Muscle Building Principles in Order of Importance

R

ryolacap

Member
Muscle Building Principles in Order of Importance

I would like to identify the priciples and see what everyone thinks how they stack up.

I have HST as
1. progression
2. frequency
3. volume
4. intensity

HIT might be
1. intensity
2. progression
3. volume
4. frequency

Of course, I might be missing major priciples but I would like to know how what your lists are, and what priciples you prioritized to get your best gains. My best gains looked like this

1. Progression
2. intensity
3. volume
4. frequency
 
For me:


     Intensity
     Progression
     frequency
     volume

This may be a bit over simplified though as I manipulate each variable to enable what I'm looking for from the other three.
 
   
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Use of 'intensity' should probably be clarified.

Russ, I'm assuming that by 'intensity' you mean % current 1RM, rather than perceived intensity à la HIT?

Personally, I think that the four variables in Russ' list are the most useful; all need to be manipulated to some degree depending on the goals of the trainee - even during the course of a cycle.
 
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(Lol @ Aug. 05 2009,4:23)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Russ, I'm assuming that by 'intensity' you mean % current 1RM, rather than perceived intensity à la HIT?</div>
You are correct sir - I ALWAYS refer to intensity as %age of 1RM .
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1. Nutrition
2. Progression (w/ emphasis on longer-term)
3. Frequency
4. SD
5. TUT (prefer the term &quot;total accumulated tension&quot;)

Switch 3 &amp; 4 during injury mode.
 
Ok I have my own set of variables.

These is how my body seems to respond

1. Progression (where beating PRs on big compound movement matters most)
2. Load/Intensity (% of 1RM) (Should be varied to avoid overreaching too fast)
3. Frequency (High Freq -&gt; Good for avoiding getting detrained and also good for speeding up hypertrophy)
4. Volume (still important to me despite being 4th, but 1+2+3 is what really matters ™)
5. Taking a set or several sets to failure or very near - seems to be a tool that should be used very sparingly - not important.
6. TUT - using it in a way where you speed down the reps means lower acceleration -&gt; lower load and also means more metabolic waste products -&gt; more fatigue -&gt; even less load. Never found a real use for TUT other than the TUT you automatically get from upping volume.

If you look at #1 - progression, I have found my muscles grow the fastest when I make big progressions on good exercises, even if the volume and frequency is insanely low (3 set - 3 reps per week being the most extreme example). Of course I cant use that type of training for long before I get detrained instead.

I didnt put nutrition on the list because its hard to compare training variables with food variables. Both are important of course.
 
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