Neurological Type 1: Adventurer

We bring you the third part of a series of articles dedicated to training according to the neurological type of the trainee.

In the first part we looked at what training is appropriate for a given neurological type of exerciser.

In part two, we brought you a breakdown of each neurological type based on the levels of each neurotransmitter.

We divided human personalities into three basic types:

• Type 1: Adventurer
• Type 2: Reward-dependent.
• Type 3: Safe

Each type has its positives and negatives, and one thing applies to all of them. If you choose a training program and eating regimen that doesn't match your personality type, you won't improve.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at the first type, the adventurer. We'll look at what kind of training will best suit such people and how they should eat.

This type of person has low dopamine levels, which makes them constantly seek out new stimulation. They could also be called adrenaline junkies.

Optimal Training for Type 1: Adventurer

1 - Training Preparation

Adventurers have less dopamine than serotonin. They need to replenish dopamine levels before training for optimal stimulation. If this is not done, performance will be weaker at the beginning of the workout.

For this reason, they should engage in activation exercises such as throws, jumps, etc. before training. Anything that will be dynamic and not cause too much fatigue. For example, 3 sets of 5 jumps or 3 sets of 12 second hammer blows to the tire.

For the main exercise, you should gradually work your way up to the working weight, using compensatory acceleration (CAT). Here you are trying to make the concentric phase of the exercise as fast as possible. This method kicks up the nervous system, which creates more dopamine.

The increase should start at 60% of the max, and the work set should be preceded by about 5 warm-ups in which the same or lower number of reps are practiced than in the set itself. You want to jumpstart the nervous system, but not tire it out.

It might look like this:

Warm-up series:

• Series 0: Axis x 10
• Series 1: 75 x 3
• Series 2: 90 x 3
• Series 3: 100 x 3
• Series 4: 110 x 3
• Series 5: 115 x 3
• Note: For Series 1-5, use maximum concentric acceleration.

Working series:

• Series 6: 125 x 5
• Series 7: 125 x 5
• Series 8: 125 x 5
• Series 9: 125 x 5
• Remember that dopamine and adrenaline are linked. Whatever gets you pumped up will also cause a spike in dopamine levels.

Just be careful not to overdo it. This type of person is prone to dopamine spikes because their baseline levels are very low. If there is a sudden drop, all willpower and motivation disappears.

2 - Training variations

Type 1 athletes need a lot of it. This is the type of person who won't stick with any workout. They always want something new. If you put them on a program where they do the same exercises over and over again, they lose motivation and results don't come.

We always say that you should stick with a program, but for this type of person that may not be true. Remember, the only method that will help you get results is one that forces you to exercise hard. If the workout becomes too repetitive, it essentially becomes stressful for the adventurer.

This neurological type...

• Can handle staying with one program for 2 weeks.
• It's better with different types of stimulation.
• It's better with different types of stimulation even during the same training unit.
• Cyber-periodization is good for them (freedom within the structure) This means you plan the main exercise, but then the rest of the unit is based on performance in that main exercise.

Surprisingly enough triathletesfall into this type . The Westside Barbell system is a perfect example. They rotate the main exercise every week or two. They practice 3 types of stimulation (if you count conditioning). They choose the assistance exercises based on performance in the main exercise.

CrossFit is also a good example. Variation doesn't mean you have to change all the variables. You can change exercises or keep them and alternate methods.

3 - Frequency of workouts

Type 1 athletes are suited to shorter, more frequent workouts. Such workouts boost dopamine levels and don't let them plummet. For this type, a day off is worse than a light workout. Giving them two days off will make it take them 30-40 minutes to get back into it afterwards. Their motor skills and motivation will be weak.

Their dopamine levels can also be depleted by a very heavy workout where they get to 1.2 or 3RM on a heavy exercise or there is a high volume of heavy work. You'll know you've overdone it by feeling a lull within two hours of the workout or being lethargic the whole next day.

When this happens, the Type 1 athlete needs a light workout, such as Neural Charge Training workouts. Such a workout needs to be short and focused on explosive work. It should not cause any metabolic fatigue. In fact, you should have more energy after it than before it. You should not even come close to failure. You should keep a fast pace, but again, don't turn it into a cardio workout.

In the Westside system, they have dynamic workouts for this. Most Westside athletes are competitive, extroverted adventurers.

A good ratio of workouts would be two hard, two moderate, and two serving purely as active recovery.

• Day 1: Heavy
• Day 2: Recovery
• Day 3: Medium
• Day 4: Heavy
• Day 5: Regenerative
• Day 6: Medium
• Day 7: Free time

Or 6 workouts in 8 days:

• Day 1: Heavy
• Day 2: Recovery
• Day 3: Medium
• Day 4: Free time
• Day 5: Heavy
• Day 6: Regenerative
• Day 7: Medium
• Day 8: Free time

Remember, after two days off, these types of people will suck at the next workout.

4 - Training volume

The work capacity is pretty low for this type. They're great at strength and explosive work, but they lose power quickly. There are exceptions: if they have high levels of acetylcholine, they can tolerate higher volume work well. But we're talking about real genetic monsters.

Type 1 athletes should train for 45-60 minutes (after warm-up). It's not because of testosterone or cortisol levels. It's to protect dopamine levels. Training will be hard and short.

A workout consisting of one main exercise and two pairs (antagonistic pairs or superseries) works well. So that's a total of 5 exercises. Pairing reduces the feeling of monotony.

They can use minimalist methods (multiple sets of 1 or 2 exercises in a workout), but they should rather use multiple methods within a single workout. Example.

Extreme adventurers - super explosive, but terrifyingly weak attention span - can only tolerate a maximum of 9-12 working sets in a workout. Not for one muscle group, but for one entire workout.

A classic type 1 can take 16-18 work setsin a training unit.

5 - Training intensity: weights and reps

Type 1 athletes are better suited to low repetitions, explosive or heavy work. Higher repetition counts, especially for heavy exercises, reduce their motivation. They should train 4-6 reps for volume, then 1-3 for strength.

For isolation exercises, they may go up to 8-10 reps for volume and 6-8 for strength.

Shorter pauses and fast-paced workouts suit them better: they need high adrenaline levels to stay focused.

6 - Means, methods and strategies

Variety can also be achieved in this way. There is no need to constantly change exercises.

Resources

Aids such as chains and elastics, replace the axle with a wider one or one of the special ones, one-arms, kettlebell, pulleys.

Methods

How to perform repetitions. Alternate speed of execution, add isometric pause, perform partial reps, etc.

Strategies

Organization of sets and use of intensification (such as crash sets and sets with a break). It is optimal to alternate the strategy every two weeks. In extreme cases, even every week. It doesn't have to be drastic changes.

Strategies where the reps change every set are best. Examples: wave periodization (5/4/3/5/4/3), decreasing repetitions (5/4/3/2/1) or contrasts (3/6/3/6).

If it is to be more reps, the feeling must remain as if there are few: e.g. concentrated sets, sets with a break, isometric pre-fatigue and post-fatigue, etc.

Series with the same number of reps demotivate them, especially for heavy exercises. If you want to completely take the zest out of this type of athlete, have them do GVT.

Warming up with the same number of reps is fine, because gradually adding weight. gives it a sense of challenge.

7 - Order of exercises

Remember, we're not talking about warming up here. Type 1 athletes are better suited when the main exercise is second in the workout. Neurological activation takes them a while, so it's better to start the workout with an isolated exercise that will be a preparation or stabilization for the main exercise.

Dopamine levels drop precipitously, or leaving the main exercise for too late will have the same result as too much work: rapid dopamine depletion.

8 - Adding

Type 1 doesn't really like working with percentages. Better to use RM and the maximum weight they can handle with good technique.

They will usually hate the 5/3/1 system or my 915 workout. Both are good, but since it adds up the same, they will be demotivating for adventurers.

They are better suited to drastic phase changes (accumulation/intensification). For these people, it works if they completely change their training style every 3 months.

Optimal diet for type 2

• This neurological type is better suited to a diet lower in carbohydrates, higher in fat, and moderate to high in protein. They don't necessarily lose weight this way, but they do feel better and have fewer cravings for bad things.
• A low-carbohydrate diet lowers serotonin. Since this type of people have high serotonin, they are not as affected by this reduction. They may even increase motivation and capacity because the ratio of dopamine to serotonin is improved.
• They need to increase calories more often in their diet. When leptin is high, the body feels fed and the metabolism runs. When it drops, cravings come.
• Low leptin increases dopamine response. When that happens, just the thought of bad food causes dopamine levels to rise. It'll be virtually impossible to stay on the diet. Leptin will drop if you go on a strict diet for a long time without a break. Adventurers will need to eat more often. Ideal will be 3-4 days of intense dieting and 1 day with increased caloric intake from quality food, not junk.
• Type 1 athletes should avoid high sugar foods which can overstimulate dopamine receptors and lead to addiction.
• They are better suited to short, intense diets (3-6 weeks of a large calorie deficit).
• They should use BCAAs as little as possible, as these fight with L-Dopa for transporters and can lower dopamine levels.
• Pre-workout carbs can drastically lower cortisol levels, and induce an anabolic environment in most people. Type 1, however, may have a problem with this. In fact, it could spike their serotonin, which is already high. Both motivation and work capacity require high dopamine levels relative to serotonin.
• The only carbohydrate that will work for adventurers pre-workout is highly branched cyclic dextrin because of its low glycemic index and insulin response.
  GlycoDex Pure® and Glycodex Pro® will be a good pre-workout strategy.
• In the diet, most of the carbohydrates should come around training. They can be given in volume in the morning, but not in the evening.
• Type 1's should avoid large meals during the day as they will be malnourished and without energy afterwards. A better strategy is a big dinner.

Next time...

Expect the same article next time, this time about Type 2: Reward Addicted.

Source: www.t-nation.com - Unlock Natural Gains: Neuro Type 1
By Christian Thibaudeau