Anyone who works out regularly must have heard the term "muscle separation." In fact, muscle separation is a very vague concept. Many novices blindly pursue so-called separation without building enough muscle mass, which is very stupid. Trainers should think more deeply about separation.
I have my own strategy for increasing muscle distancing. Although my method differs from traditional accepted standards, the results are remarkable – my students can increase muscle separation without losing any strength/muscle.
Many trainers are misled by boxers' weight-loss programs – they desperately "torture" themselves in order to lose a certain weight. As a result, a lot of muscle is lost and strength declines.
Separation depends on three key points: diet, choice of training movements, number of sets, and number of sessions.
In addition to this, there is a factor that is difficult to change - genes! In other words, genes determine whether you can develop clear muscle separation. Some people have particularly thick bones and joints, thick skin, and it is difficult to train the effect of muscle drawing. Genetic monsters like George Paine and Elias Rodriguez look as if their muscles are about to penetrate the skin because of their tiny bones and joints. They seem to effortlessly achieve exaggerated muscle separation. Such a talent has been rare throughout bodybuilding history.
At the other extreme, men like the giant Doug Hepburn, despite his very burly proportions and stature, never seem to be able to practice separation for such a huge man.
The Separation training program I pioneered is aimed at advanced trainers with a certain muscle mass, aiming to improve muscle contours, improve muscle detail, and improve visual effects while maintaining the current muscle dimension.
The first is diet
Foods rich in vitamins and proteins should be consumed during fat-splitting training, and foods high in starch, salt and oil or heavy flavors should be avoided as much as possible. Consuming too much sodium can cause the body to store water. Eliminate any form of "pure" fast carbon foods such as white bread, pasta, macaroni, bananas, potatoes, etc.
All starchy foods are replaced with mixed grains and fresh vegetables. For protein, choose boiled eggs, cheese, lean beef, various animal livers and shellfish.
Avoid overeating, and dietary intake should be based on "not hungry". Don't drink too much water and use fruits, vegetables, and small glasses of juice as your primary source of water. Do not gulp of water during training. Instead, take small sips of water, put a lemon in hand, and suck or rub your tongue between groups. Avoid smoking and alcohol during the execution of the plan.
At the same time, you should reduce the burden on all organs of the body, especially the skin and gastrointestinal system. Rely on natural means to regulate your gut – getting up in the morning and eating some plums and drinking some lemon juice or hot water can go a long way toward promoting healthy and regular bowel movements. A variety of citrus fruits, as well as sun-dried fruits, are very beneficial for gastrointestinal health.
And then the training aspect
During training, wear thick sportswear so you can sweat freely. After training, take as hot a bath as possible and scrub your body quickly with a towel that is as rough as possible.
With a good daily skincare routine, sunbathing can help you drain excess fluids from your body during the summer months. Free sweating also removes waste from previous workouts and gradually develops a healthy wheat colour.
Stretching and massaging after each training session are essential. Especially in areas where there are signs of sagging and cellulite, massage helps speed up blood circulation in these locations while relaxing the myofascia. In the case of prolonged relaxation of the myofascia and not tightness, the degree of separation is more likely to appear.
In terms of movement selection, in addition to compound movements, it is necessary to focus on increasing the diversity of training and stimulating muscles from different angles.
Traditional theory holds that low-weight high-weight mainly increases dimensionality, while medium-weight high-frequency training mainly increases muscle dissociation. This theory has some truth for compound movements, but in order to achieve the ultimate muscle separation, small weight, high number of sets, high number of isolated movements and variety are indispensable.
Not only do you have to perform basic movements like bench press, rowing, squats, deadlifts, etc., but you also have to focus on separating the muscles involved in these movements. Take bench press, for example, which trains the triceps and deltoid muscles of the pectorals. Then after you finish bench pressing, practice some isolated movements of the pectorals, triceps and deltoid muscles respectively.
For another example, squats can be practiced for many muscle groups, but to maximize leg disengagement, each muscle involved in squats should be considered to be separated separately. For example, seated leg flexion and extension strengthens the quadriceps, prone leg curl strengthens the hamstrings, mussel opening and closing strengthens the buttocks, and standing heel lifting strengthens the calves. Other muscle groups follow the same and refine each muscle. - But there are exceptions, such as some local positions where you have already achieved a good degree of separation just by practicing compound movements, and there is no need to separate them again. Everyone has such a local place to a greater or lesser extent.
The planned group arrangement is basically as follows:
--- free weight compound movements 3 sets of 5 times, try to maintain the strength level during the muscle building phase to maintain overall muscle mass.
--- Compound action of the fixation device is limited to 3 sets and uses a weight of about 15RM.
--- other isolated complementary movements in 5 sets each, with shorter intervals between groups, 15-20 reps per set.
In addition, the abdominal muscles must receive additional attention. Some bodybuilders even work a set of abs between exercises in each other area. Crunch/sidebridge/leg lift/morning forward flexion will help tighten the waist and hips. And shape the core separation [Translation, modern research has also confirmed that abdominal muscles interspersed with other parts of the training, help to speed up abdominal blood flow and strengthen the effect of local fat loss].
Start practicing every Wednesday to ensure that your body recovers fully between each training session and get more than 8 hours of high-quality sleep every day. After three weeks of training every Wednesday, an additional training day (changed to Thursday training) was added, and after three weeks, it was increased to every Friday. On non-training days, avoid any training (except for simple abdominal training) as much as possible.