Maximum natural gains: The Neurotyping System Part 1

Why your training doesn't work

Have you ever done an exercise program without getting results? Was it a smart program developed by a renowned trainer? Have your friends tried that program and got great results, but you haven't?

Have you ever forced yourself to follow a training plan because it just didn't motivate you? Maybe you've even felt guilty about it. Or maybe you thought that your "bad genetic predispositions" were the reason you weren't seeing results. Or did you simply think that the program was no good, even though other people seem to love it?

This kind of thing is common. And the problem is not the program, your training motivation, or your genetic predisposition. Rather, the problem is that the program doesn't fit your psychological and neurological profile - which is basically your personality.

This is not hobby psychology. Your personality profile is genetically predetermined by the balance of your neurotransmitters - and your neurotransmitters control everything.

The nervous system is the boss

The nervous system is responsible for the recruitment of muscle fibers and also determines how many muscle fibers you can stimulate to grow. It is also responsible for coordination and performance during heavy basic exercises.

You may already know this, but here's something interesting that you may not know: your nervous system is also the control center of your motivation. It also plays a major role in your response to stress and determines how much energy, focus and work capacity you will have during a training session.

The key to training success is simply this: train hard in a focused way. You can't do this - at least not for long - if your program doesn't motivate you. And in order to be motivated by a program, that program must fit your neurological profile. Learning how to use your neurological nature to your advantage will also help you feel better in general and become more productive in other areas of your life.

Neurotransmitter balance and your personality

Your personality type will give you clues about your neurotransmitter balance - which neurotransmitters have high levels and which have low levels. Your behavior - whether you are aware of it or not - is strongly influenced by these levels.

That's why I evaluate the personality profile of every bodybuilder, athlete or CrossFitter I train. This evaluation gives me a good idea of that person's neurotransmitter balance. I then use this information when planning the training program.

If the workout is not a good fit for your profile type, it can lead to fatigue, a reduction in motivation, a stronger stress response and even injury. And it will certainly cause a lack of progress. This may be the reason you're doing "the best program in the world" but still not seeing results. For optimal results, your training needs to match your type.

In the Neurotyping System, I will describe the three primary personality types and discuss which neurotransmitters have high or low levels and how this should influence your training, diet and supplement choices.

The 3 neurotypes

I have worked with various personality tests and assessments over the years. I have also consulted psychologists and other experts to find the best method. The Cloninger Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) is the most widely accepted system in the scientific community and I have tested it with hundreds of strength athletes and other athletes.

The TCI is a personality trait inventory based on a psychological model. In a nutshell, people have different personality types because they have different genetically predetermined levels of certain neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. When scientists measured the levels of these neurotransmitters and compared them with the personality traits of the test subjects, they found a direct link.

There are three primary profile types:

• Type 1: This type has low dopamine levels, so they strive to try new things to increase their naturally low dopamine release. In a way, these people are adrenaline junkies. In the field of psychology, this type is also known as the novelty-seeking type.
• Type 2: This type has low norepinephrine levels. Since norepinephrine is associated with self-confidence and a sense of well-being, these people seek affirmations and rewards to increase their norepinephrine levels. This ranges from social affirmation (such as pleasing everyone else) to achieving goals. This type is also known in the scientific community as the reward-dependent type.
• Type 3: This type is associated with low serotonin levels. These people do not like change. They like to master repetitive activities. "Technique nerds" fit this profile. In the field of psychology, this type is also referred to as the harm avoidance type.

You don't have to take a formal test to get a pretty good idea of which type you belong to. Here is a brief summary:

Type 1: The novelty seeker

This type is associated with low dopaminergic activity. This means that your decision making is primarily influenced by your need to increase your dopamine levels. Your baseline dopamine levels are low and your receptors are sensitive. Under the right circumstances, these receptors can produce surges of dopamine.

Because the receptors are so sensitive, you can become 'addicted'. You are constantly on the lookout for the next dopamine surge. If you fall into this category, then you need excitement and intense activities or activities that produce a strong adrenaline rush. You are also easily bored by something and naturally curious and can be quite impatient.

This type needs a range of different stimuli and challenges. He is naturally attracted to non-repetitive activities. They quickly become bored with repetitive activities such as endurance training or training programs that are repeated over and over again. These people do not do well in endurance sports, mainly due to the boredom associated with them, but also because they tend to have high serotonin levels. When dopamine levels are low in relation to serotonin levels, work capacity decreases.

The constantly seeking novelty type is extroverted and copes well with everyday life situations. He is also a competitive type. He likes challenges and loves to learn new things. This type gets excited by learning a new exercise, which is true even if the new activity is difficult. It's "new" and stimulating - and that's all that matters.

Sport

When it comes to sports, this type is more attracted to extreme sports, contact sports like American football and martial arts. He is good at individual sports, which is especially true for activities of short duration (sprints, throws, jumps, etc.)

Training with weights

This type tends to be more attracted to performance-oriented strength sports than bodybuilding competitions. These are the ones who become good CrossFit athletes. Elite powerlifters can also fall into this category - especially those who are naturally drawn to a training system with a lot of variety, such as the Westside Barbell System.

Nutrition

This type does well on a low-carb diet, where carbohydrates are only consumed around training, but needs more frequent refeeds every third or fourth day. This type is also better off with a higher protein intake.

Type 2: The reward seeker

This type is associated with lower baseline norepinephrine levels. This neurotransmitter is not only uplifting, but is also responsible for a general sense of well-being and self-confidence. Low norepinephrine levels lead to a depressed state, a lack of arousal and low motivation. To counteract this, this type looks for 'rewards' to increase their norepinephrine levels, but this can also lead to them being at a higher risk of addiction.

This is the type of person who wants to please others and whose self-confidence is based on how others perceive them. It is very important for these people to be liked, respected and even admired.

These people cope well with social situations because they want to feel valued and recognized. They are sociable, empathetic and very sensitive to subtle social cues, which makes it easy for them to make friends, which they also need. They really do care about other people. However, because of their dependence on others' perceptions and their desire to please others, they can also be easily taken advantage of.

This type of personality will do anything to help others, even if it means falling short themselves. These people are driven by looking good and being liked in the presence of others. For them, there is nothing worse than disappointing others. Because of this attitude, they will go to great lengths to achieve their goals.

Sports

They tend to cope less well with individual sports as they put themselves under a lot of pressure. They are therefore generally not particularly good at individual sports, but make good team players. They are rarely the "superstars", but they are willing to do whatever it takes to help the team and earn respect.

Training with weights

They are attracted to bodybuilding and physical sports because looking great is a way to earn the admiration of others and build self-confidence. However, when it comes to competitions (bodybuilding, figure classes, etc.), they may find it much harder than others to perform at their best, as the stress of being judged increases their cortisol levels, which promotes water retention and makes it harder to recharge muscles with glycogen.

Nutrition

This type is usually good at sticking to a nutrition plan when he has to account for this. He will do this because he wants to please his nutrition coach. However, because food can be seen as a reward, this type can also easily become addicted to cheat foods and junk food. These are the people who need to banish all "bad" foods from their diet and who may only do refeeds with foods that are already part of their regular diet.

Type 3: The harm avoider

The harm avoider is associated with low serotonin levels that affect their behavior and how they feel. Low serotonin levels can lead to faster fatigue and lower baseline energy levels. If you fit this profile, then you probably tend to avoid unpleasant situations, punishment and conflict to a greater extent than other people. You feel best in family situations that you can control.

These people tend to be shy and introverted. They are more vulnerable to criticism and even constructive criticism can cause discomfort and anxiety. Their higher levels of anxiety lead to an overproduction of cortisol, which can affect their muscle gains.

Unexpected changes in plans upset this type of person and cause a huge stress response. These people are usually careful planners, especially when a situation represents potential harm or risk. For this reason, they are well organized. Under stress, however, they can feel inhibited by anxiety, which can lead to procrastination - or "procrastinationitis" - and problems making decisions.

The driving force in harm avoiders is to stay away from stress and injury. When it comes to exercise, these people tend to be more attracted to routine activities that they have already mastered in the past. Unlike the type who is always looking for something new, this type doesn't like variety and new things at the gym. For example, he will be stressed out by learning new complex exercises.

However, these people have excellent focus when training. They are perfectionists and often "technical nerds". However, they tend to be more conservative in their choice of training weights. They are good at sticking to plans, which can sometimes border on OCD.

Sports

This type is more attracted to sports that are less unpredictable and have a low risk factor. He does not like contact sports or sports where random events are an important part of the game.

Training with weights

This type does better with static programs where the exercises and other variables (methods, load patterns and rest intervals) only change gradually. A good example would be 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler.

This type has a stronger cortisol response to stress than other people due to his higher level of anxiety. Even though this type has a very high work capacity, too much volume can limit his gains due to an overproduction of cortisol.

Diet

This type does not usually cope particularly well with a diet with limited carbohydrate intake. He needs at least a minimal amount of carbohydrate at each meal to both lower cortisol levels and prevent serotonin levels from dropping even further. Carbohydrates before exercise (to lower cortisol levels) and late in the evening (to raise serotonin levels) are particularly important.

What type are you?

What is your neurological type? And what does this mean when it comes to training and nutrition? The rest of this article series will deal with these questions. By the end, you will know exactly how you should train and how you should eat to achieve your goals.

Once you've chosen the right program for your type, you'll be shocked by the gains you'll make. This type of typing represents the future of training.

Source:https://www.t-nation.com/training/nonstop-natural-gains-the-neuro-typing-system

By Christian Thibaudeau