Why Not Both?
I’m typically not a fan of single-joint isolation exercises, especially regarding strength training. Movements like biceps curls and extensions pale compared to compound movements that work those muscles, such as chin-ups and dips. However, they do have their place, especially if you’re training for hypertrophy, where the goal is to increase muscle size. For the most part, strength training means working at high intensities, mostly at 85% or above your 1 rep max for 1 to 5 repetitions for 3 to 5 sets. Hypertrophy training falls within a rep range of 8 to 30 repetitions for 3 to 5 sets at intensities between 65% to 85%. I want to stress that these guidelines are not set in stone, but they are a valuable frame of reference for resistance training. It’s also imperative to know that they are not mutually exclusive, meaning you can get bigger and stronger simultaneously. The pre exhaustion method detailed below is one way to get a little bit of both with your resistance training.
No matter which type of training you prefer, it’s doubtful that you will train that way for the rest of your life, and there are many reasons why you might have to change your programming.
Boredom - unless you’re a die-hard powerlifter or bodybuilder, doing the same lifts day after day can make it harder to get to the gym.
Overuse injuries - repeating the same movements, especially at high intensities, can cause wear on the joints, tendons, and ligaments that support the musculoskeletal system.
Plateauing - Your body adapts to the same stimulus, making gains more challenging to achieve. Mixing up your training is one way to overcome this stagnation.
The Pre-Exhaustion Method
Mike Mentzer might not be a household name, but in the world of bodybuilding, he was. Although he passed away at a young age, his training methods have carried on, and this was where I first learned of the pre-exhaustion method. The theory is simple yet effective. Let’s say your goal is to increase the size and strength of your chest, which means training the pectoral muscles. Using the pre-exhaust method, you would do a set of an exercise that isolates the pectorals, such as chest flies. Immediately after the flies, you go right into a set of compound exercises that also work the pectorals, such as a chest press. Your pecs are already tired from the previous set of flies, therefore the other muscles involved in the press like the triceps and anterior deltoids must pick up the slack for the tired pecs.
The original method promoted by Mentzer called for doing one set of each to complete and total failure by utilizing a super slow pace of 4 seconds of eccentric contraction and a 4 second concentric. This is not for everyone! Having tried it myself, I can attest to how physically and mentally demanding this is. Pushing yourself to go on as your muscles are screaming at you to stop isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and, more importantly, isn’t necessary. If your goal is to be a world-class bodybuilder, then by all means, lift until your arms feel like spaghetti. For the rest of us looking to get a good pump and slowly add muscle mass and strength, turning the intensity down a few notches will work fine. Here are some exercise pairings to try.
Pec fly followed by chest press, incline chest press, or push-ups
Triceps pull-down followed by dips
Straight arm pull downs followed by lat pull downs or pull ups/chin ups
Pullovers followed by inverted rows
Leg extensions followed by leg presses, hack squats, or goblet squats
If you’ve never done a scheme like this, there will be some trial and error to find the best weights for each exercise. For the first exercise in a set, aim for 8 to 12 repetitions and keep the intensity so that the isolated muscles are very fatigued. Move as quickly as you can to the following compound exercise, and try to do another 8 to 12 reps. Rest for a few minutes, at least, if you plan on doing another set. See the video below for an example using triceps extensions and dips.
Another way to adjust intensity without using heavy weight is tempo. The slower you move through a range of motion, the more challenging any exercise will be, so you can use light weights and move slowly if you’re uncomfortable using heavy weights. Either way, you’ll still get a great pump.