Chapter 1 : Specificity

Question 1

Explain Specificity in simple terms

Answer 1

to get better at something you should train that thing or things that support it.

Question 2

What are the two most important components of the Specificity Principle?

Answer 2

directed adaptation and training modality compatibility.

Question 3

List the 4 characteristics of training that statisfy directed adaptation?

Answer 3

Persistent
similarly structured
sequential
repeated

Question 4

What tends to elicit the best summated growth in a muscle?

Answer 4

stimulating it regularly in a similar way across week

Question 5

What does training modality compatibility state?

Answer 5

All components of your training should either directly or indirectly support your goal?

Question 6

List two constraints that necessitate training modality compatibility?

Answer 6

Limited resources
The bodies capacity for change

Question 7

What is a good analogy for training modality compatibility

Answer 7

makes more sense to learn only spanish, or spanish and italian (overlap), than trying to learn spanish and chinese, if learning spanish is all your only goal.

Question 8

List 2 reasons why endurance training interferes with hypertrophy training?

Answer 8

1. steals recovery and nutrient resources
2. burns muscle

Question 9

Why does doing light squats satisfy training modality specificity?

Answer 9

improves squatting form when done with heavier more stimulating loads.

Question 10

What is the foundation for the concepts covered in rest of this book?

Answer 10

The specifity principle

Question 11

Which major features of your hypertrophy program need to stay relatively consistent over a period of time based on DIRECTED ADAPTATION?

Answer 11

exercise selection
fundamental structure

Question 12

List the ways that keeping the major exercises and training structure constant over a period of time support hypertrophy?

Answer 12

1. form improves allowing you to lift heavier safely
2. improves mind-muscle connection

Question 13

based on speculation what are the two phases that muscle hypertrophy occurs in?

Answer 13

1. Preparatory phase
2. myofibrillar phase

Question 14

what are the elements of the preparatory phase of muscle hypertrophy?

Answer 14

1. Cell swelling
2. Glycogen loading
3. expansion of connective proteins (like titin, and nebulin)
4. Translocation of satellite cell nuclei into the muscle fiber itself

Question 15

What is the myofibrillar phase of muscle hypertrophy?

Answer 15

creating fully functioning myofibrils

Question 16

How long does the preparatory phase take and why is this important?

Answer 16

can take weeks, can lose gains quickly if you don’t make it passed this first phase of hypertrophy

Question 17

Why is it important to make it to the myofibrillar phase of hypertrophy?

Answer 17

probably won’t lose gains as rapidly

Question 18

Why should you avoid switching exercises/rep-ranges too often in a hypertrophy program when considering the two phases of hypertrophy

Answer 18

different exercises/rep-ranges, even targeting the same muscle, stimulate different pools of muscle fibers. so you can lose preparatory phase progress in that specific pool if you change exercises/rep-ranges too early

Question 19

Who needs to abide by the rules of directing adaptation more stictly, beginners or advanced lifters?

Answer 19

advanced lifters

Question 20

What is the general rules for how much a different training modality will interfere with hypertophy?

Answer 20

• more it uses the same structures (especially in different ways)
• more different the type of stimulus
• more energy much energy
• more muscle damage and fatigue

Question 21

START AT NEEDS ANALYSIS… bottom of page 5