Volume versus intensive training. Volumetric muscle training. What about Vit Mike Mentzer
Why are muscles unable to digest the training load? How to choose the optimal amount of work during training? How to properly take anabolic steroids using the training principles described in this article? By taking a few minutes to study the information, you will increase your growth by 100%. muscle mass!
The most important point in a high-volume training scheme is the ability to correctly distribute load and intensity through exercises, sets and repetitions. If you immediately start using complex and voluminous training complexes Professional bodybuilders have a 101% chance of overtraining due to excessive stress that the body cannot cope with.
It takes bodybuilding stars years, sometimes decades, to condition their bodies to existing high-volume training. They increase stress in small increments, thus allowing the body and muscular system adapt and hypertrophy muscles. For a greater understanding, it is necessary to touch more deeply on the issue of overtraining, so that you do not join the ranks of the next amateurs who have caught a stopper and a plateau.
High-volume training is the key to pumping up large muscle structures only for athletes who are fully aware of all aspects of physiology and know how to properly distribute the training load so that the body adaptively digests new portions of stress.
How to cope with overtraining and what is adaptation?
This section is incredibly valuable because a correct understanding of the information below will provide you with continuous and sustainable progress in muscle hypertrophy, regardless of your initial genetic predisposition.
Every gym goer and even a novice athlete is faced with the problem that professional training methods aimed at performing a large amount of work do not develop muscles, but rather, on the contrary, lead to a complete lack of results. Have you ever wondered why this happens? After all, professional athletes do not lie and really put on public display the training methods that allow them to achieve the greatest success personally.
The first thought that creeps up in addition, which is a kind of justification for unsuccessful attempts to progress in muscles, is complaints about the use of anabolic drugs by professional bodybuilders. We hasten to disappoint you, because steroid cycles are a small part of the multifaceted process of recovery and adaptation aspect. Look how many foolish athletes are around us using immeasurable dosages sports pharmacology, however, their muscle structure is, to put it mildly, far from ideal.
Psychological fuses
The first thing you need to learn to do is to independently install physiological fuses that have a vector of direction against stupid things that an athlete can do. For the best understanding, let's immediately move on to examples from life. If you have been developing the skills of a swimmer in a pool for 10 years, then you should not take risks and immediately take on the conquest of the English Channel. Why?
There is a 101% chance that you will drown, not from a shark attack or a sudden storm, you simply do not have enough physiological capabilities to overcome the incredibly increased load compared to previous swims in the pool.
However, despite your fears, having listened to a lot of recommendations from pseudo-swimming experts, you will convince yourself that swimming across the English Channel is as easy as shelling pears and you will additionally develop new swimming skills. Naturally, the end result will be fatal, for one reason only, your body is not ready to digest such an amount of stress.
All of the above is absolutely equally proportional and applicable to volume training. Remember and even write it down in your training diary:
“The progression of loads when using volumetric training should occur for a long time, systematically and slowly, this is necessary to give the body, muscle and nervous system adapt properly to increasing stress"
However, most beginner-level athletes want a lot of everything at once, so they force things by increasing the training load at an incredibly fast pace. Naturally, such irrational behavior leads the body to a deep degree of overtraining. Thus, you can say goodbye to muscle hypertrophy for good and for a long time. Why? Because you will completely deplete the body's physiological capabilities with too much and instantly increased training stress.
When do muscles grow? Absolutely correct answer! With a systematic progression of loads, if there is a gradual increase in stress, it is quite logical to expect a response from the body in the form of an increase in muscle mass. And another law of physiology is absolutely true: there is no progressive load - goodbye muscle hypertrophy. In iron sports, everything is quite fair in relation to your progress; the body is complex and at the same time a perfectly tuned mechanism that cannot be deceived.
Ways to progress training load:
- The first option includes a systematic increase in training weights, namely directly weights on the barbell and dumbbells.
- The second option includes increasing the volume of the training process, your work in gym will have a proportional increase consisting in approaches.
- Firstly, thanks to this method of progression of training stress, an inexperienced beginner athlete will not drive the body into a phase of deep overtraining and will retain recovery resources. Why? It’s just that the muscular system cannot cope with excessive weights and it simply won’t be possible to do more than the muscles allow.
- Secondly, it turns out that some kind of automatic natural safety device is triggered, protecting against lifting weights that are disproportionate to the degree of the body’s recovery capabilities. You are simply forced to slowly increase the training load from 1 to 2 kg, and such small increases await you throughout the entire cycle.
- Thirdly, by and large, your muscle groups will not be able to handle weight gain in a more aggressive manner. This is a very valuable and wonderful physiology skill that allows you to protect both beginners and experienced athletes from excessive stress.
Now let's dive into the second progression option, which is to increase intensity by:
- Setov.
- Repeats
- Exercises.
Look, you can perform as many training sets with a certain weight on a specific muscle group as you tell your brain, naturally the muscles can only accept their fate and perform contractile movements. For example, having set the appropriate training weight, you can perform pectoral muscles from 100 to 200 repetitions. However, bench pressing 200 kg for 3 sets of 8 repetitions is an impossible task. Now you understand how the fuse effect works.
Often in sports complexes You can watch beginners who do not even have 40 cm of biceps volume, but carefully and importantly perform an arm workout consisting of 20 sets, driving such a small muscle into incredible overtraining. Such trainings take at least two hours in terms of time; naturally, they blindly copy the training complexes of bodybuilding stars.
Everyone starts from a rather banal conclusion: if you want to be like Arnold Schwarzenegger, then train like the nine-time Mr. Olympia. In this regard, there is no understanding that Arnold needed at least 10 years for the body to adapt to such an excessive training load. The recovery rate will be further boosted anabolic steroids. Simply put, champions would not be able to achieve their current muscle development using a professional program at the initial stage of training.
Let's sum up a small conclusion of our educational program:
“Increase your training load over an extremely long period of time and in small increments, this is necessary to give your muscular system time to adapt and then grow.”
If you start to complicate the situation and introduce complicating aspects or completely ignore the tips described above, sooner or later you will overtrain and block progress.
Training time between sets
There are many skeptics who claim that the high-volume training system:
- Firstly, it takes a lot of time.
- Secondly, it refers to training regimens that must be combined with anabolic courses.
People who claim the above probably do not know about the need to fit the entire process of high-volume training into a time frame of up to 45 minutes. How is this possible? Elementary, to do this, it is enough to shorten the rest period between sets, and an excellent opportunity will open up to perform the required amount of work in the required time period.
Do not make the popular mistake of a large number of experienced and novice athletes, resting 2 to 3 minutes between training sets; such a time gap is perfect for powerlifters, but in bodybuilding practice this must be excluded.
Remember that long periods of rest are intended to develop strength power and do not affect the formation of what? That's right, STRENGTH PERFORMANCE! Focusing entirely on a 60-second rest between sets has an invaluable muscle growth benefit over the standardized two-minute rest pattern. This means you'll get more strength work done in 45 minutes of volume training.
Take and record the time spent under load during a training set; in 99% of cases, it will not overcome the 15-second barrier. Therefore, 45 seconds of rest will be enough for you to optimally restore the muscle group for the next approach. It is clear that performance with maximum weights is completely excluded. Why?
Because a maximum decrease in oxidative concentration is necessary, followed by maximum establishment of a positive energy balance and restoration of ATP molecules. The described biochemical processes are possible only with a long degree of rest. However, to train with moderate weights, 45 seconds of rest is more than enough.
Are you tormented by doubts? Then let's resort to everyone's favorite mathematics and make the necessary calculations. You perform a set (15 seconds) and then rest for 45 seconds. It turns out that a complete circular cycle of a set + rest phase takes = 60 seconds. What does it mean?
In a half-hour workout, you can perform 30 working sets.
Imagine what numbers and training volumes you are able to operate. Assuming your repetition limit does not exceed 8 times, it turns out that 30 sets will please the muscle group with 240 repetitions. This is all taking into account the ratio that 100 to 200 repetitions on a certain part of the body constitutes the training of a professional bodybuilder. Surely now many people will no longer want to argue that high-volume training takes a lot of time. Try it and see for yourself the stated results.
Naturally, such a training rhythm does not provide the opportunity to chat with the guys around the gym and show off near the girls performing sexual positions! However, you have come to become a man and increase your volume muscle groups, then please be so kind as to compile the entire training into a 45-minute mode. Exercising for more than an hour is stupid and useless, especially if you do not stimulate the body with anabolic drugs.
Anabolic steroids and high volume training
Many people associate high volume training with excessive dosages of anabolic drugs and constant steroid cycles. Justifying the large muscles of bodybuilding stars with a pump regime of high-volume work against the backdrop of powerful anabolic support. We would like to immediately refute such a misconception, confirmed by scientific experiments.
Conducted Scientific research with the participation of fans of iron sports, using natural training, but using different schemes to achieve maximum muscle hypertrophy.
The former performed one set of a specific exercise for a muscle group, the latter used the high-volume training method. Three months later, scientists compared the athletes’ performance and revealed muscle hypertrophy and an increase in strength in all athletes. However, there is one exception; the results of bodybuilders who worked according to a high-volume scheme were many times higher than the success of other athletes. Moreover, the effectiveness and clear advantage lay precisely in the increase in muscle mass.
Genetic engineers analyzed the production of natural hormones responsible for the process of anabolism directly during the training process in both groups, and made the following conclusion:
“That in bodybuilders who use high-volume training, the secretion of testosterone, somatropin and IGF-1 significantly exceeds the level of hormone activity of other athletes”
This suggests that training with minimal rest periods and using a large number of exercises and sets produces better muscle hypertrophy, even in untalented and natural athletes.
Fundamental aspects that will help avoid overtraining when using high-volume training:
- First, increase the volume of strength-oriented work gradually within small proportions.
- Secondly, carefully monitor the rest period between sets, use a stopwatch.
- Third, always follow training plan and control all processes using a training diary.
I wish you all success in sports and wise use of a high-volume training scheme against the backdrop of incredible muscle growth!
Watch the video - the essence of bodybuilding (volume muscle training):
The classics of volume training are considered to be a large number of sets with the number of repetitions equal to 8-15 in each of them. At the same time, it has been noted that as training experience increases, the effectiveness of volumetric training decreases. I will talk about the reasons for this phenomenon below, but for now I will note that experienced athletes should slightly change their approach to volumetric training.
However, not only for them - what will be stated below will also be useful to other “fighters for increasing muscle mass,” except, perhaps, for complete beginners. But before moving on to practice, I will briefly touch on the theoretical foundations.
What makes muscles grow
A separate, large, theory-rich article will be devoted to the mechanisms of muscle growth - I hope to publish it on the website soon. For now, I will present these mechanisms in an extremely simplified manner. So, a muscle can grow due to:
- hypertrophy, which is a muscle response to ultra-high load;
- increasing the number of capillaries in the muscle;
- increasing the ability of muscles to store energy components (and not only), both inside and outside the cell. These components include: glycogen, fat, water;
- finally, muscle growth is also observed due to hyperplasia muscle fibers, that is, an increase in their number (although the theory of hyperplasia has not yet been proven for people, the facts testify in its favor).
I repeat once again: this is a brief, extremely simplified presentation of the mechanisms of muscle growth; in fact, everything looks much more complicated. In this case, something else is important - whatever this mechanism is, its effectiveness largely depends on how many muscle fibers can be involved in the work. It is clear that the more fibers work during training, the more significant muscle growth will be.
What is the optimal number of repetitions?
As your training experience increases, the number of repetitions you can handle when working with a weight that is, for example, 75% of your one-time maximum (RM) changes. If a beginner athlete can do 15-20 repetitions with such a weight, then for an “advanced” athlete this figure drops to 7-10 repetitions, and for a very experienced one even to 4-5 repetitions.
When planning volume training, the weight is selected at the level of 60-70% of RM, that is, one with which you must perform 10 repetitions in at least 6-7 sets in a row. But an experienced athlete an even greater reduction in working weight will be required - otherwise he will not be able to handle the given number of sets and repetitions. But this will mean that the number of muscle fibers involved in the work will decrease.
In order for the training to remain effective, you need to increase the working weight. But at the same time, such an important indicator for volumetric training as rest between approaches should remain unchanged - if you increase it too much, then it will be impossible to achieve a “pump”, which is one of the most important indicators of the efficiency of muscle fibers (indirect confirmation of this thesis can be provided by representatives powerlifting – training programs most of them give good increases in strength indicators, but very rarely in muscle volume).
Rules for constructing volumetric training with heavy weights
- The main indicator is rest between approaches; it should be the same as with regular volume training, that is, not exceed 60-90 seconds.
- You should not load more than two muscle groups using this method in one workout. Sometimes one is more than enough.
- You should not do more than one exercise per muscle group (usually basic). You can then “finish off” the muscle group with two or three sets of isolation exercises.
- In no case should you include in training - even for those muscle groups that will be trained using a different method - techniques such as forced ones, and the like.
- Volume training with heavy weights should not be used frequently. Although experts recommend taking a break between two workouts of one muscle group for about 5 days, in my opinion, after volumetric training with heavy weights, a muscle group should rest for at least 7-8 days. During this period, this group can be subjected to light - maintenance - training.
- When training using the volumetric training method with heavy weights, special attention should be paid to nutrition and rest (however, this never hurts to do).
Methods for constructing the training process
Below we will present two methods for constructing the training process based on the principle of volumetric training. Both relate specifically to training with heavy weights and a small number of repetitions per set. In fact, there are many more such techniques - with some effort, you yourself can create something similar.
Method "10x3"
The author of the method belongs to physiologist Chad Waterbury. According to the author, when using the method, the maximum number of fast-twitch fibers (types IIa and IIb) is involved in the work. As for slow-twitch fibers (type I), Waterbury neglects them, considering their growth potential to be very insignificant. Well, for people with a predominance of fast-twitch fibers, this is true.
The essence of the method is clear from its name: ten sets of exercises (preferably basic) are performed with three repetitions in each set. The weight of the weight is selected so that you can do 5-6 repetitions. Rest between sets – 1-2 minutes (it is advisable to focus on the first number). The tempo of the exercise is 20X (lower in two counts, do not hold the weight in the lower position, lift as quickly as possible).
The method will work well if your one-rep max is high enough (at least 150-160 kg in the bench press, about 200 kg in the squats). Otherwise, the applied effort may not be enough to stimulate the muscles well. The method is not intended for training small muscle groups.
Russian Bear method by Pavel Tsatsouline
But it is not possible to understand the essence of this method from its name. And it is as follows: choose a weight with which you can do 6 repetitions with extreme tension. Perform a set of five repetitions with this weight. Rest for 3 minutes, reduce the weight by 10% and do another set of five reps. Rest for two minutes, then reduce the weight by another 10%. From this moment the torture begins.
Do sets of five repetitions, resting no more than one minute between them, until you can complete only 4 repetitions in the next set. This will be the signal to end the exercise.
This method is a truly unique development by a world-famous strength training specialist. Although it does not provide any gains in strength, it is possible to achieve quick and very significant increases in the volume of large muscle groups. The method was tested for accelerated development of the muscles of the legs and chest, but it is also very suitable for “pumping” the back. As for small muscle groups, it is still difficult to say anything concrete.
Many athletes constantly argue about which training method is currently the most effective and best for increasing muscle mass. At the same time, some athletes constantly claim that the most the best method to build and develop muscle mass is a high-intensity training method.
While other athletes, on the contrary, have a different opinion and claim that the high-volume training method today is the best and most effective for developing and increasing muscle mass.
Which of these methods is really better?
We will now try to understand this issue with you in more detail and consider all the pros and cons of each of these methods. We will also compare them with each other and try to find out which of these two training methods is truly the best and most effective.
We have all known for a long time that the main factor in muscle growth is nothing more than the intensity factor, which consists of three main parameters, by varying which you can completely control, and therefore change the overall intensity factor in all your workouts.
Three main parameters influencing the intensity factor:
Moreover, these three components are an integral part of the training process, on which the level of intensity of your training directly depends. Varying and changing even one of these three parameters will affect your overall intensity of all workouts more or less.
Absolutely all training methods, no matter whether it is high-intensity training or high-volume training, all of them in one way or another provide for increasing the intensity of their training. But at the same time, each method will have its own setting of the intensity factor, which already provides for a different approach to achieving a certain level of intensity in a particular method.
HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING METHOD
For example, in a high-intensity training method, maximum intensity is achieved by increasing total load for each muscle group that you work through a superset, i.e. performing two different movements at once or exercises that are performed immediately after each other.
This could be some of yours isolated exercise + basic exercise, or it can be a superset in one exercise according to the principle of one set 50% working weight + second set 100% working weight according to a method such as the 50/100 method. Or it could be some completely different way of combining two different movements and exercises.
Where the first movement or exercise always serves as your tiring movement, and the subsequent exercise serves as your finishing movement in order to bring your muscles to full strength muscle failure and launch the mechanism of muscle growth.
Any high-intensity training method is based on creating maximum intensity in a minimum period of time and maximizing muscle resistance in order to create maximum muscle load and thereby, as it were, launch a further mechanism of muscle growth.
In other words, this method allows you to very quickly increase the load, and therefore intensively work out each muscle group with a minimum training volume and time spent.
HIGH-VOLUME TRAINING METHOD
In another high-volume training method, the increase in intensity occurs due to an increase in your overall training volume, which means you need significantly more training time to work your muscles and bring them to full failure.
In other words, all training load the muscle groups you are working through through a large training volume are, as it were, superimposed on top of each other from approach to approach, i.e. thus bringing them to maximum fatigue and forcing them to work harder and more intensely with each subsequent approach until failure occurs.
If high-intensity training methods are mainly aimed at working only large muscle groups, then high-volume training methods work not only your large and major muscle groups, but also smaller muscle groups.
Because due to the large training volume, small muscle groups are also included in the work, which means they are worked out much better.
COMPARISON OF TWO TRAINING METHODS BY THEIR TOTAL INTENSITY RATIO:
For a simple example, let's take two different training methods to work the biceps, in which we will take a closer look at the intensity level, as well as the general settings of each of these methods.
Calculation of the intensity of the high-volume training method:
1 Approach: 60x10 = 600 kg
2 Approach: 60x10 = 600 kg
3 Approach: 60x10 = 600 kg
4 Approach: 60x10 = 600 kg
5 Approach: 60x10 = 600 kg
The total load (volume) is calculated from the number of approaches – 3000 kg
Time spent performing the exercise - 15 minutes (900 seconds)
3000 kg: 5 sets = 600 kg
3000 kg: 15 min = 200 kg/min
Exercise intensity – 200 kg/min
3000 kg: 50 reps = 60 kg
Average unit of intensity for each muscle contraction - 60 kg
Calculation of the intensity of high-intensity training using the 50/100 Method:
Working weight 60 kg for 10 reps
1 Approach: 30x20 = 600 kg
2 Approach: 60x10 = 600 kg
The total load (volume) is calculated from the number of approaches – 1200 kg
Time spent performing the exercise - 2 minutes (120 seconds)
We make a calculation medium load in each approach:
1200 kg: 2 sets = 600 kg
Calculate the total intensity of the exercise:
1200 kg: 2 minutes = 600 kg/min
Total intensity: 600 kg/min
We calculate the average intensity of muscle contraction:
1200 kg: 30 reps = 40 kg
Average unit of intensity for each muscle contraction - 40 kg
Just by comparing two different training methods with each other at the same power conditions the same athlete, as well as having analyzed everything thoroughly, i.e. putting it all on the shelves. Only then will you be able to see the whole picture and look objectively at which of these two methods is the most effective.
Comparison table of two training methods under the same strength conditions of one athlete.
Training methods Volumetric Intensive
Number of sets 5 sets 1 set
Total execution time 15 min 2 min
Total load (volume) 3000 kg 1200 kg
Total load in one set 600 kg 600 kg
Exercise intensity 200 kg/min 600 kg/min
Contraction intensity 60 kg 40 kg
Results of comparison of two training methods points to the fact that both of these methods are very effective in gaining muscle mass.
If we take into account the total intensity of the exercise itself, then with a significantly smaller training volume and with a lower load, the high-intensity training method is the most effective method in order to work out any muscle group very efficiently, rather than high-volume training, and the numbers clearly show us this.
High volume training method with a total intensity of 200 kg/min. against a high-intensity training method and with a total intensity of 600 kg/min.
But despite the significantly low intensity of the exercises, the high-volume training method compensates for this with a significantly larger training volume and a much greater load in the exercise itself. And as we all have known for a long time, the greater the load in the exercise itself, the more the small and accompanying muscles in the exercises are involved in the work.
Due to the large training volume and, accordingly, the load itself, the overall intensity of muscle contraction with each repetition will still be slightly higher than, for example, in the same high-intensity training method. But it is worth taking into account the fact that at the same time, much more working approaches themselves were completed...
To be honest, I am not a supporter of just one training method. That's why I often use both high-intensity training and high-volume training in my program. This combination of two training methods gives much best result than using just one training method.
And only you decide what is best for you! In this article, I only provided you with the opportunity to look at these two methods in a little more detail, making a detailed calculation of each of these two methods...
Volume training - This classical technique training, which was called the “German school”; by the way, it was precisely this method that was used by the notorious Austrian oak Arnold Schwarzenegger. Volume training, in general, has raised generations of bodybuilders; in fact, it is likely that you yourself use or once used the distorted method of the German school. All this is not surprising, since it was promoted by the father of bodybuilding, Joe Weider. Yes, Uncle Joe was selling methods long before the specially trained gurus of modern YouTube. Does Joe Weider's technique work? Of course it works, but not for everyone and not always!
Volume training is great for beginners, although not to build muscles, but to tone them. After you go through the preparatory stage, spend about a year of your life to no avail and begin to realize that you either need to quit bodybuilding or change something in your training, high-intensity schemes will be more suitable for you, such as, for example, « Ukrainian school » . When will you realize the potential of strength training, say, by going through the “Ukrainian school” and « Plintovich » , then you can start volumetric training. In general, the alternation of high-intensity and high-volume cycles will take quite a long time, and, most likely, if you are not a professional, then this is exactly what your training plan for the year will look like:
High intensity training – 3 months
Volume cycle – 1 month
Volume-intensive cycle – 2 months
Level reduction subcutaneous fat- 2 months
Volume-intensive cycle – 1 month
Strength training- 2 months
Volume cycle – 1 month
It is clear that within each macrocycle there will be microcycles, but still each period will be fundamentally different, both in terms of goals and training methods. Firstly, you will use different relative intensities, if during strength cycles the intensity can reach up to 90-95% of 1RM (personal maximum), then during a volume cycle the intensity will be approximately 60-70%. The RRP (number of barbell lifts) per workout will be significantly higher during volume cycles, which will result in much higher tonnage. But the key factor is not even the training methodology itself, but the method of progression of loads.
Volume training = volumetric progress
The point is that we have what we train always grows , and volumetric training allows you to develop strength performance like no other. Strength performance is determined by the development of muscle energy supply through glycogen. In general, to make it easier to understand, there are 3 ways to supply muscles with energy: through creatine, through glycogen and through lactic acid. The first two refer to anaerobic methods of energy supply, and the third to aerobic methods, during which oxygen is involved in the process of energy supply. Why is it beneficial for us to develop glycolysis? The fact is that muscle cells, from which muscles are made, adapting to volumetric loads will accumulate glycogen, and this is what will give them the appropriate volume.
What conditions must be met for glycolysis to occur? It is necessary to hold the muscles under load for 30-45 seconds! That is why the optimal number of repetitions per approach during volume training is 10. But it is important to note that you should not achieve “failure” during these 10 repetitions, because you will have to rest for 30-90 seconds and proceed to the next approach. Accordingly, the question arises, how many approaches should there be per workout? This is an individual moment, which depends on training, because Jay Cutler can do 20-25 working approaches during a workout and for him this will be normal, but you will drive yourself into overtraining!
We recommend that you start with 10 approaches for large muscle groups and 6 for small ones. That is why best split for volumetric training is: chest-back, legs, shoulders-arms. Thus, for the first workout you will complete 20 approaches, for the second 25, and for the third 18. All this will take you, including warm-up, no more than 40 minutes, and this is important, because if you stretch the workout for an hour or two, then it will lose all meaning! Fine , let’s say you’ve selected exercises for yourself and started doing volumetric training, how can you now increase the load? And for this you can use the following methods:
1. Increase the working weight on the bar.
2. Increase the number of approaches per workout.
3. Reduce rest time between approaches.
Each of these methods deserves attention, each can be used, not to mention such methods of increasing the volume and intensity of training as supersets, dropsets, forced repetitions and other super techniques. In practice, it is recommended that you reduce the rest time between sets by 5 seconds each week until you reach a rest of 60 seconds between sets with a weight of 60% of the RM, after which you should move on to increasing the weight on the bar without increasing the time rest between approaches. Approaches should be added every week so that by the end of the cycle you reach 14 approaches for large muscle groups and 10 for small ones.
Can't decide which training style to choose? Find out which type of workout is most effective - volume or high-intensity!
In the world of bodybuilding, debate continues about the most effective training style. So which workout is better - volume or high-intensity? Every athlete wants to know the ideal training method so as not to waste time. Let's analyze these types of training and identify the leader.
Volume training includes the following several features.
- Working with light weights, amounting to 50-70% of the maximum possible weight that the athlete can lift at one time.
- High number of repetitions (10-15) in each approach.
- Short intervals between sets. The rest time is 1 minute.
High-intensity training, in turn, also has a number of differentiating factors.
- Working weights are 80–90% of the one-rep maximum.
- A small number of repetitions (2-6) in each approach.
- Long intervals between approaches. The rest time is 3 minutes.
Muscle growth
The average person who has been to the gym several times and even held dumbbells in their hands believes that high-intensity training is intended for muscle growth, and volume training is for relief. However, it is not.
Maximum loads stimulate muscle growth and strength. When training with this regimen, you must increase the weight each workout to shock the muscles into growing. As the intensity of the exercises increases, the number of approaches (1–3) and repetitions (2–6) decreases. Therefore, training should not last more than 1 hour.
Each muscle group after high intensity workout you must provide the long rest necessary for their recovery. Typically the recovery period lasts about 7 days.
Volumetric training also stimulates muscle growth, but has a slightly different physiological effect. A large number of repetitions during volume training ensures increased blood flow to the muscles. Pumping loads slow muscle fibers, stimulating their growth and increasing endurance.
After a volume workout, your body needs 48 hours to recover.
One of the most important criteria for muscle growth is protein synthesis.
It depends on the number of muscle fibers involved during exercise. Protein synthesis starts not only after a high-intensity workout, as is commonly believed, but also after working in a high-repetition mode. And all because protein synthesis depends on both the intensity of the workout and its volume. During volume training, it is important to perform repetitions to failure to simulate lifting heavy weights.
Read also:
Exercise technique
When performing exercises with heavy weights, you must be as focused as possible on your technique.
Try to avoid jerking and transferring the load to another muscle group to facilitate the concentric phase (cheating).
Any errors during execution may result in unwanted injuries. Make slow movements, controlling the muscles.
Read also:
When performing exercises during volume training, you must choose the optimal speed of movement. You shouldn't accelerate to an incredible pace using inertia. In this mode, the useful working phase is skipped, i.e. the right muscles will be taken out of work altogether. Feel what pace of movement loads the muscles the most and work at that speed.
Muscular adaptation
Muscles are able to adapt to applied loads. If the muscles are used to a certain weight, they will not be stressed enough. Consequently, their growth will also slow down.
In order for the muscles not to have time to adapt, you need not only to increase the weight of the projectile, but also to alternate loads and exercises.
Change their order, number of repetitions, bench angles, etc. These techniques will help you shock the muscles at each new workout, causing them to grow.
Beware of Overtraining
If you take pharmacological medications, you can train at a frantic pace every day without experiencing any problems. But if your training process built on a natural basis, you may encounter the problem of overtraining.
Overtraining is a common term that describes a situation where you overload your body with incredible intensity and frequency without giving it a chance to recover. This phenomenon limits muscle and strength growth.
To avoid such an unpleasant phenomenon as overtraining, you need to give your body sufficient time to recover.
Conclusion
If you only engage in a volumetric training program all year round, you can bring the musculoskeletal system to a state of overtraining. If you constantly train in a high-intensity style, the traces of overtraining will fall on your central nervous system.
For maximum effective development body, use the periodization method, alternating and mixing different training programs.
No one knows better than you which exercises work great on your muscles and which ones don't work at all. Therefore, constantly experiment with exercises and training styles to achieve maximum success in building your ideal body.
