Digital Support Team Web • May 25, 2021

Harder Exercise vs. More Exercise

All exercise must provide resistance and movement. The value of the exercise can be determined by the “quality” of the resistance and the “quality” of movement. The harder the resistance in an exercise becomes the more productive the exercise becomes for strength increasing purposes. Most people, however, confuse HARDER exercise with MORE exercise, which is a huge misconception.

In a set of resistance exercises, if an individual is capable of performing ten properly executed repetitions with 100 pounds, and with the last repetition, the 10th repetition, being an all-out maximal effort repetition, the question arises, “Which repetition in that set of 10 repetitions is the most productive repetition? The first one or the last one?” Well, it’s obvious. The answer is the last one.

Now, what is changing repetition by repetition that is making the exercise more productive? Is the resistance changing? No, it’s the same 100 pounds. Is the distance of movement changing? No, it is the exact same distance with every rep. The first thing that is changing repetition by repetition that is making the exercise more stimulating is the INTENSITY OF EFFORT being exerted. Replication by repetition the movement is getting progressively harder. The hardest rep, the most productive rep, is the very last rep that can barely be accomplished in good form.

Now what if this same individual decided not to do the last repetitions. The 8th, 9th, and 10th reps, because it was getting harder, so they decided to make up for those last reps by doing two more sets using the same weight, but stopping the sets at 7 reps. Question: Would this increased volume of exercise (i.e., doing more exercise sets) make the exercise as stimulating and productive as doing only one set, but carrying that set to momentary muscular failure? The answer is No. The reason is that all muscles contract on an ALL or NOTHING basis, meaning that the whole muscle when called upon to move something does not contract in its entirety, but individual muscle fibers contract and only to the point of producing movement.

So, the harder the exercise becomes, the more muscles fibers are called upon to contract to continue to product movement.

If an individual did 20 sets of the same exercise with the same weight but stopped 2 to 3 reps sort of an all-out effort, the exercise would be greatly compromised in its stimulations. Also, the more work that is placed on the muscles and the entire physical system as a whole, the more energy is being consumed making the body much more exhausted. This reduces the body’s ability to recover after the exercise session has been completed. Regardless of how much muscular stimulation has been produced, if the body’s resources are not available for recovery, the individual cannot and will not improve. Even if the multiple sets of the same exercise were performed correctly, the physical system (systemic recovery) would be so exhausted from doing too much work that it could not positively respond.

For strengthening purposes all anaerobic exercise protocols should be as HARD as possible and as BRIEF as possible. This protocol will work as many muscle fibers as possible while reducing the exhaustive demands of the exercises as on the body.

By Digital Support Team Web 25 May, 2021
QUESTION - What do all other personal trainers use to measure the ongoing results of their clients? NOTHING! It’s always speculative and emotional, “Well, I feel better!”, “I think it’s working", “My trainer is really nice", “I can really feel it." Without having SOMETHING DEFINITIVE to measure a client’s results or lack of results EVERY WORKOUT, no one can know WITH ANY CERTAINTY if their program is working or if it is a waste of time! ALL beneficial results that are attained through “proper” Progressive exercise are based solely on “strengthening!” You cannot increase bone density without strengthening the bones of your body! You cannot improve the tendons and ligaments of your body without strengthening them! You cannot improve your heart and lungs without strengthening your heart and lungs! You cannot firm, tone or improve in any way the muscles of your body without strengthening them! IT IS SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE! As a matter of fact, outside of cosmetic surgery, there are only two things that you or anyone else can do to change the appearance, mobility and functionality of the body. 1. You can Gain or Lose Fat 2. You can Gain or Lose Muscle However, within the confines of these two seemingly limiting factors, DRAMATIC RESULTS can be witnesses by almost anyone IF the PROPER exercise protocol is understood and applied. Over 95% of what is being promoted today through exercise infomercials, celebrity exercise videos, fitness magazines, extreme makeover shows, fitness centers and especially personal trainers IS NOT ONLY NON-PRODUCTIVE NONSENSE BUT IN MANY CASES IS OUTRIGHT DANGEROUS! DON’T BE MISLED! STOP BEING CONFUSED! THERE IS AN ABSOLUTE SCIENTIFIC REALITY TO DESIGNING A PROPER PROGRESSIVE EXERCISE PROTOCOL. IT IS AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT THAT ALL MPT TRAINERS, REGARDLESS OF ANY PREVIOUS EDUCATION OR EXPERIENCE, BE EDUCATED, TRAINED AND CERTIFIED BY MY PERSONAL TRAINER CERTIFICANTION TRAINING PROGRAM CALLED B.O.S.S. B.O.S.S. ASSURES THAT ALL MPT CLIENTS RECEIVE THE MOST ACCURATE, NO NONSENSE, TRUTHFUL AND RESULTS PRODUCING EXERCISE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TODAY! SO, ARE ALL PERSONAL TRAINERS CREATED EQUAL? Once the physiological facts are clearly understood, the answer becomes very self-evident!
By Digital Support Team Web 25 May, 2021
Once you learn how to write your name, you’re not going to improve your handwriting or your spelling by writing your name over and over again. The same thing is true with exercise. You’re not going to continue to increase strength and improve your body while continually using the same weight in exactly the same amount of time each week. The body will only be stimulated to improve by placing a physical demand on it that it is not accustomed to doing. In order for an exercise to continually be productive (i.e., increase strength) it must continually be progressive in the intensity of effort being exerted. A woman over the years that participated in an aerobics type of dance class or similar program (and there has been scores of them under different names) regardless of the amount of time she has been doing it, be it only two weeks or two years, will have gotten the same exact physical benefit. Why? Because of the intensity of effort or stress that is being placed on her body IS ALWAYS THE SAME. If she has been doing it for two years, the actual benefits or improvement took place in the first two weeks, and the other one year, eleven months and fourteen days were just maintenance. NO ADDITIONAL IMRPOVEMENT!
By Digital Support Team Web 25 May, 2021
Trian Harder. . . The most fundamental principle of exercise is overload. To stimulate increases in muscular strength and size you must impose a demand on the muscles that is greater than they accustomed to. The harder, or more intense an exercise is, the greater the degree of overload and the more effective the exercise. During high intensity training exercises are typically performed with all-out effort, until it is impossible to perform another repetition in good form. While training to momentary muscular failure is not necessary to stimulate increases in muscular strength and size, it ensures one has done all they can for that purpose. Some people believe regularly training to muscular failure is too stressful on the body- specifically the central nervous system- however this is not a problem as long as the volume and frequency of training are not excessive. High intensity training methods very with regards to the specific style, speed, and number of repetitions performed, as well as the number of exercises and frequency of workouts, but all emphasize working as hard as possible. . . .But Train Briefer There is an inverse relationship between the intensity and the volume of exercise a person can perform. The greater the effort put into a workout, the shorter the workout must be to avoid overstressing the body. High intensity training workouts typically require around 30 minutes, and some “consolidation routines” may take fewer than 10 minutes to complete. General Guidelines for High Intensity Training The following are general guidelines for high intensity training. Keep in mind the specific volume and frequency of training and exercise selection should be modified to suit the individual, based on level of conditioning, response to exercise, and goals. Training Frequency: Beginners should perform no more than three workouts per week on non-consecutive days. Advanced trainees should work out less frequently, not more. Training Volume: Perform between two and twelve exercises addressing all major muscle groups. If a higher number is performed, limit the total number of compound movements to no more than half. Number of Sets: Perform only one set per exercise. Number of Repetitions: A wide range of repetitions can be effective. Progression: Increase the resistance used during an exercise by approximately five percent whenever you are able to complete the highest number of you repetition range in strict form. Repetition Speed: Move slowly enough to maintain strict control over the movement and to be able to reverse direction smoothly. Avoid fat, jerky movements. Range of Motion: Full-range, partial-range, and isometric training can all be effective. Examples of workouts based on these guidelines: Basic workout with Nautilus machines: 1. Deadlift 2. Shoulder Press 3. Calf Raise Full-Body or Split Routines? Most high intensity training methods prescribe full body routines, however a few like Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty use split routines, which may aloe for longer local recovery for certain muscle groups. Examples of popular high intensity training workout splits: Basic upper body/lower body split: Upper Body 1. Bench Press or Dip 2. Chin Up or Pulldown 3. Standing Press 4. Row 5. Triceps Extension 6. Barbell Curl Lower Body 1. Barbell Squat or Leg Press 2. Stiff-Legged or Leg Curl 3. Leg Extension 4. Calf Rise 5. Trunk Curl Basic push/pull/legs & abs split: Push (Chest, Shoulders & Triceps) 1. Bench Press, Chest Press or Dip 2. Standing Press or Shoulder Press 3. Chest Fly 4. Lateral Raise 5. Triceps Extension Pull (Back & Biceps) 1. Chin Up or Pulldown 2. Row
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