Consistency Versus Intensity

[mrplunkey]

Any studies on whether its better (in terms of size and strength) to train consistently or to train at maximum intensity every chance you get (within reason, assuming 72 hours rest between major muscle groups)?

I never go into the gym planning to slack off and historically I've shot for "wrecking" a bodypart each day (i'm doing 2 per day atm). Wrecking means I'm sore the next one to two days -- as in hard to move and experiencing random aches and pains even after weeks on a routine. The only problem is, wrecking sometimes leads to physical and/or emotional "off" days the next day. For example, if I bench to the point where I lay in bed aching that night, my shoulders day the subsequent day may loose a little edge (not always, but sometimes you can just tell).

In terms of size and strength gains... would someone be better-off doing 6 weeks of intense workouts, getting good pumps and doing significant muscle damage or would they be better off shooting for "wrecking" a bodypart, even if it means good days and bad ones?

I know this is a nebulous question, but I guess another way to put it is "does your body build strength and size by averaging your resistance training over time, or do peaks that generate genuine trauma, even if followed by subsequent vallys produce better results?"

Thanks in advance,

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

I am like the complete opposite of you lol.

I train hard, but not to failure and I take plenty of rest between sets and exercises. I do not train to exhaustion or even close to it generally and do not feel much soreness at all the next after my workouts.

Generally I leave the gym feeling worked, but strong, not tired.

As for your question, well I think if you want to be scientific about it then consistently adding weight and or reps over time without "wrecking" yourself is a far better idea.

I don't see the need to train to failure at all.

The way I think of it is like this. When you drive a car you don't drive it until it's totally empty. You leave a little in the tank so you can fill it up. If you drive it until it's empty every time it's gonna stall out and quit running.

Or the callous one. If you scratch a spot enough and let it heal it will form a callous, but if you scratch it too much or too often then it'll just go raw and probably bleed.

I personally just don't see any real benefit of training to failure or "wrecking" your muscles which in turn probably means you're "wrecking" your nervous system too.

Muscles don't need to be literally torn apart too adapt and get bigger and stronger nor does your CNS need to be bashed to get more efficient.

This is just my opinion.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

________________________________________________________________________
i feel that wrecking leads to off days in the gym, and in life- just as you stated mrplumky. i would rather have a great day every day, with some random bad days, than worry about being sore tommorow because i wore myself out doing (enter your activity).

consistancy has always treated me better in the gym. when i train erratically and hard, i injure myself. when i workout consistantly and leave the gym feeling like i could still rep a few and run a mile, i just always feel good.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[WalkingBeast]

Not sure about studies, but I go with both. Has been working well for me so far. KILL THAT SHIT!!

 

[mrplunkey]

It's tough for me to figure-out. It's great to have a "squat till you puke" day, or decide that for your last 2 bench sets you're going to "leave it all on the bench" (Read: refuse a spot until you experience a near-complete failure on your last rep). I just wonder if my body sees through those most intense periods of training and averages the entire thing out anyway.

If suffering = bigger gains, i'm glad to do it. I just don't know that it does.

Thanks,

 

[bignate73]

how are brick walls made? with huge bricks one at at time or with small bricks stacked on top of each other? It all depends on if your theory is to put the biggest brick on but can't do it often, or put a bunch of smaller bricks on more frequently....

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

Suffering more DOES NOT equal bigger gains at all imo.

Training your body at and up to it's own threshold of intensity is best imo.

Leaving it all on the bench is just a good way to deplete yourself.

This is yet another reason why I think training to failure has hindered and confused alot of people. Heck, the old school bodybuilders didn't train to failure most of the time and they got big and powerful. Powerlifters and weightlifters RARELY train to failure and if they do it's on a 1 rep max attempt, not a set of reps. I don't think anyone can argue that they are some of the most biggest and/or most powerful people on the planet.

"Training to failure is not even a prerequisite for stimulating muscle and strength gains."

 

[curgeo]

Ghetto is right on.

Your body grows by ADAPTATION. It adapts to the training stress put on it.
In order for your muscles to grow, they have to be stimulated, fed and recovered. That is why diet and rest are so important to a bodybuilder.

However, when you are tearing your body up like that, you are adapting, but also causing muscular damage that can actually DECREASE your strength and growth. Going balls out once in a while is okay, but when done often, it can lead to a detraining effect.

What you are after is SUPERCOMPENSATION of your body. You want your body to adapt to a level higher than what you started at. Tudor Bompa usually recommends doing heavy, light, medium, light, heavy days to help the body recover.

Personally, I'm a powerlifter after spending 15 (wasted) years as a bodybuilder. I used to think I had to be sore the next couple of days, but now I don't get usually don't get sore at all. I work on specific things to help me recover faster though.

To really answer your question: No, you don't have to make yourself sore for 3 days to grow.......what you need to do is train, eat and recover so your body can adapt. Training crazy once in a while is cool, but if you do it too often you have a good chance of hurting yourself.

I'm a mod at www.anabolicfitness.net. There is a lot of good information over there if you take the time to read it. I also recommend "The Science and Practice of Strength Training" by Vladimir Zatsiorksky and for you, "Periodization" by Tudor Bompa. The Zat book will tell you exactly how mucles work and how they relate to the strength athlete and the Bompa book can give you a good idea of what periodization (alternating levels of intensity) is.

 

[mrplunkey]

Copy of a post I did on the Anabolics board (since gear is involved):

235 @10%BF, 6' 2.75"

4 IU's HGH/day (5 on 2 off) + 200 mg/EW Test Cypo; In week 9 of 10 week cycle.

Took yesterday off due to soreness (felt like total-body flu -- that kind of aches and pains, but wasn't flu). Even one day later (this morning) getting out of bed was hard. It's like whole-body tendonitis -- muscles don't ache, but connective tissue hurts like hell.

Got in squat rack today and here's what happened:

45 x 15 (yeah, the bar) -- incredibly painful
45 x 15 -- still painful
135 x 12 -- painful
225 x 8 -- painful -- even thought about calling the day off
315 x 8 -- hurt at first... last 3-4 felt better
365 x 8 -- felt ok
405 x 8 -- felt even better (more solid)
455 x 8 -- felt very good (wanted to go 495 x 8, but knew better)

Is this a side-effect of using gear? I feel REALLY rough -- even with 1 or 2 days off. I wake-up in the night with aching shoulders and elbows and struggle even getting-up after sitting a few minutes. But then, once I get going in the weight room (read: 5+ sets in), something kicks-in and I feel better... then feel downright great almost every time.

My weak attempt at listing possible causes:

1) Some kind of overtraining that I haven't experienced before? I've hit it hard off-and-on for 18ish years and haven't experienced this before.

2) Higher test levels inhibiting the formation and/or healing of connetive tissue?

3) HGH joint pain manifesting itself as connective tissue pain?

4) Higher test levels being mirrored with higher cortisol levels?

5) Real overtraining and tendonitis being masked by endorphins released as I push-through the first few sets?

Any help would be appreciated -- i'm getting worried.

 

[curgeo]

Ulter would be the person to email about this particular problem. Tell him curious george sent you to him. The man knows his stuff on AS.