Originally Posted by ENTROPY
There is no specific supplement or training program for the CNS that I'm aware of. Rather, there are certain principles that have been tweaked over the years that have shown a degree of consistent positive results with regard to CNS increase and or for that matter, CNS decrease.
One observably positive method that was derived from Eastern European Olympic lifting templates is to train with maximal weights for low reps by performing sports specific exercises with approximately 50% of your single max using an almost ballistic execution of movement. This level of speed causes the brain to fire a maximal number of muscle fibers simultaneously thus stressing your CNS without overtraining. In powerlifing, it is commonly referred to as Dynamic Effort day, or speed day. In order for the DE day to stress your CNS maximally, you must apply 100 percent effort to the bar, ie: If you bench press 400 pounds and are training with 200 pounds then you must apply 400 pounds of force to the bar.
Your CNS adapts to the specific loads placed on it, however for recovery, and to avoid CNS burnout, never train max lifts on back to back days; therefore one should allow at least 72 hours between max lifting days. Rotate your max lifts every 1 to 3 weeks thus enabling you to adapt to a high work load without compromising the heavy weights required to increase you CNS tolerance.
To further increase your ability to lift higher weight percentages for longer periods, it is necessary to reduce the percentage you lift every 4 to 6 weeks for one or more weeks at a time, so as to allow a positive healing and adaptation period. For example, start over at week 1 at roughly 77% of your single max and progressively add weight each week until you’ve arrived at your max weight and then continue the process for the next 4 to 6 weeks.
Some principles that will allow you to increase your CNS efficiency without overtraining is to apply the following:
* Cycle your single rep max percentage every 4 to 6 weeks, where you begin at 70% and work your way up to your max and repeat 6 weeks later.
* Change the movements you perform along with the set/rep routine you employ every 4 to 6 weeks in order to avoid burnout and staleness.
* Never perform max lifts back to back, and allow at least two days between max lifts in order to allow your CNS sufficient time to recover.
* In order to avoid frying your CNS, perform only one type of special strength training movement per session, with the other movements being assistance movements.
* In order to increase CNS efficiency and response, perform at least two days a week of a speed movement (bench, squat) where you use literally 50% of your single rep max and perform 2 to 3 reps extremely fast for about 8 to 12 sets.
* Also, when doing speed work, use only one given weight in order that your CNS can properly accommodate the task that it’s asked to perform.
* Perform some kind of GPP movement at least once a week so as to allow for positive increases in your overall work capacity.
* Perform an odd lift type of movement that has a specific relevance to one of your max lifts. For example, for hams and quads you could perform variations of sled pulls, for deadlifts you could perform tire flips, or farmer walks, etc…
|