04-27-2022, 07:40 AM
What are the benefits/drawbacks of zigzag vs circuit training, in the context of hypertrophy training.
For example, a Tier II zigzag chest/back workout might look like:
Set 1: vertical pull, Set 2: horizontal pull, Set 3: vertical pull, Set 4: compound chest, Set 5: isolation chest.
Performing the same exercises in a circuit fashion might look like:
Set 1: vertical pull, Set 2: compound chest, Set 3: horizontal pull, Set 4: isolation chest, Set 5: vertical pull.
I'm about one year into bodybuilding style training, after about 7 years of doing mostly Russian kettlebell training, as well as bodyweight exercises. I previously did many years of hypertrophy training, but stopped about ten years ago due to a lumbar disc injury, marriage, and other reasons. I was probably what you'd consider an intermediate lifter, before I stopped training (20 reps of 225 bench at 185lb natural at ~30 years old).
During the time I spent practicing Russian kettlebell training, I became accustomed to doing circuit training. An example would be a 3 exercise circuit of double overhead clean and presses with two 32kg bells, followed by front squats with the same bells, followed by pull-ups, for several rounds.
My question relates to whether the zigzag approach, which is similar to methods employed by Mentzer and Yates, where you annihilate a muscle, before moving on to the next, is theoretically superior to doing the same exercises in a circuit.
It seems that a zigzag or one body part followed by the next approach, would produce more metabolic stress and expedited fatigue, while a circuit approach with longer rest between hitting a muscle again would allow for more reps at the same weight, which would mean more work done and possibly more effective reps.
Any thoughts on the topic are much appreciated. I have experimented with both approaches, and the experience is quite different, since the muscle is relatively fresh on the subsequent bout, when doing a circuit compared to doing the exercises in series.
I'm just beginning the 3rd week of my 2nd blast of Fortitude training. I do have a lot of questions and many insights I've gained from trying this style of training for the first time, after a year of higher volume training. I can post some of those in separate threads, although I'm trying to answer as many questions myself, before seeking outside input.
For some background on the exercise science behind the Russian approach to rest intervals, this article by Pavel Tsatsouline is a decent primer with several references. One caveat is that this style of training is typically focused on either strength or endurance, and not hypertrophy. https://www.strongfirst.com/patience-of-strength/
For example, a Tier II zigzag chest/back workout might look like:
Set 1: vertical pull, Set 2: horizontal pull, Set 3: vertical pull, Set 4: compound chest, Set 5: isolation chest.
Performing the same exercises in a circuit fashion might look like:
Set 1: vertical pull, Set 2: compound chest, Set 3: horizontal pull, Set 4: isolation chest, Set 5: vertical pull.
I'm about one year into bodybuilding style training, after about 7 years of doing mostly Russian kettlebell training, as well as bodyweight exercises. I previously did many years of hypertrophy training, but stopped about ten years ago due to a lumbar disc injury, marriage, and other reasons. I was probably what you'd consider an intermediate lifter, before I stopped training (20 reps of 225 bench at 185lb natural at ~30 years old).
During the time I spent practicing Russian kettlebell training, I became accustomed to doing circuit training. An example would be a 3 exercise circuit of double overhead clean and presses with two 32kg bells, followed by front squats with the same bells, followed by pull-ups, for several rounds.
My question relates to whether the zigzag approach, which is similar to methods employed by Mentzer and Yates, where you annihilate a muscle, before moving on to the next, is theoretically superior to doing the same exercises in a circuit.
It seems that a zigzag or one body part followed by the next approach, would produce more metabolic stress and expedited fatigue, while a circuit approach with longer rest between hitting a muscle again would allow for more reps at the same weight, which would mean more work done and possibly more effective reps.
Any thoughts on the topic are much appreciated. I have experimented with both approaches, and the experience is quite different, since the muscle is relatively fresh on the subsequent bout, when doing a circuit compared to doing the exercises in series.
I'm just beginning the 3rd week of my 2nd blast of Fortitude training. I do have a lot of questions and many insights I've gained from trying this style of training for the first time, after a year of higher volume training. I can post some of those in separate threads, although I'm trying to answer as many questions myself, before seeking outside input.
For some background on the exercise science behind the Russian approach to rest intervals, this article by Pavel Tsatsouline is a decent primer with several references. One caveat is that this style of training is typically focused on either strength or endurance, and not hypertrophy. https://www.strongfirst.com/patience-of-strength/