Sweat doesn’t equal success

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This article was published 04/03/2023 (1141 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Almost everything you need to know about strength training is included in this column.

That’s probably the exact opposite info you’ve been fed by mainstream fitness over the years. The problem with most “mainstream” fitness is the randomness of it.

Pop into your local boot camp gym, turn on your Tonal app or fire up your Peloton and do whatever suits your fancy that day. You leave exhausted and accomplished. Done.

One problem: sweating doesn’t equal success. Changing your body doesn’t happen by accident. Exercise in all forms is great, and you should do any type of exercise you enjoy. But if you want to lose fat, tone up, boost metabolism and improve bone density, the secret to success is structured strength training.

It’s the type of training that may look a bit repetitive, but builds upon itself over time. Heck, even the Peloton instructors didn’t build their bodies with Peloton workouts alone. (I love my Peloton for mixing in some movement, so I feel like a cheating spouse here, but it’s the truth.)

So, what’s the solution? Make sure your plan adheres to these main tenets:

— Train three to five days per week with weights as your foundation and mix in movement however you want

— Use a program that gives you enough volume per muscle group, per week (10-20 sets per muscle group, per week, depending on goals and stage of development)

— Track your performance improvements (more reps, or a bit more weight)

— Stick to one program for at least eight to 12 weeks

Problem: Where do you start? Well, that’s what we’re discussing today — so strap in!

The seven steps to building the perfect workout program

1) Training intensity: If you aren’t training hard enough, nothing else matters. This doesn’t mean lifting the heaviest weight possible until you can’t do another rep and injure yourself. A good rule of thumb is to challenge yourself with a weight that gets you anywhere between one to three reps shy of failing — the point where you can’t complete another rep with good form.

So, if you can lift a weight for a maximum of 10 reps with a given weight, anywhere between seven and nine reps will be stimulating enough for muscle growth to occur.

2) Progressive overload: To grow and get stronger, you need to increase the demands placed on your body during successive workouts.

While there are a number of ways you can implement progressive overload, the simplest is to focus on lifting more weight or completing more reps than you did in the previous session.

Finally, just remember you won’t always be able to make progress every time you train, especially once you’re past the beginner stage. Every small improvement makes a difference at that point. Some weeks you’ll make progress, other weeks you might not. That’s fine as long as progress is happening over time.

3) Training volume: Volume is the number of working sets per muscle group, per week. The latest research on the topic suggests anywhere between 12 and 20 sets per muscle group, per week, is likely optimal for muscle growth.

That said, studies only tell us about group averages and you, as an individual, might need more or less volume than what’s stated above.

For example, a beginner might start with 10 sets per muscle group, per week, and work their way up to 12 sets over time.

Finally, what matters most is the effort you put forth. Doing a bunch of extra sets with poor form is counterproductive here. Get in, work hard and get out.

4) Reps: All rep ranges can build muscle and tone as long as you’re getting close to failure, so you can use a wide range of reps in your training.

However, if the goal is muscle growth, most of your training should occur in the six- to 12-rep range. It’s not because there’s anything inherently special about this rep range, but constantly training with lower reps (one to five) means lifting heavy weights really close to your maximum that can increase the risk of injury and generally leave you feeling more beat up.

Doing too much high-rep training can increase fatigue and recovery time, and form can start to break down the longer a set goes.

The six- to 12-rep range is a nice rule of thumb for most exercises, but there’s a time and place for going lower or higher.

5) Rest times: The research as a whole tends to favour longer rest periods for muscle and strength gains. Wow, I know — you’re pressed for time already! This is where boot camps that have you going non-stop fall short. Longer rest times give your body a chance to clear out waste, replenish ATP (Adenosine triphosphate, which is needed for strength and muscular contractions), and allow you to give it your all at the next step.

That said, longer rest periods seem more important for multi-joint “compound” movements, while you could probably get away with shorter rest periods for single-joint “isolation” movements. For compound exercises, think barbell squats and presses, while isolation movements would be cable and dumbbell exercises targeting a single muscle group (for instance, dumbbell curls).

I personally like strategic super sets that act as active rest and minimize the “need” to sit around waiting between sets. This is where you’re pairing exercises with opposite movement patterns. Think of a classic push-pull or “front and back” super set. For example, pair biceps curls and triceps extensions, so you don’t waste time in the gym, but you do get enough recovery in the non-working muscle to give it your all the next time. The best of both worlds.

The science: Rest intervals of two minutes between sets are sufficient for the machine chest fly (isolation exercise) and three to five minutes for the bench press (compound).

6) Training frequency: How often you train per week seems to matter far less once weekly volume is in the 12-20 sets per muscle range. However, the best way to do this is to split those sets over two workouts, which in turn means better performance at each session.

For instance, if you’re aiming for 12 sets per muscle group, per week, I don’t like the conventional bodybuilder approach of a “chest day” followed by an “arm day,” for instance.

You’ll find you’re better able to maintain training intensity and performance when spreading volume across the week, such as six sets on Monday and six more on Thursday, versus trying to cram all your volume into one session.

You can then set this up based on the number of days you can work out:

— Three days per week: three full-body workouts, lower/upper/full-body

— Four days per week: lower/upper/lower/upper

— Five days per week: upper/lower/upper/lower/upper “pump” (a more joint-friendly workout of lower weights and more reps)

7) Exercise selection: Don’t listen to the free-weight purists who say you’re not serious about training if you default to machines. Both free weights (dumbbells and barbells) and machines can build muscle. Furthermore, your body doesn’t “see” equipment, it only recognizes intensity and effort. And you can apply intensity with all types of equipment. It’s all in how you use it.

Choose exercises you feel confident performing, that you connect with and that allow you to safely progress over time.

If you don’t want to barbell squat or can’t feel it where you should, use the leg press or dumbbell goblet squat. If you don’t want to bench press, do a dumbbell or machine variation.

And if you don’t want to do burpees? Good, because they are dumb.

Mitch Calvert is a Winnipeg-based fitness and mindset coach. Apart from his column in the Winnipeg Free Press, he’s been featured in Men’s Health. Visit mitchcalvert.com to grab a free copy of his metabolism jumpstart crash course or contact him directly for coaching opportunities.