FST-7, is anybody here ever use that program

[adilevy]

FST-7 (Facsia-streching-training)-i can post some info if anyone is interested,basicly its a fairly new workout routine being used by many bodybuilders today,the concept is to cause maximal fascia streching(the sack that covers our muscles and inhibit the muscle from expanding)

[adilevy]

What is FST-7?
FST-7 is a training system I devised after years of research and a great deal of trial and error
with many clients. FST stands for Fascia Stretch Training, and the seven refers to the seven
sets performed for the final exercise of a target bodypart. I have had many clients use this
system for overall growth and especially to improve stubborn bodyparts that were seemingly
resistant to just about anything else the person had tried. FST-7 encompasses several factors
both inside and outside the gym. This month we will focus on the training aspects.
Is fascia limiting your muscle growth?
There are three types of fascia in the human body, but the type bodybuilders should be
concerned about is deep fascia. This is dense fibrous connective tissue that interpenetrates
and surrounds the muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels of the body. The high density of
collagen fibers is what gives the deep fascia its strength and integrity. The amount of elastin
fibers determines how much extensibility and resiliency it will have. In other words, some of us
have fascia that is thicker and tougher than others. The most genetically blessed bodybuilders
have thinner fascia, which is why their muscle bellies appear to be larger and fuller, with that
round ‘bubbly' look that all bodybuilders covet. Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath would be two
prime examples of individuals blessed with thin fascia. Their muscles expand easier. Think of it
in terms of it being easier to blow up a balloon as opposed to one of those water bottles that
strongmen like Franco Columbu used to. Jay Cutler and Nasser El-Sonbatty are two men that
clearly have thicker fascia. This didn't prevent them from building substantial muscle mass,
obviously, but neither man ever had that round ‘Marvel Comics' appearance to their muscles.
Yet the average bodybuilder has thicker fascia than either of those two champions. In an effort
to expand their fascia and allow growth to occur, some have turned to Synthol and other items
that are injected deep into the muscle belly. There have even been some advisors, mainly
online, that make it seem as if this is the only solution and must be done. They will also try and
insist that all the pro's use Synthol and site inject, which I can assure you is not true. Synthol
and related products are foreign substances, and you can never be certain how they will
metabolize in the body. We are starting to see various health issues with bodybuilders that are
more than likely related to site injecting. Yes, you do need to stretch the muscle fascia to
experience optimal growth, but that is not the way to do it.
1 /

[adilevy]

All stretching is not the same
I am not the first person to recognize the importance of stretching the muscle fascia. First John
Parrillo, then more recently Dante Trudel of DC Training fame, incorporate aggressive
stretching during workouts as part of their training programs. They had the right idea, but
stretching the fascia by elongating the muscle is not the best method. FST-7 is based on
stretching the muscle from the inside out by volumizing it. This is accomplished by getting the
greatest pump possible while training.
Do I still train heavy, or can I just pump up with light weights?
One thing I don't want anyone misconstruing is that FST-7 is all about pumping. That's just one
component. I also believe that a bigger muscle is a stronger muscle, and you absolutely must
train with heavier weights in the 8-12 rep range. I have tried many variations of heavier and
lighter training with clients over the years, and discovered that both types are needed. Heavy
weights will build thickness and density, but they will not give you that round, full look. Similarly,
getting incredible pumps all the time can impart some of that roundness, but you won't ever get
extreme muscle size without training with heavy straight sets. So you need to focus equally on
maximizing both your strength and your pump in the same workouts to see optimal results.
Here's an example of a biceps workout, FST-7 style, that shows you how to incorporate both:
Alternate dumbbell curls 3-4 x 8-12
Machine preacher curl 3 x 8-12
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[adilevy]

EZ-bar curl 7 x 8-12 (rest 30-45 seconds between sets while sipping water - more on this next
month)
I don't typically like to use very high reps, because too often you will experience general fatigue
and get short of breath before you have built the maximum pump in the muscle. I also don't like
the weight to be too heavy and limit the reps any lower than eight, because this is when you see
form breaking down and ancillary muscles kicking in and robbing the target muscle of the proper
stimulation. You can think of the ‘7' set as blowing up a balloon. We keep the rest periods fairly
short, because as you pump up the muscle, a little blood escapes in that time. You can think of
it as blowing up a balloon with a slight leak in it - even though the balloon is being inflated, some
air is escaping. The key is to build on the pump sets by set, exponentially, so that it reaches its
maximum state by the final set. If the rest periods were too short, you wouldn't have enough
energy to do justice to the seven sets. Another question I often get is, should the weight be
constant as the seven sets go on? It can be, but it's perfectly fine to reduce the weight one or
two times as needed to stay in the proper rep range. There may also be times when you need
to increase the weight, but this happens less often.
How often can I train bodyparts this way?
Generally speaking, this type of training is too traumatic on the larger muscle groups to use
more than once a week. Due to the sheer volume of muscle cells, soreness tends to linger too
long to allow for more frequent workouts. For instance, Phil Heath recently completed a back
workout and was sore for four days. Since he is supposed to be training back and chest twice a
week in preparation for the Arnold Classic, this threw him off his schedule somewhat. The
higher than normal amount of microscopic tears in the muscle caused by FST-7 training
necessitates a bit more recovery time than standard training protocols. However, smaller
bodyparts like arms and calves certainly can and should be trained twice a week. This gives you
twice as many opportunities to stretch the fascia in what are often exceedingly stubborn
3 /

[adilevy]

bodyparts. Here's a sample split that displays how you could arrange this:
Day one: Biceps and triceps, calves
Day two: Legs
Day three: OFF
Day four: Chest and triceps
Day five: Back and calves
Day six: Shoulders and biceps
Day seven: OFF
This is

[adilevy]

Which exercises are best suited to the ‘7' sets?
Certain exercises are more appropriate than others for the ‘7' sets. The big compound free
weight movements like squats and deadlifts usually are poor choices, for two reasons. For one
thing, they involve several other muscle groups and don't do a good job of isolating a target
muscle. Also, they require technique and balancing, which tends to break down if one attempts
to perform multiple sets in such a short time span. Machines are a good choice in many
instances because they keep you in a fixed plane of movement and thus make it easier to
isolate a given muscle. Those with selectorized stacks also make it very fast and convenient to
increase or decrease the resistance as needed. Here are some suggested movements that I
have found work very well:
Back width: Machine pullovers (Hammer Strength, Nautilus) or cable pullovers
Back thickness: Seated row machines with chest support
Chest: Pec deck or peck flye machine*, cable crossovers
*I find that the pec decks with the pads for the elbows usually work very well for shorter trainers,
5 /

[Fatboy]

if its stretched but not enough stimulation is made to cause fiber expansion, whats the point?

it sounds interesting but im skeptical

if something this simple could be truly effective youd think some top trainers would post info/sucess stories about it

[adilevy]

פורסם במקור על ידי Fatboy

if its stretched but not enough stimulation is made to cause fiber expansion, whats the point?

it sounds interesting but im skeptical

if something this simple could be truly effective youd think some top trainers would post info/sucess stories about it

They already do,for example Hany-rambod(the inventer of this program)-he trains people like Phil-heath and other pro's.

[adilevy]

while the pec flye machines with handles seem to be better for tall guys. Try both - you will
know by the pump and range of motion you achieve which one is a better choice for you.
Shoulders: Machine lateral raises with pads - my favorite is made by Bodymasters. Hammer
Strength, LifeFitness, and Cybex also produce similar models.
Quads: Leg extensions, leg presses
Hamstrings: Seated or lying leg curls
Biceps: EZ-bar curls, machine curls, cable ‘front double biceps curls'
Triceps: Cable pushdowns using rope attachment
6 /

[adilevy]

Overhead cable extensions
Skull crushers (for advanced trainers)
Calves: Standing and seated raises, calf raises using leg press
(alternate between these three)
When should I do my ‘7'?
The best time to do your ‘7' is as the final exercise for a muscle group. You don't want to do it
first, as this would take away from your performance on the heavy straight sets that are also a
critical factor in building muscle mass. Finishing off a bodypart with a great pump is something
many top bodybuilders have been doing instinctively for years, not knowing that they were
expanding their fascia and maximizing growth. It may be tempting to do your pumping sets
earlier on if you can't seem to get any kind of pump going, but I would urge you instead to do
something like a set or two of 21's to get the blood flowing and then proceed with your heavy
sets before capping it all off with your ‘7' set for that bodypart. Remember, ‘7's' are done at the
conclusion of each bodypart, so if you are working multiple bodyparts in a given workout, you
will be doing two or more of these extended pumping sets.
7 /

[adilevy]

Pre-workout nutrition: Priming the pump
Hopefully most of you grasp the importance of solid pre-workout nutrition. This provides the
body with all the raw materials it will need to fuel an intense and productive weight training
session. I like to see my clients get in a minimum of two solid-food meals containing both lean
proteins and complex carbohydrates prior to training. The protein source can be chicken or
turkey breast, white fish, or even leaner cuts of red meat such as filet or top sirloin if one is
training later in the day. Good carbohydrate sources would be oatmeal, sweet potatoes, or
brown rice. These are all slow-burning carbs that will deliver time-released energy, as opposed
to fruits and other simple sugars that digest too quickly and can leave you with an insulin crash
while training. Equally important to the food intake is adequate hydration. This is particularly
applicable to anyone using thermogenic products. Most of these have a diuretic effect, which
means you need to take care to drink a bit more water to compensate for the fluid loss. Notice
that I said water and not diet soda. Carbonated drinks tend to be too filling and hence you don't
drink enough. A common question I get is, how soon before the workout should my last meal
be? Generally speaking, you want your last meal to end about one hour before your workout
begins. The exception would be legs. Since heavy leg training is so metabolically demanding,
the last meal should be a bit earlier - say ninety minutes. These are just guidelines. If you are
the type of person that is starving an hour and a half after a clean meal, you probably don't ever
want to let more than an hour go by from the end of the pre-workout meal to the workout. If you
seem to digest your food more slowly and get nauseous when you eat too close to the workout,
adjust your meal timing accordingly. Staying away from high-fat foods or sugary items should
help stave off feelings of nausea while training.
1 /

[adilevy]

Sorry for not being able to post in hebrew,im not able to type hebrew on this keyboard.anyway,this pretty much summs it all.

[Fatboy]

this does look like a pro routine

it also looks like it would slaughter any progress for the average trainee with so-so recovery

[adilevy]

פורסם במקור על ידי Fatboy

this does look like a pro routine

it also looks like it would slaughter any progress for the average trainee with so-so recovery

Its good for beginners also,give it a try.

[CBA]

I'd like to read all of this in hebrew thanks anyway

[adilevy]

פורסם במקור על ידי CBA

I'd like to read all of this in hebrew thanks anyway

Sorry bro.....

[adilevy]

No one ???

[the animal]

.I don't think that a normal person will be able to use this program for too long before over-training
I haven't read the whole article,only looked at the program itself, but it looks way too intensed for the average trainer ,by average i mean one who doesn't use any drugs.

[arbel2]

first of all Adi ,thanks you for posting this ,most of the israeli surfers do not get the chance to See these types of training programs

i have yet to read this fully ,but once i will i will give you my opinion on this programs ,from a first glance? it seems a bit too much as far as workload ,but i'd hate to give a half assed review.

Thank you very much for posting this anyway!

[adilevy]

פורסם במקור על ידי arbel2

first of all Adi ,thanks you for posting this ,most of the israeli surfers do not get the chance to See these types of training programs

i have yet to read this fully ,but once i will i will give you my opinion on this programs ,from a first glance? it seems a bit too much as far as workload ,but i'd hate to give a half assed review.

Thank you very much for posting this anyway!

Thanks Arbel,i sent you a pm on facebook.