After each subsequent set that follows the first work set, the type-1 fibers tire out earlier in the set and the type 2 fibers that are most responsible for giving you muscle size-strength take over the load for longer periods of time. By the time you have done only 2-3 intense sets, the endurance fibers are shutting down much earlier in the set and it's mostly the type-2 fibers lifting the weight. This is why volume training works well for pro-bodybuilders. The type-2 fibers must be made to adapt to lift more weight for longer periods of time in order to grow larger. In order to accomplish this feat, you must handle heavier weights over time. By training each bodypart only once a week you will produce the most size gains with the least amount of effort.
The advantages of the
STS (Slingshot Training System) over other routines is that it’s fun and exciting, there’s a training split that will fit everyone’s daily schedule, it’s easy to follow and it will allow you to reach your utmost full-genetic potential in muscle size at a faster pace without becoming injured or over-trained. It's precisely what everyone is looking for in this day and age of complexity and over-analysis!
Biography
My name is Ronnie Rowland. I am 41 years old and have been a personal trainer for over 25 years. My passions for helping others gain as much size and strength as humanly possible has turned into a life time obsession. Years ago, I dreamed of designing the most logically consistent off-season training system in the world. I'm glad to have the opportunity to share with you what I believe are the finest bodybuilding principles. For those of you who have a basic understanding of training and diet, the STS will make sense.
My body type falls into the category of your classic skinny-fat-man with poor vascularity. Before you laugh too hard at my non-training picture, I want you to realize my genetics represent the largest population of today’s bodybuilders; the hard gainer! Due to having surgeries, I was unable to train. I lost all the muscles I had worked for in only 2 years time. This occurred when I was in my early 30’s. Below are some before and after pictures showing you what Slingshot Training has done for me. The after pictures were taken last week at age 41. The picture of me holding up the fish was taken when I was unable to train.
The
STS is just as effective for someone with good genetics. I’ll let you read a quote from a professional bodybuilder named Tricky Jackson. Lonnie Tepor of Ironman Magazine referred to him as the greatest light weight bodybuilder of all time. A quote from Tricky Jackson himself: “Many have asked what my "secret" is for putting on lean muscle mass during the off-season. To make a long story short, it wasn't until the year 2004 that I met long time professional trainer Ronnie Rowland out of Aiken South Carolina. He introduced me to an unconventional approach to bodybuilding called the STS (Slingshot Training System). I thought I had heard it all, but he opened up my eyes to what bodybuilding could be and showed me how to cycle my workouts in conjunction with my diet-supplements in order to mimic the way chemically enhanced bodybuilders make their best gains. In 2004, I was an advanced competitive bodybuilder weighing in at 198 lbs during the off- season and my gains, had all, but stopped. I gained only one pound of muscle that whole year stepping on the stage at 170 lbs. As you can imagine I was getting a bit frustrated. Rowland convinced me to give his off-season training system a try during the 2005 off-season. To my surprise, I increased my body weight considerable and was able to maintain 8 pounds of pure muscle after I dieted down for my show. This allowed me to step on stage at a ripped 178 lbs. It wasn't until getting my pro-card, that I fully realized just how far this training system had taken me. In 2006, I was about 221 lbs off season and a whopping 190 lbs on stage. That’s 12 more pounds of pure muscle in only a year’s time!!! It gets even better. I almost won my first pro show this past weekend by placing 2nd to Silvio Samuals in the Europe 210 lbs and under Division and came in 9th in the open. My experience with the STS is beyond measure-"literally"!
12 Slingshot training principles:
1) Use only safe and effective straight sets to spare the Central Nervous System, joints and tendons.
2) You need some repetitive motion because adaptation is what produces muscle growth and strength. Choose only 2 exercises (a key exercise and a secondary exercise) for each bodypart that works the muscle from different angles. It should agree with your biomechanics so you can make strength gains and increase volume during specific training phases without experiencing pain in the joints/tendons. The exercises listed in the routines below are mere sample exercises. You must insert the exercises that work best for you so the muscles will get fuller and fuller from set to set. Do not use the exercises I have listed if they are not right for you!
3) Perform multiple sets in the 8-10 rep-ranges to build the most muscle size possible. Perform 1 heavy set in the 4-6 rep-ranges with compound exercises to make continued strength and size gains. Utilize 1 set in the 12-15 rep-ranges to build endurance, sarcoplasmic growth and aid in healing. This is how you obtain total bodypart mass and full-blown muscle-belly development.
4) Train to the point of not being able to get another good repetition during every work set except the prep-set. I define this as good failure. If you neglect to use great intensity, you will not break down the type-2 muscle fibers. Simply said, stop 1 rep shy of 100% momentary muscle failure.
5) Do your heaviest low rep work sets at the beginning instead of waiting around towards the end when you are too fatigued to push maximum weight loads. Perform a “prep-set” by stopping 1 rep shy of good failure before proceeding to the heavy-low rep set when using key movements. The medium rep-range prep-set is still considered a work set and is designed to awaken and optimize the firing of the neural pathways so more weight can be used with key exercises on the following set.
6) You must train hard and heavy when using isolation exercises and secondary exercises. These movements work different secondary and supportive muscles allowing you to get stronger on key movements.
7) A key movement is the exercise that provides you with the ability to build the most mass and strength. For the torso and legs, the key exercise should be a compound exercise. A key movement for the arms can be an isolation exercise. Secondary exercises for the legs and torso can be either a compound exercise or an isolation exercise.
8) Use a controlled negative taking about 2 seconds to lower the weight. The positive stroke of each repetition should be somewhat explosive yet controlled to the point it's working the muscles to the fullest extent. Make sure and do a slight pause before doing each rep in order to make the muscles do all the work and to prevent injury. Concentrate on feeling the muscles squeeze and contract as you lift.
9) Perform up to 3 non-fatiguing warm up sets starting at 12 reps and working your way down to 6 before working cold muscle groups with intense work sets.
10) Take about a 2 minute rest between work sets involving isolation movements and about 3 minutes when using compound movements.
11) You’ll need to do moderate intensity aerobics as opposed to HIIT or HIT during the entire off-season if possible or you’ll struggle with being able to fully restore the sympathetic nervous system used during intense weight lifting.
12. Do not perform cardio during the 4 week anabolic blast if possible because it will actually decrease insulin sensitivity.