Training Intensity: How Much Is Too Much

[mrplunkey]

We've all had days when we crush our legs so badly we can barely walk out of the gym. You get in a zone and your hour-fifteen workout turns into that two hour leg bonanza.

Has anyone ever determined if that's actually beneficial? Given that you're going to train around five days a week, is it better to go balls-to-the-wall when you can or is it better to pace yourself?

I've had days that when I finish-up around 1:00, I've trained so intensely that I have to go home and take a nap. I'll regroup in the afternoon and get work done, but I've definitely blunted my edge. On other days I get good workouts in, but they aren't the body-and-soul wrecking training days.

Which results in better real-world results? Has anyone ever done a credible study?

 

[timtim]

We've all had days when we crush our legs so badly we can barely walk out of the gym. You get in a zone and your hour-fifteen workout turns into that two hour leg bonanza.

Has anyone ever determined if that's actually beneficial? Given that you're going to train around five days a week, is it better to go balls-to-the-wall when you can or is it better to pace yourself?

I've had days that when I finish-up around 1:00, I've trained so intensely that I have to go home and take a nap. I'll regroup in the afternoon and get work done, but I've definitely blunted my edge. On other days I get good workouts in, but they aren't the body-and-soul wrecking training days.

Which results in better real-world results? Has anyone ever done a credible study?

im not sure if their are specific studies done. i would say this type of training is intuitive, so youre going by how you feel day to day. if you are doing a specific training routine i would say follow that routine, regardless of if you feel you can push more. if you are an intuitive trainer, use those strong days and go hard. the thing i dont like about intuitive training is like you said, you could have a destructive leg workout and then a day later have shoulders and tris and your cns is fried so that workout lags compared to the prior workout.

 

[mrplunkey]

im not sure if their are specific studies done. i would say this type of training is intuitive, so youre going by how you feel day to day. if you are doing a specific training routine i would say follow that routine, regardless of if you feel you can push more. if you are an intuitive trainer, use those strong days and go hard. the thing i dont like about intuitive training is like you said, you could have a destructive leg workout and then a day later have shoulders and tris and your cns is fried so that workout lags compared to the prior workout.

Good term -- "destructive workout".

I typically train multi-joint muscle groups (except squat and deads) just one rep short of failure. I'll do 3-4 work sets each of two lifts (i.e. decline barbell press then flat dumbell bench press) at this one-rep short intensity. Then I'll do at least two (if not three) single-joint movements, but seldom near failure. When I do that, I drink my PWO shake and immediately go home to rest for at least an hour. I'll still manage to get things done later in the day, I'm still a step slow until the next morning.

After three days of this, I'll almost always have an off day where my CNS is too fried or my joints just ache too much. Sometimes I get lucky and life forces me to take the day off anyway.

I just have to wonder if it would be more clever to turn the intensity down just a hair and see if I get more lean muscle growth.

Here's what I wrestle with:

- Studies show that accumulated training fatigue stimulates your body to grow muscle (proof that one-shot workouts don't really stimulate changes in body composition)

- Muscle gains and body fat reduction are ultimately dictated by convincing your body that environmental conditions are favorable to grow. So not only do you need the physical challenge -- you also need sleep, food, low stress, etc. etc.

So how best to trick your body into gaining muscle and shedding fat?

 

[timtim]

Good term -- "destructive workout".

I typically train multi-joint muscle groups (except squat and deads) just one rep short of failure. I'll do 3-4 work sets each of two lifts (i.e. decline barbell press then flat dumbell bench press) at this one-rep short intensity. Then I'll do at least two (if not three) single-joint movements, but seldom near failure. When I do that, I drink my PWO shake and immediately go home to rest for at least an hour. I'll still manage to get things done later in the day, I'm still a step slow until the next morning.

After three days of this, I'll almost always have an off day where my CNS is too fried or my joints just ache too much. Sometimes I get lucky and life forces me to take the day off anyway.

I just have to wonder if it would be more clever to turn the intensity down just a hair and see if I get more lean muscle growth.

Here's what I wrestle with:

- Studies show that accumulated training fatigue stimulates your body to grow muscle (proof that one-shot workouts don't really stimulate changes in body composition)

- Muscle gains and body fat reduction are ultimately dictated by convincing your body that environmental conditions are favorable to grow. So not only do you need the physical challenge -- you also need sleep, food, low stress, etc. etc.

So how best to trick your body into gaining muscle and shedding fat?

please, when you figure this out, let us all know. the body is always adapting and adjusting so finding that middle ground is the tough spot.

alot of people here dont agree with me, but focusing on tempo, lighter weight, and muscle activation has worked very, very well for me. i still do the heavy compounds but my focus isnt strength, its cosmetic appeal. hypertrophy is the result of time under tension, not the amount of weight lifted. thats what i try to focus on.

 

[ExtraMile]

i agree with timtim that on days when you get in the zone, feel like you have more energy or find you are stronger then go for it and make the most of it, you never know when you will get another chance like that so make it count. Days when your tired, weak and/or just not in the mood take it a little easier.

 

[the_alcatraz]

you have to be able to differentiate between pain of injury and pain of a good workout