Tri-sets are one of those training techniques that have been designed around an existing training style and then someone had the ingenious idea of adding more. Please note my sarcasm as really it doesn’t take a lot of effort to take an idea and add more to make it seem better.

What are Sets?

When performing exercises you have two forms of counting the exercise you are doing. The first is repetitions (reps) and this refers to the number of times you complete an exercise. For example a bicep curl movement up and down is one rep. Let’s say for arguments sake that you complete 15 repetitions and rest. Those 15 reps will be considered as one set. After your rest repeat the 15 reps again and you have completed two sets.

What are Tri-sets?

Tri-sets use an old favourite training technique of mine called ’super sets’ and then just add another set to it. Super sets will take two exercises and place them together with no rest period in between. You can learn all about super sets here. So tri-sets take three exercises and places them together with no rest period in between (very clever – Beeble). After you have completed three sets you can rest before going at it again.

Technique 1

The first technique uses three different exercises for three completely different body parts. This works because while you have been training one body part there are many others that have been allowed to rest. Therefore you don’t need to rest between sets to allow a body part to recover because they have been quite happily resting.

An example

Let’s pick three exercises that focus on different body parts. To make it work we will pick two upper body exercises followed by one lower body exercise. It is difficult to bring three upper body exercises together without using a muscle group more than once. So for our completely correct example we will take the bench press followed by the wide grip lat pulldown and finish off with a barbell squat. By combining these exercises you never work the same muscle or supporting muscles next to each other, thus allowing you to get the most out of each exercise.

Bench Press

Lat Pulldown

Squat Barbell

Technique 2

This second technique takes everything I have just said about using different muscle groups and completely turns it on its head. This technique uses just one muscle group and trains it in 3 different ways. This is a great way to shock the muscle (I’d say! – Beeble) and try and get that little bit extra from it. By doing this it is believed that you will see greater results from your exercise and through my years of training I can honestly say that it works.

An example

So this time we pick a body part that we fancy torturing for our tri-sets routine. For this example the chest is going to be punished and we are going to carefully pick the exercises that we are going to put together. Now you can put any three exercises together that you fancy, but in my opinion there is no point putting together three exercises that train the chest in the same motion. So when picking your exercises try and pick ones that take the chosen muscle through its different planes of movement. For our example I am going to choose the bench press again followed by the incline chest fly and finished off with the dumbbell pull over (which is not some sort of weight lifter’s sweater – Beeble).

Bench press

Incline chest fly

Dumbbell pull over

Other techniques

Of course exercise is really an open book and the rules can be adapted and changed and the same is true with tri-sets. You can put together any three exercises that take your fancy, however when choosing your exercises there should always be a theory behind your madness and that is why I would always recommend you use the above techniques before inventing your own.

Summary

As bitter as we are that someone has invented a new routine by just adding more to one of our favourite training techniques, it has to be said that it is a great way to extend your training session. To spice up your training session you don’t always have to add more weight or vary the exercises. By changing the way you train and using a technique like Tri-sets it can be just as effective.

… and a warning

If you are relatively new to exercise then I would not recommend that you try this method until you are well experienced with various training techniques and your level of fitness is well above average. If you are unsure always check with your doctor or fitness professional. If you have high blood pressure then do not attempt this technique under any circumstances and always consult with your doctor about the level of exercise you should be undertaking.

If you are fit enough and just about crazy enough, give this technique a go and let us know how you find it. Good luck!

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This entry was Posted on Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 at 2:52 pm and is filed under Exercise, Training Styles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.