Advanced Body Fitness Training Techniques For Seasoned Athletes

When you’ve been working out for years, it can feel like you’ve reached a plateau. You’ve mastered the basics, you understand your body, and you’re striving for that next milestone in your fitness journey. At Training Day, we believe advanced fitness is the key to pushing beyond your limits and unlocking your true potential. As one of Melbourne’s best-rated gyms, we offer a world-class environment complete with strength, functional and cardio facilities, personal training, and group fitness classes to achieve, inspire and motivate you every step of the way. 

Laying the Groundwork For Advanced Fitness

Before you jump into advanced training techniques, ensure you’ve established a robust baseline. Research suggests that it’s essential to build a foundation of compound movement proficiency (like bench presses and push-ups) and strong core stability. Having a personal trainer or even an online personal trainer can help you verify proper technique. This prevents injury as you progressively increase intensity, move into heavier weights, or experiment with fewer reps and short rest periods.

At Training Day, our 24-hour gym facilities environment is perfect for athletes who want little to no rest between sets, prefer flexible schedules, and need a supportive community. We specialise in bridging the gap between fundamentals and high-level performance, offering personal consultations that help you identify and adjust training variables from rep range to rest periods in ways that optimise muscle growth and strength gains.

Training Split: Same Muscle Group vs. Opposing Muscle Groups

A classic yet often overlooked aspect of advanced training techniques is the way you organise sets performed for your upper body and lower body. Many athletes pair opposing muscle groups (like back and chest) in two exercises performed back-to-back, which increases efficiency and maintains intensity. Alternatively, you might focus on the same muscle group, for instance, multiple isolation exercises targeting the biceps, before switching to the triceps or shoulders.

  • Same Muscle Group: Emphasising one muscle group at a time, often to the point of momentary muscular failure, can be beneficial if you’re aiming for maximum hypertrophy.

  • Opposing Muscle Groups: This method reduces downtime by allowing one set of muscles to rest while you train another, keeping workouts intense and time-efficient.

Advanced Training Variables and Techniques

Progressive Overload

To keep building muscle, you must progressively increase either the weight and the reps or decrease rest periods. This concept known as progressive overload, remains central to advanced fitness. Whether you’re using lighter weights for higher reps or heavier weights for fewer reps, always challenge yourself with a specific weight that pushes you beyond comfort without risking injury.

Cluster Sets

Cluster sets involve short rest segments (often 10–20 seconds) inserted within a single set. Suppose you aim for 5 reps of bench press at a certain weight that’s near your one rep max. Instead of attempting all 5 continuously, you do 2 reps, rest for 15 seconds, and then perform another 2–3 reps. This approach lets you handle more weight overall, helping break past sticking points in your final set.

Drop Sets

A drop set involves performing a set to failure (or near failure), then immediately reducing the load by about 10–30% and continuing the exercise for additional reps. This technique is particularly effective for muscle growth and can be applied to biceps curls, leg presses, or any isolation or compound movement. Drop sets can be repeated multiple times for an ultra-intense approach. By incorporating little to no rest between drops, you maximise muscle recruitment and metabolic stress.

Partial Reps and Forced Reps

  • Partial Reps: Executed over a shortened range of motion such as the top portion of a bench press partial reps focus on strengthening specific segments of the lift. They can help you work around sticking points and increase time under tension.

  • Forced Reps: Performed at the end of a set when you can’t complete any more reps on your own. A training partner provides just enough assistance to help you push past failure. This technique emphasises momentary muscular failure and encourages further activation of muscle fibres.

Specialty Methods: Blood Flow Restriction and Eccentric Training

Blood Flow Restriction

Blood flow restriction (BFR) involves using a cuff or wrap to restrict blood flow partially to the working limbs. Interestingly, research suggests that training with BFR and lighter loads can simulate the growth effects of heavyweights while minimising joint stress. Although typically recommended under professional guidance, BFR can be a game-changer for improving muscle endurance and size.

Eccentric Phase Emphasis

Focusing on the eccentric phase (lowering phase) of an exercise can dramatically spike muscle damage and subsequent growth. Slow, controlled descents in the bench press, squats, or biceps curls help recruit more muscle fibres. Pausing during the concentric phase (lifting phase) can also bolster technique and muscle strength—especially if you already have a solid foundation.

Designing Your Advanced Workout Routine

An advanced training techniques ebook or consultation with an online personal trainer can offer ready-made templates, but personalisation is key. Here’s a sample weekly split to integrate multiple muscle groups:

  • Day 1: Upper Body (Chest & Back with opposing muscle groups, finishing with arms)

  • Day 2: Lower Body (Quads & Hamstrings, add isolation for calves)

  • Day 3: Rest or Active Recovery (Mobility, Light Cardio)

  • Day 4: Upper Body (Shoulders, Additional Chest, and Forced Reps on key lifts)

  • Day 5: Lower Body (Glutes & Quads, incorporating drop sets or partial reps)

  • Day 6: Full-Body Circuit (Short, intense circuits, little to no rest)

  • Day 7: Rest or Light Recovery Workout (Yoga, Stretching, or Infrared Sauna at Training Day)

Adjust your training variables (sets, reps, rest, intensity) each week or month to avoid plateaus. Incorporate mini sets and different weights to keep your body guessing. Always monitor muscle length and full range of motion to maintain proper form.

Final Tips For Success

  • Warm Up Thoroughly: Dynamic stretching primes the muscles for heavy weights, enhances blood flow, and reduces injury risk.

  • Maintain Good Form: Focus on controlling both the eccentric phase and concentric phase to ensure you’re maximising tension.

  • Vary Your Exercises: Introducing different exercises for the same muscle group keeps progress steady.

  • Monitor Nutrition and Sleep: Strength training at an advanced level demands quality protein intake and recovery, essential for building muscle and sustaining muscular endurance.

  • Consider a Trainer: A personal trainer can guide you through advanced methods like forced reps, cluster sets, or blood flow restriction. At Training Day, we offer personalised programs that adjust to your skill level, ensuring ongoing strength gains.

Join Us at Training Day

Whether you’re training for competition or simply striving to surpass your own records, these advanced fitness training methods will help you push past your comfort zone. Our advanced training techniques, supportive community, and 24-hour facilities in Clayton, Burwood, and Scoresby are equipped to handle every level of complexity from drop sets to partial reps. If you’re ready to refine your workout routine, work different angles of major muscle groups, and optimise every second spent in the gym, come see us at Training Day and discover how you can reach new peaks of performance.

  • Remember: Effective, advanced training techniques aren’t just about doing more weight or higher intensities, they’re about smart programming, solid technique, and consistent progression. No matter what your goals look like, you’ll find your edge at Training Day.

  • Ready to step up: Get in touch with our expert personal trainers, try out our group classes, or take advantage of our specialised recovery options (like the infrared sauna). Together, let’s harness these advanced training techniques and turn your potential into real-world performance gains.

Contact Information

Burwood
• Address: 118 Highbury Road, Burwood VIC 3125
• Phone: +61 3 9808 8311
• Email: burwood@trainingdayhc.com.au


Clayton
• Address: 2055 Princes Hwy, Clayton VIC 3168
• Phone: +61 3 9562 7511
• Email: clayton@trainingdayhc.com.au


Scoresby
• Address: 1350 Ferntree Gully Rd, Scoresby VIC 3179
• Phone: +61 3 9763 0041
• Email: scoresby@trainingdayhc.com.au

Training Day