Offset Training Many that have been watching my show or reading my site know that I am a big believer in mixing training up. We are creatures of habit and adapt mentally and physically to the same workout over and over. Offset training is one of those truly mixed up workouts that will leave your body and mind guessing, which will make you want to do it over and over, but as I’ve stated before, when mixing up training don’t mix things up so much that you are in constant confusion to not allow the muscle to properly rest and grow. What is offset training? Offset training is where no two grips, hand positions, etc. are the same. The idea is to change the normal balance and stability you are used to and get you out of your comfort zone. Why do it? When we get used to using the same grips, barbell, dumbbells, hand positions, our muscles adapt to it and lose the shock factor for growth or stimulation. Shocking the muscle will increase not only physical growth, but mental growth and excitement. Also, getting out of the normal comfort position will force the body to use more stabilizer and core muscles which is a plus for the whole body. How do we do it? For example, doing a normal pushup consists of placing hands shoulder width apart and lowering the body down and pushing up. For an offset pushup you can place one hand on a ball, block or stair and perform the pushup in the same manner. Having a different starting position for one hand over the other forces the lifter to use different muscles, especially the core to compensate for the difference. Let’s take the same lift but with dumbbells on a bench press. Instead of using the same dumbbells we use one 10lb and one 15lb. The body will constantly try to shift and compensate to keep balance, instead of the normal comfortable feeling of stability you usually have. Always make sure to switch hands after each set to equal out the body.
Examples: Pull-ups- opposite grips, towel grips with hand at different positions Push-ups-one hand on ball, block, or stair. DB press-one hand has 10lb. one hand has 15lb. DB. DB curls- one hand has 10lb. one hand has 15lb. DB.
Tip-One other variation of offset training consists of using changeable DB. Load one side with a 10lb plate and one side with 5lb. plate, then try and perform usual lifts such as curls, or side, rear, and front raises for shoulders. Right off the bat you will notice that not only do the core and stabilizers get effected but your forearms now have to work extra hard also. Great for grip strength.
Precautions- Always make sure to properly warm up and cool down to prevent any injuries. When offset training sore or troubled back issues can be agitated. When selecting weights for each hand, don’t use dumbbells that are too large of a difference, but if you go too light, you will lose the effect of the technique. Depending on your exercise level, beginner may want to have a difference of 5lbs., Intermediate 8-10lbs, Advanced 10+. If a weight is too light, you may not get as much out of the workout as possible; if it is too heavy, you could be at serious risk for an injury, such as a strain or a torn muscle. …For more information and tips, check my website, www.chadamartin.com.