Having worked at a big Globo
Gym-type location before, I have recognized a substantial amount of individuals
who spent what I would consider too much time in the gym…and expecting more
results. The National Academy of Sports
Medicine did a study that points out that those who exercise more than 3 times
per week don’t typically see much better results than those at 3x per
week. That doesn’t mean it’s a perfect
equation for everyone, but it DOES help me make my point: Less is More.
Take, for instance, your
lifting day. Whether you’re trying to
set a new PR or just build some better bone density, you can easily perform
better and see greater gains through less reps at a higher intensity than those
long, drawn out, low weight sets you’ve seen all too often. The key is to push it for short periods, and
take longer rest in between:
Do: Don’t:
Deadlift 1-3 reps @ 85+%max Deadlift 10 reps @ 55%max
Extend your period of rest
between sets to give your body ample time to recoup before your next set. You’ll find that gains in both strength and
stability will come much faster, with less overall fatigue.
What about my cardio
(conditioning) work? Yea, less is
more. Even in the case of marathoners,
on strength training day (which you need
as well), take it easy on the length, while increasing the intensity, and
adding rest between sets:
Do: Don’t:
(10) 40yd sprints @ 90-100% 5k the dreadmill @ 60%
So there you have it. Less is more.
Lower rep rate at higher intensity will help in the case of strength
gain, maximum anaerobic capacity, and skeletal health. If you’re not really looking to make big
changes right now, but you want to feel the workout “burn”, or you just want to
boost your heart for the day, then keep on trucking through the reps. If it’s gains you want to see, you now know
what to do. As always, if you have any
questions, comments, concerns, etc don’t hesitate to get at me.
Stay Strong,
Chad
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