New Applications For An Old Favorite!
by Charles Staley
Long-time Testosterone Nation readers will remember the first article I ever wrote on "Escalating Density Training" back in February, 2002.

In that article, I outlined a revolutionary approach to training based on the concept of accumulating more and more density from workout to workout. (Density, just as a brush-up, is a term used to described the work-rest ratio of any given workout.)

That article created a bit of a stir in the resistance-training field (to put it mildly), probably due to EDT's "break all the rules" approach. Perhaps the most dearly-held broken "rule" was the belief that pain should be the goal of every workout, and indeed, that the amount of pain provoked by a workout was the best gauge of it's effectiveness. EDT challenges the notion of "fatigue seeking": superior training gains are borne of superior performances, and the only route to superior performance is though fatigue management.

To that end, EDT manages fatigue in the following seven ways:

1) Antagonistic Pairings: Sherrington's Law states that when a muscle contracts, it's antagonist must relax-otherwise, no movement would occur. Therefore, if the trainee performs a set of leg extensions in between two sets of leg curls, each muscle group recovers faster as a result of the work performed by its antagonist. In EDT, three type of antagonists are recognized: 

  • True Antagonist: For example, pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi.
  • Bilateral Antagonist: When using unilateral exercises (such as dumbbell rows for example), the left side becomes the "antagonist" for the right side, and vice versa.
  • Proximal Antagonist: In some regimes of EDT training, two distal muscle groups are trained together in the same PR as a way to manage fatigue. For example, leg curls and incline presses.

 2) Optimal force-velocity relationship: In the body composition aspect of EDT training, trainees are advised to select a weight than can be lifted 10 (but not 11) times-in other words, a 10RM weight. Most importantly, each PR Zone starts with sets of 5 with this 10RM weight-exactly the opposite of what most training systems recommend. The rationale? By selecting a moderate weight and lifting it acceleratively (See point # 7 on CAT training below), we strike a balance between force and speed, which results in the highest possible motor unit recruitment and work output.

3) The Chronological Governor (PR Zones): Most automobiles have a "governor" which sets a limit on how fast the vehicle may be driven. This is designed to protect both the vehicle and yourself. EDT training uses a similar device, called the PR Zone, to limit the amount of high intensity work you perform in an exercise session. Typically, EDT workouts feature 2-3 PR Zones, usually 15 minutes in duration. Note that most exercise systems provide you with a certain number of exercises, sets and reps, and then you perform that workout, regardless of how long it takes to complete. EDT employs the opposite approach: you first set the time limit, and then perform as much work as possible within this time frame.

4) Definitive Progression Targets: Unlike most training systems, EDT workouts provide a specific performance goal for each PR Zone. You start the workout knowing exactly how much time you have and exactly what must be accomplished. This provides focus and clarity each and every workout.

5) The Distraction Principle: During an EDT workout, you've always got one eye on the clock and the other on your training log. There's little time to consider how tired you are, what you'll eat for lunch afterward, or any other distracting thoughts.

6) The Conscientious Participation Principle: Workout by workout, each individual finds the best set-rep-rest strategy to permit a maximal performance. Slow-twitch dominant exercisers often find that higher reps and shorter rests result in the best performances. Fast-twitchers, just the opposite. There are a number of individual factors that determine optimal exercise performance for each person, and EDT provides the flexibility to capitalize on individual talents and predilections. Consider this analogy: water, being flexible and adaptable, always fills the shape of its container. Most systems are more like ice however-it only fits if you're the right container!

7) CAT: Compensatory acceleration training-coined by Dr. Fred Hatfield, the first man to officially squat 1000 pounds in competition. The central premise is that you move the weight quickly, and compensate for momentum by accelerating the weight even faster. The body is hard-wired to accelerate heavy objects, and training styles should reflect this reality. After all, if you had to move a 100-pound box from the floor onto a high shelf, would you move slowly in order to maintain continuous tension, or would you move it with as much speed as possible? When you run a one-mile course, your rate of energy expenditure is greater than if you walk that same course. In other words, you did more work per unit of time. Similarly, when you move a weight a certain distance, a faster execution results in greater work per unit of time. Forget about Super Slow training-it only applies to Tai Chi molasses-wrestling events.

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