Maximize your natural gains part 2

Neurotype 1 - the constant seeker of novelty

Part 1 of this article series included an introduction to neurotyping. In a nutshell, the baseline levels of 3 neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine) significantly influence your personality and dictate how you should train and how you should eat in order to achieve the best possible results.

Your personality profile is largely determined by these three types of neurotransmitters, with baseline levels of these chemical messengers being genetically predetermined.

The three basic personality types are as follows:

• Type 1: The constant seeker of novelty
• Type 2: The reward addict
• Type 3: The harm avoider

Each type has its positive and negative characteristics. If you adopt a training style that doesn't suit your psychological and neurological type, then no matter how well that program is put together, you simply won't achieve significant results.

In this series of articles, we will take a closer look at these three neurotypes and what type of training, nutrition and supplementation is best for them. To determine your type, you should read through the first part of this article series.

Below we will look at the constant 'novelty seeker'. This type has low dopamine levels, which means that they are constantly looking for something new to stimulate the release of dopamine. You could also call this type an "adrenaline junkie".

Optimal training for type 1: the constant seeker of novelty

1 - Training preparation

Relatively speaking, this type has lower dopamine levels than serotonin levels. He needs to increase his dopamine levels before the actual training session begins in order to have good motivation and work capacity. If he does not do this, his performance during the first part of his training session will suffer.

For this reason, it is very important for this type of athlete to focus on activation exercises before the actual training session begins: Jumps, throws, high speed movements, etc. The focus here must be on speed - he must perform fast movements without generating too much fatigue.

Example: 3 sets of 5 vertical jumps. Or hitting a tire with a sledgehammer for 3 sets of 12 seconds.

As for the primary heavy exercise of the day, this guy should gradually increase the working weight as he performs heavier and heavier sets and focus on compensatory acceleration (CAT). This involves accelerating the weight as much as possible during the concentric or lifting phase of a repetition. This acceleration will increase strength production and make the nervous system more active through a release of dopamine.

Such an increase should start at around 60% of the maximum weight. Before performing the actual work sets, 5 sets with a gradual increase in weight should be performed. These 5 sets should be performed with the same number of repetitions - or fewer repetitions - that you plan for your work sets. The goal is to activate the nervous system without generating fatigue.

A gradual increase could look like this:

Preparation sets:

• Set 0: empty bar x 10
• Set 1: 165 x 3
• Set 2: 195 x 3
• Set 3: 215 x 3
• Set 4: 235 x 3
• Set 5: 255 x 3

Note: Use a maximum concentric acceleration for sets 1 to 5.

Working sets:

• Set 6: 275 x 5
• Set 7: 275 x 5
• Set 8: 275 x 5
• Set 9: 275 x 5

Remember that dopamine and adrenaline are linked. Dopamine is used to produce norepinephrine, which in turn is used to produce epinephrine/adrenaline. So anything that stimulates you will increase your dopamine levels.

However, you should be careful not to overdo it. This type has low baseline dopamine levels and can produce spurts of dopamine, but there will be a dip if it has produced too much. If this happens during training, willpower and motivation will go down the drain.

2 - Training variation

The exerciser of this neurotype needs a lot of variation in their training. He is the typical "I can't follow a program" type. They always want to try something new. If you have him do a program like the 5/3/1 or "The Power Look" (programs based on doing the same thing over and over again), he will quickly become demotivated and not get results.

We often say that you have to stick with a program to make progress, but with this type of exerciser this is not necessarily true. Remember that whatever helps you train the hardest will give you the best results. With a static program, those constantly looking for something new will easily become bored and lose their focus if the program becomes too routine. In their case, a lack of variety is a stress factor.

This neurotype...

• Can stay with a program for 2 weeks.
• Will get better results with multiple types of stimulation within a week.
• Will achieve better results when different types of stimuli are integrated into a training session.
• Will achieve very good results with cybernetic periodization (freedom within a structure). Here, the first heavy basic exercise of the training session is planned in advance, but the supporting exercises are chosen based on the performance in the main exercise.

Surprisingly, a lot of powerlifters belong to this type. The Westside Barbell System is the perfect example. Here, the main exercise changes every one to two weeks, three types of stimulation are used per week (four if you add conditioning) and cybernetic periodization is used by choosing daily assistance exercises based on performance on the main exercise. Oddly enough, CrossFit is also a perfect example, which is especially true for the shorter WODs of 8 to 15 minutes duration.

However, the need for variation doesn't mean you have to change all the variables. For example, you can change the exercises or keep the exercises and change the methods.

3 - Training frequency

Exercisers of this neurotype do better with shorter but more frequent training sessions. These types of training sessions increase dopamine levels without leading to a slump.

For this neurotype, a training-free day is less effective than a short training session with restorative training. If he allows himself two training-free days in a row, this will have a negative impact on his trainability - it will take 30 to 40 minutes just to get into the training zone. His motor control and motivation will suffer too much from this break.

A very hard training session that includes a lot of heavy training (a high volume on a heavy exercise) or a training session with maximum effort (going up to 1, 2 or 3RM on the heavy basic exercises) can deplete his dopamine reserves. It can then take days to replenish them. When this happens, this neurotype will either hit a wall two hours after their workout or they will feel lethargic, irritable or unmotivated the next day.

When this happens, this neurotype needs restorative training sessions. Restorative training sessions need to be short in duration and focus on explosive training. These workouts should not cause any metabolic fatigue. In fact, you should have more energy after such a training session than before.

During restorative workouts, you should not even come close to muscle failure, as the speed of exercise execution should never slow down. You also need to keep the "beat" of the training session high without turning it into a conditioning session.

The Westside training day with dynamic effort is mainly based on replenishing the dopamine stores depleted during maximum effort training sessions. Most Westside guys are likely to be extroverted, competitive, neurotype trainers who are constantly seeking novelty.

A good weekly ratio of training sessions for this neurotype consists of two high-load training sessions, two moderate-load training sessions and two restorative training sessions per week:

• Day 1: High load
• Day 2: Restorative training session
• Day 3: Moderate load
• Day 4: High load
• Day 5: Restorative training session
• Day 6: Moderate load
• Day 7: No training

Or 6 training sessions within 8 days:

• Day 1: High load
• Day 2: Restorative training session
• Day 3: Moderate load
• Day 4: No training
• Day 5: High load
• Day 6: Restorative training session
• Day 7: Moderate load
• Day 8: No training

Remember that if this neurotype has two training-free days in a row, this will cause his training quality to suffer, as his nervous system will be "listless".

4 - Training volume

The work capacity of exercisers of this neurotype is quite low. They are very efficient at strength training and explosive training, but their performance also declines quickly. However, there are exceptions: If an exerciser of this type has high acetylcholine levels, they can tolerate higher volume better, but these are the genetic freaks among power athletes.

Here are some guidelines:

• Type 1 exercisers should focus on sticking to 45 to 60 minute workouts (after training preparation). This is not to avoid a drop in testosterone levels or an increase in cortisol levels, but to avoid depleting dopamine stores, decreasing focus and motivation. Train hard and go home afterwards.
• A training session consisting of one main exercise and two exercise pairings (e.g. antagonistic pairings or supersets) for a total of 5 exercises works well. The exercise pairings reduce the feeling of routine.
• This type can use minimalist training (multiple sets of 1 to 2 exercises per training session), but should use multiple methods within the training session to prevent a sense of routine and repetition.
• Extreme constant novelty seekers - who are super explosive but have a short attention span - will be able to tolerate a total of 9 to 12 sets of work within a training session. These 9 to 12 sets are not per muscle group, but per training session. However, the average exerciser of this type can manage 16 to 18 sets during the entire training session.

5 - Training intensity: weights and repetitions

Neurotype 1 athletes achieve better results with lower repetitions and explosive or heavy training. Longer repetitions will reduce their motivation, especially with the big basic exercises. For heavy basic exercises, exercisers of this type should stick to sets of 4 to 6 repetitions if they are building muscle and sets of 1 to 3 repetitions if the focus is on strength.

For smaller isolation exercises, they can go up to 8 to 10 repetitions per set if they are trying to build muscle mass and use sets of 6 to 8 repetitions if they are focusing on building strength.

This type is also better off with shorter rest intervals and training at a higher cadence as they need to keep adrenaline levels high to stay focused.

6 - Equipment, methods & strategies

These are other ways of integrating variation into training. The guy who is always looking for something new doesn't always have to replace all the exercises - he can also change the way he performs them.

Equipment

This refers to tools that are used when performing a movement pattern. Replacing a regular bar with a so-called "fat" bar with a significantly larger diameter, for example, represents a major change. Other equipment whose use can be varied includes bars with different grip angles, chains, bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, pulleys and much more.

Methods

This refers to how the repetitions are performed. Examples of variations include changing the speed of movement during the concentric (lifting) or eccentric (lowering) phase of the repetition, inserting isometric pauses during the concentric or eccentric phase, performing partial repetitions, etc.

Strategies

This refers to how the sets are organized (sets x repetitions) and the use of intensity techniques such as rest/pause and descending sets.

For neurotype 1 exercisers, changing equipment, methods or strategies every two weeks is optimal. Extreme cases should even make changes every week, which is especially true for very experienced exercisers. These don't have to be huge changes - it's enough if the exercises feel slightly different to keep the training interesting and stimulate a slightly stronger release of dopamine.

Exercisers of this type respond best to strategies where the number of repetitions varies from set to set.

Examples: Wavelike load changes (5/4/3/5/4/3), descending sets (5/4/3/2/1) or contrasting sets (3/6/3/6/3/6).

If these exercisers want to use higher repetition numbers, then they will respond better to strategies that continue to give the feeling of low repetition numbers.

Examples: Cluster sets, rest/pause, myo reps, isometric contractions after reaching the point of exhaustion, isometric contractions before reaching the point of exhaustion, etc.

Straightforward sets where the same number of repetitions are performed with the same weight are very demotivating for exercisers of the constantly seeking novelty type, which is especially true for the big basic exercises. This could reduce the release of dopamine. If you really want to demotivate this type of exerciser and make them stop exercising, then you need to have them perform a German Volume workout with 10 sets of 10 repetitions per exercise.

Increasing using the same number of reps (e.g. performing sets of 3 reps with an increase in weight on each set) is fine, as the change in weight creates a sense of challenge, which motivates this type.

7 - Exercise sequence

Keep in mind that when we talk about the order of exercises here, we are not including workout preparation. We assume that correct preparation has already been carried out.

Neurotype 1 exercisers achieve better results when the main exercise of the day is performed as the second exercise. For them, neurological activation takes a little longer, which is why it is best to start training with an isolation exercise for the main muscle group or a stabilizing muscle group (e.g. latissimus in the bench press (peripheral activation)) of the following heavy basic exercise.

Dopamine levels rise rapidly, so performing the heavy basic exercise late in the training session will have the same effect as performing a training session with maximum effort or performing too high a volume: a rapid depletion of dopamine reserves.

8 - Progression model

Neurotype 1 exercisers do not cope well with a progression model based on percentages. They quickly lose interest and feel trapped in this scheme. The RM system - using the heaviest weight with which the prescribed number of repetitions can be performed with good form - is more effective. This system makes the workout seem more "open" and "adaptable".

This neurotype will usually hate programs like the 5/3/1 program. Because such programs use a fixed progression model, they can be really demotivating for the constant seeker of novelty.

This neurotype responds better to drastic phase changes (accumulation/intensification). These are the exercisers who get good results when they completely change their training style every three months or so.

The optimal diet for neurotype 1

• This neurotype achieves good results with a low carbohydrate diet with a higher fat content and moderate to high protein intake. This will not necessarily make him lose fat faster, but he will feel better and suffer from fewer cravings. Low carbohydrate diets lower serotonin levels. Since this guy has high serotonin levels, such a reduction will not have any negative effects. It could even improve his work capacity and motivation by increasing the ratio of dopamine to serotonin.
• During a diet, the neurotype 1 exerciser will need more frequent refeeds. When levels of the hormone leptin are high, the body feels good and the metabolic rate remains high. When leptin levels drop, the metabolic rate decreases and cravings increase.
• Low leptin levels also lead to an overreaction of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) - the dopamine response is increased. When this happens, dopamine levels will rise even when you are just thinking about cheat foods. This will make it almost impossible to stick to a diet. Leptin levels will drop if you go on a restriction diet for too long without breaks. As a result, the constant seeker of novelty will need more frequent refeeds. A regimen of 3 to 4 days of intense dieting followed by a refeed day - with quality foods to avoid an excessive dopamine response and an addiction to fast food - works best.
• Neurotype 1 exercisers should avoid "cheat foods" that are high in sugar, as these can overstimulate dopamine receptors and increase the risk of "sugar cravings".
• This neurotype is better off with short but intensive diet phases (3 to 6 weeks with a high calorie deficit) than with longer, more moderate diets.
• This neurotype should minimize the use of isolated BCAAs, as they compete with L-dopa for transport across the blood-brain barrier, which lowers dopamine levels.
• Pre-workout carbohydrate consumption can dramatically lower cortisol levels and promote a more anabolic environment. However, neurotype 1 exercisers may have problems with pre-workout carbohydrates as they can increase serotonin levels, which are already high beforehand. However, motivation, work capacity and training aggression require a higher ratio of dopamine to serotonin.
• The only type of carbohydrate that works well for this neurotype before exercise is highly branched cyclic dextrins, as these have a low glycemic index and do not affect insulin levels.
• During a fat loss diet, most carbohydrates should be consumed during the time around training. During a mass-building phase, a few carbohydrates in the morning are fine, while carbohydrates in the evening should be avoided.
• This neurotype should avoid large meals during the day as these will lead to a shift into parasympathetic mode, making the exerciser sluggish and less energized. A large dinner is a better strategy. In the next part of this article series, we will cover training, nutrition and supplementation for neurotype 2 - the reward dependent.

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/unlock-natural-gains-neuro-type-1

By Christian Thibaudeau