This hypothesis is not far-fetched, but the result of the scientific evaluation of a group of masons who asked for a fitness program to put on some muscles.
it is really far away, but the muscular volumes and strength of a carpenter are still quite close to those of certain sportsmen - even if, as we know, the athletic gesture requires an "expression of special strength. Even technique is something that cannot be improvised. ; but this would be true for a bricklayer engaged in the squat, bench press or pull-up, as well as for a bodybuilder who is asked to carry 50 kg of cement on the shoulder for 5 floors and 10 times, or to demolish by hand a reinforced concrete platform.
Now the question arises: why is a carpenter who sustains such an effort still able to maintain a well-developed musculature? After all, according to the principles of protracted muscle exhaustion and subsequent catabolism, such an energetic commitment should be exhausting in the long term.
Just think that a person who practices this or other heavy work, for the realization of a food program, is estimated to have more than 25% more energy than an "average" person. Then, the expenditure varies according to the case specific, therefore to body subjectivity and to the presence or absence of automation. It is certain that if a carpenter had to work in the absence of electrical machinery he could easily exceed the energy consumption of a triathlete, but mainly using the anaerobic alactacid and lactacid metabolism - a hellish fatigue .
Today most of the unskilled workers are in any case overweight; how come? This is largely due to the fact that they believe they spend the same calories as previous generations - who instead used the hammer mallet, the digger shovel and the concrete mixer trowel much more. This does not mean that a carpenter has the same energy consumption as an employee, but on the other hand we have the umpteenth demonstration that an unbalanced diet has no motor remedy.
- how do bricklayers get up every morning and start a new working day?
Simply because the carpenter's work is cyclical. In the sense that every construction site has moments in which an almost superhuman effort is required, followed by lighter periods or even breaks. This is what prompts us to reflect on the possibility that a protracted effort for the entire micro-cycle can, if followed by an equally important supercompensation, unlock the plateau in the search for hypertrophy.
What is Shock Training?
With reference to the studies made by Poliquin Ph.D, a well-known American trainer of international importance, it has been seen that training a muscle too often would result in overtraining even after only about 11 continuous days.
But what if you train him consistently for about 5-6 consecutive days and then let him rest for a relatively long period - so enough? It is likely that it would be possible to optimize its hypertrophic growth potential. Not surprisingly, many have used this system for the most growth-reluctant districts and have noticed improvements in terms of volume.
the variation of the training stimulus is a very important factor in avoiding the plateau. But let us not forget to evaluate the progress or the regressions made, or the experiment will be completely in vain.
In any case, it is advisable to choose "single-joint" exercises, such as crosses for the pectorals and leg extensions for the quadriceps, etc., so as not to involve too much other muscles. It should also be considered that the exercises in question must be performed at the maximum of the physiological ROM (Range of Movement).
For example, on Monday 1st January the chest bench crosses routine begins, with about 3-5 sets with a load equal to 75-80% of 1RM, for about 10-15 repetitions or 45-60 seconds. of continuous work, with pauses of about 90 seconds, to then move on to the rest of the workout regularly for the other parts of the body. Tuesday 2nd January the same thing, until Friday. Obviously the muscle soreness of the previous days (DOMS) could cause some discomfort but it is likely that already on Wednesday evening it will no longer be felt.
The following week you should follow a regular program, perhaps 2-3 days a week, and then return to Shock Training in the same district after 10 days, and for another 5 days of training. The training for the pectorals would thus return again on January 15th or, to make it coincide with Monday, one could wait a few more days and start it at the end of the week.
It is certainly an unorthodox criterion but not so much when compared with other alternative methodologies. We are not talking about training the whole body for 5 consecutive days but only one part, maybe a small muscle to then give it a conspicuous reward the terms of rest.
An appropriate time could be a full mesocycle devoted to this approach, which can range from 4 to 8 weeks.
: subjectivity. That said, the physiology is the same for everyone; However, we cannot exclude that the cardinal principles used today for the research of muscle mass do not take into account, at least in part, one or more variables that would make the latter a potentially valid method.
In addition, this protocol is applicable almost only to non-beginner level bodybuilders, who already train adequately and eat the same. Too complex for newbies - even if already conditioned - who, however, have not yet adequately expressed their basic potential.
Particular attention should fall on the evaluation of joint integrity, since any repeated and cumulative microtrauma could create acute discomfort, requiring a periodic stop.
Shock Training also requires a lot of attention to the choice of exercises, in the sense that if you are trying on the pectorals, they will not have to be involved in the recovery week; therefore, in practical terms, the parallel dips for the triceps or the slow forward for the shoulders etc. should be avoided. This becomes a strong limit to the stimulation of the non-involved districts since, in general, bodybuilders make a prevalent use of multi-joint exercises.
, anthropometric analysis and general condition of the athlete.This type of system is obviously not the final solution to the growth plateau, but it could help.
In case you experience frequent pain in the tendons involved in these exercises, muscle pain or a sense of general fatigue, you should stop this approach and return to an appropriate personalized programming.
For some, checking the heart rate at rest can be a valid empirical tool for monitoring a possible state of overtraining; on the other hand, the muscle does not always grow due to overtraining (a very complex and uncomfortable condition), sometimes it is a simple localized chronic fatigue.
Following such a system for multiple muscle groups may not be a correct choice, running the risk of training 7 days a week, making the training effort too burdensome. Better to target one muscle at a time and, if acceptable results are experienced, start a new mesocycle dedicated to "training" this other muscle district.
