Intensity=Overload
August 4th 2007 15:49
I have written in the past that in the case of the average newcomer or intermediate weight trainer the greatest shortcoming is that he/she does not practice intensity on a consistent basis. Today a few comments on the nature of intensity and maybe a useful way to understand it.
If you would like your muscles to reward you with fitness and/or strength, you must force them to endure ever different levels of stress. A good term for this is "overload." If your muscles are asked to move weights that are a normal load for them, they will not be subjected to stress. If your muscles are asked to move weights at time intervals that are the same day after to day they will not be subjected to stress. If your muscles are asked to move weights a specific and unchanging number of times per session they will not be subjected to stress.
To activate the healthful reactions the body makes to stress, stress has to be a programmed part of workouts. That is where overload comes into the picture. If we go the the gym and wish to maintain a pattern of stress there, we will have to resort to overload. The good news is that overload can be applied in any of the categories I listed in the above paragraph.
We can overload our muscles by simply doing a heavier weight for the same number of reps in a given movement. We are used to curling 75 lbs on a curling bar for 12 reps,for instance, and can overload the muscles by doing 85 for the same 12 reps. We can do four sets of our 75 lb curls instead of 2 sets. We can pause for 15 seconds between sets on our 75lb curls instead of 45. We can further reorder our workout so that the 75lb curls we used to do last are first on our list. We can stop doing 75lb curls with a curling bar and use the preacher bench we have never used before. Any of these changes or combination thereof will overload the muscle and elicit the stress that makes that body fitter and stronger.
At this point I get a little more doctrinaire. I believe overload must be systematically programmed to be effective. Unless we are top bodybuilders we cannot get the most out of overload,if we simply walk into the gym and decide what we will do for overload spontaneously. Today we will use short rest periods,but next time we will increase the weights or change exercises, for example. This will overload the muscles, but it will deprive them of the opportunity to actually adapt. Instead, overload will profit most when we decide that for a period of three weeks of regular training we are going to change one significant aspect of our workout-rest periods, amount of weight, etc. At the end of that period we may retain our innovation and add another or drop it to concentrate on something else. The body has had time to adapt and further change will be profitable.
I repeat that overload is intensity and without overload time is wasted. Moreover without planning overload is ineffective,because the body is deprived of the required time and exposure to make adaptations to new stress. Weight training thus involves a considered course of prescribed overload. Use overload, however, and use it correctly and you will become fitter. Your servant, as always.
If you would like your muscles to reward you with fitness and/or strength, you must force them to endure ever different levels of stress. A good term for this is "overload." If your muscles are asked to move weights that are a normal load for them, they will not be subjected to stress. If your muscles are asked to move weights at time intervals that are the same day after to day they will not be subjected to stress. If your muscles are asked to move weights a specific and unchanging number of times per session they will not be subjected to stress.
To activate the healthful reactions the body makes to stress, stress has to be a programmed part of workouts. That is where overload comes into the picture. If we go the the gym and wish to maintain a pattern of stress there, we will have to resort to overload. The good news is that overload can be applied in any of the categories I listed in the above paragraph.
We can overload our muscles by simply doing a heavier weight for the same number of reps in a given movement. We are used to curling 75 lbs on a curling bar for 12 reps,for instance, and can overload the muscles by doing 85 for the same 12 reps. We can do four sets of our 75 lb curls instead of 2 sets. We can pause for 15 seconds between sets on our 75lb curls instead of 45. We can further reorder our workout so that the 75lb curls we used to do last are first on our list. We can stop doing 75lb curls with a curling bar and use the preacher bench we have never used before. Any of these changes or combination thereof will overload the muscle and elicit the stress that makes that body fitter and stronger.
At this point I get a little more doctrinaire. I believe overload must be systematically programmed to be effective. Unless we are top bodybuilders we cannot get the most out of overload,if we simply walk into the gym and decide what we will do for overload spontaneously. Today we will use short rest periods,but next time we will increase the weights or change exercises, for example. This will overload the muscles, but it will deprive them of the opportunity to actually adapt. Instead, overload will profit most when we decide that for a period of three weeks of regular training we are going to change one significant aspect of our workout-rest periods, amount of weight, etc. At the end of that period we may retain our innovation and add another or drop it to concentrate on something else. The body has had time to adapt and further change will be profitable.
I repeat that overload is intensity and without overload time is wasted. Moreover without planning overload is ineffective,because the body is deprived of the required time and exposure to make adaptations to new stress. Weight training thus involves a considered course of prescribed overload. Use overload, however, and use it correctly and you will become fitter. Your servant, as always.
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