Neurological Type 2: Reward Dependent

We are here with the fourth 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

Part three takes a closer look at the first neurological type: the Adventurer.

In this article, we look in more detail at the second type, the reward-dependent. We'll look at what kind of training will best suit such people and how they should eat.

This type of person seeks recognition and goal accomplishment because they need to increase their norepinephrine levels.

Optimal training for Type 2: Reward Dependent

1 - Training Preparation

Type 2 athletes need a sense of competence. Getting into technique and feeling the muscles work is essential. So you need to practice the basic exercises thoroughly.

This may mean practicing many preparatory sets or activating the muscles involved in the main exercise. This type does not need as much emphasis on myofascial release (rolling) and dynamic stretching as the others.

Preparatory series shouldn't waste too much energy, as these people subconsciously believe it will rob them of power. This will hurt motivation.

This type has two choices for warming up before the main exercise.

Option 1

Use a 1.5 to 1 ratio for the prep and work sets, but do fewer reps in the prep.

These could look like this:

Preparatory series:

• Series 0: Axis x 10
• Series 1: 60 x 5
• Series 2: 75 x 5
• Series 3: 85 x 5
• Series 4: 95 x 5
• Series 5: 100 x 5
• Series 6: 110 x 5

Working series:

• Series 7: 110 x 8
• Series 8: 110 x 8
• Series 9: 110 x 8
• Series 10: 110 x 8

Option 2

Practice fewer preparatory sets with the same number of reps as the working sets and a 1:1 ratio.

These could look like the following:

Preparatory series:

• Series 0: Axis x 10
• Series 1: 60 x 8
• Series 2: 85 x 8
• Series 3: 95 x 8
• Series 4: 100 x 8

Working series:

• Series 5: 110 x 8
• Series 6: 110 x 8
• Series 7: 110 x 8
• Series 8: 110 x 8

The performance should not be too explosive in either option. Technique and neuromuscular connection are important. Slow lowering of the weights and accelerated but controlled lifting will further add competence.

2 - Training variations

This type of person needs variety, but not as much as type 1. They need to see that they have improved on an exercise before they switch it up. Changing after two weeks may be too soon. This is especially true with complex exercises. Improving promotes motivation.

Complex exercises should stay the same for at least 4 weeks, ideally 6. Isolated exercises can be changed more frequently. Technique must be good. Frequent changes of exercises can make people feel that they have not fully mastered the technique.

The biggest demotivation is the feeling that they have not mastered the technique of a complex exercise. Changing an exercise they have just learned well can also kill motivation.

For isolated exercises, the biggest demotivator is lack of feel. Feel free to change an exercise that doesn't feel right.

If you're a coach and you need to change something in your training, pass it off as a positive. If you tell them that you're going to change the classic squats to front squats because they can't master the technique on the classic squats, you'll devastate their motivation.

3 - Training frequency and distribution

This type is better suited to unified workouts - training one type of movement or one muscle group in one unit. This will allow them to feel more competent, pumped up and positive.

They tolerate frequency well, in fact it is excellent for them as it increases their norepinephrine levels. They should exercise 5-6 times a week. There are three ways to break it down:

Split by type of exercise:

• Day 1: Squat and assistance exercises
• Day 2: Bench and auxiliary exercises
• Day 3: Free
• Day 4: Deadlift and auxiliary exercises
• Day 5: Overhead Press and Auxiliary Exercises
• Day 6: Deadlift exercises
• Day 7: Free time

Muscle Split:

• Day 1: Quadriceps
• Day 2: Chest and Shoulders
• Day 3: Free time
• Day 4: Back
• Day 5: Hamstrings
• Day 6: Armpits
• Day 7: Free

Split push-pull-legs:

• Day 1: Pulling muscles
• Day 2: Pressure muscles
• Day 3: Legs
• Day 4: Free time
• Repeat

The worst thing for this type is a bad workout. If they are not rested and perform poorly in the gym, it can demotivate them.

4 - Volume training

This type can easily become addicted to the stimulus. They always want more. Whether for the rise in norepinephrine levels or for the respect of others. The risk is that they start to focus more on how much work they do than how much they improve.

This is due to physiological and psychological factors: the rise in norepinephrine levels and the desire to impress others. These people may have self-confidence issues, which they will address with their appearance. This puts high demands on themselves, especially if the gym is full of people, and this can lead to a rise in cortisol levels.

They need enough volume to come pumping and fatigue at the end of the workout. However, too much volume will prevent them from improving due to cortisol.

A good base will be workouts lasting 75-90 minutes with 20-25 sets.

5 - Training intensity

Type 2 athletes need to feel good about their workouts. Either getting pumped up or working hard enough with solid technique will do that. They are better suited to traditional bodybuilding methods that stress the neuromuscular connection.

They can also be strong and train accordingly. They want to impress. But they will put high demands on themselves in terms of weight lifted, which could lead to injury or poor results. These are the people who exaggerate about the weights they lift.

They just want to look good. Letting them train number one or prepare for competition will greatly increase their risk of injury.

For volume, a rep range between 6-12 works better for them. This is the ideal amount to get the muscles tight and pumped up, which they will enjoy.

For strength, they should stick between 3-5 reps. They may indulge in the occasional deuce, but they should avoid ones because they subconsciously see it as a test, and it raises their cortisol levels.

Mentally, a max test is 2-3 times more stressful for this type than a 3 rep set.

6 - Means, methods and strategies

These are better to vary more for this type than the exercises themselves. This is especially true with complex exercises. Feeling ineffective in training and changing them too often can seriously undermine motivation and results.

For volume, a slower pace works better for them, including isometric holds, partial reps, and methods such as crash sets and burst sets. They will respond well to anything that adds pump.

Oddly enough, explosive exercises like sprints, jumps and throws also work for them. Basic athletic exercises are positive for them.

Difficult athletic exercises (weightlifting or gymnastics) can be a double-edged sword. If they fail, they will lose motivation.

Short breaks between sets also work well for them, which releases more adrenaline. For heavy exercises, longer breaks are better so that performance doesn't decline.

7 - The order of exercises

The main exercises should come first in the workout or only after the activation exercise. This type of people will then be positive throughout the workout.

Since they are better suited to increased adrenaline levels and a sense of competence, they should practice a large number of warm-up sets.

Combinations work well for them: supersets, complexes, circles, alternating sets, etc. Stretching with weights is also good for core muscle training. This should come at the end of the workout.

8 - Adding

This type of person needs to see progress. Block or wave periodization, where the style of training completely changes at each stage, will not work as well as a linear model. The periodization should be mainly about the main exercise. Isolated work should be trained more according to fatigue.

For the main exercises, the double-add model is best suited. This consists of choosing a number of reps, for example 8, and working all the work sets with the same weight. You only add when you have completed the selected number of reps in all sets. So in our example, this would mean that if you only do 8,8,8,7 reps in four sets, you would train with the same weight next workout.

Percentages don't really work for them. Sometimes they will find the scheduled weight too light, other times too heavy. Both are toxic to their motivation.

9 - Deload and form tuning

Deload is used to restore training capacity. This is done by restoring neurotransmitter levels, hormones, glycogen and returning inflammation levels to normal. Form tuning is a method of deload that serves to prepare for performance on a particular day.

Type 2 athletes have a fear of competition. They often fail in individual sports. Fear of failure sometimes drives them to overdo it during the week of form tuning. This is especially true in strength sports, where these people are still pushing their limits the week before a competition. This puts a strain on their nervous system, and then they fail at the competition.

They also get stressed the week leading up to the competition, which negatively affects performance and recovery. In aesthetic sports like bodybuilding, this can mean higher water retention and poor glycogen handling.

As a coach, this will cost you a lot of checking and cheering in the last week before a competition. Various methods of calming down such as meditation, massage, etc. are recommended.

If we are talking only about a deload designed for rest, here it will be optimal to leave the main exercise unchanged, but instead of assisting exercises use only methods for active recovery. 20-25 minutes for the main exercise, 15-20 for active recovery in each workout.

Optimal diet for type 2

• This neurological type is better suited to a diet with a moderate amount of carbohydrates. I would see a zone diet where 40% of calories come from protein, 30% from carbs and 30% from fat as a good start.
• They are prone to cheating because food is a reward for them. They will reward a good workout with junk food. I personally don't use days when you are allowed to eat everything at all with this type. I've seen a few even gain fat after they started going to the gym.
• Rather, they should have days where they eat more carbs. No need to schedule them though, because not much is needed. With 30% of calories from carbs, they don't deplete glycogen easily, leptin doesn't plummet, and T4 to T3 conversion shouldn't be affected.
• If controlled, they can be good at dieting. For example, if you measure their fat every two weeks, they will be good because they will want to please you.
• I actually don't put much stock in measuring fat, even with a callipers. Trainers can't do it anyway, and the measurement doesn't tell you anything afterwards. But for type 2, it's crucial that they be measured at all. Letting them take pictures will have the same effect. They'll be on a diet.
• This type of person has more opioid receptors in their brain, which gives them a greater response to sugar. They like sweets more, and it's easy to become addicted.
• To diet successfully, they need to have accountability, avoiding the wrong foods and eating at pleasurable things. No chips in front of the TV. And they have to get rid of the feeling that food is a reward.

Next time...

Expect the same article next time, this time about Type 3: Safe.

Source: www.t-nation.com - Double Your Natural Gains: Neuro Type 2
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