In part one, we discovered the three main components that need to be considered when designing a training program, including the specificity of exercise, training intensity and volume and how to think about how to structure training to make it gradually progressive towards a goal. If you haven’t read the first three points discussed in part one of this article, it’s probably wise to do so, or point four and five outlined in this article might not make too much sense!
4. Make sure you allow time for recovery.
One of the biggest barriers to progress is inadequate recovery. This does not just mean achieving adequate sleep and good nutrition; it means thinking about training frequency, how often and at what intensities you are working a muscle group. For example, the bench press works not only the chest but also the triceps and delts, as does the shoulder press. Therefore, if you have a separate chest, shoulders and arms day where you are consistently hitting triceps then you might not see progress because they never have chance to recover, adapt and grow.
To avoid this it is pretty simple, take a little time to think about what muscles are working in each exercise, including when they are not the ‘prime’ mover. Then, plan workouts where you hit the muscle groups twice per week, with at least three days of recovery in between to start if possible. This may mean that some weeks you can only hit one possible body part per week, but don’t limit yourself to training cycles that just work on only a weekly basis. It might be beneficial to plan training to cover a few weeks to have some weeks where some body parts may take more of the training volume, with other weeks where the training volume is reduced to allow recovery. For example, you could train legs twice one week with a single pull and push session, then the following week train legs ones with two push sessions and one pull session and so on!
5. Don’t be afraid to ‘auto-regulate’.
Ok, this one might seem to be a little contradictory, but in short, auto-regulation is the ability to change your training to how you feel or when the rate of progress you are making exceeds or is slower than your plan. If training feels easy, don’t be afraid to go a little heavier, harder or longer. If it feels too hard and stagnant, then don’t be afraid to take a backward step and reassess your training and play around with training variables to try and push things forwards. We have to make use of our good days, as there will always be bad ones were we are required to decrease our training and hold back.
This doesn’t mean loading up a silly amounts of weight to throw in a one rep max that we aren’t ready for, or deciding to run twice the scheduled distance that day, but by increasing load or distance sensibly, lifting more reps at the scheduled load or increasing running pace to set new personal bests isn’t going to over-stress the body and do any harm, and still allow you to fully maximise your workout.
Of the five key rules outlined over these two articles, it is the last two that are often the most difficult to balance, as there are so many factors that can influence them which are directly related to both training volume and intensity. It takes a good deal of experience to listen to the body and regulate your training as appropriate.
Creating a training program can be challenging, but start simple and focus on the main exercises that will help you progress in the manner you want. Create a suitable starting point and try and make small but measurable progression week after week, make sure you log your training so you know where you are and where you want to be! Logging workouts is also an opportunity to make a note of things about how you felt, how you slept the night before, the time of day you trained and what you’ve eaten that day to determine patterns, this will help you find out what external factors can help you with your training, recovery and to create truly individualised training plans.
Paul Rimmer (BSc, MSc, PhD).
