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Max-out, Back-off: A Simple Protocol for Size and Strength

If you want to get stronger, you need to get bigger. If you want to get bigger, you need to get stronger. T hese statements are of ten issued to skinny and weak lif ters who would likeand needto get both bigger and stronger. Individually, these assertions can be helpf ul to experienced lif ters who understand how improving one quality can positively inf luence the other. However, when the two statements are combined and delivered to inexperienced lif ters, they create a paradox that regularly causes novices conf usion and f rustration. Some beginners hear these statements and believe that their training must be centered around developing one quality (size/strength) in order to achieve the other (strength/size). T hus, they employ specialized methods f ar too early in their training careers and wonder why their low volume strength cycles or their high volume hypertrophy routines arent leading them to the promised land of size and strength. Newbies who arent progressing and f ind themselves switching programs regularly must heed these words: If you clearly have signif icant amounts of both muscle mass to build and strength to gain, f ocusing exclusively on one quality f or extended periods of time isnt the most ef f ective long-term strategy. Beginners thrive on simple, progressive programs that allow them to lif t f airly heavy and accumulate a f air amount of volume. T his is why programs centered around sets of f ive are so popular f or guys who are just getting started. Fives represent the happy medium between lower reps, which primarily impact the nervous system, and higher reps, which mainly af f ect the muscular system. On the sliding scale of reps per set and training ef f ects, sets of f ive are assumed to be the hypothetical point where neurological and morphological ef f ects meet. Nevertheless, while sets of f ive are good f or both objectives, they arent necessarily great f or either. As trainees gain some size and some strength and progress to the intermediate stages of lif ting, they of ten need to use slightly more specialized methods in order to continue to make progress. Heavy triples, doubles, and singles in a max-ef f ort method f ramework prove to be highly ef f ective f or lif ters at this point in their development, as they have built a base of new muscle mass that they can exploit with these neurologically f ocused methods. However, despite the need f or increasingly potent methods, these trainees must continue to accumulate a f air amount of volume in order to get bigger and f ulf ill their lif ting potential. Neurological improvements are shortlived, and in practice, maximal strength tends to stall when the muscle mass of underdeveloped lif ters remains constant f or extended periods. T hus, high-volume hypertrophy training is necessary f or sustained maximal strength improvements, but it must be properly integrated into the larger context of a high-intensity strength training program. T here are a number of ways to accumulate volume that can be paired with the max ef f ort method. Lif ters who adhere to a Westside style get their volume f rom lots of work-up sets, use of the dynamic-ef f ort method, and a host of higher rep assistance exercises. Other lif ters who stick to more traditional powerlif ting programs simply do a lot of bodybuilding type work af ter their main lif ts. A protocol that is also ef f ective but used less of ten in powerlif ting circles involves f ollowing max-ef f ort lif ting with back-of f sets. Im a big f an of this protocol, and I would like to explain how to use it and of f er some insights regarding why it can work.

Simple size and st rengt h

Essentially, the max-out, back-of f protocol involves working up to a top low rep set in a particular exercise and then decreasing the weight and doing a number of back-of f sets with the same exercise. T he number of reps per set is usually increased during the back-of f sets. In case that simple explanation is not enough to illustrate the process f or you, here it is in a f ew more words: Part 1, work up to a top set: T he f irst part of this protocol involves warming up and working up to the heaviest weight you can lif t f or the designated number of reps. So if you plan on doing sets of two reps, you will incrementally work your way up f rom light weights to the most weight you can lif t f or a double. T his is already a f airly standard procedure f or most lif ters, and I dont think a lengthy example is needed to demonstrate this simple process. Part 2, do some back-off sets: Af ter completing your top set, take some weight of f the bar and do your back-of f sets. If you want the training ef f ect to be slightly more strength oriented, dont take much weight of f the bar, keep your reps low, and only do a f ew more sets. If hypertrophy is your primary goal, take of f a bit more weight and do more volume by increasing the number of reps per set and/or doing a higher number of sets. Also, you can use the same weight f or each of your back-of f sets or you can decrease the weight slightly af ter each set. Taking your f inal set to f ailure is also a usef ul option. Experiment with this part of the protocol and f igure out which tweaks allow you to complete the highest number of high quality heavy reps. If you arent comf ortable auto-regulating your volume, I suggest that you use these modif ied versions of Prilepins table that I created as guidelines: Note: When doing singles,

Mad e b y And re w Mc G o nag le , s tre ng thmus ing s .b lo g s p o t.c o m

doubles, or triples, use combinations of sets at @8, @9, @10 RPE to reach the optimal number of lifts. @10 RPE represents the maximal and repeated effort methods. Keep in mind that doing the optimal number of lifts is not required; know when to do less and when to do

more. Maximal Effort Method: 1-3 reps @10 with training

Mad e b y And re w Mc G o nag le , s tre ng thmus ing s .b lo g s p o t.c o m

maximum. Little ability to produce muscle hypertrophy due to minor amount of mechanical work perf ormed. Af ter initial acceleration, velocity usually constant and relatively slow, meaning that the f orce produced is approximately equal to the weight on the bar. Repeated Effort Method: Weight is lif ted with sincere exertions to f ailure (@10). More mechanical work perf ormed, theref ore has a greater inf luence on the inducement of muscle hypertrophy. Maximal number of motor units that can be recruited with sub-maximal weights are recruited in the f inal lif ts. Final lif ts in set are executed with f atigue, possibly compromising technical ef f iciency. Muscular ef f orts in the initial sub-max reps are concentrated in the f irst part of the range of motion (acceleration). Biomechanical parameters in the lif ts are most similar to parameters during maximal muscular ef f orts (increased recruitment, decreased velocity.) Note: If you choose to increase the number of reps per set for your back-off sets, you may find it useful to

decrease the weight to what you consider an easy warm-up set and then work up to your back-off set working weight. This second round of work-up sets allows you to become acquainted with the slight coordination change produced by the lower intensities and readies your mind to maintain focus during the longer sets. As you can see, this protocol is extremely f lexible and I made sure to keep my explanation of it very general. I did this because the protocol is most ef f ective when it is tailored to the individual, physiological needs of each lif ter, and properly positioned in the larger context of his personalized training program. If you know which combinations of training variables create the training ef f ects that will address your individual needs and increase your maximal strength, programming becomes much simpler. While a comprehensive discussion regarding needs, assessments, and training ef f ects is beyond the scope of this article, the majority of lif ters can get by with a limited understand of these topics anyway. All most people really need to know is that maximal strength is primarily inf luenced by both intermuscular and intramuscular coordination and the cross-sectional area of muscle f ibers. Coordination f or maximal strength is best improved by high-intensity lif ting, and hypertrophy tends to occur when volume is high. Tweak the max-out, back-of f protocol to emphasize your most pressing needs and f igure out how to optimize your training volume to accommodate your training f requency, and you will make progress. You arent a biological anomaly. Lif ting will make you stronger if you do the right things the right way.

Why it works
Specificity: T he body adapts to exercise in a highly specif ic manner. You get stronger in the positions and patterns that you train in, so doing the exact movements you plan to perf orm in competition is critical. When training f or powerlif ting, this obviously means you need to squat, bench, and deadlif t. In my opinion, the overwhelming majority of lif ters would be better of f perf orming their competition style movements week in and week out rather than rotating movements. Too many lif ters change exercises too of ten, and they go into meets hoping f or carryover instead of knowing that theyre prepared f or personal records. Doing the competition style lif ts regularly ensures that the coordination improvements brought about by strenuous high intensity lif ting are readily applicable. Also, accumulating volume with the competition style lif ts promotes hypertrophy of the exact muscle groups that contribute to the perf ormance of the lif ts. Efficiency: I always chuckle when I browse beginners training logs and see long lists of exercises that make up marathon lif ting sessions. If these trainees truly perf ormed each exercise in a manner that positively inf luenced their maximum strength, their workouts would likely last close to three hours. Factor in proper rest periods, the time wasted waiting f or equipment at commercial gyms, and whatever mobility work they may perf orm, and it becomes evident that these guys could do more with less. T he max-out, back-of f protocol can streamline the training process by conf ining lif ters to one movement using one piece of equipment f or the majority of each training session. Instead of wasting time cycling through an array of assistance exercises, lif ters will spend the majority of their gym time doing their main lif ts when using this protocol. Practice: In my experience, being able to consistently perf orm the power lif ts with sound technique should be an incredibly cognitive af f air. While motor learning and the resultant motor patterns are largely automatic processes, troubleshooting technical f laws requires lif ters to consciously thumb through their knowledge of proper exercise set up and biomechanically optimal execution and deliberately make the proper adjustments. While many sports require athletes to quickly respond to changing environments, powerlif ting is a relatively slow activity with f airly consistent demands. T here is time to think, especially during the set up f or each lif t. Learning what to think and, consequently, what to do when setting up f or a lif t takes a considerable amount of practice. T his processing occurs independently f or each individual exercise. T heref ore, it is benef icial to spend more time squatting, benching, and deadlif ting because you wont become a better technician by leg pressing, doing triceps extensions, and f rying your hamstrings on the leg curl machine.

As an aside, training with a group of knowledgeable lif ters can streamline this practice process. Being surrounded by people who know the lif ts and can of f er suggestions of ten saves individuals f rom the f rustrations of searching f or solutions independently. However, the struggle to f ix a f aulty movement and the resultant satisf action when an answer is obtained does seem to deliver a more lasting mastery than one patched by outside sources. T here are pros and cons to each situation, and understanding this observation should help athletes and coaches tailor their training experience to meet their various goals.

Maxing out , backing of f , and wrapping up

Improving your lif ts doesnt need to be a complicated process. Lif t heavy to improve coordination, accumulate volume to build muscle, adjust your training volume to accommodate your training f requency, and make sure to gradually do more work over time. Stop messing around with silly variations of the main lif ts and stop hoping all the assistance work youre doing will carry over. Instead, f ight f or each pound added to your lif ts by doing the lif ts. Strive to add more usef ul muscle to your f rame. Squatting, benching, and deadlif ting will make you stronger at those three lif ts if youre doing enough of the right kind of work. Do the work!

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Maxing Out T he Science and Importance of Taking It to the Limit Utilizing Prilepins Chart