When I first started training with weights I was influenced by the high volume approach advocated by, amongst others, Arnold Schwarzenegger. I found myself in the gym for two to three hours six (sometimes even seven) times a week.
Initially I made some progress. Mostly this was due to moving from a sedentary to a very active lifestyle and the caloric deficit created by hours of training. After a few months, however, the progress stopped/ By now I was psychologically addicted to training and found myself going to the gym even when I knew further training would be counter-productive.
During this period I discovered the writings of Mike Mentzer whose "Heavy Duty" training system (High Intensity Training) recommended brief but extremely intense bouts of exercise followed by long rest periods. I tried this for a while but found training for only twenty to thirty minutes once every four to seven days unfulfilling. Whilst Mentzer might have commented that this was due to a psychological need, I was never fully convinced of his infrequency principle.
Over time I completed my Personal Training course with YMCA F.I.T. and continued to read as much as I could on weight training: Denie's"Psycho-blast", Stuart McRobert, Charles Poliquin, John Hansen etc.
The approaches and theories are somewhat conflicting and bewildering. Up to a point you can achieve results with any of them. Some are safer than others, and this leads to the possibility of long-term progression. Others are more suitable to experienced trainers or elite body builders. Stuart McRobert's approach is extremely sensible and he provides excellent advice on technique and steady progression, but, for me, his approach is mechanical and uninspiring. I also found the rate of progression a little too slow - although I agree with using very small weight increments for progression at times.
In my own training I have evolved a somewhat eclectic approach that focuses primarily on compound exercises (squats, dead lifts, bench press, bent over rows, chin ups, dips, and bar bell biceps curls). I now train each body part for 4-8 sets once per week (formerly I could do anything up to thirty sets for chest twice a week). I currently use a three day split, although recently whilst setting up the F.I.S.H. studio I've been limited to two workouts at home and have been surprised at the growth achieved with relatively lights weights and lots of rest.
So Mentzer had a point about infrequency but perhaps too much of a point. I find that resting at least 48 hours between workouts is keeping me growing and that three (sometimes four) workouts per week allows me the time to hit each body part effectively and does fulfill my (pathological?) need to train fairly frequently. Taking seven (or even up to fourteen) days of rest between workouts seems excessive and may actually interfere with the habituation which is essential to continuing with an exercise programme.
I still throw in the odd super-set, pre-exhaust, post-exhaust, drop set or rest-pause, but whereas before I would use these techniques at every workout I now use them only occasionally (often not for weeks). They have become plateau busters and novelties that keep me interested. Sometimes they are time savers and enable me to do an effective and intense workout in under half an hour.
In conclusion, for drug-free body-building (from my experience) it is effective to train three to four times a week with at least one whole day off in between workouts. If you are forced, through circumstances, to take an extra rest day don't be disheartened or frustrated. See this as an opportunity to recover and grow. This cognitive re-structuring has been a key to my recent progress - being able to see rest days in a productive light.
Initially I made some progress. Mostly this was due to moving from a sedentary to a very active lifestyle and the caloric deficit created by hours of training. After a few months, however, the progress stopped/ By now I was psychologically addicted to training and found myself going to the gym even when I knew further training would be counter-productive.
During this period I discovered the writings of Mike Mentzer whose "Heavy Duty" training system (High Intensity Training) recommended brief but extremely intense bouts of exercise followed by long rest periods. I tried this for a while but found training for only twenty to thirty minutes once every four to seven days unfulfilling. Whilst Mentzer might have commented that this was due to a psychological need, I was never fully convinced of his infrequency principle.
Over time I completed my Personal Training course with YMCA F.I.T. and continued to read as much as I could on weight training: Denie's"Psycho-blast", Stuart McRobert, Charles Poliquin, John Hansen etc.
The approaches and theories are somewhat conflicting and bewildering. Up to a point you can achieve results with any of them. Some are safer than others, and this leads to the possibility of long-term progression. Others are more suitable to experienced trainers or elite body builders. Stuart McRobert's approach is extremely sensible and he provides excellent advice on technique and steady progression, but, for me, his approach is mechanical and uninspiring. I also found the rate of progression a little too slow - although I agree with using very small weight increments for progression at times.
In my own training I have evolved a somewhat eclectic approach that focuses primarily on compound exercises (squats, dead lifts, bench press, bent over rows, chin ups, dips, and bar bell biceps curls). I now train each body part for 4-8 sets once per week (formerly I could do anything up to thirty sets for chest twice a week). I currently use a three day split, although recently whilst setting up the F.I.S.H. studio I've been limited to two workouts at home and have been surprised at the growth achieved with relatively lights weights and lots of rest.
So Mentzer had a point about infrequency but perhaps too much of a point. I find that resting at least 48 hours between workouts is keeping me growing and that three (sometimes four) workouts per week allows me the time to hit each body part effectively and does fulfill my (pathological?) need to train fairly frequently. Taking seven (or even up to fourteen) days of rest between workouts seems excessive and may actually interfere with the habituation which is essential to continuing with an exercise programme.
I still throw in the odd super-set, pre-exhaust, post-exhaust, drop set or rest-pause, but whereas before I would use these techniques at every workout I now use them only occasionally (often not for weeks). They have become plateau busters and novelties that keep me interested. Sometimes they are time savers and enable me to do an effective and intense workout in under half an hour.
In conclusion, for drug-free body-building (from my experience) it is effective to train three to four times a week with at least one whole day off in between workouts. If you are forced, through circumstances, to take an extra rest day don't be disheartened or frustrated. See this as an opportunity to recover and grow. This cognitive re-structuring has been a key to my recent progress - being able to see rest days in a productive light.
No comments:
Post a Comment