The 1-6 bodybuilding Training Principle
By Charles Poliquin
Years ago, Charles Poliquin introduced German Volume Training to American
athletes. I won't recap the thing here, but suffice it to say that it was a
new, effective way to train and it got people excited. Finally, there was an
alternative to the who-knows-where-it-came-from idea of doing three sets of
ten over and over again until we were put in a small closet with handles on
it and buried underneath the turf.
Well, it's time to change the way we train again. We're proud to introduce
the 1-6 Principle to the bodybuilding world.
The 1-6 principle was first introduced to me at the National Strength and
Conditioning Association Convention in San Diego back in 1991 by coach
Dragomir Cioroslan, bronze medalist in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
This set/rep bracket had been used with great success by elite Romanian and
Hungarian weightlifters.
This training system had been known by the ungainly name of the mixed neural
drive/hypertrophy program. Of course, knowing how things often work in this
business, I half expect Greg Merritt to rehash it in Flex within three
months as the "Joe Weider Neuro-potentiation Supermyofibrillartrophic
program." Oh well.
The system is based on the neurological posttetanic facilitation phenomenon
as first discussed in strength training circles by German strength
physiologist Dietmar Schmidtbleicher from Freiburg University (in order to
be a successful strength coach, you must have an exotic-sounding name). In a
nutshell, if you do a 6RM (the maximum load you can lift for 6 reps) load
within 3-10 minutes of doing a max single, you can use a greater weight that
you could have if you hadn't done the 1RM set.
For example, let's say you can normally do 220 pounds for six reps on the
incline press. However, if you do a max single four minutes prior to doing
your 6 reps—which we'll say for the sake of argument is around
265—you'll be able to do six reps at 225-230 pounds. That's a significant
increase.
In fact, many trainees who use this method find that their single poundages
improve each wave. In fact, a typical wave for someone who can do 6 reps
with 220 pounds on the incline press may look like this:
Set 1) 1 rep with 265 pounds
Set 2) 6 reps with 220 pounds
Set 3) 1 rep with 270 pounds
Set 4) 6 reps with 225 pounds
Set 5) 1 rep with 272.5 pounds
Set 6) 6 reps with 230 pounds
This isn't just a parlor trick. The basic premise is to use maximal loads to
potentiate the nervous system. Because of this newly increased, more
efficient neural drive, you can use a greater load for six reps which ends
up building bigger and stronger muscles.
Finnish strength physiologist Keijo Häkkinen has demonstrated in many of
his experiments that long-term strength gains are directly related to how
much you increase intensity. Therefore, expect to reach new heights in
strength gains with this routine since it
makes full use of that intensity increase principle.
This method could also be used by wrestlers or practitioners of some of the
grappling sports like JiuJitsu. These individuals are often interested in
moving up a weight class while keeping their speed up. Well, this system
will not only allow you to gain functional bodyweight, but your power should
also go up since the system taps into the higher threshold motor units which
are responsible for the production of explosive strength/power.
After I learned about this effective training technique, I returned home and
used it with great success with bobsledders, lugers, skiers and
speed-skaters who were preparing for the 1992 Albertville Games. Other top
athletes have used elements of this type of training with great success,
too. For instance, Olympic Gold medalists Valery Borsov and Ben Johnson
would squat a 3RM load ten minutes before their record smashing performances
in the sprint to make use of this posttetanic facilitation.
I won't tease you any longer, though. Here's the routine.
You should do this five-day cycle a total of six times. Therefore, 30 days
are needed to complete this routine.
Editor's note: For those of you unfamiliar with Coach Poliquin's workouts,
many are divided into A1 and A2 schemes. For instance, on the first routine below, you'd do one set of your 1RM max on
Scott EZ Bar mid-grip curls, rest two minutes, and then do a set of 1RM on
close-grip bench presses. Then, after two more minutes of rest, you'd go
back the the A1 exercise, the Scott EZ Bar mid-grip curls. You might also be
puzzled by the "tempo" designation. Don't worry, it's easy. For
instance, on the first exercise below, Coach Poliquin has indicated a tempo
of 40X0. This simply means that you should take four seconds to do the
eccentric, or lowering portion of the curl. Then, without resting (0
seconds), you should explosively lift the weight (designated by an
"X"), followed by no pause at the top of the movement. Likewise,
in other Poliquin-type routines, you might see a 3121 tempo. Again, that
would mean taking three seconds to lower the weight, followed by a
one-second pause; two seconds to raise the weight, followed by a one-second
pause before lowering the weight.
Day 1—Arms
A1) Scott EZ Bar mid-grip curls
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6,1,6
Tempo: 40X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
A2) Close-grip bench presses
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6,1,6
Tempo: 40X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
B1) Standing medium-grip barbell curls
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6
Tempo: 40X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
B2) V-bar triceps dips
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6
Tempo: 40X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
Day 2—Legs
A1) Back squats
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6,1,6
Tempo: 50X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
A2) Lying leg curls, feet neutral
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6,1,6
Tempo: 50X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
B1) Trap bar deadlifts
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6
Tempo: 50X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
B2) Standing calf raises
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6
Tempo: 22X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
Day 3—Off
Day 4—Chest and Back
A1) Close parallel-grip chin-ups (weighted)
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6,1,6
Tempo: 50X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
A2) Mid-grip bench presses
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6,1,6
Tempo: 50X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
B1) Seated cable rows
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6
Tempo: 50X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
B2) Incline barbell presses
Rep pattern: 1,6,1,6
Tempo: 50X0
Rest interval: Two minutes
Day 5—Off
Comments
Before you bust my balls with hundreds of emails that all wonder why there's
no isolation delt work, rotator cuff work, or forearm work included in this routine, remember that the goal of this routine is to promote large increases in strength
and cross-sectional area of the high-threshold motor units. While we're on
the subject, you might also notice that there are no isolation exercises for
the scalenes, popliteus, fibular division of the tibialis posterior, or the
pterygoid externus lateralis (lower division of course!)!
Therefore for the purpose of "training time economy," as my German
colleague Schmidtbleicher would say, you should focus your attention on
compound exercises such as squats and presses. Sorry Richard Simmons fans,
there's no room for one-arm cable side laterals or and triceps kickbacks on
this one.
Don't worry, though, your delts and forearms won't atrophy in the thirty
days you should devote to this training system. If anything, they'll grow,
because it'll be probably the first time you've ever given them a break.
Since you're going to be doing a series of 1RM lifts, it's imperative that
you warm up. The warm up should always consist of doing reps with the first
pair of the exercises listed in the work out. If you've warmed up properly,
there's very little need to warm up for the second pair.
For illustration purposes, let say it's Day 2 (leg day) of the program and
you can max out at 300 pounds in the back squat and 180 pounds on the
Atlantis brand of lying leg curls. Your warm-up would then look like this
(take only enough time to move from one exercise to the other, adjust the
weight, and complete the warm-up set):
1) Back squats
Five reps with 135 pounds
2) Atlantis lying leg curls, feet neutral
Five reps with 80 pounds
3) Back squats
Three reps with 185 pounds
4) Atlantis lying leg curls, feet neutral
Three reps with 100 pounds
5) Back squats
Two reps with 225 pounds
6) Atlantis lying leg curls, feet neutral
Two reps with 120 pounds
7) Back squats
One rep with 265 pounds
8) Atlantis lying leg curls, feet neutral
One rep with 140 pounds
9) Back squats
One rep with 285 pounds
10) Atlantis lying leg curls, feet neutral
Two reps with 160 pounds
Take a two-minute rest, then start the workout.
Given that you're going to be working with maximum poundages, you should
probably use a spotter for lifts like presses and squats. Of course, if the
thought of doing heavy singles scares you, and you can't find a spotter, you
could modify the routine by adopting a
2,5,2,5,2,5 sets and reps pattern.
Small Steps
Make a Big Difference
One of the drawbacks to any kind of program where you have to increase your
load by small increments is the lack of plates that are smaller than 2.5
pounds. Obviously, when you get to a certain point in your weight lifting
career, a jump of five pounds represents a huge leap.
Luckily, several companies make small plates that will make the jumps in
weight more manageable. For instance, Eleiko Olympic makes small discs of
0.5 kg and 0.25 kg. You can buy them from Dynamic Strength by calling
1-734-425-2862.
If metric weights aren't your thing, Ivanko makes _ pound plates. You can
purchase them by calling 1-800-759-6399, 1-925-253-0323, and at www.ivanko.com
Of course, you can always use Olympic bar collars to make small jumps in
poundage. I strongly recommend the Olympic Okie Grip Collars. I've had mine
for over twelve years and they still hold tightly on the plates. They're
definitely a quality product. Each collar weighs two pounds, so adding both
of them to a bar gives you a micro-load of four pounds.
I also like the Olympic Quicklee Collars. They're quicker to get on and off
than the Okie grips and they weigh one pound a piece instead of the
two-pound Okies. Both of these products can be purchased from Power Systems
by calling 1-800-321-6975.
Regardless, if it appears that you're going to fail on your single rep,
don't let your ego take over! It's better to underestimate your poundage on
singles than to use way too much weight and force your partner to do most of
the work for you.
While going over the 1,6,1 workout, you might have noticed that the
concentric range of each movement is always done explosively (designated by
the "X"). This was done deliberately to force you to access the
higher threshold motor units. You may in fact find that you're actually
moving the load slowly because of its magnitude, but as Canadian strength
physiologist Behm (1995) said, "It is not the intent so much as the
actual velocity that dictates the motor unit recruitment." Therefore,
as long as you try to move the weight quickly, you'll reap the benefits. The
recent work of Slovanian strength researcher Gasovic (1998) confirms the
need for explosive concentric contractions for strength and power increases.
Another imporant thing to remember is to keep an accurate record of all sets
and reps in order to establish short-term goals for every workout. During
the course of a proper strength training program, muscles adapt to the
stress of lifting by becoming stronger. To be effective, the stress placed
on muscles must represent an "overload," that is, a load greater
than the one used in previous activity. Remember though, that the load
increase doesn't need to be immense. For more information on this, you might
want to check out the chapter on the "Kaizen Principle" in my book
"The Poliquin Principles."
Given that this workout is so demanding on the nervous system, you might
actually find yourself having trouble falling asleep for the first few times
you use this program. Don't worry, this should pass in about six months or
so. Nahh, just kidding. You should be fine after two or three days. However,
if you want to beef up your nervous system, you may find that a supplement
like Biotest's Power Drive will help you maximize your work capacity by
affecting the level and release of such neurotransmitters as acetylcholine
and dopamine. It may also even increase testosterone production and offer a
host of neuroprotective properties. Take your dosage 45 minutes before the
start of your workout.
After 30 days, you'll mercifully have completed this program. At that time,
you should be significantly stronger (and hopefully a few pounds heavier).
Regardless, after completing this cycle, I recommend taking five days off
from weight training of any kind. When you resume, start with a program
which emphasizes a greater number of reps, on average, per set, i.e. two
exercises per bodypart for five sets of eight reps on a 3210 tempo.
This program might help you so much that you might even want to give up
bodybuilding, change your name to something Slavic sounding, and join the
Bulgarian Weight lifting team. The choice is yours.
