Training with low loads

Virtual classes, personal training classes online and do it yourself workouts they have become the new trend in the world of fitness. Due to the current situation, many people have tried to make up for the closure of fitness centers with online classes or by purchasing equipment to continue training continuously at home.

THEhome fitness has always been present in the training landscape but was often used as alternative or gym replacement for short periods. In fact, to be able to train independently you need great willpower, decision and knowledge of what you are doing; it is difficult to make up for the enthusiasm and fun that is created during a group lesson at your center or a lesson with your personal trainer.

In addition to this problem, which should not be underestimated, "beliefs" can be established which can push the person to interrupt or lose continuity in their workouts at home, among them the lack of adequate equipment.

In fact, the idea of ​​the impossibility of being able to train without isotonic machines or heavy loads is very widespread because without it one will not be able to obtain the much desired results.

What do i need?

It takes very little! A dumbbell, a medicine ball, elastic o rocker little changes, a adequate training custom depending on your equipment, it will be able to get you the results you want.

Il functional training It's definitely a great option! For functional training it should not be understood as a circuit training in which you work in time based.

Unfortunately, this definition of his is widespread since everything that is not part of body building has been nicknamed "functional". Actually for functional training we mean a global training where the movements are not sectorised, isolating the muscles responsible for them, but motor skills as a whole are trained.

Everyday life requires global movements and even more the action of an athlete requires 360° capabilities. So this training method fits very well at body building, performed with different types of exercises and movements from the most commonly proposed "golden exercises", alla specific athletic training, strength improvement and for weight loss.

Which training method is more effective?

Each method can be more or less effective, depending on the goal to be achieved. Even using only your own body weight and a dumbbell you can put many training methods into practice. Have you ever heard of:

1. super set
2. Triset
3. stripping
4. Rest breaks
5. Bulgarian method
6. hiit
7. Pyramidal

These are some of the most used methods that can make our training more fun, captivating and effective.

If you don't have large loads, the solution can be to create a sequence of synergistic exercises so that you can gradually stimulate the districts concerned, thus improving strength, hypertrophy and power.

Hypertrophy and low loads

As we well know, to have a hypertrophic stimulus we should work with loads that are close to 75-85% of one's 1RM. Unfortunately, few can have such an important amount of load but don't worry, here are some examples of combination of exercises that can meet your needs:

• super set: in this method two exercises are performed one after the other recovering only at the end of the second. The exercises can be agonists with each other (they perform the same movement or follow the same principle, for example two push exercises) or antagonists (they perform two opposite and contrary movements such as biceps and triceps). This method is really useful as you can perform the first exercise for example using your own body weight (which represents the greatest load to move) such as a push up or a pull up while the second exercise, which involves the use of our tool, it can be a complementary exercise like a fly on flat bench, Operating overheadI'm a Row in bent-overr. By following this principle we will be able to have that hypertrophic stimulus that only the use of large loads can create.
• Triset: same principle of the superset in which a further exercise is added. With this method we try to have the maximum muscle stimulation, approaching the much desired muscle "failure". An example could be: Push up - Overhead press with dumbbells o elastic - Fly with dumbbells or Lateral raises.
• stripping o Triple drop sets: this method is widely used in the body building and consists of scaling the load by successively performing the same number of repetitions, for example Arm curls 8+8+8. In this case you start with a high load and at the end of the sixth repetition it is scaled in such a way as to be able to immediately complete the next six and so on. In the event that there is no possibility to scale the load, we could always perform a stripping by playing on the progression and regression of the exercises. To give you an example, if we wanted to focus on the lower limbs, we can start with 8 repetitions of squat jumps followed by 8 repetitions of squatting with overload and finally 8 repetitions of half squat. In this case the load has been "scaled" in such a way as to be able to continue to perform the desired movement, however modifying its activation and muscular effort.
• Rest breaks o cluster: this technique consists in performing as many repetitions as possible of a certain movement until reaching the inability to perform it correctly, recovering for 10-20 seconds and resuming the movement. Using low loads you can use this method working in TIME BASED, i.e. working for a certain amount of time without giving importance to the number of repetitions. In fact, we can perform an exercise for 30", rest for 10", perform it again for 20" and recover completely.

Weight loss and low loads

If the goal is to weight loss one solution may be to alternate multi-joint exercisesee dynamics performed free body, to exercises more aimed at certain muscle groups using the tools available. Dynamic multi-joint exercises have the great advantage of significantly increasing heart rate as they "move" the whole body in a coordinated manner. By alternating these exercises with other more specific ones for certain muscle groups, you will get a double benefit:

• First we will manage to alternate moments of high intensity (during multi-joint exercises) a moments of "recovery" or low intensity (exercises with tools) thus managing to complete our training avoiding the "debacle" due to excessive intensity that could occur by performing exercises with high loads.
• Secondly, the workout will be made more dynamic and fun than the classic training program in which cardio machines are alternated with isotonic machines.

Conclusions

Whether you have the ability to have large loads or not, it shouldn't discourage you from continuing or embarking on a training course.

There are many possibilities and techniques to be able to obtain tangible results without preparing cutting-edge equipment such as that present in a fitness center.

Il functional training, that it is addressed to a aesthetic goal such as bodybuilding or at a slimming, represents a very valid ally for the planning of our workouts, improving both its performance both our lifestyle as it takes into consideration all the skills we need, force, flexibility, coordination, mobility sectors ed equilibrium

Functional Training Products:

Matthew Zoffoli

• Professional athletic trainer and expert in high intensity training.
• Athletic trainer of Cesena Calcio in the seasons 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 with the role of strength and conditional coach.
• Fitness consultant regarding the planning and evaluation of activities related to functional training, athletic training and online coaching.

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