Get Stronger and Faster With Contrast Training
If you’re looking to get bigger, stronger and more powerful, contrast training could be just the challenge you need. This method pairs a traditional resistance training exercise with a similar plyometric movement—for example, a Back Squat with a Box Jump. Contrast training helps recruit all possible muscle motor neurons, and—depending on how the sets, reps and loads are programmed—it can help athletes reach a wide variety of goals.
RELATED: Contrast Training: A Football Workout for Power and Speed
Benefits of Contrast Training
1. Enhances muscle fiber recruitment, a vital component to improving power and strength. A study compared athletes performing traditional and compound training using resistance and plyometric exercises. Compound training increased power output in vertical jumps and sprints.
2. Improves hypertrophy training with an increase in power and neural output. Contracts additional muscle fibers, resulting in more micro muscle fiber tears and ultimately greater levels of hypertrophy. The 7/4/7 protocol described below ensures maximal muscle contraction, increased vasodilation and a grueling session.
3. The combination of two intense complementary exercises spikes the heart rate, making contrast training useful for metabolic conditioning. This is ideal for body composition clients looking to gain or preserve muscle mass. It also conditions athletes to perform other taxing lifts, such as Cleans and Snatches, with greater ease.
Examples of Contrast Training
Here are examples of how to alter your training routine to incorporate contrast training for various goals:
Hypertrophy (7/4/7): Bench Press Example
Swap traditional 3×12 Bench Press with:
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo (Eccentric/Concentric) | Rest (Seconds) |
1a. Bench Press(70% 1RM) | 3 | 7 | (4/2) | 0 |
1b. Clapping Push-Ups | 3 | 4 | (1/1) | 0 |
1c. Bench Press(65% 1RM) | 3 | 7 | (4/2) | 90 |
Power: Deadlift Example
Swap traditional 3×3 Deadlift with:
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo (Eccentric/Concentric) | Rest (Seconds) |
1a. Deadlift(85% 1RM) | 3 | 3 | (1/1) | 0 |
1b. Broad Jump (Max Distance) | 3 | 5 | (1/1) | 120 |
Strength: Squat Example
Swap traditional 5×5 squat with:
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo (Eccentric/Concentric) | Rest (Seconds) |
1a. Back Squat(80% 1RM) | 5 | 5 | (2/1) | 0 |
1b. Box Jumps | 5 | 5 | (1/1) | 120 |
Additional combinations:
- Deadlift with Power Clean
- Bench Press with Plyometric Push-Up
- Dumbbell Chest Press with Jammer
- Overhead Press with Wall Ball
- Split Squats with Power Skips
- Bent-Over Row with Plyometric Inverted Row
- Weighted Pull-Ups with Explosive Chin-Ups
- Chin-Up with Overhead Medicine Ball Slams
RELATED: Med Ball Contrast Training Will Improve Your Explosiveness
Programming
Contrast training can fit into any microcycle or workout. You can switch up a typical linear periodization scheme of hypertrophy, strength and power by using it in 2 or 3 of your workouts per week. You can actually mesh mesocycles, combining strength, hypertrophy and power to make yourself a stronger, bigger and more powerful athlete.
Contrast training can replace your first big movement on each day. For example, if you are training for strength, substitute the strength example shown above for your standard 3×3-5 sets/rep scheme on the Squat. You can also use contrast training on a full-body power day once a week by hitting all major movements. The full-body day should be limited to 4-5 exercises, since it’s very intense on the body and nervous system.
Action Time
Try this technique before implementation and start with a modest load. Stand up and perform the following for hypertrophy:
Hypertrophy (7/4/7): Squat Example
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo (Eccentric/Concentric) | Rest (Seconds) |
1a. Bodyweight Squat | 3 | 7 | (4/2) | 0 |
1b. Jump Squat | 3 | 4 | (1/1) | 0 |
1c. Bodyweight Squat | 3 | 7 | (4/2) | 90 |
Even a single set with your body weight is enough to prove the effectiveness and intensity of contrast training. Imagine the challenge of doing this same protocol, except with a loaded Back Squat.
RELATED: Get Faster With Contrast Workouts
Reference:
Mihalik, Jason P., Jeremiah J. Libby, Claudio L. Battaglini, and Robert G. Mcmurray. “Comparing Short-Term Complex and Compound Training Programs on Vertical Jump Height and Power Output.” Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 22.1 (2008): 47-53. Web.
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Get Stronger and Faster With Contrast Training
If you’re looking to get bigger, stronger and more powerful, contrast training could be just the challenge you need. This method pairs a traditional resistance training exercise with a similar plyometric movement—for example, a Back Squat with a Box Jump. Contrast training helps recruit all possible muscle motor neurons, and—depending on how the sets, reps and loads are programmed—it can help athletes reach a wide variety of goals.
RELATED: Contrast Training: A Football Workout for Power and Speed
Benefits of Contrast Training
1. Enhances muscle fiber recruitment, a vital component to improving power and strength. A study compared athletes performing traditional and compound training using resistance and plyometric exercises. Compound training increased power output in vertical jumps and sprints.
2. Improves hypertrophy training with an increase in power and neural output. Contracts additional muscle fibers, resulting in more micro muscle fiber tears and ultimately greater levels of hypertrophy. The 7/4/7 protocol described below ensures maximal muscle contraction, increased vasodilation and a grueling session.
3. The combination of two intense complementary exercises spikes the heart rate, making contrast training useful for metabolic conditioning. This is ideal for body composition clients looking to gain or preserve muscle mass. It also conditions athletes to perform other taxing lifts, such as Cleans and Snatches, with greater ease.
Examples of Contrast Training
Here are examples of how to alter your training routine to incorporate contrast training for various goals:
Hypertrophy (7/4/7): Bench Press Example
Swap traditional 3×12 Bench Press with:
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo (Eccentric/Concentric) | Rest (Seconds) |
1a. Bench Press(70% 1RM) | 3 | 7 | (4/2) | 0 |
1b. Clapping Push-Ups | 3 | 4 | (1/1) | 0 |
1c. Bench Press(65% 1RM) | 3 | 7 | (4/2) | 90 |
Power: Deadlift Example
Swap traditional 3×3 Deadlift with:
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo (Eccentric/Concentric) | Rest (Seconds) |
1a. Deadlift(85% 1RM) | 3 | 3 | (1/1) | 0 |
1b. Broad Jump (Max Distance) | 3 | 5 | (1/1) | 120 |
Strength: Squat Example
Swap traditional 5×5 squat with:
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo (Eccentric/Concentric) | Rest (Seconds) |
1a. Back Squat(80% 1RM) | 5 | 5 | (2/1) | 0 |
1b. Box Jumps | 5 | 5 | (1/1) | 120 |
Additional combinations:
- Deadlift with Power Clean
- Bench Press with Plyometric Push-Up
- Dumbbell Chest Press with Jammer
- Overhead Press with Wall Ball
- Split Squats with Power Skips
- Bent-Over Row with Plyometric Inverted Row
- Weighted Pull-Ups with Explosive Chin-Ups
- Chin-Up with Overhead Medicine Ball Slams
RELATED: Med Ball Contrast Training Will Improve Your Explosiveness
Programming
Contrast training can fit into any microcycle or workout. You can switch up a typical linear periodization scheme of hypertrophy, strength and power by using it in 2 or 3 of your workouts per week. You can actually mesh mesocycles, combining strength, hypertrophy and power to make yourself a stronger, bigger and more powerful athlete.
Contrast training can replace your first big movement on each day. For example, if you are training for strength, substitute the strength example shown above for your standard 3×3-5 sets/rep scheme on the Squat. You can also use contrast training on a full-body power day once a week by hitting all major movements. The full-body day should be limited to 4-5 exercises, since it’s very intense on the body and nervous system.
Action Time
Try this technique before implementation and start with a modest load. Stand up and perform the following for hypertrophy:
Hypertrophy (7/4/7): Squat Example
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Tempo (Eccentric/Concentric) | Rest (Seconds) |
1a. Bodyweight Squat | 3 | 7 | (4/2) | 0 |
1b. Jump Squat | 3 | 4 | (1/1) | 0 |
1c. Bodyweight Squat | 3 | 7 | (4/2) | 90 |
Even a single set with your body weight is enough to prove the effectiveness and intensity of contrast training. Imagine the challenge of doing this same protocol, except with a loaded Back Squat.
RELATED: Get Faster With Contrast Workouts
Reference:
Mihalik, Jason P., Jeremiah J. Libby, Claudio L. Battaglini, and Robert G. Mcmurray. “Comparing Short-Term Complex and Compound Training Programs on Vertical Jump Height and Power Output.” Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 22.1 (2008): 47-53. Web.
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