for those who’re considering I might do perhaps two extra, perhaps you might get three extra, once more for those who’re skilled, however not 5 extra.

Kassem: Generally workouts which are extra particular, it’s simpler to know when that time is. And likewise workouts the place there aren’t as many different components to fatigue or problem. So there’s a extra talent, just like the extra of a talent element there’s to an train, the tougher that’s to gauge, proper? And the extra there’s a chance for there to be, say, like a respiratory fatigue.

Like if you’re squatting, for those who’re going to failure, you’re gonna be like huffing and puffing until you’re doing, you already know, like, you already know, three or 4 reps, proper?

Mike: Like doing units of eight, units of 10, squat, deadlift. Inside even ending these inside, let’s say one to 2, uh, one to 2, r a r. I imply, it, it seems like cardio towards the tip of that set.

I imply, it’s, it’s, uh, it’s cardiovascularly demanding, that’s for positive.

Kassem: Yep. So by eradicating that element, I feel one, it makes it simpler for most individuals to truly prepare a pair reps they in any other case wouldn’t have. But it surely additionally simply lets you be extra positive that like, okay, that basically is 2 reps away, proper?

The place it’s identical to, okay, this felt actually onerous as a result of I’m respiration onerous and, you already know, I’m stabilizing this with my again and I’m additionally, you already know, type of fearful that I would go down or not come again up. Like, all of these issues are gonna lean you, lean you, or push you in the direction of perhaps slicing that set somewhat sooner than you’d comparatively to, you already know, hack or, or pendulum.

Mike: Yep. And with a few of these workouts, uh, in my coaching, I additionally every now and then will push to failure the place like, actually I can’t get, I’ve to on the pendulum, I’m gonna be sitting down, I. Simply to maintain my sense of failure type of calibrated, so to talk. I don’t need to do it fairly often, however simply to remind myself what that truly looks like and what number of grinder reps you actually can do if you need to.

Kassem: Yeah, I feel that’s a vital factor as a result of for those who by no means go to failure, how are you aware that you just’re. Two reps in reserve is absolutely two reps in reserve. So I imply, I’m an enormous fan of, you already know, normally it’s like, Hey, the final set of an train is gonna be taken to failure. Like, I imply, it’s not a rule, however it’s a apply that we use, I’d say nearly all of of the time now, there will be intervals of time the place you particularly like say, Hey, all of those units are gonna keep like a pair reps away or whatnot.

However then in these circumstances I say, Hey, nicely no less than in some unspecified time in the future in an extended mezo, or for those who change Mezzos extra often, like perhaps each different one, you throw that again in there so that you just don’t type of lose that. I, I don’t need to get an excessive amount of on a tangent away from the train choice, however that is an anecdote commentary from simply teaching from years or no matter, uh, no matter, and dealing with, you already know, everyone from like, you already know, individuals on the Olympia stage to, you already know, simply your common gen pop is that r p e, which is, you already know, rated to protect exertion.

Like how’s onerous one thing is on a one to 10 versus reps in reserve don’t scale the identical as you get larger and stronger. Like when you attain a sure energy, like, it’s like, man, all the things over a sure load. Looks like an r p e 9 or 10. Prefer it, prefer it doesn’t matter if there’s a number of reps reserve, it turns into very onerous to gauge that ’trigger you simply attain some extent the place it’s like, yeah, all the masses that you just’re utilizing at the moment are heavy, proper?

That is largely for those that this isn’t gonna occur within the first like two years of your coaching. However you already know, for those who’re getting nearer to that decade, you already know, of coaching, proper? And also you’re like, you’re, you’re perhaps you’re getting near, you already know, pushing two to 3 occasions your physique weight on the massive lifts, like that sort of situation.

You’re most likely in a state the place r p E is principally at all times excessive and it’s not an excellent gauge. So for those who don’t often calibrate that, it’s very onerous as a result of your notion of the trouble is type of what we’re type of intuiting to that r i r. And if we don’t preserve that calibration, then that’s powerful.

So I feel particularly as you get extra superior

Mike: and your notion’s additionally influenced by how nicely you slept the final evening, which, which can not affect your efficiency, you’ll have it in you. To do precisely what that you must do. However yeah, your sleep wasn’t so nice. And so all the things within the exercise is simply feeling tougher than it usually does.

Or, um, your psychological state. How targeted are you in your exercise or do you’ve gotten different issues in your thoughts? I. So there are different elements that may make a exercise, uh, or an in a set really feel tougher or simpler, and it’s subjective. Whereas objectively, if we’re trying extra at what number of reps might you do for those who needed to, your performances not influenced by these elements which are making it really feel tougher or simpler.

Kassem: Yeah. If you happen to guys had been to see this in actual time, so we’ve these reside occasions that we train, you already know, we train biomechanics, however part of what we train can be effort and attempting to truly get individuals to calibrate to this. And the way in which our occasions go is the primary day we type of heat everyone up by doing arms, proper?

As a result of it’s like, how onerous is it to go to failure on like, you already know, biceps and triceps and, and no matter, proper? After which the second day we’ve the squat patterns and stuff like that. And within the morning is the extra advanced workouts the place we don’t push individuals, you already know, as onerous when it comes to proximity to failure.

After which within the afternoon we throw individuals in stabilized workouts and we’ve this. Superb, like glute bias, leg press that we use basically on that day. I simply, simply homicide individuals. That’s, that’s basically what occurs. However I take them to a spot that they most likely have by no means, by no means been earlier than, and it’s an ideal alternative as a result of okay, it’s a secure train.

They’re extraordinarily protected of their, you already know, they bought good spotters and in addition the setting. In order that’s a, that’s an enormous factor is, is that if you’re in a room and now you’ve gotten like 20 different college students yelling and screaming for you, and then you definitely’re additionally, you paid an entire bunch of cash to return and hang around with these nerds and speak about health for 4 days.

, having a coaching companion, having motivation, even good music, all of these issues can actually affect that, proper? Like simply the setting on the day. And so one of many issues that I, you already know, will typically assist inform individuals is like, look, Select the place you need to put in that effort. Like set it up proper.

? Okay. Like, you already know, put your favourite track on, you already know, ensure you have your, you already know, you select train the place you’re gonna be protected, assured, have a spot or no matter, you already know, movie it, you already know, put some pores and skin within the recreation, you already know, if you wish to or no matter. Proper. , um, no matter it takes.

And that method. Such as you’re actually setting the bar for what you’re able to. After which when all these different issues are available in like, oh, hey, I didn’t sleep that nicely, you may type of modify your customary relative to love, okay, that is what it will be on my greatest day. Right now’s not my greatest day. So what’s a practical expectation?

But it surely’s actually good to know what you’re able to in your greatest day in the most effective scenario, you already know, attainable. Proper?

Mike: Yeah, that’s tip. It’s, my coaching is a bit totally different now. I’m simply extra in a upkeep mode. However for 2 or three years I used to be pushing for progress and a part of that programming was AM wraps, in order many reps as as attainable pre dropping.

And I’d do this after 4 months of coaching. I do it on the massive workouts, and I wasn’t comfy going truly to failure on a, a deadlift or a squat simply because I, I don’t need to get damage. I, I, it’s not. I’m not competing, you already know, I’m doing this for enjoyable. To me, it simply, the, the extra threat wasn’t definitely worth the reward, however I used to be keen to, to push shut, like let’s say like one, you already know, one to 2 good reps left perhaps, perhaps much more usually.

After I was doing these AM reps, it was one, just like the final rep was actually a grinder. And I got here to note after doing that for a few years, that simply these factors alone of being somewhat bit, uh, I used to be trying ahead to it, like getting no matter, no matter track was, you already know, bought me fired up. Being actually targeted, figuring out that, okay, that is type of the end result of a number of months of coaching.

Let’s see what I can do. And being prepared for that might produce, in some circumstances, surprisingly, higher performances than the place, If I, I’d take a look at my coaching logs over the earlier, it was like a 4 month mesocycle. I like to trace r a r, I don’t observe rp, however take a look at my R and know that once more, you already know, if I’m, I’m pretty correct with them.

I wasn’t, I wasn’t fully diluting myself, however to have a look at simply my efficiency with given weights versus that amrap, there was at all times an inexplicable leap in efficiency the place it’s like, the place did that come from? Like my one RMM simply went up by 35 kilos on that someday, uh, on my squad, or my deadlift or my bench press or no matter.

So it was simply an fascinating expertise and I, you already know, I’d come to count on it after which I used to be okay, particularly following that was a reasonably powerful week. The place I’d do it was only one set of amrap and a few again units. However I’d do my AM wraps in a single week, after which the next week deload after which restart.

And so for the following couple of weeks, typically I’d discover, all proper, my efficiency. Particularly in that deload week, it will, it was type of a joke the way it felt like we simply fell off a cliff after which slowly would come again and repeat the method. However I’ve skilled that firsthand. It’s fascinating.

Kassem: I made a transition just like that.

Like after I turned 35, I used to be like, you already know what? There actually isn’t a cause for me to ever put 600 kilos on my again ever once more. Like they’re simply, you already know, there’s not, um, but additionally excessive rep squats suck.

Mike: Yep. I nonetheless return to love, you already know, I, I actually, I just like the 4 to perhaps max eight rep vary, and I’m Okay pushing comparatively near failure on the massive workouts with that.

I’m not murdering myself with these 10 rep, which I used to be doing beforehand. I used to be doing, so the mesocycle would begin with, um, greater quantity if we need to view it as time period when it comes to reps or, or, or identical to tonnage. And so it was greater rep ranges, in order that was units of 10 on the squad, on the deadlift. The remainder of the workouts had been refined.

I imply, it. A ten rep bench press is nothing in comparison with a ten rep deadlift, however I hear you. After which after doing that for some time, I’m like, you already know, I simply don’t wanna do this anymore. I, I simply wanna do units of 5 six, perhaps I’ll do a couple of units of eight every now and then. Yeah.

Kassem: So the answer that, that I type of resided on is that, you already know, there’s sure workouts the place I’m gonna depart a pair reps within the tank and there’s no wiggle room on approach.

However then I’ve different workouts the place then, you already know, now it’s tremendous protected and I can go to that place. So as an example, if, you already know, since we’re on the squat, I’ll depart a pair reps within the tank of the squat. And as quickly as I get to the purpose the place I really feel like, hey, you already know, prefer it’s nearly like I squat as a type of hybrid of like, that is simply to keep up my energy and approach within the motion.

However then what I’ll do is, you already know, my second train can be a leg press or a pendulum or, or one thing, or perhaps it’s a leg extension. And on that it’ll be like, cool, this, I can take that. All the way in which as a result of I, you already know, I really like coaching onerous like that, however you already know, the danger to reward in a number of the massive compounds isn’t there, particularly for those who don’t have a objective that’s like actually, actually necessary.

However I imply, what’s the danger reward to love taking a set of leg extensions? I. All the way in which to the place you may’t even transfer at an inch. It’s like, you’re gonna be fantastic. I imply, it’s gonna damage, it’s gonna be, uh, it’s gonna be uncomfortable, it’s gonna burn, however you may safely go there and you may kinda get, you already know, that dopamine hit from that coaching expertise, you already know?

And likewise I feel it, I really feel higher leaving the reps within the tank on these different workouts, and I don’t get grasping as a result of I do know I’ve one other outlet, you already know, for that effort. Yeah. Yeah.

Mike: It’s humorous. That’s precisely what I’m doing now, particularly once more, after the 2 or three years of pushing heavy and onerous for, I imply, I made good progress, however good progress for me.

I, I couldn’t have gained multiple or two kilos per 12 months of muscle in, in these couple of years. And, uh, a good quantity of energy and hit a pair prs, particularly relative to physique weight, however Okay. I used to be like, all proper, that was enjoyable. However now I’m gonna prepare, I’m gonna change my coaching a bit, and that’s one of many adjustments that I made as such as you, I like to coach onerous.

I prefer to push myself, however I don’t need to get damage. And as, because the weights get heavier, additionally, I’m 39. I’m not 25 anymore. I’m not invincible like I used to be earlier than. And so I’ll change between again squat and entrance squat. However I, I prefer to hold in a barbell squat. I’m simply not pushing as onerous as I used to be. After which I’ll transfer to a, one thing extra quads targeted, like a leg press or a pendulum, and be keen to push even tougher there.

And similar factor with if I’m, if I’m doing any kind of leg curl, um, I’m not involved about proximity to failure. It simply hurts. However you’re not gonna get damage. Your potential to realize muscle and achieve energy is significantly impacted by how nicely your physique can get well out of your coaching and the way sturdy you get in your coaching.

And that’s why it’s not sufficient to only hammer away on the weights each week. You must watch your energy and watch your macros. You must preserve good sleep hygiene. You must keep away from over-training, and you too can pace up your post-workout restoration and your muscle and energy achieve with supplementation.

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Use the coupon code muscle and save 20% or get 6% money again in reward factors. Attempt recharge, risk-free and see what you assume. So for elevating heels on a squat, if we simply return to that, for people who find themselves questioning how ought to they greatest go about that? Some individuals is likely to be considering, oh, ought to I put a pair plates beneath my toes, or ought to I get some squat footwear or a slant board to get it extra excessive or one thing else?

Kassem: An important factor is, is that you just select one thing that’s gonna be secure and protected, proper? That’s identical to the naked minimal. So in the case of utilizing plates, they’re not inconceivable, however you’re not on a flat floor, you’re on like the sting of a rounded floor. So when it comes to stability, that’s most likely just like the lowest quantity of stability that you might use when it comes to elevating your heels.

So in case you have every other choice, I’m gonna say most likely select that over utilizing plates, proper? But when for for no matter cause you’re identical to, look, I’m not gonna spend money on something. Then my gymnasium doesn’t have something. It’s stand on plates or nothing. By all means. Go forward. Stand on the plates. Simply, you already know, perhaps that is a kind of cases the place you need to like pull from the opposite variables the place like, hey, for those who begin feeling the place like, all proper, the soundness’s perhaps impacting your approach.

Perhaps you don’t load it as a lot, otherwise you don’t do these couple reps that you’d had, you had a extra secure foot platform. Then in the case of the opposite choices, so. Whenever you’re both trying on the particular person wedges or slant boards the place you principally have one for every toes, otherwise you’re taking a look at squat footwear or inserts.

The advantage of all of these is the truth that they’re particular person to the foot, which implies that wherever your stance must be, the platform is within the aircraft of your foot, and that helps so much with stability and it additionally decreases pointless forces going by way of. The knee and the ankle. So what I don’t actually like is that if individuals have like a, like a toe out stance once they squat.

I don’t like them to make use of a single slant board. So for those who, all you might be gonna use is a single slant board. You just about must restrict your squat approach to no matter you are able to do the place your toes are principally gonna be simple and also you’re gonna be comparatively slender. Like all the things’s type of shifting principally in the identical aircraft as it will be for those who imagined your self on a pendulum squat sort factor the place it’s like, okay, your knees are type of in entrance of your hips and your toes are slightly below your knees and all the things’s type of shifting ahead and again.

You don’t have this toes and knees going out factor happening, however for those who can have the sting. Particular person to the foot, then you may principally get that impact in quite a lot of totally different stances, which isn’t identical to higher per se. It additionally offers you choices when it comes to like, hey, you already know, somewhat bit narrower stance is gonna goal somewhat bit extra of the glutes and somewhat bit wider stance.

It’s gonna goal somewhat bit extra of that, you already know, adductor magnus that we had been speaking about earlier. So it additionally offers you, you already know, variations in your setup and it permits that no matter your like pure stability squat is, that the wedges are proper in there. Now when it comes to, you already know, evaluating the slant boards and wedges to both squat footwear or the inserts, lots of that’s simply gonna be magnitude proper.

And comfort, you already know, are gonna be the factor. So like my suggestion normally is rather like, hey, if you’re competing and you’ve got squat footwear, then by all means you need to use your squat footwear. However if you’re simply, for those who don’t have something and also you’re gonna spend money on it, I’d spend money on particular person wedges as a result of not solely can you utilize them for squats, however you need to use them for quite a lot of different workouts and also you’re not restricted to.

The footwear they gained’t put on out, so that you don’t need to hold shopping for them. Truly, most squat footwear are costlier than a pair of wedges are anyway. Um, however I’d love wedges for different issues like cut up squats and I’ll use ’em for all kinds of, like, you’d be stunned at what number of random makes use of you discover for a easy wedge within the gymnasium after you have entry to it.

After which there’s additionally heel inserts. So principally it’s like a cork factor that you just put inside your shoe that may be nice for those that journey. So that you simply, you simply throw ’em in your suitcase after which cool, prefer it, like there. But when that is one thing that you might have at your gymnasium or you might hold in your trunk or no matter, I feel the wedges are the best choice.

’trigger one, you may select a number of sizes, you need to use them for a number of workouts, and also you’re not caught utilizing them for the entire session. Like for those who put in your squat footwear and also you’re doing this and then you definitely’re gonna go do a hinge, you may very well not need that heel elevation to your different workouts.

So then it turns into, you already know, an inconvenience. The one caveat of that’s, is that the squat footwear and the heel, uh, inserts do assist you to principally get that impact on poorly designed machines. So say you’ve gotten a leg press or a hack squat or whatnot, and it’s simply not designed very nicely. So you’ve gotten bother getting full vary of movement in it.

You possibly can both do like a sissy type approach the place you come up in your toes, which is completely fantastic. Lots of people are like, oh, isn’t that gonna restrict you or, no, it’s, it’s simply fantastic. However for those who wished to have the ability to hold the strain by way of your complete foot, one thing like a squat shoe or the he insert would assist you to type of get.

That sort of an impact on a leg press or a hack squat. However ideally, you already know, in an ideal world you simply have a leg press and hack squat that’s bought a well-designed foot platform to start with, proper? So there’s some professionals and cons to all of them, however, uh, if I needed to choose like, what I feel could be the most effective total, it will be the, you already know, simply get your self a set of, you already know, wedges or particular person slant boards and this, my second choice could be both the footwear and the inserts.

My final choice of one thing that you’d truly buy could be a single slant board, as a result of that offers you the fewest choices, proper? After which for those who don’t need to spend money on something, sure you need to use plates, however simply be conscious of that stability issue as a result of it does change. Kinda like that threat reward equation.

Mike: Is sensible. And switching then rapidly to hack squat, simply as a word for individuals listening, it relies upon what sort of hack squat. Speak about a. Machines which are nicely designed or not nicely designed. It relies upon what sort you’ve gotten. So I, uh, a few years in the past I used to be coaching in a gymnasium that had what might be a extra conventional hack squat the place you’re extra upright.

Whereas the gymnasium I’m in proper now, you’re nearer to laying down than you might be. I. Standing up and also you had been mentioning simply the, if you need to use the, the, the backward pressure, put extra emphasis in your quads as a result of it’s simply pushing now again into the hack squad. I bear in mind I used to be considering again after I was within the hack squad that was extra upright.

I benefited from that. However now the hack squat that it’s okay, however the, the one which, that I’m utilizing now, sadly, since you’re, you’re nearly laying down your, your butt tends to, Come off of the again relaxation somewhat bit, after which that simply feels uncomfortable. So I’ve to, I’ve to consciously hold my butt down on it, which

isn’t ultimate.

I, I,

Kassem: so in the case of the supine, you already know, the place principally you’re, you’re not in as a lot of a hip fluxx place. Proper? Truly, that’s what I’d think about essentially the most customary hack squat, or it’s most typical is, is that sort and the opposite one, it’s like, it’s type of like a, an the other way up leg press, proper?

However lots of occasions terrible model additionally branded as hack squat, proper?

Mike: I don’t bear in mind the angle. I don’t, I, it most likely wasn’t a forty five diploma, it was extra acute than that. However perhaps you’re at a 30 diploma angle the place you’re extra, you’re extra upright and now it’s type of the opposite method round.

Kassem: So when you find yourself utilizing the one the place you’re extra hip prolonged, in order that’s the, the one the place you’re extra laying down.

The way in which to have the ability to nonetheless reap the benefits of that’s to verify your toes are low sufficient. So in that lots of people, they’ll put their toes up greater and nonetheless get full knee flexion ’trigger their butt can simply come down behind it. However basically what you need to do is, Try to get your toes somewhat bit decrease.

And that is the place you already know if it’s nicely designed, it’s bought a platform that you already know, permits for the ankle mobility so that you can get your heels nearer to beneath your butt, proper? And for those who do this, what is going to occur is, is then your quad pressure will find yourself pushing you extra into the again pad, particularly on the backside.

With the upper foot place, what occurs is on the backside proper and also you begin to push up, your quads aren’t gonna be pushing you into the platform fairly as a lot and also you’re gonna get to some extent the place principally as your glutes are coming in, they’re type of like hip extending you off. So you may attempt to do this with, by reducing your toes somewhat bit, you might attempt to mentally accomplish it by simply specializing in driving together with your quads and perhaps pushing your toes ahead somewhat bit.

And one other factor that you are able to do that may just about remove that. Is to go along with just like the up in your toes, like heels below your butt movement. Proper? And once more, there’s nothing unsuitable with that. And it, it will get an excellent stretch and it makes the profile very, very size and bias. So from a hypertrophy perspective, it’s nice.

From an ego perspective, you’re gonna put so much much less weight on the machine. , for any individual such as you that truly could also be like, nice, it’s like, hey, cool, I don’t need to put as very like simply stress on my physique as an entire, proper? I can actually problem my quads. So as an alternative of, you already know, 4 plates on there, I can use two.

And I, you already know, I’m fixing type of two issues without delay the place it’s like, okay, I moved my toes decrease. I’m getting a deep stretch in my quads, making the underside actually onerous. And likewise now it doesn’t really feel like my butt’s coming off as a result of basically making it close to inconceivable for my glutes to do a lot of the work.

Proper?

Mike: Yeah. Nice. Nice suggestions. So these are the 2 follow-up questions. I simply, earlier than we moved on to perhaps you wanna discuss higher physique, we might go in dumbbell versus cable workouts. That’s, and I, I’ve seen an increasing number of dialogue about not simply shoulders, but additionally biceps and triceps and wherever else you may need to go along with that.

I feel that that is likely to be matter that, um, Could be very topical.

Kassem: Yeah. So within the gymnasium, principally we’re simply strolling round with, you already know, and taking a look at a bunch of sources of resistance, whether or not they’re machines, dumbbells, cables or no matter. After which the query is, nicely what can I do with that? And does that truly swimsuit the gold that I need?

Proper? So once we’re utilizing free weights, whether or not it’s barbells or dumbbells, principally we’ve physics to work with. So gravity’s flattening and that’s principally the path that pulls. In order that works nice in workouts the place what we wish is one thing that’s principally pulling us straight right down to problem us.

However for some workouts, like having one thing that would pull horizontal is definitely gonna work out so much higher. And that’s the place cables are available in is we will principally, basically what a cable does is it’ll, the cable system does, is permits us simply to alter the path of gravity, proper? So as an alternative of down like now it’s pushing again.

So, you already know, so might we do it? We will sit and do a chest press as an alternative of laying and do a chest press. There are small particulars when it comes to like, oh, there’s friction with cables and stuff like that. However these are just like the nuances of the nuances. So for those who assume that these things solely issues somewhat bit, stuff issues like even much less.

Whenever you take a look at having the ability to say, Hey, if I’m doing a lateral race proper for my center delt, a daily dumbbell lateral race isn’t gonna problem you a lot on the backside as a result of principally the burden’s simply pulling you drown. Proper? Prefer it’d be extra just like the dumbbells are extra suited so that you can do a shrug than a lateral race at that cut-off date.

And there’s a mess of results that may have, proper? So one is, you already know, the resistance problem, which that principally is only a fancy phrase for the place is that this train onerous isn’t the place we’d need it to be for hypertrophy as a result of. For her perch weave. We typically need it to be onerous when the muscle’s being stretched at its lengthy size.

So for a lateral increase, the delta is in a extra stretched place when your arm is down and it’s getting shorter as we’re developing. The opposite factor is when we’ve workouts which are, we’ll say very gentle on the backside, and we’re shifting an enormous piece of mass like a dumbbell, it encourages us to need to swing it and do different issues.

, you incorporate different motions that aren’t essentially useful to the hypertrophy stimulus we’re going for.

Mike: And it’s onerous to not do this with a dumbbell sideways as you get stronger until you’re simply gonna do units. And typically you’ll see those who they’ll attempt to do tremendous gradual reps or tremendous excessive rep units, however if you wish to do a set of eight reps or 10 reps with sufficient weight that.

Feels difficult and also you need to finish near failure. I’ve discovered it simply tough to stability the coaching load and approach and never permit myself to swing round an excessive amount of.

Kassem: Have you ever ever seen like a really younger athlete, you already know that very new to the gymnasium, however it’s only a bodily specimen when it comes to energy after which they go into the gymnasium, you see them raise and all of their strategies are that method, proper?

They’re accelerating and swinging issues. The humorous factor is, is like that’s truly the extra, we’ll say, the extra environment friendly method for us to maneuver that mass, proper? So intuitively that’s what our physique desires to do. And lots of occasions for hypertrophy, what we’re doing is we’re basically working, you already know, away from all the athleticism that’s wired in us to say, Hey, let’s not do that essentially the most simplest way.

Let’s do that in the way in which that truly is essentially the most difficult and struggling for that muscle. , evolutionarily, if we did this again within the caveman days, all of us would’ve simply starved as a result of we’ve simply been losing power to perform little or no, you already know, energy are usually not, you already know, are usually not onerous to search out.

Um, so we, we’ve power to waste, proper? Yeah. Uh, so we’ve like flipped to the other facet of the spectrum in order that, that could be a studying curve to grasp like, hey, The objective isn’t for me to only transfer weight by way of house. The objective is for me to problem this muscle in a method that’s gonna produce hypertrophy.

Nicely, what we’re leaning extra in the direction of of that’s it’s like, okay, I need this train to get that muscle mass into nearer, you already know, to a stretch place. I need it to be onerous there and after I, after I select to maneuver the load, I wanna transfer it in a method the place principally this muscle’s doing nearly all of the work all through no matter vary of movement I’m utilizing, proper?

Not let anything take over. So if we arrange a cable, what we will do is we will set the cable to principally be pulling horizontal from like our hand top. And what that does then is that’s truly gonna make the train pulling us right into a deeper stretch and in addition making it more difficult the place the muscle is longer.

So principally it’s like type of flipping the resistance problem, whereas a daily Dumbo lateral race, for those who truly did it gradual and managed, it’s very simple on the backside, very onerous on the prime. If we take that very same tempo and do this with a cable, it now turns into difficult on the backside and simpler on the prime.

And I’m saying backside and prime, however actually what issues is on the lengthen versus the quick place. And so in the case of dumbbells versus cables, lots of occasions we’re simply taking a look at is like, okay. Does the cable supply me the chance to get nearer to getting that muscle both to a greater stretch and making it more difficult there than I can with the dumbbells.

But when we take a look at one thing like, say a dumbbell press, then the dumbbells do only a fantastic job at that as a result of you already know, as you’re reducing the dumbbells into the stretch place, the dumbbells are, they’re loading your chest like as a lot as they’ll there. After which as you get to the highest, that’s, you already know, the place it will get simpler.

Proper now there’s a small little caveat that I’ll simply throw in there. ’trigger any individual can be like, nicely then how can I wrestle to lock it out? We at all times fatigue. In the direction of the quick place, no matter the place the train is hardest with at first. So simply perceive that that’s at all times gonna be a component, proper?

So for those who attain failure on a barbell press, everyone normally will get the bar a pair inches off their chest earlier than then they get caught, proper? And there’s so much that goes into why that’s. And I don’t assume that’s necessary. I simply wished to let individuals know like that is a component of fatigue, not essentially the problem of the train.

’trigger in just about most workouts, no matter the place they’re difficult from the start, you’ll fail on the lockout or the quick place. Re regardless. So for workouts like dumbbell presses, you already know, and even issues like squats, you already know, I do know we’re speaking about, uh, decrease physique, however like squats are onerous on the backside, simple on the prime.

So the free weight movement and gravity, you already know, does a fantastic job of constructing these workouts tougher, greater than muscle is longer. However delta are an enormous one as a result of principally all your delts get shorter by bringing the arm into the physique in some unspecified time in the future, proper? So your lateral delts, it’s extra of a frontal aircraft, which means like, you already know, pulling in the direction of like your hand, like coming into the facet of your butt.

So, okay, so I would want a load like basically pulling by way of my physique and you might argue that, nicely, might I lay sideways and do a dumbbell lateral? In principle it’s like, nicely, yeah, that’s type of doing it, however. The issues of orientating that method after which having to stability the mass. Lots of people can be like, that is unnecessarily tough and onerous to coordinate.

And that’s ’trigger ideally we wouldn’t be lifting straight out to the facet, however we’d be lifting somewhat bit extra within the scapular aircraft, which the scapular aircraft is basically the angle that matches the bottom of our ribs. So it’s like, it’s not straight out to the facet. It’s somewhat bit in entrance and it’ll differ between particular person and the place your arm path is, however it’s simply not straight out to the facet.

It’s a, it’s somewhat in entrance. And so for those who’re simply lifting a dumbbell and also you begin going out in entrance, nicely then hastily it’s gonna wanna like fall in entrance of you and you already know, so there’s a balancing act there that it’s not excellent with a cable. We’re not restricted to that. So like, A cable, I can pull straight out to the facet or I can pull barely in entrance.

I can pull extra particular to the muscle that I need. And that’s the opposite factor that’s actually necessary for, you already know, hypertrophy is it’s not simply the vary of movement and having it difficult there, but additionally that the precise movement could be very particular to that muscle. So this similar factor applies to entrance delts and rear delts.

Like, okay, nicely your entrance delts principally come into your physique. Virtually consider it like, it’s like for those who had been type of like attempting to shorten your lat and push your arm behind you, that’s basically stretching your entrance delts, you already know, within the entrance. So for those who might have a weight that was pulling.

Backwards that you might then pull up versus a dumbbell, that might be onerous when your hand was like in entrance of your face, proper? Nicely, then the cable’s gonna be somewhat bit higher, after which that very same factor occurs. Nicely, we might lay on a bench, like on an incline bench and do entrance raises with dumbbells.

That will make it tougher on the backside and somewhat bit simpler on the prime. However once more, you’re gonna discover that the movement isn’t fairly excellent. ’trigger doubtless what you’re gonna need to do is go somewhat out to in together with your cable entrance dealt increase. Whereas with the dumbbell, you’re just about simply gonna go straight up and down.

Or for those who do resolve to drag your arms in, there’s no resistance to coming in. So that you’re not truly doing any, you’re not creating any further mechanical stress actually to get the the burden there, as a result of the resistance doesn’t pull sideways with a dumbbell, it solely pulls down in the direction of gravity. So cables simply permit us to be extra particular.

And so much, lots of occasions it’s additionally simply extra handy, proper? So, ’trigger it’s such as you speak about like, okay, I might set a bench sideways after which attempt to like straddle it, you already know, and wrap my toes round it and one way or the other stability after which raise the dumbbell. Be like, cool. If you happen to’re at residence and all you’ve gotten is free weights, by all means, then you are able to do that stuff.

However for those who do this standing subsequent to a useful coach, you already know, at your gymnasium, I’m gonna be like, why are you making this harder than it must be? Proper? You may have a wonderfully nicely designed machine proper there to make it so that you just don’t have to love, you already know, break your fingernails off into the underside of the bench whilst you’re attempting to carry onto it.

Doing a facet lateral race. For hypertrophy, we’re attempting to select motions which are more and more extra particular to the muscle as we type of advance in our coaching age. And cables give us the, we’ll say, a bigger library of motions than free weights do.

Mike: Yeah. Simply so as to add to that, it turns into an increasing number of necessary as you, uh, and I do know you already know this, however for individuals listening, as you achieve extra muscle and energy, if you wish to hold gaining muscle and energy, you need to do extra quantity.

You must work, you need to make these muscle mass work tougher. And if you’re not doing, let’s say, sufficient direct quantity for particular person main muscle teams, they’re simply not going to progress a lot, if in any respect. So for individuals listening in, consider the way you’re doing a little, some rowing. Is that quantity to your biceps?

To some extent. Not direct quantity, that’s oblique, however that one set of, uh, Any sort of row isn’t gonna be as efficient for rising your biceps as one set of a biceps curl. And in order that applies to. Particular person delta, it applies to each main muscle group. And to your level, cassim, when you find yourself programming and you might be an intermediate or superior weightlifter and you might be keen to place within the time and the trouble that it’s gonna take to proceed gaining muscle, you do must be excited about this stuff due to simply the sheer quantity of systemic fatigue that comes from an train like a squat or a deadlift or an overhead press that was capable of present an efficient coaching stimulus to many muscle teams.

And also you had talked about this earlier within the podcast, so simply type of tying it again into, into that. But it surely is a vital level and it may possibly appear type of counterintuitive, the place I’ve had individuals attain out to me and so they’ve seen how my coaching has type of modified through the years and, and so they comply with different good individuals on social media and see that you’ve got these very match individuals who have been coaching for a very long time and.

Their coaching seems to be extra like bro coaching, they’d say, than every other cut up, actually, truly, like some individuals, they, they’re simply stunned to see, oh, all these, all these type of bodybuilding physique half actions as a isn’t that type of inefficient. Why aren’t you doing extra compound workouts? Why do you achieve this many machines?

Why do you utilize cables? And so that you’re answering a few of these questions now, if it’s purely for the aim of upkeep, nicely then we truly kinda go within the different path. That’s, that’s the place I’ve gone now with my coaching. I’m lifting three days every week so I can spend much less time within the gymnasium, make some extra time for cardio, make some extra time for work and so forth.

And in these 70, 80 minute exercises, I’m attempting to profit from a few of that oblique quantity. ’trigger I, I don’t have the time to. To do a bunch of direct quantity for all the person muscle teams that might require that if I had been attempting to get larger and stronger. However proper now, I’m comfortable the place I’m at.

I simply wanna preserve it. So such as you, I’m doing a number of the massive workouts ’trigger I like them and I simply wanna preserve a baseline stage of efficiency, however I’m additionally doing a little, uh, of the rows, for instance, figuring out that like, okay, I’ll do these eight units of rows plus 4 units of biceps. That’s it, that’s my biceps quantity for the week.

Figuring out that, that’s lots to keep up.

Kassem: So I feel, you already know, you may take a look at units as like a foreign money and so the extra units you need to work with, then that opens up the train choice. However for those who solely have a couple of, in case you have a small variety of units to work with all through every week or for a physique half, then you definitely want every of these units to be much less particular.

’trigger you want it to cowl, cowl extra. The opposite facet is like, if it’s not a set. Forex factor, however it’s simply merely a time factor. Be like, Hey, I bought, you already know, one hour, thrice, or no matter it’s. Lots of people assume that that’s the one route that you may go, however it’s not, it simply will depend on how a lot creativity do you wanna put into your program.

And are a few of these like type of extra, we’ll say like bouncing round sort applications the place you already know you’re doing a number of workouts in a circuit sort vogue, is that truly possible to do the place you prepare? Proper, as a result of you already know, for those who’re leaping in a busy gymnasium at 5 o’clock, nicely that’s most likely not, you’re most likely not gonna be capable to do like, you already know, an enormous set.

However in case you have the time, prefer it’s like, okay, it, for those who had been speaking about, hey, I’m gonna do a barbell press, you already know, and attempt to depend that as some triceps, some delts or no matter, it’s like, nicely you might match a, you already know, a fly and a tricep extension and perhaps a shoulder press or one thing. Do a circuit by way of that and take the identical period of time as like doing all your barbell press after which taking your compulsory relaxation interval or no matter.

So I feel one of many issues that makes good coaches, good coaches is, is that they’re capable of like actually maximize each. Time economic system and set economic system by selecting and organizing their train. I imply, ’trigger it’s, these are instruments. A consumer is principally an issue that that you must remedy with these instruments and simply work out, okay, they’ve entry to this, this, and this.

How can I take advantage of that? Not solely from a hypertrophy perspective, but additionally identical to, Hey, if we’ve multiple strategy to go at this, which means we’re not having to be caught to the identical boring sort of routine on a regular basis. And a few routines will favor totally different stimulus, you already know, whether or not you’re focusing extra on physique comp or energy or whatnot than others.

So having the ability to have that flexibility and figuring out, hey, right here’s a method that, you already know, let’s say this individual actually loves having extra direct arm work of their program. Proper? Cool. Like we might discover a strategy to design that in there, or this different individual. Completely desires to do essentially the most naked minimal quantity of direct arm.

, we, you might, you might basically, you already know, simply reverse engineer that’s like, okay, cool. Nicely, since they don’t like doing that, I’m gonna select workouts the place, such as you mentioned, we’re getting extra of that oblique quantity so we will decrease the precise quantity of direct works they would want to do.

Proper. We’re getting away from like, speaking about like optimum hypertrophy, however very a lot so like sensible for people that in the end, like you may argue like, hey, there’s an enormous element to truly making applications that individuals are gonna get pleasure from and be per. And that having a larger magnitude when it comes to just like the outcomes over time versus like, Hey, physiologically, I’ve written you essentially the most excellent program ever, however perhaps you’ll hate it.

Or, you already know, you, you gained’t truly do it, otherwise you gained’t push onerous otherwise you gained’t be per it, et cetera. Proper. , so having the ability to discover that stability is, is superb. However I feel an necessary message is that like, for those who’re keen to be artistic, the extra instruments you’ve gotten, the extra methods you’ll work out how one can use them.

However going again to the bro cut up, what I’ll say is lots of people take a look at the bro cut up as like, Hey, that’s the very we’ll say it’s the the most secure method of programming. As a result of basically you’re like, look, I bought an entire week to get well from no matter I do, proper? So if I do an excessive amount of or you already know, I don’t select good workouts or no matter, that’s not gonna affect the following part that a lot.

However if you’re attempting to coach a muscle group or a, you already know, a sample two or thrice every week, you don’t have the luxurious of constructing lots of unhealthy decisions when it comes to train choice and quantity, as a result of now you need to be recovered inside applicable timeframe. So I feel lots of people simply do the bro cut up, and I’m, I’m not in opposition to bro splits, like I feel, you already know, there’s some ways that you may go at this, however I feel lots of people recognize the dearth of, we’ll say mental effort.

That it takes to write down a bro cut up versus one other cut up. ’trigger I’m identical to, okay, all the push issues, simply throw them on that day. There we go. If you happen to’re doing different issues, prefer it does take somewhat bit extra thought, proper? And once more, that’s the place you already know, both for those who’re placing extra thought into your coaching otherwise you’re hiring a coach or no matter, like these are the issues that you just get that try to be actually good at fixing.

And that’s the place you may ship lots of lots of worth. As a result of I do assume that for most individuals, particularly earlier on or whatnot, I feel lots of people are gonna profit from. Dividing up their quantity to coaching most issues, like twice every week. If you happen to’re within the section the place you’re like, man, I’m actually attempting to get hypertrophy, it appears that evidently man, like two occasions every week appears to be like that candy spot since you’re type of attending to that time the place it’s nearly a wrestle to suit all that quantity on someday you’re like reaching some extent of diminishing return.

So it’s like, what am I actually getting out of those later units within the exercise? , if you already know I’m doing, you already know, 20 some units of, you already know, no matter physique half or whatnot, you already know, and in addition then the identical to, you already know, it turns into, we’ll say a, uh, a logistical downside typically, or a sensible downside typically too.

’trigger it’s like, okay, now what you need to do is you’re gonna be like, you’re, one thing is at all times gonna be like both crippling, sore, um, and you already know, for sure days it is likely to be a two hour exercise after which one other day it’s a forty five minute exercise and you already know, so like, it simply, you find yourself with lots of logistical issues.

However for those who simply need to be like, Hey, how do I make it possible for I’m gonna be prepared for chest once more the following time I prepare it? Cool. Prepare it as soon as every week. Proper. , for those who’re writing a program and 7 days later you’re. Chest remains to be sore, then you definitely do, you most likely must make some, like, that’s, you’ve actually botched that the quantity and stuff on that program.

If, for those who can’t meet efficiency after, you already know, an entire week of restoration.

Mike: Nice factors. Coming again briefly to cables versus, let’s simply say different choices, are you able to converse briefly about, I simply wanna hear your ideas on cables for biceps, cables for triceps versus free waste versus machines. Additionally cables for glutes, simply because I see lots of people, normally ladies doing pull throughs and, and different workouts that they’ve heard are, are, are more practical in the event that they use a cable versus a machine or a free weight.

Kassem: So the biceps are just like chest in that, you already know, there’s extra choices for kinda loading that stretch with a free weight than there, than there’s for triceps.

Mike: Like, typically individuals will ask, okay, what do you concentrate on an incline dumbbell curl versus perhaps a cable drag curl, for instance,

Kassem: with an incline curl, we’re going into shoulder extension, proper?

So that you’re getting the biceps longer. The place is a, a drag curl? You’re truly like, you’re type of pulling your elbows again as you do the motion. And so sarcastically, lots of people are like, oh yeah, I do drag curls for biceps. However truly a drag curl could be higher for the quick elbow flexors that don’t cross the shoulder.

’trigger you’re lengthening the biceps by doing the shoulder extension, pushing the elbows again and shortening them on the elbows. So the the brachialis and the brachial radis, that are the elbow flexors that simply cross the elbow, that don’t cross the shoulder, these are literally gonna be somewhat bit higher educated with the drag curl ’trigger you’re doing the other perform.

Of the biceps at one joint, you already know? So for those who’re gonna do this, you might do it with like a impartial or a pronated grip and type of intensify that somewhat bit extra, versus doing one thing like an incline curl. You’re lengthening the muscle. However apparently, there was a latest examine that truly in contrast the preacher curl to the incline dumbbell curl, and what they discovered is, is that the preacher curl, despite the fact that it’s at a shorter muscle size, as a result of a preacher curl is tough on the backside, whereas an incline dumbbell curl, despite the fact that you’re in a stretch place, it’s nonetheless simple the place the muscle is stretched, that the preacher curl is somewhat bit higher.

So we will’t essentially identical to depend on like, Hey, we’re, we’re in a stretch place, and that’s adequate. It additionally must be difficult there. So an train I actually like higher than a incline dumbbell curl. Is both to do a cable curl the place the cables are pulling behind you in order that principally your shoulders are prolonged, however you additionally, the train is difficult in that stretch.

So you might simply, you already know, you set the cables, you already know, somewhat under your hand and then you definitely simply stroll away from them. And you are able to do it that method. However you are able to do the same train with dumbbells by basically laying on the slanted a part of a preacher curl. So principally like now you’re not fairly as stretched as an incline curl, however the profit is, is now your higher arm is supported.

Mike: And, and simply so individuals perceive, so that you’re saying not seated on the preach, however you’re like standing and type of draped over it together with your, am I listening to that proper?

Kassem: Your again is on it supine. So your chest is up within the air. Yeah. So the, the reverse preacher the place your, your chest is down, proper? That’d be shifting the bicep into a brief place.

However basically what we’re doing is like in an incline bench, it’s solely supporting our again after which our arms simply cling down and so due to this fact we’re simply straight up and down. But when we lay on our preacher, principally what it does is it helps our humus and it picks it up. So, however what that does is it, Makes it in order that the train is gonna be onerous on the backside as a result of your humorous is gonna be at like a forty five diploma angle on the backside as an alternative of straight up and down.

And likewise it’s supporting it. So between these two, individuals ask me like, nicely, however which one is best? And I don’t know. ’trigger that is the, we’re within the case of the a number of variables the place it’s like, hey, the cable curls get is somewhat bit extra of a stretch, proper? ’trigger you’re gonna be in sho extra shoulder extension, however the preacher curl the place you’re mendacity on it.

So I simply name it a supine preacher curl. Like, you already know, so for those who’re in search of it, that one has extra stability, proper? And so my, my suggestion is, hey, attempt each for those who like another than the opposite. Cool. Or alternate them. As a result of once we get to love a few of these stage of nuances of like, okay, we’re speaking about vary of movement, we’re speaking in regards to the resistance problem, we’re speaking about issues like stability and specificity.

Loads of occasions there gained’t be an train that’s excellent. And I feel that’s the place understanding these things somewhat bit is like, okay, I selected an train that I actually favored and it was actually good ’trigger it was secure, however perhaps this subsequent meso I’m gonna select this different train ’trigger it will get me to a variety of movement or a resistance problem that that different one didn’t fairly get.

So understanding like, hey, how is that this totally different than that? However they’re each good, however only for barely totally different causes. I feel that’s extraordinarily useful as a result of lots of occasions we speak about workouts, in the event that they’re the one train that that’s all you’re gonna do endlessly. When in actuality such as you’re gonna rotate by way of workouts.

So understanding like, hey, how do I choose workouts? , three or 4 of them which are at all times gonna be like actually massive hitters for my bicep. And I’m like, okay, these are like two good choices and so they’re so shut. However in several ways in which I’d be fully guessing on what the result was if we had been truly to do a examine on which a kind of could be higher for her prophy.

However I’d enterprise to say each of them would do considerably higher than an incline dumbbell curl, as a result of they’re each difficult and so they’re on the similar or longer muscle size.

Mike: Proper. Is sensible. After which what are your ideas on triceps? I imply there’s clearly, there’s simply the normal, any, any kind of push down you are able to do overhead or every other.

Cable versus free weight or or train. Would love to listen to your ideas.

Kassem: So I just about do nearly solely cable tricep work, proper? Whereas with biceps, it’s most likely near 50 50, proper? As a result of there’s lots of good workouts the place I can problem the size of place, like a preacher curl or verse preacher curl, issues like that.

However in the case of triceps, principally in an effort to load the tricep within the stretch place, like your hand must be getting pushed to the identical shoulder, which doesn’t actually depart room for a dumbbell. It’s very onerous to additionally like place your physique into the shoulder positions that you really want after which be capable to type of push in opposition to it.

So what I have a tendency to search out is that, you already know, if we’re speaking in regards to the niggles or the elbow ache that folks get, lots of occasions when the important thing aggravators. Is fastened grip tricep work since you’re basically caught in a width and a aircraft and also you’re additionally not capable of load the tricep as nicely in its stretch place.

Whereas with a cable now, basically we will principally place our shoulder nonetheless we wish it, and we will attempt to get the cable pulling in the direction of the shoulder as a lot as attainable. Now once we take a look at a standard push down the place the cable’s in entrance of you, if you come to the highest, it’s gonna be fairly simple.

’trigger basically the cable would must be like pulling by way of your physique. Like for those who drilled a gap by way of your chest and ran the cable behind you, nicely cool, then that might be nice. Most likely some sensible challenges there, proper? However we will do issues the place we will type of place it so {that a} cable will be pulling both behind our again or over our shoulder.

And in these cases, we will get that problem within the size and place, proper? And nonetheless type of line that up. And so my favourite tricep cable workouts is one principally is the place just like the cable is like behind you type of operating over your traps. And you are able to do that as a pressy sort movement, nearly type of like a JM sort, you already know, press the place it’s a really elbow extension dominant press there.

Or you are able to do it as a partial extension solely. After which I additionally like a model the place you, you attain over the other lure, so the cable’s over the other lure, and so your arm’s type of coming throughout the physique. And that’s gonna stretch somewhat bit extra of the lateral head. ’trigger the lateral head type of ties into the posterior delta within the fascia there.

After which for the lengthy head, that’s the one the place principally if the cable is gonna be like behind you flattening. In order that’s what most individuals will do. An overhead, you already know, overhead helps getting the muscle lengthy. However the principle profit that you just need to have there on prime of that’s you need that cable to principally be pulling you down like in the direction of your butt.

So that you’re most likely gonna set the pulley behind you, type of like near the underside of your shoulder blades. And then you definitely’re gonna be good and near that with the intention to get principally a problem within the lengthened place in quite a lot of shoulder positions. However anytime the cable is out in entrance of you, then doubtless that’s gonna problem the quick place extra.

It’s gonna be tougher nearer to the lockout, proper? And simpler and the stretch. And it’s not that these are unhealthy workouts by any means, proper? It’s not prefer it’s you do lengthened workouts otherwise you get no hypertrophy. But when we’re speaking about like, hey, for those who’re gonna, for those who’re truly gonna take into consideration these workouts, For her phy, these workouts are a couple of proportion factors higher.

You probably have the cable, may as nicely use the cable in the way in which. That’s a couple of proportion factors higher.

Mike: Yeah. And I, I personally, I really feel the distinction in an overhead versus only a conventional push down. And I choose an overhead, that cross physique, I’m gonna attempt that, that I like that, um, that makes lots of sense.

However I can really feel that distinction when, after I’m coaching, whereas most likely I, I’d not discover a distinction as a lot between simply a typical dumbbell curl and absolutely anything else that I’ve tried for dumbbells. I imply, perhaps I’m simply not, it’s not standing out to me now. Perhaps our pal within the gymnasium doing it, I’d discover it, however it simply, the distinction within the stimulus to the triceps could be very noticeable to me by making that change, I.

Kassem: Yeah, nicely you’ve gotten two issues happening there. ’trigger the opposite factor is, is that you just’re principally taking the scapula near its finish vary. And so for the reason that lengthy head type of anchors there, once we get the bone, that’s type of the anchor near its finish vary. It’s a extra secure place too. So that you are likely to really feel a greater contraction and get somewhat bit extra out of it.

Um, versus when it’s down, you already know, the scapula can transfer everywhere, you already know, and the tricep can be gonna be a part of what’s serving to handle that shoulder extension. So, It’s somewhat bit extra of a fancy motion, which suggests, you already know, the trouble relative to the stimulus is likely to be thrown off somewhat bit.

And the quantity of motor recruitment, like all these little, these little issues, they begin to construct up. , it’s like, oh, nicely it’s simply this, however it’s like, oh, nicely there’s stability, there’s positioning, there’s motor unit recruitment, and particular, all these issues. And like, oh, if you add all them to bump, it is likely to be a really, say, noticeable change in coaching expertise.

Mike: Yeah. Yeah. Good level. After which lastly, in case you have a couple of extra minutes, I wished to the touch on glutes simply because it, it’s well-liked. I see a, once more, it’s largely ladies, however doing lots of, lots of glute quantity, lots of totally different workouts, lots of totally different variations and cables are undoubtedly within the combine.

Kassem: One of many issues that’s difficult for the decrease physique versus the higher physique is, you already know, for our higher physique we’re utilizing our arms and connected to our arms as arms, which suggests we will seize issues and we will push and we will pull and we will do all these good issues.

After which in the case of decrease physique, we’re just about principally identical to, nicely, our shin is pushing right into a blunt object, or our foot is on one thing, however we’re probably not capable of like articulate that factor round, proper? Like there’s not a leg press the place you may kinda like transfer the factor sideways and no matter, proper?

It simply strikes on a predetermined path. Cables afford us to maneuver in lots of motions that we will’t get with workouts the place we both standing on the bottom or utilizing machines the place we’ve a hard and fast footpath. So particularly like taking a look at issues the place we’re doing abduction and stuff like that. Now, when it comes to particular to the glutes, one factor since we’re type of have hit this button of like vary of movement appears to matter, is that the glutes are literally stretched.

Each by doing hip flexion, which is, you already know, bringing your knee up, but additionally with a deduction, which might be bringing your knee, like throughout, like in the direction of midline. So the, the totally different divisions of the glutes are gonna be totally different variations of these. Like all the things from like, you already know, like for those who simply sort in like Google stretch into Google, what you’re gonna see is principally any individual with like 90 levels of hip flexion after which a deducting, like pulling their leg throughout their physique.

Proper? Otherwise you may see the ground model proper. Okay, in order that’s gonna work one facet, however then additionally developing greater, however not as far throughout is gonna work decrease parts of the glute max. So in the case of cables, I’d say business as an entire, lots of people are doing workouts that basically concentrate on the quick place, proper?

So that they’re simply doing kickbacks, you already know, or they’re doing AB deductions and whatnot. In comparison with doing, for those who needed to go from doing no ab deduction work to doing cable abductions, however solely doing the quick place, for positive, that’s gonna be an enchancment to your glute development, however it’s not gonna max out the potential development that you might be getting versus doing AB deduction workouts the place you’re truly making the most of the stretch place as nicely.

So train is the place you principally are coming throughout the physique ultimately, form, or type. So, If you happen to actually wished to capitalize on the abductions, like we’ve an train that, most individuals name it a glute mead kickback, however it’s basically, it’s like a 30 diploma aircraft. So it’s largely abduction with some hip extension.

Proper? Like I feel the, the way in which that I normally describe the distinction between the glute max, which is the massive muscle on the again versus the glute mead, which is on just like the again quarter, proper? So it type of, you already know, some individuals consult with it as higher booty ’trigger it type of helps like the highest again quarter stick out somewhat bit extra.

The glute max is especially hip extension and a few abduction. So all of the actions are gonna be largely entrance to again, however just a bit little bit of that facet to facet. When you get to the glute meat, you flip that and it’s largely facet to facet with somewhat again, proper? So for those who’re doing cable motions and also you’re specializing in that, I feel that for those who’re seeking to get like a spherical, you already know, peach trying booty, then you definitely most likely ought to be incorporating some AB deduction work.

That’s most likely the very first thing to incorporate since you’re doubtless getting sagittal work for those who’re doing leg presses and lunges and cut up squats and you already know, all of these issues. You’re working hip extension in some unspecified time in the future, or perhaps you’re doing, you already know, hip thrusts and bridges and issues like that. However all of these are like, these are good for glute max.

’trigger we’re working primarily hip extension, however you’re not working lots of the kidnapping. So first a kind of, I’d say that for those who had been gonna add one thing in could be one thing that’s extra abduction bias. So utilizing a cable that principally would pull your leg throughout. And what I principally inform individuals is like, it’s nearly such as you wanna take the adductor of 1 leg and scrape it throughout the quads of the opposite leg.

Nicely, you need to go ahead to get in entrance of the quads, however you’re largely gonna be going horizontal. After which basically you’re simply gonna hold following that leg path as you do the. The kickback or out if you’ll. And in order that’s a most likely place to begin when it comes to like, Hey, I wanna begin suing one thing there, however set it up in a method the place that cable is making it problem when the muscle is stretched.

Proper when the leg is pulled throughout you. Proper. As a result of what, what I see lots of is individuals simply stand subsequent to the machine and principally they’re ranging from simply standing after which simply pushing their leg out from there and like, nicely, you’re lacking just like the 30% most lengthened portion of the vary of movement by not letting your leg cross over.

So we’re actually specializing in her per feed. We may very well be much more environment friendly, getting much more stimulus per set, getting that further stretch in there in the case of the glute max, for those who wished so as to add one thing in, that’s the place it’s like, okay, most likely the superficial higher portion of that, which is usually known as the iliac glute max.

If you happen to, for those who comply with our stuff, you already know, you’ll see individuals tagging the iliac glute. Kickback, and that’s basically gonna be somewhat bit extra hip extension. However basically what you’re gonna do, like for those who think about that nicely, in a leg press, you might break your knee in the direction of your chest and straight again down, however that’s so far as you may get it when an iliac kickback is, it’s bringing you into flexion, but additionally bringing your knee type of in the direction of your reverse pec, proper?

So it’s a type of cross physique hip flexion. So it’s, it’s extra hip extension than the glute mead kickback, proper? In flexion and rather less abduction. And for that one, what I actually like is for individuals to arrange, to load the stretch of that one, you’re gonna need to have a excessive cable so that you just’re basically doing like a, like a foot pressed down, nearly like for those who, like, for those who had been doing a step up.

So what’s actually useful is in case you have a cuff that goes below the foot, proper? Not simply the factor that goes across the ankle. ’trigger for those who get sturdy you’re simply gonna, one, you’re gonna most likely gonna rip out of that. But it surely’s additionally simply gonna be like, you already know, choking your. Half for those who wanna do these, I counsel that you just attempt to discover the, the cuffs the place you’ve gotten a bit that goes below the foot.

’trigger in an effort to make it difficult within the stretch, you want it principally to be pulling you up proper at first so that you just’re principally type of pushing extra down. So we’ve type of known as these press backs as an alternative of kickbacks. ’trigger that’s type of what it’s, is it’s type of like a leg press beginning place.

Proper? And being in that type of like a deducted place once more, is one thing that you just’re probably not gonna be capable to get with a machine or a free weight. So sometimes these are the primary two parts that I add in for any individual that desires to type of up their glute recreation on prime of all the different stuff.

Now I’ll say that, you already know, doing issues like leg presses and drop lunges, cut up squats and stuff like that, I feel these are nonetheless most likely crucial factor for identical to total glutes. As a result of one, they’re focusing on the glute max, which is the most important one, and we’re capable of load them within the size of place.

And issues like a leg press are extraordinarily secure. However as a result of we will’t be as particular to these different areas, and normally these areas will say extremely correlated to the look that individuals are going for. I feel that including in one thing for the iliac, the higher portion of the glute max, or the glute meat, which is gonna be extra of a abduction train, these are nice issues so as to add on.

And also you sometimes have a tendency to have the ability to do this with out actually impacting the quantity of your different work due to the specificity of these workouts. Since you’re probably not fatiguing these divisions of the glutes together with your different workouts. So that you have a tendency to have the ability to slot these in and slot in that quantity comparatively nicely with out it actually taking away from the opposite stuff that you just’re doing.

Mike: You too can take quads out, which, uh, I say that as a result of I’ve had many ladies through the years attain out and say that. The butt that they need. In the event that they had been to only do quad dominant workouts like leg press and several types of squats and so forth, would require them making their legs larger than they need them to be.

So that they need to do solely a lot of the of the quad stuff to have good muscle, muscle definition and the look they need there, however they need a butt that solely will get their butt up to now. And so, These are some, some good methods to get some further quantity in focused that aren’t going to require your decrease physique as an entire to only get larger.

Kassem: Yeah. In the case of isolating the glutes over different issues, you are able to do some issues to make a few of these larger compound workouts. Much less quad or much less hamstring or much less adductor. Proper? And that is the place understanding, like how one can place your toes on a leg press comes into play. Proper? So, you already know, if we transfer our toes somewhat bit greater on a leg press, we’re gonna use somewhat bit much less quads, proper?

If we deliver our toes somewhat bit narrower, we’re gonna use rather less adductor, proper? So we’re slowly getting to creating it somewhat bit extra, extra glute biased, proper? , for those who’re doing R DLS and also you permit somewhat bit extra knee bend, it’s gonna be somewhat bit extra glute, rather less hamstringing.

So there are issues that we will achieve this that you just don’t essentially need to remove these different issues. However what it’s best to do is it’s best to use essentially the most glute particular model of these. After which what it’s possible you’ll must do is it’s possible you’ll must. Like say, Hey, there’s a certain quantity of quantity that I can use these as a result of they’re gonna be quantity of stimulus, however I’m not gonna go over that.

As a result of for those who hold driving up the quantity of these, finally it’ll attain a threshold for a few of these muscle mass that you just don’t need to develop. And so then you definitely fill in all of that further quantity with then your hip thrust, your bridges, your cable motions and whatnot which are much more particular, however perhaps aren’t as sturdy of a stimulus on a per set foundation in some circumstances, as a result of both you’re dropping some stability otherwise you’re not capable of load the vary of movement that you just need to as a lot and stuff like that.

Like you may load the size and place of a glute max very well in a leg press, however doing it in a cable. The soundness problem is considerably greater, particularly as you get stronger, and particularly as you’re like, you already know, ’trigger a few of these individuals, they’re comparatively small people with, you already know, simply cannon balls connected to their pelvis now, proper?

So that they don’t have lots of physique weight to carry them down relative to how sturdy their glutes are, which implies that, okay, now if we’re doing these workouts, they both need to be greater reps or I’ve to make use of pauses, or perhaps I do tremendous units or put up exhausts or, you already know, clusters. Like you need to discover methods to make it difficult with out simply having the ability to simply apply, you already know, common, like, simply progressive load and go near failure.

As a result of now the, the loading of the train creates an excessive amount of of a stability and a setup problem as a result of the train is simply too unstable and the individual doesn’t have, you already know, sufficient physique weight. Proper?

Mike: So, I’ve seen that with cable pull throughs with ladies who’re too sturdy for the setup and don’t weigh sufficient.

It simply doesn’t work nicely.

Kassem: Yeah. So that is the place once more, you already know, being artistic and understanding, hey, when can I take advantage of this? The place to, the place to make use of it? So after I was in my prime when it comes to, you already know, working with bikini rivals, like we used put up exhaust strategies and stuff like that on a regular basis. So as an example, like if we had been doing an R D L or a leg press or one thing like that, you already know, put up exhausting that with a glute bridge hip thrust cable factor was a good way to lower the loading demand on that second train.

And it allowed us to not additionally need to go to as near failure on the opposite one, we have a tendency to make use of extra of the synergist muscle mass in these compound workouts. The nearer we get to failure, even in a glute dominant leg press, you’ll use extra quads. As you get nearer to failure, ’trigger your physique can be reaching out to extra, we’ll say, inefficient synergies to assist nonetheless a lot it may possibly.

So having the ability to say, Hey, we’re gonna miss out on somewhat little bit of stimulus magnitude if we don’t go as near failure on this train, however we’re gonna take that muscle nonetheless near failure, however in additional isolation by tremendous setting it or put up exhausting it with an train that’s extra particular. However we’re gonna nonetheless get a number of the advantages out of, you already know, coaching it as much as, you already know, Three two r i r.

Proper. After which we’re simply gonna leap out of it earlier than our quads would actually begin to kick in. After which we’re gonna do, you already know, thrust bridges, kickbacks, you already know, one thing that may be somewhat bit extra remoted, drop lunges or drop lunges or like, when it comes to these sort of actions, they’re, they’re one of many ones the place it actually takes out the quads within the hamstrings.

So like, for those who want one thing that’s not cable, however could be very, very glute biased, a reverse drop lunge is an excellent free weight different for those who don’t have entry to do like cable press backs, kickbacks and issues like that as nicely.

Mike: Superior. Yeah. Nice recommendation. A lot of, a number of data. I like it. Spend an hour and a half.

I, I can hold going, however I, I feel that is most likely level to wrap up what may very well be a primary dialogue and it might, I’m positive we might discover different issues to, to speak about in a follow-up interview. So why don’t we wrap up right here and why don’t we let individuals know the place they’ll discover you and discover your work.

If there’s something particularly that you really want them to find out about.

Kassem: Um, so yow will discover us on YouTube and Instagram. It’s N one, the primary, uh, training. And yow will discover me personally if you wish to like hearken to somewhat little bit of my bss. It’s simply Coach Casm. However a lot of the train stuff we put out is on our train platforms.

Mike: And that’s the place I’m guessing they’ll discover lots of demonstrations of lots of the stuff that you just’ve been speaking about.

Kassem: Yeah, so the, we’ve programs for those that actually need to get into the nuances, however then we even have a membership web site that has principally identical to train tutorials. So you may actually like, Hey, I wanna see, you already know, glute max lengthened workouts and it, you may, you may filter by vary of movement and, and stuff like that.

Um, which is, you already know, I feel for the individuals which are in search of that stage of nuance, it’s type of cool to have the ability to filter the workouts like that. On that matter, I’m within the means of ending up, hopefully perhaps by the point that is launched, our lengthened bias coaching guides. So principally we’re doing all the things from masking the science element to the sensible element and the alternative ways that you may type of transfer issues somewhat bit extra into that size and bias coaching to get simply, you already know, get these further proportion factors you already know, of hypertrophy.

So if this can be a matter that pursuits you, We’re principally making an entire guidebook on that to type of capitalize on lots of the latest analysis that’s been popping out. And truly Milo Wolf, who has been doing or intimately concerned in a lot of that analysis has truly been, uh, contributing to the, the science portion of that.

So I feel for those who like these things, that’ll be an excellent information to, you already know, making use of these things in, you already know, throughout the physique and understanding the ideas behind that. So if it’s not the precise train, you may nonetheless apply it to no matter you’ve gotten.

Mike: That’s nice. And the place can individuals, in the event that they’re thinking about that course, let’s say it’s out by the point that is out or the place can they discover it?

Kassem: So that you’ll be capable to discover that on N one coaching or for those who’re following us on socials, I’m positive as quickly because it’s launched we’ll be spamming all, all around the locations there. Proper. And if it’s, you already know, if we get it accomplished in time, I’ll shoot you the hyperlink and you may throw it within the YouTube model of this if, if it’s accomplished.

Mike: Yeah, completely. Alright, Cassem, nicely thanks once more for taking your time. I actually recognize it. It was an excellent dialogue.

Kassem: Yeah, that’s nice, Mike. Let’s do it once more.

Mike: Nicely, I hope you favored this episode. I hope you discovered it useful. And for those who did subscribe to the present as a result of it makes positive that you just don’t miss new episodes.

And it additionally helps me as a result of it will increase the rankings of the present somewhat bit, which in fact then makes it somewhat bit extra simply discovered by different individuals who could prefer it simply as a lot as you. And for those who didn’t like one thing about this episode or in regards to the present on the whole, or in case you have, uh, concepts or recommendations or simply suggestions to share, shoot me an e mail, [email protected], muscle f fo r life.com, and let me know what I might do higher or simply, uh, what your ideas are about perhaps what you’d prefer to see me do sooner or later.

I learn all the things myself. I’m at all times in search of new concepts and constructive suggestions. So thanks once more for listening to this episode, and I hope to listen to from you quickly.