The workout tip that I’m about to share with you will allow you to tap into muscle fibers that are rarely stimulated during your workouts. It will help you harness the power of the mind-muscle connection, and can even play a role in blasting through stubborn plateaus. It’s a strategy that has been around for a long time, but not used nearly as much as it should be. It’s called 21’s.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve included 21’s into my workouts and it was the recommendation from my workout partner that rekindled this long lost love 😉
After spending 28 days challenging our body in unique ways while following Nick Nilsson’s Muscle Explosion program we were looking for physique training methods that would allow us to work our muscles in a unique way while lifting lighter weight. We really enjoyed the segments of the Muscle Explosion program that involved partial rep training, which probably has something to do with why my workout partner recalled the benefits of performing 21’s.
21’s include partial rep training. Typically you would perform 7 reps in the bottom half of the movement first, followed by 7 reps in the top half, then 7 reps in the full range of motion.
99% of the time I prefer to incorporate a variety of training protocol within every workout, but this time was different. We wanted to treat it more like a week long experiment than a complete program. We wanted to see which exercises appeared to be more effective when applying the 21 physique training strategy, which meant that we performed every exercise in every workout using 21’s.
Tips For Maximum Benefits When Training With 21’s
You will need to check your ego at the door and drop the weight significantly (Approximately 70% of what you would lift for 8-10 reps).
Use a controlled tempo. With the lighter weight it can be tempting to rush through the movement. During those first 7 reps in the lower half of the movement you really want to feel the stretch in the target muscle group. During the second 7 reps in the top half of the movement you really want to squeeze the contraction at the top and feel the constant tension as you lower the weight. During the final 7 reps in the full range of motion it’s important to keep that mind-muscle connection strong. Feel the stretch and contraction. Keep constant tension throughout the entire movement.
If you can’t get 7 reps during the full range of motion, simply lower the weight for the next set. If you still have more gas in the tank after 7 reps, keep going until 1 rep short of failure. Then increase the weight for the next set.
Here’s the workout structure that we used…
Day 1: Chest
Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
Gironda Dips Note: You may need to use an assisted dip machine for this one if you aren’t strong enough.
Pec Dec
Day 2: Legs
Squats = KILLER!!!
Hack Squat
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Leg Extension
Leg Curl
Day 3: Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Lateral Raises
Rear Delt Cable Fly’s
Upright Row
Shrugs
Day 4: Back
Wide Grip Pulldown
T-Bar Row
Seated Row
Barbell Row
Deadlift
The greatest benefit from this training has to be the mind-muscle connection. 21’s really forced me to “get inside the muscle”. With the lighter weight I could totally isolate the primary muscle that is meant to be worked and reduce the recruitment of supporting muscle groups. This was tremendous during the chest workout and back workout.
As I mentioned earlier, this was just a one week experiment. After this experience I will now strategically select a specific exercise for each body part to perform the 21’s physique training strategy within future Metabolic Masterpiece body sculpting workout programs.
For optimal body sculpting results it’s crucial that you incorporate a variety of training protocol into every workout. That’s what makes the Metabolic Masterpiece body sculpting workouts so incredibly effective. If you stick with the same training protocol such as straightsets or supersets, you are leaving results on the table. Therefore 21’s would be best applied with a combination of other training protocol.
Add 21’s to your next workout and share the experience with your fellow Physique Artists in the comment box below.
Sculpt a Masterpiece,
Scott Tousignant
About The Author
Scott Tousignant, BHK, is a Certified Fitness Consultant with a passion for transforming fitness enthusiasts goal driven, dedicated, and voracious physique artists who take pride in their body, fitness, health, and lifestyle. Embraced by physique artists around the world, his Metabolic Masterpiece Body Sculpting Programs will guide you through the process of sculpting your body into a work of art, by applying what Scott has coined, The A.T.T.R.A.C.T. Formula.
With his synergistic, boredom busting body sculpting workouts you will melt stubborn fat and gain muscle while skyrocketing your metabolism!
The art of molding and chiseling an aesthetically pleasing physique with ideal proportions and spectacular symmetry is one of life’s most rewarding and fulfilling experiences. It’s an opportunity for self growth and self discovery that will impact every area of your life.