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Neural Charge Training is based on the principle of progressive overload, one of the basic training principles. To use increasingly heavier loads, you need to improve strength, and this is where the neural component comes in.
Aerobic training produces little or no change in muscle strength and power gains. However, strength training leads to significant neuromuscular adaptations.
So, in 3-6 months of strength training, you can achieve very noticeable improvements (between 25% and 100% of initial strength).
What is it about?
Basically, you have to understand that this training doesn’t aim for fatigue (muscular, physical, or neural), but to activate and train the CNS to be more efficient in the target training.
The adaptations in the CNS make the muscle able to exert more force faster, delaying fatigue and, therefore, improving recovery capacity.
- Increased firing rate of motor neurons.
- Greater recruitment of motor units.
- Inhibition of the antagonist muscle.
- Improved voluntary activation of agonist muscles.
Type of training and exercises
Some of these exercises include:
- Horizontal medicine ball throw from the chest.
- Vertical medicine ball throw overhead against the floor.
- Forward throws combined with squats.
- Push-ups, squats, lunges, and/or plyometric pull-ups.
- Plyometric jumps onto a bench/box.
- Power snatch at 60% 1RM.
- Power clean at 60% 1RM.
- Aerobic training with high-intensity intervals (HIIT) with full recovery between sets.
How do I add it to my training?
You can add it in 3 time structures of training: mesocycle, microcycle, and/or session. There are different ways to do it, but here are the ones I think are most effective:
- Add it in a mesocycle.
If you usually do hypertrophy work, after 6 weeks, I think it’s good to add a 3-4 week neural charge training mesocycle between hypertrophy mesocycles or before a power mesocycle.
- Add it in a microcycle (week)
If you follow a typical 4-day hypertrophy routine, I recommend doing this training at least 1-2 times a week for 30 minutes. If you do this, hypertrophy sessions might be shorter but probably more effective.
- Add it in a session
It’s considered that during the early stages of training, increased neural activation is one of the key factors in strength development. However, once past the first sets, hypertrophic factors prevail over neural ones.
Personally, my favorite ways to add it in a hypertrophy session are the following (though there are many others):
- 1 reciprocal innervation set + 3 hypertrophy sets + (repeat until training is complete).
- Example: 1 heavy hip-dominant set (4 reps) + 3 hypertrophy pushing sets.
- 4 heavy partial/full sets (4 reps) + hypertrophy training.
- Example: 4 heavy partial/full squat sets + knee-dominant training.
- 1 plyometric set (6-7 reps) + 2 hypertrophy sets.
- Example: 1 plyometric pull-up set + 2 hypertrophy pulling sets.
- 1 reciprocal innervation set + 3 hypertrophy sets + (repeat until training is complete).
Sources
- Chicharro JL, Fernández Vaquero A. Exercise Physiology (3rd ed). Ed. Panamericana, Madrid, 2006 Dietrich Martin. Manual of Sports Training Methodology. Editorial Paidotribo. Barcelona (2007).
- M.D. Binder. Peripheral and Spinal Mechanisms in the Neural Control of MovementVolume 123 of Progress in brain research. Elsevier, 1999. ISBN- 0080862489, 9780080862484
- Mikel Izquierdo and Xavier Aguado. Neuromuscular adaptations during strength training in men of different ages. Revista Apunts. Performance and Training. No. 55 · 1st quarter 1999 (Pages 20 to 26).
- Thibaudeau, C. Neural Charge Training. Super Growth and Recovery Strategy. T-NATION (2010).
Related links on the topic:
- Why does overtraining happen?
- Strongman, training not just for strength
- Discover Functional Training
