ExRx.net

Hi guys,

I just joined but have been referring to the information on this site for the past few months. The exercise directory has been a great tool and after a several months of resistance training, I'm now looking into more carefully designing a program to help me meet my objective.

Wanting to shift my focus from endurance training to training for mass (hypertrophy) I've gotten some books from Frederic Delavier and have been perusing ExRx in order to craft my new program. I've been picking exercises, choosing my schedule (3 day split) and detailing micro-cyles and so on but I'm stuck on something and becoming increasingly frustrated as I can't seem to find any guidance that doesn't contradict itself or other recommendations.

In particular, I'm referring to the low volume progressive intensity training info on the site. First of all, the information on hypertrophy training is blatantly contradicting itself. On ExRx on the /WeightTraining/Guidelines.html page the guidelines state that hypertrophy programs should contain high volume and multiple sets.


However, on this section of the site /WeightTraining/LowVolumeTraining.html it says

In referring to Delavier' book, he maintains that only 30% of individuals have a body able to benefit from a single set at a high intensity and that most people can and thus should do multiple sets.

Searching the net on sites like Livestrong hasn't turned up anything useful to help me figure this out. I'm leaning towards trying a low volume high intensity workout for a month, but I'd prefer to have some solid information to go on so I don't waste my time, energy and money. If you're got something to say on this, please be my guest.

When starting resistance training strict hypertrophy rules aren't necessary the main point to focus on. Focus on big movements, vary your rep ranges, do high intensity-low volume and higher volume-lower intensity work.

http://www.ergo-log.com/training-muscle ... 1-set.html

Altough there are many studies that prove the benefits of only one set, it's still more recommended to do more. Above is a research that find the opposite to be true. But think of it as
A) Increased movement training (greasing the groove, working the form)
B) Increased loading on the muscle (more work with little rest)
C) Possibly better strength gains, which lead indirectly to hypertrophy (More muscle fiber activation).
And so on...

The more you read exercise science, the more you find contradicting stuff lying around. Same goes with nutrition.

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Prove the impossible!

All it really means is that intensity is more important than volume. You have to decide what works for you.

Also, this forum and the rest of the site are relatively unrelated. If you want feedback or have a question on information on the site, we can provide our opinion, but that's all it is. The author provided his views on the subject here: http://exrx.net/Questions/LowVolume.html

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

These contradictions are when stuff gets real, and interesting.

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

Thanks for your input and the clarifications guys. I'll mix it up, check the results.