danmirage
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- Joined: 11/20/2005
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The sets/reps volume question
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Thursday, January 24, 2008 2:54 PM
Just unearthing this lost post....
All lifters do not respond the same to a certain training regimen for some very simple reasons. A few reasons would be: training history, diet, rest, genetics, stress, attitude, variations in adherence...
However, in a clinical setting all the like lifters will respond nearly the same within a statistically significant measure. What does that mean?
It means everyone who has been training with 24 sets per bodypart with 8-10 reps and eating 500 calories over maintenance will respond similarly to a change to 4 sets per bodypart with 10-12 reps to MMF (momentary muscle failure) with only 30 second rests.
So, the notion that everyone is "Individual" has more to do with history than any physiological difference. We share the same physiology but are biologically diverse...
Let me say now for clarity that diet and nutrition timing are a critical part of this puzzle...and I will not talk again about diet. Simply, if your nutrition is not adequate for the body to put on more muscle...you will not put on more muscle.
[For those who use stimulants -caffeine, ephedra, etc - before your lifting...keep in mind that just because you are able to train for 2 hours and 50 sets does not mean it is good for you.]
I believe standing the question is:
"How many sets can I do to produce optimal muscle gains?"
The question and the thinking behind it are flawed...so the answers to it carry that flaw forward.
The answer is:
You only need to challenge the body and muscle sufficient to bring about the desired adaptive response...then support recovery as completely as possible.
Because the body adapts quickly to stimuli, you need to vary the challenge to get the body to continue to respond with desirable adaptations.
(Stick with me while I hopefully add to your pallet of potential ways to challenge the body...)
The common 1-dimensional thinking led to adding another rep, more weight or sets as the standard ways to vary the challenge. Invariably this leads to a frustrating plateau or injury.
2-dimensional thinking identified that there had to me more to the intensity equation than weight x reps x sets.
Some of the other variables included: movement pace, total exercise time, exercise type, exercise frequency...
3-dimensional thinking identified more variables that interwove into the equation: exercise progression, routine progression, program focus, mind-muscle link, attitude and focus...
To bring even more to the pallet we can choose from, we now have planes of motion that we can consciously manipulate to elicit more neural response, and ways to consciously coax more hormonal response from the body.
All together this might give us a whole new question...and it should.
"What do I need to do in order to insure that I am maintaining an ongoing challenge for my body and muscle that is sufficient to bring about the desired adaptive response...and how do I support recovery as completely as possible?"
I hope that makes some of you rethink the way you have been looking at training! I know it is only the question...but you have to have the right question...if you want the answer.
Going back the the issue that everyone thinks is important...that being how many sets (a one dimensional question..but since so many people train in one dimensional routines...perhaps it needs answering).
Research has shown that untrained athletes respond differently than trained athletes. We will call anyone who has trained under 6 months untrained.
Additionally the goal of your training is also critical in determining what will be effective: power, strength, hypertrophy, endurance, a sport specific goal...etc.
Lets talk about hypertrophy.
Untrained athletes respond to any training and should start with low endurance type training (1-3 sets, 12-25 reps, slow with focus on perfect form, training the body 3 time a week) and, in 1-4 weeks, progress to strength training . After a few weeks of strength training they should shift to hypertrophy type training.
For experienced lifters, Trainer Chad Waterbury has proposed a set/rep volume of 24-50 for each body part during each session for hypertrophy. For instance 8 sets x 3 reps would be a set/rep volume of 24. There is some reasonable justification for this but the discussion will have to go on without brining up all of these clinical findings.
Keep in mind..you want to start with the least amount of work to get the desired result! You will always have to shift and change...so leave lots of room!
Whatever you are doing now, your body has probably adapted to it. Keep a journal of your training and the results! Don't let your training stagnate into the same routine week after week. Even if you do, make sure you KNOW you are still growing. Keep circumference measures, caliper measures body composition, photos and weight. If your gains slow or stop...find out why!
The key is to stimulate ongoing growth. This means keeping the body in a state where it has to continually adapt....and is supported in doing so.
Research has shown that changing your training Each subsequent session for the same body part leads to more muscle growth than changing it every 4 weeks.
What else can you think about?
Focus on 80-100% compound (multi joint) movements and 0-20% isolation (single joint) movements.
Cycle your training (endurance, strength, hypertrophy, power) and vary the progressions in every cycle!
Proper form is king. Accelerate the pace of concentric (lifting/pushing/pulling) portion of lifts in perfect form. Use control on eccentric portions (lowering) of movements. Feel full contractions at both isometric ends extended and flexed.
Do not train beyond the threshold of recovery and diminished returns ...instead train muscle with more intensity.
Remember there are unlimited variables available to constantly manipulate your program design.
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