Straight Sets – Do all sets and reps on one exercise before moving on to the exercise. Complete one body part before moving on the next.

Super Sets – Do two exercises back to back with no rest. Rest, and then repeat until all sets are complete. Then do next set of exercises.

Circuits – Three or more exercises in rotation with no rest. Rest, and then repeat until all sets are complete.

Crazy 8’s – For each exercise indicated, do 8 reps at half of the range of motion starting from the bottom of the movement, do 8 reps at half of the range of motion starting from the top of the movement, and do 8 reps for the full range of the motion.

Fulls & Partials – Do all the reps for the full range of motion then immediately do the same number of reps for half of the range of motion.

1-1/2’s – For each of the exercises indicated, each rep is one and one half of the range of motion

Super Slow 8-count – For each exercise, do each rep very slowly counting to eight in each direction.

Super 8’s – For each exercise indicated, do eight reps then hold and count to eight, do eight more reps then hold and count to eight and finally do eight more reps.

Reverse Order – For each body part, complete the exercises in reverse of the order listed.

Drop Sets – For each of the exercises indicated, get three sets of weights. Beginning with the heaviest, do 8-10 reps, then put reps with the middle-weight, then put them down and immediately do 8-10 reps with the lightest weight. Put them down and immediately do 8-10 more.

Time under Tension (TUT) – by definition, refers to the total time a muscle resists weight during a set. Think in terms of the speed in which you do each rep and how changing that tempo affects the intensity of the movement. This technique can be applied to your exercises is a variety of ways. For example, you can adjust your tempo to hit the reps range you are gong for by adjusting the tempo or pace you do the movement. To maximize strength, TUT should be around 20 seconds or less, for mass 40 seconds and for endurance approximately 70 seconds. In our leg press example, we are using a combination of strength and endurance.

Interval training – a training technique that alternates higher intensity or periods of exertion with lighter intensity or period of exertion. In our example, the weighted movements are the lighter exertion and the pop squats are the higher intensity movements. This type of training is usually done with lighter weights and higher reps and done either in a cutting up phase of training or in a fat burning mode.

Negatives – a training technique designed to help increase strength through a process of overload and assistance.

Pauses – As you perform each rep, you are going to hold for 3 counts and then complete the movement. The exercise will determine if you pause in the contraction or in the stretch portion of the exercise, for example, doing a flat bench press you will pause at the bottom of the exercise (the stretch) and then press up to complete the movement – you would do this for the purpose of developing strength. However, in a leg extension exercise you would pause in the contraction (at the top of the movement), for the purpose of increasing intensity without increasing the weights usually done in a cutting up phase of training.