The
Triple Add Set is one
of my favorite intensity
techniques... I find
that adding weight during
a set is much more productive
because it increases
tension as you go through
the set, rather than
decreases tension, which
is what I find happens
with Drop Sets.
Drop
Sets just don't work
well for me.
The
Triple Add Set technique
allows you to target
a full range of muscle
fiber types and when
done with squats in
this fashion, can really
help stubborn quads
get back to growing.
So
with a "normal"
triple add set, I would
have you using three
different weights. You'd
start with a light weight
for very high reps (30+)
then move to a moderate
weight for 6 to 8 reps
then a heavy weight
for 1 to 3 reps.
These
different rep ranges
target the three major
muscle fiber types (Type
1, Type 2a and 2b).
THIS
version of the Triple
Add Set works range
of motion instead of
resistance changes to
hit those different
rep ranges and different
muscle fiber types,
ensuring you work maximum
muscle mass in the set...though
for the barbell squat,
you actually WILL need
to make one change in
resistance for best
results (you'll see
why below).
To
do this one, you'll
need a power rack and
two Olympic bars. You
CAN do it with just
one bar, as long as
you can be quick with
a weight change after
the second part of the
set. I find it easier
to have two bars pre-set
and ready to go, though.
The
first part of the Triple
Add Set is going to
be very high rep lockout
partial squats.
I've
got 405 lbs on the bar
and the blue thing I'm
using is called a "Manta
Ray", which
I highly recommend.
It's a molded plastic
piece that snaps onto
the bar, with the goal
of distributing the
weight of the bar more
evenly over your shoulders.
The
Manta
Ray is a MUST
HAVE piece of equipment,
in my opinion (and it's
cheap at 40 bucks),
if you really want to
get into heavy partial
squats. I've used it
for lockout partials
upwards of 1200 lbs
and it works like a
charm.
Anyways,
it's very useful but
it's certainly not necessary
for making this technique
work.
So
the setup that I like
to use for this is the
heavy barbell in the
normal racking pins
at the top position,
with the second bar
set on the safety rails
towards the back of
the rack.
The
reason I have that second,
lighter bar set up is
this...the changes in
leverage over the range
of motion of the squat
are the most extreme
of any exercise I know
of, because of the long
range of motion. The
amount of weight you
can use in the top few
inches is substantially
greater than what you
can handle out of the
bottom...like on the
order of 3 times greater.
That's
why when you start with
the very high rep partials,
you have to use a much
greater weight than
what your body will
be capable of towards
the end of the Triple
Add Set for full range
reps.
The
range of motion here
is very short...just
lowering the bar a few
inches then coming back.
Don't bounce but use
a deliberate movement,
contracting the quads.
Do
as many reps as you
can of this...ideally
30 to 50+ reps.
Re-rack
the bar then rest 10
seconds.
Get
back under the bar,
unrack and step back.
Now you're going to
partial squats in a
somewhat greater range
of motion...about 1/4
to 1/3 of the range,
coming to just above
the sticking point/dropping
point of the squat.
Basically, where if
you come down any further,
you would drop to the
safety rails.
Perform
6 to 8 very controlled
reps here, contracting
the quads and keeping
the tension on them
during the movement.
You've pre-exhausted
the legs to some degree
with the very high reps...now
you want to build on
that.
When
you've completed your
reps (and don't push
to failure here, just
fyi), re-rack the bar
and get set for full
range.
If
you're only working
with one barbell, here's
where you going to pull
some plates off. Knock
the weight down by almost
half.
Since
I have two bars, I've
got 225 lbs on the second
bar and I'm going to
do bottom-start squats
off the rails.
This
kind of squatting is
great for developing
tension and building
power out of the bottom
because you're eliminating
elastic tension from
the lift. At the bottom
of every rep, you're
setting the bar down
on the rails completely
before you start the
next rep.
If
you just have the one
bar, do a deep, full-range
squat as you normally
would.
Do
1 to 3 reps of this
full-range squat.
You're
done! And believe me,
you're DONE.
This
Range-of-Motion Triple
Add Set Training is
extremely demanding.
You can do one to three
full sets of this technique
in total, depending
on how your legs hold
up. I would recommend
at least 2 to 3 minutes
rest in between Triple
Add Sets.
If
you've got stubborn
quads that need work
and you're ready for
a challenge, this is
exactly what you're
looking for.
