How Many Exercises and Sets Do I Perform for
my Strength Training?
What if I told you only have a limited amount
of energy (readily available) per strength training
session, would you believe me? Well the latest
scientific data and blood tests on individuals
under strict gym conditions have revealed that
blood sugar levels drop dramatically after only
20 to 30 minutes during a high intensity strength
training session.So you see you only have a short
period of time to complete your strength training,
so exercise selection is crucial for proper results.One
way around this is to use compound multi-joint
movements as these offer the most beneficial muscle
stimulation needed for lean muscle growth and
metabolism improvement in the shortest period
of time.
In other words, we can train many muscles simultaneously
and use our energy more efficiently.Compound exercises
are much more functional and superior to isolation
exercises and promote natural movement of your
joints. Heavier loads can also be lifted using
these exercises. Some benefits are:. More functional.
Higher muscle activation. Higher hormonal release.
Less stress on joints.Examples of compound multi-joint
movements include squats, bench press, dips, and
chin-ups. Performing three to four exercises with
high intensity during a session are what most
people are capable of during a high intensity
strength-training workout. All the main muscle
groups are thoroughly exercised with these exercises
and they have an overall growth effect on the
body as a whole i.e. a total body workout.After
rest and recuperation is allowed to take place
and at the next exercise session if you can push
out a few more reps then you will have become
stronger, thus allowing for more muscle growth.
i.e. more lean muscle and a higher metabolism.
It only takes one of these workouts to target
the entire major support muscles of the body.
Exercises should be chosen from the more complex
and challenging to the less complex and challenging.
Remember, as you get stronger in your upper body
exercises i.e. Dips, Bench Press and Lat Pull
downs, you will also add size to your upper arms
as well as to your shoulders.There is no need
to train the arms and shoulders with isolation
exercises.Did you know that current research shows
that performing one set per exercise is as beneficial
as multiple set workouts!!If you think that volume
training (multiple sets) is more effective then
you're wrong! The latest research shows that single
set training is as beneficial as multiple set
training. Also by performing the one set decreases
the chances of over training and saves valuable
energy for other exercises required during that
particular workout.So all you need to do is ONE
SET only of each strength training exercise, this
is accomplished by performing as many repetitions
as you possibly can. Single sets are just as effective
as multiple sets in increasing strength, muscle
size and power.After performing one complete set
to total failure, it should be just about impossible
to generate the same force and intensity for another
complete set of the same exercise. If you're able
to generate the same force and intensity for this
second set then it is pretty obvious that not
enough effort has been put into the first set.
If you give each set per exercise 100% effort
(e.g. you cannot move the bar after the last rep)
then there will be no more requirement for further
muscle stimulation on that specific exercise.Multiple
Sets can be used in the following circumstances..
The initial stages of learning a new exercise..
During rehabilitationRemember it is the intensity
that is important, not the volume when it comes
to gains in strength. One warm up set of 50% of
maximal weight can be done for 5-10 repetitions
to oil the joints for the big work set that is
to follow. After completing a set and when your
breathing has returned to normal proceed to the
next exercise. There is no time limit here just
what you feel comfortable with, be it 3 or 5 minutes
etc.Make no mistake about it put what you have
leaned here to practice and you will start to
finally make those long awaited gains you have
been after.
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