Concept Wednesday - Cluster Sets

davecb

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What is a Cluster Set?

A cluster set is a set where the total number of reps is broken down into smaller clusters of reps and split apart with short periods of intra-set rest.

For instance, instead of performing 9 reps in a constant repetition fashion, you could perform the set in 3 clusters of 3, with a short rest between them.

The idea behind a cluster is that you would perform a set you could normally perform with continuous reps, but with short breaks throughout.

What are the Benefits of Cluster Sets?

Basically, the intra-set rest allows you to attenuate fatigue accumulation throughout your set. This allows you to keep load higher for clusters, keep the concentric portion of the fast (practice power), and possibly do more reps before failure.

Power Practice

Quite simply, your 12th rep in a set is never going to be as fast or powerful as the preceding reps when you have no rest. By simply resting in between reps, you can manage fatigue to generate more power. Consider how most Olympic style weightlifters train their main movements (inherently powerful actions), most of the time there will be a short rest between each rep they perform, rather than continuous reps. This allows for more force in each lift, by managing fatigue.

Be aware though that this can cut the effect of the stretch shortening cycle on power generation, so if you find the first rep hard to perform explosively, but subsequent reps much easier, it may be that you're using the eccentric stretch of your muscles to provide bounce into the next rep.

This sort of training is good for inherently powerful exercises, or that need power to complete correctly.

Technique Practice

You need work on your technique. Most people don't have good technique, and you're most people. As fatigue in a set accumulates, the ability to perform with good technique diminishes, both due to muscular factors as well as mental factors (ugh, so tired). By taking short breaks between clusters of reps during a set you can get quality reps at a substantial volume in a shorter amount of time. Take enough time between reps to prepare yourself for the next cluster and you can really hammer that technique with good focus.

How to Use Cluster Sets

So the idea behind cluster sets is that you avoid failure. You don't even really want to go too close to failure. You manage fatigue to the point that you never really experience momentary muscular failure. This means that cluster training can be sub-optimal for hypertrophy training and even maximal strength training.

Use cluster training for the ideas above (power and technique) either as a training tool for complex or powerful movements, or as boosters for your main strength or hypertrophy movements (I would recommend a 1-4 week block of clusters once you're an intermediate as a novel tool).

Clusters shouldn't really be a main tool in your arsenal, just an accessory once in a while.

In the world of bodyweight fitness, a few uses come to mind:
  • Muscle Up technique and power development
  • Box Jumps
  • Dynamic lever work where form or ROM quickly degrades (e.g front pulls)
  • Explosive Pull Up
How Long Should I Rest For?

I think that you should use your intuition a bit and regulate your rest by the effect it has on each cluster. Rest long enough that you can perform with adequate power and/or technique. Rests should ideally stay quite short: about 10-30 seconds.

If you start taking longer rests, it becomes more like Rest Pause Training, a related technique that we will cover some other time (the differences are blurry!)

In between sets you can rest for how long you'd usually rest between sets of the same total size (as long as you need).

Volume and Intensity

There are three main ways I'd expect to see cluster sets progressed:

Working on power and/or technique:
  • 1-3 reps per cluster
  • 3-8 clusters
  • Maintain the same reps and intensity but increase the quality of movement
Working on building intensity:
  • 2-4 reps per cluster
  • 2-3 clusters
  • Either increase the intensity every week, or build reps in the cluster then build intensity
Working on building strength/power density:
  • 2-6 reps per cluster
  • 3-4 clusters
  • Keep the intensity and reps the same, but work on reducing the rest between clusters, increase intensity once you reach a set level for rest intervals.
References:

Sorry, no energy to put these in their correct place!

Haff, G. G., Hobbs, R. T., Haff, E. E., Sands, W. A., Pierce, K. C., & Stone, M. H. (2008). Cluster Training: A Novel Method for Introducing Training Program Variation. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 30(1), 67-76. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e31816383e1

Hansen, K., Cronin, J., & Newton, M. (2011). The effect of cluster loading on force, velocity, and power during ballistic jump squat training.

Hansen, K. T., Cronin, J. B., Pickering, S. L., & Newton, M. J. (2011). Does cluster loading enhance lower body power development in preseason preparation of elite rugby union players? The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 25(8), 2118-2126.

Hardee, J. P., Lawrence, M. M., Zwetsloot, K. A., Triplett, N. T., Utter, A. C., & McBride, J. M. (2013). Effect of cluster set configurations on power clean technique. Journal of sports sciences, 31(5), 488-496.

Lawton, T., Cronin, J., Drinkwater, E., Lindsell, R., & Pyne, D. (2004). The effect of continuous repetition training and intra-set rest training on bench press strength and power. J Sports Med Phys Fitness, 44(4), 361-367.

Moir, G. L., Graham, B. W., Davis, S. E., Guers, J. J., & Witmer, C. A. (2013). Effect of Cluster Set Configurations on Mechanical Variables During the Deadlift Exercise. Journal of human kinetics, 39, 15-23.

Moreno, S. D., Brown, L. E., Coburn, J. W., & Judelson, D. A. (2014). Effect of cluster sets on plyometric jump power. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 28(9), 2424-2428.

Oliver, J., Kreutzer, A., Jones, M., Jenke, S., Phillips, S., & Mitchell, J. (2015). Velocity drives greater power observed during back squat using cluster sets. J Strength Cond Res. doi, 10, 1519.

Oliver, J. M., Jagim, A. R., Sanchez, A. C., Mardock, M. A., Kelly, K. A., Meredith, H. J., . . . Kreider, R. B. (2013). Greater Gains in Strength and Power With Intraset Rest Intervals in Hypertrophic Training. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 27(11), 3116-3131. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182891672

Oliver, J. M., Kreutzer, A., Jenke, S., Phillips, M. D., Mitchell, J. B., & Jones, M. T. (2015). Acute response to cluster sets in trained and untrained men. European journal of applied physiology, 115(11), 2383-2393.
 
@davecb You listed a few uses for cluster sets in the strength portion of bodyweightfitness, but I suppose this concept can be incorporated into stretching too...?

When I do Emmet's recommended long lunge pulses (and also when I first started his head to toe routine), I find myself following this. They're fairly painful (OMG they make me sore!) because my legs aren't used to the stretching, so though my goal is 3x72 per leg, I found myself doing a set in this manner:

30-40 reps > 10 second rest > the rest of the reps

It definitely helps me get through the full amount of reps, and I just work on slowly increasing the amount of reps that I can do at one time until I can do the full set without stopping.
 
@shediac Great observation. I'd like to add though that the protocol you're working with is still focussed on strength, just through a new ROM. Don't try to separate strength and flexibility, they're fast friends. In this instance you're just working on strength in a non-traditional range, which I've heard is working quite well.

But you're totally right, you can use clusters to manage fatigue in any set if it is in line with your goals.
 
@davecb Thank you for the clarification, em. That makes sense. Yay for getting strong!

Though I'm concerned that you didn't even throw in a jab or tease... Are you still sick? Must be that. Hope you're on the mend, buddy.
 
@dawn16 As in you'd take no special intra-set rest, but just use the 8 second eccentric as the rest between each individual rep? I'd say it could work depending on: what you're working on, and how demanding the eccentric action is.

Either way, it definitely sounds like a different beast than cluster sets, so you can make up your own name for it.
 
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