TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN

EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

THE UTILISATION OF CONCENTRATED FAST-TWITCH FIBER TRAINING
TO OPTIMIZE SPEED, STRENGTH AND POWER
THE CAPACITY TO ABSORB FORCE IS
AT LEAST AS IMPORTANT AS THE
CAPACITY TO PRODUCE FORCE
 Loaded stretching
Slow eccentrics
ABSORPTION METHODS

(with athletes, this is mostly to prepare the body to be able to handle fast eccentrics safely)
1 ½ method
PROGRESSION

1 ½ with rebound
Fast eccentric with pause at bottom
Fast eccentric with rebound
Oscillatory isometrics
Eccentric overload
Overspeed eccentrics
Plyometrics / Drop & catch
Reactive force absorption (iso with manual hitting)
Twitch reps

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

STRENGTH AND POWER TRAINING IS ABOUT MAXIMIZING FAST-TWITCH
FIBER RECRUITMENT AND STIMULATION
• The more neurologically efficient you are at recruiting the FT fibers, the more easily they are activated
(that’s why neurologically efficient athletes get less reps with a given % of their 1RM)

• This decreases the reliance on volume to maximize growth, strength and power development

• Improves the capacity to quickly compensate or adjust the movement pattern to changing
circumstances

• Greater power, speed and strength potential

• Higher muscle tone

• Minimizes ST fiber fatigue, “saving” them for bouts of endurance work that might be used in the sport

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

STRENGTH AND POWER TRAINING IS ABOUT MAXIMIZING FAST-TWITCH FIBER RECRUITMENT AND
STIMULATION (FOLLOWING)

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

STRENGTH AND POWER TRAINING IS ABOUT MAXIMIZING FAST-TWITCH FIBER RECRUITMENT AND
STIMULATION (FOLLOWING)
• Older studies found no shift from slower twitch fibers to
faster twitch ones. But this was mostly because of the way
they measured fiber types at the time (e.g. they couldn’t
differentiate between hybrid fibers and pure fibers).
• More recent studies have found that there is indeed a shift
from slow twitch fibers to fast twitch fibers when
power/plyometric/stretch shortening cycle/sprinting
exercises are used. This actually happens fairly fast (in as
little as 6 weeks).
• For example, Liu et al. (2003) found that doing strength
training alone led to an increase in IIa fibers, but that it came
from the transformation of IIx fibers to the IIa. Type I fiber
proportion stayed unchanged. Conversely, a strength
training + plyometric program led to an increase in IIa fibers,
but it came mostly from the conversion of type I fibers as IIx
proportion stayed pretty much the same.
• Sport scientists specializing on the physiology of muscle
fibers tend to agree that increasing FT fibers % by 10% is
possible; perhaps even more if the stimulus is unidirectional,
frequent and is done over the long term. This is significant
considering the average male tends to have a 50/50 FT/ST
distribution whereas elite sprinters hover around a 70/30
distribution.
• A good example of this is a former client who was a
bobsleigh athlete. He started out as a cross-country runner
(from 14 to 19 years of age) and yet still became the
extremely explosive (4.19/40 yards, 6.36/60m, 100cm
vertical jump, 425lbs bench at 181lbs)
TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE
 MAXIMIZING FAST-TWITCH FIBER INPUT
1. Going to a high RPE regardless of the load (limitation: while
you CAN get a lot of FT recruitment, the proportion of reps with
a high FT recruitment versus that with a low FT recruitment
influences how effectively and quickly in a set the nervous
system can recruit FT fibers.
2. Loaded stretching / occlusion (occlusion favors the
recruitment of FT fibers and decreases ST recruitment due to
lower oxygen transport. Both stretching and muscle
contractions create occlusion if they are maintained)
3. Loads above 80% of your physical capacities at that
moment.
4. Trying to accelerate the weight as much as possible
(Compensatory Acceleration Training)
5. Emphasizing the eccentric (especially with an
overload/higher force production)
6. Using a fast turnaround (eccentric/concentric transition)
(the more you use the stretch reflex and do an abrupt
turnaround the more FT fibers you recruit. This also includes
plyometrics)
7. Reflexive contractions/micro-oscillations
8. Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) (due to inverted muscle
fiber recruitment pattern)
9. Maximal effort overcoming isometrics
10. Overspeed cyclical movements (utilizing a band to speed up
frequency)
11. Using methods that rely mostly on the FT fibers for longer
durations (leads to more fatigue of the FT fibers which forces
the use of a higher firing rate i.e. heavy or explosive EMOMs,
clusters, Rest/Pause, 60-150 seconds sets, etc.)
TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE
A FEW KEY CONCEPTS
MOTOR RECRUITMENT PATTERNS Firing rate

Fast-twitch fibers

Intermediate fibers

Slow-Twitch fibers

20% 40% 60% 80%

100%
Ratio of available force (at the beginning of your REP… don’t forget that because of fatigue,
the amount of force available decreases from rep to rep)
EARLIER FAST-TWITCH FIBER RECRUITMENT
Firing rate
MOTOR RECRUITMENT PATTERNS
Fast-twitch fibers

Intermediate fibers

Slow-Twitch fibers

MOTOR RECRUITMENT PATTERNS Firing rate

Fast-twitch fibers

Intermediate fibers
Slow-Twitch fibers
MAXIMIZING FAST-TWITCH FIBER INPUT
The best methods to move the recruitment curve to the left

1. Weights in the 90-100% range

2. Trying to accelerate the weight as much as 5. Reflexive contractions/micro-oscillations

possible (Compensatory Acceleration
Training) 6. Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) (inverted
muscle fiber recruitment pattern)
3. Eccentric overload (105-120% of max
concentric strength) 7. Overspeed cyclical movements (also
includes twitch reps for 9-12 seconds)
4. Using a fast turnaround
(eccentric/concentric transition). The more
you use the stretch reflex and do an abrupt
turnaround the more FT fibers you recruit. This
also includes plyometrics and overspeed
eccentrics.

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

MAXIMIZING FAST-TWITCH FIBER INPUT
The more work you do where the fast-twitch fibers don’t play an
important role (reps using less than 80% of your force potential at that
moment or not done with the intent to accelerate as much as possible,
or without using the stretch reflex) the less likely you are to increase
your ratio of fast-twitch fibers.

You need to focus on achieving a high ratio of fast-twitch work to non-

fast-twitch work.

Recruiting the FT fibers is in large part a motor skill. Skill acquisition

depends on the ratio of quality work vs. non quality work (e.g. doing 50
great golf swings and 5 poor ones is more effective than doing 70
great swings and 15 bad ones).
METHODS TO INCREASE FAST-TWITCH STIMULATION
1 - EXPLOSIVE WORK
METHODS TO INCREASE FAST-TWITCH STIMULATION
1 - EXPLOSIVE WORK
By themselves, plyometric or stretch-shortening cycle exercises have
been found to increase the ratio of fast-twitch fibers (1). The same has
been found with sprint training (2). So, right off the bat, we can say that
anything done explosively will help increase your fast-twitch fiber ratio.

(1) Laurent Malisoux, Marc Francaux, Henri Nielens, and Daniel Theisen.
Stretch-shortening cycle exercises: an effective training paradigm to
enhance power output of human single muscle fibers Journal of Applied
Physiology 2006 100:3, 771779

(2) Andersen, j.l., Klitgaard, h. and Saltin, B. (1994), Myosin heavy chain
isoforms in single fibres from m. vastus lateralis of sprinters: influence of
training. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 151: 135-142.
METHODS TO INCREASE FAST-TWITCH STIMULATION
1 - EXPLOSIVE WORK
Behrens, M., Mau-Moeller, A., Mueller, K., Heise, S., Gube,
M., Beuster, N.,Bruhn, S. (2015). Plyometric training
improves voluntary activation and strength during
isometric, concentric and eccentric contractions. Journal
of Science and Medicine in Sport, 19(2), 170–176.
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JSAMS.2015.01.011

Plyometric training 3x a week for 6 weeks led to an

increase in force production and muscle activation
during all types of muscle contractions

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

METHODS TO INCREASE FAST-TWITCH STIMULATION
1 - EXPLOSIVE WORK
• Jumps
• Throws
• Plyometrics
• Loaded Jumps
• Olympic Lift Variations
• Dynamic Effort Lifting (40-60% of your 1RM for 2-3 reps, done
explosively)
• Anaerobic Power Work (like 10-15 seconds all-out on an air bike)
• Drop and Catch Method
• Overspeed Work

Let’s look at some of these methods more in-depth…

(1) Laurent Malisoux, Marc Francaux, Henri Nielens, and Daniel Theisen. Stretch-shortening cycle
exercises: an effective training paradigm to enhance power output of human single muscle fibers Journal
of Applied Physiology 2006 100:3, 771779
(2) Andersen, j.l., Klitgaard, h. and Saltin, B. (1994), Myosin heavy chain isoforms in single fibres from m.
vastus lateralis of sprinters: influence of training. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 151: 135-142.
METHODS TO INCREASE FAST-TWITCH STIMULATION
2 - HEAVY WORK

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

METHODS TO INCREASE FAST-TWITCH STIMULATION
2 - HEAVY WORK
The goal here is lifting that leads to a very high force production but with
limited fatigue

Near-maximal lifting
Perform heavy sets of 1-2 reps while dominating the weight. This means using a
load that's roughly 90 to 92.5% of your maximum. Go as heavy as you can while
still dominating the weight – no grinding and still feeling that you can accelerate
the weight. Do 3-5 sets in a session.

Compensatory Acceleration Training (CAT)

Do accelerative strength-skill work. Perform 2-3 reps with 80-85% with the intent
to accelerate maximally. Move as explosively as possible during the concentric.
Do 4-5 work sets.

And here are a few “less traditional” heavy lifting methods to maximize
fast-twitch recruitment and development
METHODS TO INCREASE FAST-TWITCH STIMULATION
3 - ISOMETRIC METHODS

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY
USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
1 - BFR
TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE
OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
1 - BFR
Behringer, Michael; Behlau, Daniel; Montag, Johannes C.K.; McCourt, Molly L.; Mester, Joachim Low-
Intensity Sprint Training With Blood Flow Restriction Improves 100-m Dash, Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research: September 2017 - Volume 31 - Issue 9 - p 2462-2472

• 6 x 100m @ 70%, twice a week for 6 weeks, with (IG) or without (CG) blood flow restriction
• IG had more improvement in 100m time
• IG had a greater gain in rate of force development
• IG showed less muscle damage
• IG had more rectus femoris growth
• Anabolic hormone levels (IGF-1, testosterone, growth hormone) as well as cortisol were not different
between both groups
• This can potentially suggest a greater recruitment of the fast-twitch fibers in the BFR group

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
1 - BFR
Krustrup, P., Söderlund, K., Relu, M., Ferguson, R. and Bangsbo, J. (2009), Heterogeneous recruitment of
quadriceps muscle portions and fibre types during moderate intensity knee-extensor exercise: effect of
thigh occlusion. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 19: 576-584.

• Leg extension exercises with (OCC) BFR at low intensity, (HI) BFR at high intensity and without (MOD) BFR.
• BFR led to greater FT fiber recruitment and fatigue than without.
• The BFR-low intensity group had more than twice the FT fiber fatigue as the non-BFR group and almost the
same at the high intensity group
• BFR also led to lower ST fiber fatigue
• It would seem that BFR leads to a preferential recruitment of the FT fibers, likely due to the deprivation of
oxygen, which the ST fibers rely on a lot more than FT fibers.

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
1 - BFR
These findings are interesting for several reasons.

Follow the logic….

1. Typical hypertrophy training leads to a slightly slower profile; increasing the conversion of the super fast-
twitch fibers (IIx) to “regular” fast-twitch fibers (IIa).

2. Blood Flow Restriction training can preferentially recruit FT fibers at lower intensities

3. An athlete wanting to increase muscle mass through the use of lower intensity methods (traditional
hypertrophy methods) while minimizing the risk of decreasing FT fibers ratio might benefit from using BFR for
their sets of 8-12 reps instead of regular lifting for a similar number of reps

4. This could potentially lead to better development of FT fibers without the conversion to a slightly slower profile
taking place

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY
USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
2 - EMS
TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE
OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
2 - EMS
EMS preferentially recruits the fast-twitch fibers and recruits them first (inverted recruitment order).

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
2 - EMS
EMS preferentially recruits the fast-twitch fibers and recruits them first (inverted recruitment order).

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
2 - EMS
EMS preferentially recruits the fast-twitch fibers and recruits them first (inverted recruitment order).

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
2 - EMS
BENEFITS OF EMS
5. Other modes can facilitate recovery after a hard
1. Favors the development of fast-twitch fibers session

2. Makes fast-twitch fibers more sensitive to being 6. Can be used to prevent detraining when someone
recruited cannot train

3. Could potentially increase the ratio of fast-twitch 7. Can allow you reduce the volume of strength
fibers training during certain periods. Substitute strength
work with EMS and still get a similar progression
4. When used with the proper intensity, wave type and while recovering better and being able to increase
work to rest ratio, it can significantly increase volume of other training types (speed, agility, sport
strength, power and speed practices)

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
2 - EMS
SOME GUIDELINES FOR EMS USE
1. Intensity is king: you need to use the highest
tolerable level of intensity during the tetanic
contraction periods. Some studies showing poor
results with EMS likely used insufficient intensity (if
it’s adjusted by the researcher, it’s hard to know how
close you are to a subject’s limit tolerance. Likewise,
if it is self-adjusted the intensity can depend on the
individual pain tolerance of the subject).
2. EMS increases strength effectively for 10-15
sessions (per muscle) after which the effects are
limited.
3. One could then either rotate muscle(s) every 10
treatments (3 weeks or so) or use EMS only in
blocks of 3-4 weeks (10-12 treatments) or once per
training cycle (12-16 weeks), when strength gain is
the primary objective.
4. There are four levels of EMS training: 1) Static, 2)
tetanic contraction while lengthening the fibers
(going from contracted to stretched), 3) tetanic
contraction while shortening the fibers, 4) EMS
while lifting (doing one normal rep per tetanic
contraction, which lasts 5 seconds, so 3 seconds
down, 2 seconds up).
TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE
OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR FT DEVELOPMENT
2 - EMS
SOME GUIDELINES FOR EMS USE
5. EMS (for developing strength) can be done at the
end of a training session, as a secondary workout a
few hours after the main one, on a separate day to
the lifting or instead of a lifting workout. I personally
prefer the option of doing the EMS as a secondary
session on the lifting day.
6. EMS at the proper intensity level will cause plenty of
muscle damage and can leave you sore for a day or
two, especially after the first 3-4 treatments. This is
one of the reasons why I prefer to do it on the same
days as the lifting.
TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE
PROGRAMMING TIPS

TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE

PROGRAMMING GUIDELINES
1. Use fast-twitch methods for as much of your
workload as possible.
2. Use a limited number of methods in a training phase.
All of these methods are neurologically demanding.
It's better from a recovery, performance, and learning
perspective to use two methods in a workout and no
more than five or six in your training block.
3. Stick with a set of methods for 3-6 weeks. Most of
these methods are heavily neurological and will give
you the fastest progression for the first three weeks.
The more advanced or explosive you are, the more
frequently you need to change the methods.
4. Keep overall volume lower than you'd think. Creating
too much fatigue can hurt the adaptations towards a
faster profile. Due to the nature of the methods, it can
also make recovery harder. The biggest mistake?
Approaching fast-twitch training the same way you'd
approach bodybuilding training. Use the "training
economy" principle of doing the fewest exercises
possible to get the job done. The less fatigued you
are while still giving a strong stimulus to your body,
the more likely you'll be to transition to a faster profile.
TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE
PROGRAMMING GUIDELINES
5. I favor a whole-body approach. It will allow you to
stimulate each muscle (at least indirectly) 3 times a
week. Each stimulation promotes the conversion of
muscle fibers while still allowing you to recover
properly. Avoid workouts with a significant amount
of fatigue. It also allows you to use more different
methods without using more than 1-2 per workout,
to avoid excessive neurological stress.
6. Stick to one category per workout. Choose to
either go heavy, use isometrics, or be explosive on
each workout.
7. Use a low density of work. This means using ample
rest between sets. This is contrary to what I
recommend when trying to maximize muscle mass
or lose fat. But this is the way to do things to favor
the conversion toward a faster profile. Basically,
you don't want to do your sets while being in a
fatigued state.
8. Remember the Schmidtbleicher principle. The last
thing you do has the greatest impact on motor
learning. Never allow yourself to finish an exercise
(last rep of the last set) with a grinding, slow, or
technically incorrect repetition. If you feel like the
last rep of an exercise wasn't optimal, rest a few
minutes and perform 1-2 violent reps, even if that
means decreasing the weight. In fact, it's smart to
program a "back off" set with a slight load reduction
but performed with the intent to be violently
explosive.
TRAINING METHODS TO BECOME AN EXPLOSIVE FAST-TWITCH MACHINE