Multi-Fibre Training

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hi every body,

I havenâ??t found any place where newcomers introduce themselves, so I will introduce my self directly here.

Iâ??m from Spain, and usually I visit your web, where I can find a lot of interesting information and exciting debates. Iâ??ve 50 yo, and been training in and out for 35 years. Now Iâ??m trying to work out more consistently. Iâ??m part of a group of old gym rats, that now, with aged children and more work stability, make for the lost time.

Our group have a question about a â??newâ?? training system, and having the best English skills of the group, Iâ??ve been chosen to make it.

I take some time (sorry for the loooong text) translating a â??newâ?? type of training, It was introduced a few years ago by Toni Gutierrez, a renamed Spanish bodybuilder champion and now also IFBB PRO.

MULTI-FIBRE TRAINING

The multi-fibre is a type of unconventional training whose promoter is the great bodybuilder and new IFBB PRO Tony Gutierrez and has many comments for and against.
As the name suggests, what seeks to work are all types of fibre at the same training.

This routine is focused on very advanced athletes. Usually it is chosen for those looking for maximum
muscle hypertrophy. It is a very hard routine, which can have side effects until your body get used to such an effort (insomnia, fever, pain, excessive fatigue …).

Not recommended if you are a beginner or intermediate, ie if you do not have at least a few years of experience and hard training base, that is to follow a diet and proper supplementation to your needs because they are so hard can lead to overtraining quickly. Not everyone can support.

It is based on the training of all muscle fibres in the same workout, red fibres, intermediate and white, and works with all this rep range: 30-25-20-18-15-12-10-8- 6-4.

Summary:

  • Red or type 1 fibres are worked up to 33% of 1RM, ie 30 to 25 repetitions.
  • Intermediate-A type II fibres are worked from 55% to 70% of 1RM, ie 20 to 15 to 12 repetitions.
  • White fibres are worked from 75% to 100% 1RM, ie 12 to 1, 12 to 6 (maximum hypertrophy) of 5 to 1 (hard).

The basis of the Multifibre training:

  • Rest between sets is 30 to 40 seconds
  • Between 40 and 60 series for large muscle group
  • Between 20 to 30 small group

Routine example:

Monday: chest and abdomen

  • Press banking Series and repetitions: 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • Press 30º inclined dumbbell 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • Funds selectorized machine 6 x 15-12
  • Pullover 6 x 15-12
  • Lower abs 5 Ã? maximum
  • Upper abs 5 Ã? maximum
  • Oblique 5 Ã? 15-20

Tuesday: Back and hamstring

  • high lat pull downs behind the neck 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • high lat pull downs front grip 6 x 15-12
  • wide grip low pulley row 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • straight arms pullover 6 x 15-12
  • Deadlift 6 x 15-12
  • Leg curl- 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20

Wednesday: legs and calves.

  • Bike 10 minutes

  • Squat in multipower 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20

  • Leg press 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20

  • Leg extensions 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20

  • Calf raises - 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-20 - 20-20

Thursday: Shoulders and middle section

  • Dumbbell press 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • Bent over dumbbell Lateral Raises 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • Dumbbell Lateral Raises 6 x 15-12
  • Dumbbell shrugs 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • Lower abs 5 Ã? maximum
  • Upper abs 5 Ã? maximum
  • Oblique 5 Ã? 15-20

Friday: Arms

  • Curl bar Z 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • Curl Scott 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • Press closed banks 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20
  • Triceps pulley or French press 30 - 25-20 - 18-15 - 12-10 - 8-6 - 4-20

This is an example of routine that could be changed every 2 weeks.
As any training system, it will work for a limited time, since the body ends always adapting to stress Therefore, then youâ??ll have to return to a more conventional training. In addition to his heavy workload can easily lead to overtraining, specially without proper diet and/or rest.

There are also de-rated versions devoted to intermediate and natural bodybuilders. These routines look similar but with less exercises per body part and less sets per exercise, letâ??s say 30-20-15-10-4-20 instead of 30-25-20-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-20.

Well, this is a quick explanation. The system â??manualâ?? includes a lot of physiological information, trying to offer a scientific rationale.

There are people in the forums that say it works. You can even find youtube with real examples, people training this way (type â??Toni Gutierrez entreno multifibrasâ??).

There are also people explaining the system just doesnâ??t work, that theyâ??ve tried it and it was impossible to cope with the volume unless ridiculous weights are used. (our gym rat group tried,â?¦.and failed also. Plus, nobody of us can spend 21/2 hours/day, six days a week in the gym!!!)

I apologize for my English and for such a long first collaboration, and request your valuable opinion about this subject. Also, it would be interesting If youâ??ve seen or tested some similar system in USA.

I thank you in advance for your kind answers

Jan

2

Science? How about common sense?

If specific muscle fibers are only activated within a specific loading parameter and rep range, sprinters would be using only slow twitch fibers during a 100-200m dash.

3

I’m pretty sure that if I could spend 2.5 hours 6 days a week in the gym, I could make any program work.

4

Those kind of multiple rep range programs work well, but I don’t believe it’s anything to do with “training the slow-twitch / red fibres” - ST fibres don’t really grow much anyway, and they’re still activated with heavy weights. But yes, that sounds like a decent routine, although I’d probably reduce the volume and increase the quality of the reps a bit. As with most methods, trial and error is likely the only way you’ll find out if it works for you.
What’s the progression scheme? Remember the basics in terms of adding weight or reps or time under tension etc. as often as you can.

5

In short:

  • the program looks fine but takes a lot of time and I think would demand very good recovery and diet to work. Can you all put in the time in the gym, eat properly and recover enough? If not, a different program would be better.

  • your group already tried the program and found it not possible to recover. This is a red flag. Why do you think trying it again would be different?

  • personally I think the program is too complicated and time consuming unless you are a professional bodybuilder.

  • I would suggest either Westside for Skinny Bastards (W4SB), 5/3/1 Boring But Big or Greyskull LP. Run that for 12 weeks and see how your group responds.

6

Dear All
Thanks for your answers and advising.
As I said in the post, we were intrigued if similar systems have been already tried in USA (or in another place) as we haven’t found anything similar.

Common sense indicates that is not very suitable to most of people (at least), but we also wanted to know if the scientific rational offered by the author really back the system.
anyway, thanks again
Jan
Spain

7

The “scientific” rationale provided is rubbish.

The program(and by this I mean the volume prescribed, since without a proper rationale for sets/reps and exercise selection, it becomes less of a program and more of a collection of exercises split up into different days) IS doable by anyone IF you are experienced enough to know how to:

  1. manage intensity(percentage of 1RM) with the volume.

  2. quantify progress through means other than increases in weight lifted.