The only thing I have a question about is how many exercises
should you do for each body part for the low
volume training.
The number of sets you choose will depend on several factors.
The ideal number of sets is not agreed upon by all athorities.
Here are the ACSM
recommendations. I personally suggest a warm up set followed
by one or two workout sets for each exercise. This translates
to multiple sets for each body part if you are performing more
than one exercise per large body part on a split program. Keep
in mind small body parts are also worked indirectly when performing
other exercises so you can get by with just one exercise for
small body parts. Here are some further guidelines based upon
your level of weight training experience:
Thank you so much! I have always wanted to build a physique
that I could be proud of. I have been involved in athletics for
as long as I can remember, however my athletic performance and
physique have always been average at best. I recently finished
a tour in the US Army as a paratrooper stationed at Ft. Bragg,
NC, where physical activity is more a way of life than a recreational
activity. I've also done my share of weight lifting, however
it seems that after about 2 months of lifting I would develop
an injury that would frustrate me, and I'd eventually give up
and go back to working out with my own body weight. There's nothing
wrong with working out with one's body weight, however I could
never gain the "mass" I've always dreamed of having.
After reading the plethora of information on this site things
are really starting to take shape. I've done about 6 months of
high intensity/low volume weight lifting, and I've made so much
progress that I'm still in awe. Best of all I've had NO INJURIES!
Thank you so much!
I've been training with weights for 15 years. I probably
have not missed more than a week's worth of working out in that
time. I love training and thought I knew a lot about it. Just
recently I came to the sad conclusion that I have spent way too
much time in the gym over the years. I, like so many others who
grew up in the 80s, used to do 20+ sets per bodypart per workout.
According to the scientific literature all I needed to do was
1 work set after a warmup twice a week per bodypart to achieve
the same results (See Low
Volume Progressive Intensity Training). You are likewise
a bodybuilder. Do you train with low volume? I need a support
group for others who have wasted so much time in the gym.
I began serious bodybuilding training, December 1979. "Arnold,
the Education of a Bodybuilder" was my original guide. Throughout
my competitive career I trained with multiple sets although I
had always tried to get the most out of the least possible number
of sets and exercises. After I retired from competition (1990)
and still a bit skeptical of low volume training, I experimented
with one warm up and two sets. Eventually I adopted single set
training (after a warm-up set) out of necessity during my master's
studies. I haven't looked back since.
Sure I can't perform set after set of squats like I used to...
Once, in the old days, I had a powerlifter training partner lose
his lunch trying to keep up with me squatting set after set.
After he missed his remaining sets, I found him in the bathroom
lying down with his leg propped up on the wall. He explained
he lost his lunch. Being able to perform set after set is not
important to me any more, particularly as you have reiterated,
you receive the most benefits from the first workout set anyway.
You may find, since you are spending less time on the weights,
you may have to perform a bit more cardio or eat accordingly
to compensate for the shorter weight training workouts. Besides
that, I've experienced nothing but benefits: faster recovery
between workouts, more strength gains, fewer overuse injuries,
less need to perform more than a single warm-up set, opportunity
to work a few more miscellaneous body-parts, and more time with
the family.
I know of no low volume support group but you may be able
to find online forum boards that discuss high intensity training
or weight training for hard gainers who have similar philosophies.
Best of Luck,
Thanks so much for your quick response. I cannot tell you
how impressed I am with your web page. Your page is the most
comprehensive yet concise resource for fitness with the latest
scientific information. I have changed my routine based on your
recommendations for the last two weeks and already feel like
a new person. I have so much more energy in my day to day life
from not spending hours upon hours in the gym every week. My
strength gains in the last two weeks are better than what I've
gained in the last year. I'm not exaggerating. I feel like I
need to tell everyone who is wasting away in the gym how to workout
based on a scientifically proven method.