Weak points

[Matthew Bryduck]

Whatsup Wannabebig,

Back in November, I started working with a coach and we discussed the weak points in my physique. How do you attack and improve your weaker body parts, wether it be strength wise or overall appearance?

[Bortnasty]

I have been attacking my weakpoints by doing a lot more supersets and dropsets with the certain bodyparts I feel are not as symmetrical to the rest of my physique, which in my case is my inner chest and triceps.

This means a ton of close grip bench press, skull crushes, and my tricep pushdowns I will do 12,10,10...then start dropping weight and banging out more sets until I cannot do any more repititions with the smallest amount of weight. Large pump, and pushed to exhaustion. Worked for me in the past, will be attempting again soon once my bodyfat is down to where I want it to be.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Whatsup Wannabebig,

Back in November, I started working with a coach and we discussed the weak points in my physique. How do you attack and improve your weaker body parts, wether it be strength wise or overall appearance?

If you want to prioritize something I would make sure that you align the movement/muscle group with a session where you are coming off of at least one day of rest, while also moving the target exercise/bodyparts to the start of the workout.

In some cases it can also make sense to increase the frequency or volume to improve something that is lagging.

[chris mason]

In my case I will use movements, or variations thereof that stress my weaknesses for accessory work.

[gaz90]

Whatsup Wannabebig,

Back in November, I started working with a coach and we discussed the weak points in my physique. How do you attack and improve your weaker body parts, wether it be strength wise or overall appearance?

i really liked this article by john meadows on weak point training for bodybuilding http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...body_parts&cr=

[Bruiser]

In my case I will use movements, or variations thereof that stress my weaknesses for accessory work.

Great post! If its good enough for Louie it's good enough for me! Lol

[Matthew Bryduck]

What does everyone think about training a certain part like 5 or 6 days a week to bring it up? What I mean by this is 4 sets of a certain movement on that body part and that's it.

For example: Pullups for lats or dumbbell laterals for shoulders

I have done two shoulders days a week and have had great results. I'm trying to get them Kevin Levrone Delts!

http://www.learn-bodybuilding.com/pr..._levrone11.jpg

[chris mason]

Matthew, that depends on the individual. One of the tricks with a lagging body part is it often cannot take the same volume as a "stronger" body part. In other words, more is not necessarily better. Drugs can also make a difference.

[Alex.V]

i really liked this article by john meadows on weak point training for bodybuilding http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...body_parts&cr=

Actually a decent article. I hate the fact that the first two quotes are not actually by Einstein, though. Meatheads need to stick to being meatheads.

[chris mason]

Lol, I didn't read it... I will have to now.

[Behemoth]

Some things I've modified in the past have been

-Move the body part to the beginning of a workout if training multiple muscle groups (Example: train biceps before training back at all on back day if back and biceps are trained together)
-Increase volume
-Increase frequency (either by repeating the same workout sooner or by adding in extra sets to another workout. Example: doing calf raises at the end of a chest day)
-Give the body part entirely it's own day where the focus going into the gym is soley to train it

[Alinshop]

If I'm trying to improve a bodypart, I like to work it a little more often then the others.

[Matthew Bryduck]

Well, here is my experiment! I'm already doing two shoulders twice a week(wed and sun), which are biased to my rear and medial delt. Everyday that isn't a shoulder day I will be doing 4 sets of laterals till failure. Every other day I ll be doing 4 sets of pullups till failure and the days that I'm not doing the pullups I'll be doing calves. all theses additional movements will be done before my workout.

My goals are to bring up the width of my shoulders from front/side, bring up my lats from the front/back, and to bring up my overall size of my calves.


Matt

[starkcb]

do you have any before and afters... let your pictures show your results!

[Matthew Bryduck]

Chris,

Good idea, I will definitely do that.

do you have any before and afters... let your pictures show your results!

[starkcb]

Matthew,

Although I have just started implementing doing what you are doing to a T. I Can see a noticeable difference in a short amount of time. now I suspect that as time goes on the need for more intense and complex training will need to occur but for now the results are happening quickly. Im sure you probably noticed the same with yourself. Have you seen a decline or plateau from doing this training for several months now?

[Matthew Bryduck]

Chris,

My two shoulder days a week are making me turn this weakness into a strength. I visually can see the way its going to give me the illusion I'm seeking on stage.

The pictures below are from today.

[Matthew Bryduck]

This is a general idea of what I looked 20 week ago.

[Allen Cress]

There are many ways you can attack a weak point and as always it depends if you are a beginner or advanced athlete and if you are taking anything to enhance recovery. The first thing most do is add another day for that muscle group, one day neing more of a heavier day and the other focusing on nothing but contractions and the pump.

Also one way most don't think of is making the weak point the weakest link in a movement, so it had to work harder which will stimulate even more muscle fibers. What I mean by this is say you are doing side laterals add locomotion to the movement. Do this by either doing alternating Side laterals and each time you raise your right arm you would take a step forward with your left leg. Do this in an alternating fashion. You can also find a clear path in the gym and evrytime you do a side lateral with both arms take a step forward and you will continue to walk until you hit the desired reps.

Here is a complex I have used with many competitors at the end of a workout, usually 3-4 days after your main Shoulder day.

1a) Front DB raises with a side step X 20
1b) Side laterals with a front step X 20
1c) Seated DB press (pumping reps) X 20
1c) DB Upright rows X 20

Do 3 rounds taking 1-3 min between each round.