Word(s) of the day - Training Volume

Todays word of the day is actually two words and I believe everyone should think about this when developing an exercise program for themselves. The word(s) of the day today is Training Volume.


Training Volume - The amount of physical training performed within a specific period.


Understanding training volume is so important that I cannot stress it enough. By understanding training volume, one can prevent overtraining. Many people, including myself, have had many workouts where he or she has overtrained a muscle. It is easy to get excited in the gym and overtrain (especially for guys). This is what I like to call " the pump disease". Most guys love when their muscles start to warm up and fill with blood because it gives them a pump. They look at themselves in the mirror at the gym and feel like Hercules. This gets them excited. Instead of thinking about the fact that their muscles are tired, they keep going to pump up even more. Now ladies, this doesn't mean that you don't have a tendency to overtrain as well. Only instead of looking for that pump, maybe your spending two hours on the elliptical to get that butt in shape. Training volume varies for each individual and is based on seven different factors. These include:

*Training Phase (power, strength, or stabalization)
*Goals
*Age
*Work capacity
*Recoverability
*Nutritional Status
*Injury history

Training volume is adversely relating to intensity. One cannot safely do high volumes of high intensity workouts for a long period of time. In other words, when working with weight loads that exceed 90% of your maximum, you rarely will exceed a workout volume of 20 reps (four sets of three to five reps). On the other hand when working with weight loads that are 60% of your maximum, you can easily do a workout volume of thirty six to sixty reps (three sets of 12 to 20 reps). These numbers may vary depending on how often you exercise. What phase of training you are in (power, strength, or stabalization), and your goals dictate the reps, sets, intensity, rest and tempo. All of these things dictate the volume.

So before going to the gym, think about what it is that your trying to achieve and don't overdue it. Listen to your muscles. If you don't, they will fight back and they always win.