Alactic + Aerobic. A+ A Training
Yes, StrongFirst promotes short burst of work, followed by long rest periods with Strength Movements.
The focus of this reply is only on Alactic Training.
T
he Alactic (Phosphagen) Energy System
Maximum Strength, Power and Speed are optimally trained and developed in this energy system.
That because Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber utilize ATP (Phosphagen) which is quickly depleted in around 15 seconds or less.
That means once ATP is exhausted, you are not working the Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber, the workload is shifted to the Slow Twitch Muscle Fiber.
ATP Muscle Restoration
ATP is restored to the muscle with rest periods.
30 Seconds: Approximately, 50% of ATP is restored.
45 seconds: Up to 79% of ATP is restored.
3 Minutes Plus. Right at 100% of ATP is restored.
The more ATP restored, the greater the force (Maximum Strength, Power and/or Speed) you produce; the more you work the Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber.
Bodybuilding and the Glycolytic Energy System
Traditional Hypertrohy Bodybuilding utilizes higher repetitions with shorter rest periods.
This method produces "The Pump", Metabolic Stress. "The Pump" increase lactate which triggers the anabolic muscle building effect.
The Glycolytic Energy System is a movement or exercise that it over thirty second to about two minutes.
Blood Flow Restriction For Hypertrophy
Higher repetitions with shorter rest periods between sets restrict blood flow back to the heart. Blood is trapped in the muscles, ballooning them up, producing "The Pump".
However, Traditional Hypertrophy of higher repetition/short rest periods between sets alone leads to a decrease in Maximum Strength, Power and/or Speed.
Longer Rest Periods for Hypertrophy
Research by Schoenfeld found that when longer rest period are taken between Hypertrophy Sets, strength was increased along with muscle mass. However, Hypertrophy Training that employs shorter rest periods appears to be more effective.
Employing Short Burst For Bodybuilding Gains
Dr Jonathan Oliver's research examined how increasing muscle mass could be obtain while increasing Maximum Strength, Power and Speed; rather than losing them with the Traditional Hypertrophy Bodybuilding Protocol.
This method ensured that athlete got bigger, stronger and faster.
Cluster Sets Hypertrophy Training
Oliver's research determined that Cluster Set Hypertrophy Training was effective at increasing muscle mass while maintaining and/or increasing the other Strength Components.
Oliver's Cluster Set Hypertrophy Set Training revolves around performing Low Repetition of around 1-5 non-stop. A short rest period of around 15 to 45 seconds is taken. Then another Low Repetition Set is performed, followed by another 15 to 45 second rest period.
Each 1 - 5 Repetition Set of non-stop repetition is a cluster. Let's say you perform 5 of those sets for 3 repetitions. That means you have performed at total of 15 repetition in that one Cluster Set.
You then take a 3 minute rest period before performing them again. Let's say you do that 4 more times. That means you have performed a total of 60 repetition for that one exercise.
With that said, a greater increased was achieved with the Traditional Hypertrophy Bodybuilding Protocol; primarily driven the greater Pump, increase in lactate.
However, Oliver Cluster Set Hypertrophy came in a close second, while enabling an increase in the other Strength Components.
Time Under Tension
TUT does to some extent increased lactate, which triggers the anabolic effect. However, there are other components that need to be focused on.
As Chris Thibaudeau (Strength and Bodybuilding Coach) states, "...TUT. It's not a primary factor involved in growth, and the set duration itself isn't really important." Source:
Question of Strength 61 | T Nation ...which Pet posted.
Absolutely
Dr Jonathan Oliver Custer Set Hypertrophy Training Protocol has proven that.
With that in mind, one of the vital components of it is in performing each repetition in a set of the exercise with as much Power and Speed as possible. Doing so innervates that Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber, increasing their size as well as Maximum Strength, Power and Speed.
Once your Power and/or Speed drops, terminate the set.
Continuing in a fatigued state isn't working the bigger, faster, stronger Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber. The slower, smaller, Slow Twitch Muscle Fiber are.
Olympic Lifters
Many utilize Cluster Set in their training.
Dr Greg Haff (former Olympic Lifter) goes into it in this presentation...
Cluster Sets - Current Methods for Introducing Variations to Training Sets, with Greg Haff