Muscle Fiber Test

[Tatyana]

The objective of the muscle fiber test is to determine the fiber composition of the muscles used for a particular exercise. The test protocol described is the Dr F. Hatfield Muscle Fiber Test.

Required Resources

To undertake this test you will require:
• Weight training facilities
• An assistant/spotter
• Selection of exercises


How to conduct the Dr F. Hatfield muscle fibre test
• Determine your 1 rep maximum on an exercise
• Rest for 15 minutes
• Perform as many repetitions as possible with 80% of your 1RM


Analysis

• Less than 7 repetitions - fast twitch (FT) dominant
• 7 or 8 repetitions - mixed fibre type
• more than 8 repetitions - slow twitch (ST) dominant

If you are FT dominant, then you should use heavier loads and lower repetitions predominantly in your training.

ST dominant individuals, on the other hand, will respond better to lighter loads and higher repetitions

Do the test BEFORE doing any other work for the day. DON’T try and do it all at once. Only 1-2 lifts per day, and at least a day rest before attempting any more.

Use isolation exercises as much as possible.

Examples of isolation exercises:

Shoulders- lateral raise, front lateral raise, and rear lateral raise.

You can do all three if you desire, but laterals only should provide enough info.

Traps - barbell shrugs.

Chest, dumbbell press, not the best way, but safest. Best way would be a fly or pec dec, but a single on either of these may get you injured.

Abs - ab machine.

Biceps - concentration curl, or preacher bench curl (preacher preferably)

Triceps- tricep pushdowns with bent (angled) bar.

Lats- pull down or dumbbell row, or preferably a pullover MACHINE

Spinal erectors, we will not test these as the few lifts we can use to isolate are dangerous for single reps.

Hamstrings are almost always fast twitch, so we need not test them, only on in 60 are slow twitch.

Quads-leg extensions.

Calfs - standing calf raises, or leg press calf raises.

It is best to take a whole week to test the individual body parts (don't do the entire test in one day).

You can do the test for the individual body parts BEFORE you regular routine over the week so you don't miss out on a full week of training.

 

[needtogetaas]

sounds cool. Just for shits and giggles I will try this today on my bench.

 

[Tatyana]

sounds cool. Just for shits and giggles I will try this today on my bench.

LOL, with the weights you are pushing, it isn't really an issue for you.

This is more for the 'hardgainers' that just can't seem to make progress, or if someone has a lagging bodypart, to check which rep range may be more effective for hypertrophy.

 

[Tatyana]

The Safe 1RM, By Charles Poliquin



Q: Is there a safe and accurate way of estimating your one-rep max without actually doing one?

A: There have been quite a few studies done on this. The most simple way to do it is to find your 3RM (three-rep max) and add 10%. This works for 70% of the people out there — those with normal fiber type distribution.

There are people out there of course with abnormal fiber type distribution. Let's say Johnny Fast-Twitch can bench 300 for three reps. But he's so neurologically efficient that he only does three reps at 80% of max. So his real one-rep max is 375, not 330.

Now let's say his cousin can do 300 for three reps too, but he has normal fiber type distribution. His one-rep max is 330 (300 pounds plus 10%.)

There are people whose 3RM is 97% of their max and people whose 3RM is 80% of their max. But for most people, the 3RM plus 10% formula is a good rule of thumb for estimating 1RM.

And let me add this: If you're not a competitive powerlifter, who gives a rat's ass? Just find your best 3RM so you'll have a gauge of your strength at that point in time. A set of three won't expose the average guy to as high of an injury risk, although I do think the injury risk is overrated when it comes to max lifts. It's all just a matter of warming up properly. I typically like 6-8 sets in my warm-ups.

A progression for the testing of primary lifts for the first attempt would look like this.

4 at estimated 40%, rest 10 seconds

4 at estimated 40%, rest 10 seconds

3 at estimated 60%, rest 30 seconds

2 at estimated 75%, rest 60 seconds

1 at estimated 80%, rest 120 seconds

1 at estimated 85%, rest 120 seconds

1 at estimated 90%, rest 180 seconds

1 at estimated 95%, rest 240 seconds

1 at estimated 100%, rest 240 seconds

 

[GUARDIAN]

I tried this yesterday and I found that I am predominately fast twitch.

Yet through trial and error I get bigger from 8-12 and sometimes as high as 12-15 reps.

?????

 

[fortunatesun]

What if you're a mixed fiber type? Higher rep or lower? Or maybe cycling your range?

 

[ceo]

how should I study beforehand so I can ace this test???

 

[Tatyana]

I tried this yesterday and I found that I am predominately fast twitch.

Yet through trial and error I get bigger from 8-12 and sometimes as high as 12-15 reps.

?????

Which body part?

I think this test has more application for hardgainers. If your training is working, it really is 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it'

 

[Tatyana]

What if you're a mixed fiber type? Higher rep or lower? Or maybe cycling your range?

The last one, cycling your range.

This is how world class trainers work with athletes, they mix it up, or periodisation of the training so they don't adapt, and they can keep pushing their strength, speed, flexibility etc.

 

[ausfrosty]

The test states "If you are FT dominant, then you should use heavier loads and lower repetitions predominantly in your training. ST dominant individuals, on the other hand, will respond better to lighter loads and higher repetitions"

I am a track sprinter looking at developing more fast twitch fibre and have that I am ST dominant (bench press). For my case then it is recommended I do lighter loads and higher reps but from what I understand this isn't going to help me develop more fast twitch fibre. Should I stick with with the heaver loads and lower reps?

 

[oso0960]

lol at bringing back a post a year old. But this is really interesting stuff, I'm going to have to try it out.

 

[resonator]

Here's some more information directly from Dr. Squat's site with training protocols:
Finding The Ideal Training Split | Dr. Squat - Dr. Fred Hatfield

 

[Castro_bigdog]

good info.... I need to take this test