Forced reps

In this article we will look at most difficult to understand a high-intensity training technique used in bodybuilding and powerlifting, and combining all the advantages of the principle of negative repetitions and the drop set technique. This technique is called - "Forced reps" (in English: “forced reps”). Unlike the “negative” technique, when performing forced repetitions, the assistance of a sparring partner in the peak concentration phase should be kept to a minimum. You can use it in general only if you are no longer able to technically correctly perform the next repetition with the selected working weight. In fact, the partner insuring you, in case of your difficulties, by his actions, seems to reduce the weight of the projectile, thereby giving you the opportunity to extend the approach.

Everyone knows that our muscles, even after their “failure”, are still continue to save I have a lot in myself physical strength. As proof of this fact, pick up a slightly lighter projectile weight. With it, you will certainly be able to do a couple more incremental repetitions. It turns out that “refusal” does not mean achievement at all full limit our strength and physical capabilities. At the same time, reducing the planned load will not be of any benefit to us, but we no longer have enough strength for the same weight. How to be? The answer is to apply the athletic principle of Forced Reps:

Ask your sparring partner to give you a little help to successfully master the heaviest for you (usually initial) amplitude phase. Your partner will help you overcome it, but you must complete the rest of the movement solely on your own, remaining after “refusal” due to previous repetitions. As a result of several such “exorbitant” repetitions, performed with outside help, your eyes will pop out of their sockets. Still, it's worth it! It has been scientifically proven that forced repetitions raise internal secretion growth hormone more than by 300%! And this, you see, is akin to using an anabolic steroid, but only in a natural way, without the use of chemicals! As a result, this is a significant plus in the construction of our body!

It is worth keeping in mind that the number of forced repetitions in the approach should be no more than two or three. The number of approaches themselves should be approximately the same. Abuse this technique not worth it, since it has a significant impact on the athlete’s nervous system and depletes it much more than the muscles. Forced reps are largely an extremely intense, strength-training technique, and many athletes are at risk of overtraining if they use them frequently. You should not look up to bodybuilding stars such as Tom Platz, Bertil Fox, Matt Mendenhall, who constantly practice forced repetitions in their training. These people are champions, they have favorable genetic characteristics for athleticism, incredible physical strength and phenomenal concentration abilities. But at the same time, even they use this technique sparingly.

1. Let's illustrate forced repetitions with an example:
2. Holiday features:
3. Correct technique:
4. So, let’s repeat and systematize all of the above once again:

Suppose that you are able, while lying on a bench, to do eight bench presses of a barbell weighing one hundred kilograms, while the last two repetitions: the seventh and eighth are carried out with extreme effort, and it is no longer possible to perform the ninth repetition technically competently. Then, having reached this ninth repetition, the sparring partner, located at the head of the bench, helps you (with the help of pulling on the middle of the barbell) to “press out” a couple of additional repetitions in a forced style. At the same time, acting on your own, you would no longer be able to do a single full repetition. This technique “pushes” our muscles beyond the limits of typical fatigue, stimulating them to even greater growth and increase in their density.

It is worth keeping in mind that to use the forcing principle it is far from not every exercise from the arsenal of “iron sports”. This happens because, for example, dumbbell types of movements cannot be adapted to a full belay by a sparring partner. In view of this, the best exercises for applying this principle are considered classic pressing exercises, where the belay partner controls the load and progress of movements in full. In general, this athletic method is usually practiced exclusively for basic exercises. It is believed that the use of a forced style for isolation exercises practically devoid of any common sense. Although there are exceptions...

In our practice, a situation very often occurs in which an athlete does so many working training sets that there is no physical strength left for forced sets. What to do in such a situation? - you need to significantly reduce the total number of approaches in the exercise - to only 2-3. Also, you should reduce the number of repetitions, since the more forced repetitions you perform, the stronger main focus training will shift from the development side strength towards development endurance.

Holiday features:

As we have already said, forced style refers to strength training, during which rest necessary much longer. Reputable bodybuilders believe that between series using forcing, it is necessary to allocate at least 4-5 minutes for rest, which should allow the athlete’s heart to recover sufficiently after the stress loads received and will make it possible to avoid excessive hyper-tension, which negatively affects the athlete’s health.

Correct technique:

It is important to consider that the main mistake of beginners often it is their misunderstanding of the essence of forced repetitions. Newbies ask the belayer to help them throughout the entire range of movement, and this is simply completely wrong! After all, the main task of a partner is to help you overcome the wall that you have hit and cannot move further - a “dead point” in the amplitude of movement, after passing which you are already only at the expense of one's own strength, must bring the repetition to its final completion. The rest of the time the partner should spend only on your safety net, monitoring the movement of the projectile, and nothing more.

Anatomical justification for the principle of forced repetitions by professor of sports medicine, world expert William Kremer:

“Any muscle in the human body consists of so-called bundles of muscle fibers. An important point is that these bundles are different in volume - there are both thick and thin. And to varying degrees - some fibers have more of them, others have less of them. At the initial stage of the approach, exclusively small beams are activated and reduced accordingly. Then, as training progresses, the baton is intercepted by larger bunches... And so on, until the turn reaches the largest ones. And the previously spent small bundles gradually come out of the game, beginning to become inactive and gain strength. It turns out that at the final stage of training, all muscular work is performed in large bundles. Until recently, it was believed that forced repetitions helped to activate these bundles earlier than they were supposed to. It turned out that this assumption was completely wrong. And today it has been scientifically proven that muscular “failure” is nothing more than a symptom of the absolute “switching off” of large muscle bundles. And there is no way to “turn them on” again. It is necessary to wait until they have a good rest and restore their strength, depleted by training. And this, in turn, means that our forced repetitions are carried out by the effort of small bundles, which by the time of “failure” have time to rest and gain the necessary strength again.”

From all of the above it follows that forcing technique actually makes the muscles work, beyond muscle “failure”. And for us, in principle, it does not matter which muscle fibers rest and which continue to work. The main thing is that in this version it is obvious muscle stress overloadstimulating the body to overcompensation. Muscles that have experienced stress will be restored with a reserve, insuring themselves against future possible similar cases of stress. This is how she becomes stronger and bigger.

1. You cannot perform forced repetitions at every training session.
2. You can repeat this prem only after a month, preferably a month and a half.
3. The insurer's involvement should be minimal.
4. The insurer helps you only at the moment when you cannot cope on your own.
5. Its help is to maintain weight and control the correct trajectory.
6. Before starting forced sets, discuss their number with your partner so that he is ready and nearby for your insurance.
7. The time for forcing occurs only after the target muscle has reached the final stage of fatigue, which means that forced repetitions must be done in the last set(s).

And last recipe for today: If your sparring partner is a beginner, then you need to carefully instruct him. It’s better to start preparing it directly. It is important to understand that if your insurer has little experience, it is better not to waste time and effort on preparing him. Your progress directly depends on his skills. And not only progress, but also health. And maybe even Your life in his hands! Remember this!

And as always, I end the article with a wish - this time: “Good and loyal friends in the hall!”