The Science Behind Get RIPPED!

Reference

Kennedy, Robert et. al. MuscleBuilding for EveryBody. Training & Nutrition to Develop a Muscular Body. Mississauga, ON : Musclemag International, 2002.

Muscle Definition (MD)

This is the "Getting RIPPED!" phase of training. Athletes strive to develop refined, polished, and visible muscles. Through specific training methods using high repetitions, fatty acids act as a fuel source and help to burn the fat that hides those precious “cuts”.

Scope of MD Training

Burn off fat and increase the visibility of muscle.
Increase protein in muscles by doing long, high-rep sets, which results in better definition.
Increase aerobic work, which increases capillary density in the muscle and could result in a slight increase in muscle size.

The duration of the MD phase depends on the individual. It can either be 3 weeks, 6 weeks, or a 2x6 week phase; the latter ensuring better results in MD.

Training Methods & Duration for MD

The majority of bodybuilders and strength trainers today are convinced the highest number of repetitions they ever need to perform is 12-15. They believe a large number of repetitions is not necessary to increase muscle size.

We are breaking away from the traditional approach, and believe that the overall body package is more important than plain mass. The goal is to promote better looking bodies with higher muscle density, perfect symmetry, and increased muscle separation and striation; and the MD phase of training plays a very important role in sculpting the ideal body.

Burn off that Fat

To maximize muscle separation, striation, and definition, one must burn off as much fat as possible. To do this, the duration of nonstop muscular contraction must be increased. Traditionally, aerobic work, such as running or using rowing machines, stationary bikes, or stair climbers, was used to achieve this, but this type of work does not entirely achieve the goal of burning off most of the body’s fat.

To eliminate fat from the overall body and local muscle groups involved in activity, the number of repetitions per muscle group and per workout must be drastically, but progressively, increased. It is important, as well, to perform the program in a nonstop fashion – to perform hundreds of repetitions per muscle group per workout. To do this effectively, the exercises must be continually alternated during the workout.

Decrease Load with More Reps

To perform extremely high repetitions per muscle group, the load must be decreased to 30-50% of 1RM. Only a limited number of muscle fibers are active at the beginning of a high-rep, low-load set; the other fibers are at rest, and become active as the contracting fibers become fatigued. This progressive recruitment of muscle fibers allows one to perform work for a prolonged period of time. In this process, the only fuel available to sustain the activity is fatty acids. The use of this fuel source burns fat from the body, which increases muscle striations and definition.

Program Design for the MD Phase

As previously mentioned, you must perform a high number of repetitions per set nonstop to use fatty acids as fuel. The best way to achieve this goal is by having short RIs. This condition forces the body to tap into its fatty acid reserves. It is necessary to select exercises and work stations so it takes no more than 2-3 seconds to move from one station to another.

Pair Exercises

Exercises are often paired together, so it’s advisable to select an even number of exercises for each session. For each exercise, the goal is to increase the number of reps to 50 or more in the first three weeks. When that is accomplished, the exercises are grouped into 2, then 4, and so on, until eventually; all 8 exercises can be performed together without stopping. For maximum benefits, the ideal program is one containing two 6-week MD phases; the longer the time spent on MD, the greater amount of fat burned, and the better the muscles will show their striations.

What are the "Zones" and why do you need to know them?

Zones define the intensity of effort while you are exercising. It’s important to understand your intensity for several reasons. If you are new to fitness, you need to be aware of and manage your effort to avoid discouragement while making sure your progress is steady. For instance, you should only attempt higher-intensity zones (3 and 4) occasionally for short periods. You should never attempt zone 5 during the early stages.

If you’ve been exercising for a while, you also need to understand zones. For instance, you can use zones to avoid overtraining and training injuries. Zones also help ensure that your body does not become too familiar with an activity.

Following is a brief summary of the zones and their various training effects.

Zone 1: Healthy Heart Zone