Progressive load *and" progressive workload?

G

Gregor

New Member
Hi HST advocates!

I am currently planning my next HST cycle. Did HST before but haven't done it for a while now.

Now my question is: Should both load and workload increase all the time? I couldn't give you any references right now but I think I read most research shows that above a certain intensity threshold increasing workloads (i.e. the total moved load of all reps for a certain exercise) are the or a major factor for hypertrophy. Is that correct? I mean if ever increasing load was the only factor, then a tiny volume (1-2 reps) would be sufficient to induce hypertrophy but this is not the case.

So, should I make sure that during my cycle the workload never decreases? Which do you consider more important: increasing load or increasing workload (provided that load never goes down)? Should I sacrifice workload in order to be able to progress faster load-wise?
 
Workload does increase over time. You don't have to keep volume constant for workload to increase since you are lifting a greater amount of weight each time.
 
Progressive load *and* progressive workload?

Totentanz said:
Workload does increase over time. You don't have to keep volume constant for workload to increase since you are lifting a greater amount of weight each time.
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Well, I can make the workload increase over time but it doesn't necessarily increase.

There are three cases:
a) If volume remains constant, then workload will obviously increase with increasing load.
b) Decreases in volume do not make up for the increase in load resulting in less workload.
c) Increases in load overcompensate decreases in volume so that workload increases.

For example:
Case b:
2x15 reps x 40 kg = 1200 kg
2x10 reps x 45 kg = 900 kg

Case c:
2x15 reps x 40 kg = 1200 kg
2x10 reps x 61 kg = 1220 kg

As you can see, going from 2 sets of 15 reps to 2 sets of 10 reps would require the load (weight) to go up from 40 kg to 61 kg in order to provide an increase in workload. If I started with just 1 set of 15 reps, then of course I could easily make sure that workload increases because 2x10 reps = 20 reps and this is more than just 1x15 reps. To me, it is not as easy as it seems. Or maybe I am overlooking something.

Anyway, I wonder whether I should start with a lower volume (like 1x15 reps instead of 2x15 reps) so that I can use lower volumes with the higher weights while making sure that workload still increases over time.
 
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Just counting set + reps + weight oversimplifies how our neuromuscular systems adapt to changing load. As best we know hypertrophy is caused by overstimulating muscle fibers causing damage which forces them to adapt becoming stronger and larger.

At lower weights, probably below 80% of 1RM, not all muscle fibers are recruited to execute a lift right from the start. Since not all muscle fibers are being used the potential to overwork all of them is lower. Also it seems the muscle fibers with the most potential to grow are recruited last only after other fibers geared to endurance start needing more time to recover. So as the weight increases each rep becomes more efficient at stimulating growth.

Above about 80% 1RM all fibers are being recruited right from the start so to generate more force your central nervous system uses “rate coding” (fires bundles of muscle fibers faster) to generate even more force. So again as the weight increases each fiber is being required to work more causing more stimulation and potential for growth.

So doing 2x15 reps with some % of your 15RM is not necessarily generating more or even as much overstimulation of your muscle fibers as doing 2x10 reps with some % of your 10RM.

The key is to generate enough overstimulation to the muscle fibers to damage them forcing them to adapt and become stronger which means maintaining a minimum amount of time under tension. How much TUT is debatable but from what I’ve read and experienced about 15-20 reps is the minimum.

Another way to recruit more muscle fibers from the start of each set is to reduce the amount of time between sets. Less time between sets means fewer muscle fibers are fully recovered at the beginning of the 2nd and each following set.

Here is an example of how increasing weight can allow (almost necessitate due to CNS recovery) lower volume as the weight increases. Don’t worry about the specific numbers as this is just to demonstrate the concept.

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/content/modifying-prilepin-s-193/
 
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Thanks for the very detailed reply. I think the most important message that I took out of your post is that moved amount of weight (workload) - even if above a certain threshold - is not the major factor for hypertrophy but recruiting as many muscle fibers as possible is. So, even with a lower volume I might create a stronger hypertrophy stimulus with higher weights than with more volume and lower weights provided that the TUT is long enough, which should be in the range of 15-20 reps.
Does this mean that when reaching the 5s (5 rep sets) I should do 3 to 4 sets in order to reach a total of 15-20 reps?
 
So, even with a lower volume I might create a stronger hypertrophy stimulus with higher weights than with more volume and lower weights provided that the TUT is long enough, which should be in the range of 15-20 reps.
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Sounds about right. Anywhere from 3-5 sets of 5 reps will work depending on how well you recover.
There is a very good technique called Myo-reps that will also help you get more out of lower weight higher rep work:

http://www.clutchfitness.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9363

It’s a more efficient way of recruiting muscle fibers using lower weights, something you might want to try later.
 
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