This is the second part of a 2-part article by guest author Cameron Stache. See this for Part 1. Cameron currently works as a Fitness Coach/ Assistant Fitness Manager at the Rush Fitness Complex in Greensboro, NC. He’s pursuing his Exercise Science degree and plans to use this degree (more…)
Trying to figure out the perfect routine can be tough. It’s especially tough when you consider the fact that there’s no such thing as a perfect routine.
Instead, you’re going to have to assess your personal needs and decide which muscles to work on which days. A number of factors will go into this decision, such as:
- What your current training level is, i.e. beginner, intermediate, or advanced
- What type of routine motivates you to work out in the gym
- Which muscle groups are lagging or will require special attention
- What type of routine your training partner is on
- How your body is responding to the workouts you have in place
There are many ways you can divide up your muscle groups to achieve the best workout for you. There are so many combinations, in fact, that I couldn’t possibly cover them all here. Instead, I’m going to point out a few principles that can be used as guidelines to help you choose the routine that’s best suited for you. (more…)
How long should you let your muscles rest before working them again? You may have heard that your muscles are ready to be trained again after 48 hours of rest.
Editor’s Note: This is Jason’s take. To read Darrin’s take, click here.
I’d like to set the record straight on that number. If you’re one of those genetic supermen with incredible recovery abilities, 48 hours is probably right for you. For the rest of us human beings, a little more recovery time is probably needed.
Very few people out there have the stamina and experience to be able to handle training every body part 3+ times a week with heavy loads. Think about it, that’s exactly how many times you would train each muscle group in a week if you’re only giving them 48 hours of rest on a consistent basis.
So let’s talk about some numbers that are more down to earth for most of us. In actuality, most people will need somewhere between 48-96 hours of rest for each muscle group. This means that you will need 2 days at the very least, while 3-4 days is probably a better fit for most people out there. (more…)
Continue reading about Setting the Record Straight on Muscle Recovery Time
Should you be training to failure? What does that even mean?
- The last few reps are more important than all the previous reps.
See, for strength and muscle growth, frequency trumps volume, but intensity trumps both volume and frequency. And so the absolute most important thing you can do with lifting is to do so intensely. This is true pretty much no matter what your lifting goals are. This chart shows you why [explained below].
There are a ton of ways to increase the intensity of your lifting (see here and here) but almost all of them involve dancing around with “failure” on your set. There are two basic forms of failure I’ll talk about today: form failure and muscular failure.
Form Failure
Think of form failure as the point where you are no longer able to do the movement with good form. Good form means proper alignment, proper tempo, using the muscle rather than momentum (unless it is a power movement).
This is also very mental – when you “think” you can’t do another one properly, you are probably right. In my experience though, most people fail mentally before they should (but I won’t describe mental failure here).
Here’s an example. Let’s say you are lifting alone. Your target rep count would be 8 for this exercise. You just finished your 7th rep and you are feeling a little shaky but confident you can get one more done safely. So you start the movement. But at the bottom of the move you realize you can’t finish it without sacrificing form. At that point, you’ve reached form failure.
Muscular Failure
Muscular failure is when you (more…)
Join the forum discussion on this article, or comment below.
- Should I workout if I’m still sore?
This is a constant debate. Should you still lift if you are sore from your previous workout?
I’ve tried to find some science behind an answer, and one thing might surprise you:
Soreness is not directly related to recovery. It is an indicator, (more…)
Continue reading about I’m Still Sore – Should I Lift Today?
This is the short version of Darrin’s view on muscle recovery time. To read the longer version, click here. To read Jason’s view, click here.
How long do your muscles need to recover between workouts?
That is one of the most important questions for any lifter – whether (more…)
Continue reading about The Truth About Muscle Recovery Time – Short Version
