The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens. To build muscle effectively, you need to train hard.
Muscular or technical failure is the epitome of “hard training”, but doing this all the time can have a number of downsides – like an increased injury risk and an inability to recover – that can actually prevent you from maximising your progress. However, it’s easy to tell when you hit failure. On the other hand, it’s not so easy to stop before failure and still train hard enough to stimulate meaningful muscle growth. The reps in reserve-based (RIR) rating of perceived exertion scale (RPE) is an evidence-based tool that helps you do exactly that. I’ve personally applied it in my own and my clients’ training with great success for the past three years. If you want to learn more about what the RPE scale is and how to use it, read on.
0 Comments
Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together. I’m sure this will come as a shock, but, when you don’t sleep well, life sucks.
What you may not know and what’s worse by far (let’s get our priorities straight here), is that your gains will suffer. You could have the best training program and diet in the world, but, if your sleep is inadequate, you’re going to struggle with:
Yes, that’s basically everything. Fortunately, improving sleep is easy, cheap, and more anabolic than expensive supplements, pre-workout formulas, and other less useful yet “sexier” fitness tools. So don’t sleep on this low-hanging fruit. (See what I did there?) Keep reading for a comprehensive guide on:
Let’s delve into it. Most people fail not because of a lack of desire but because of a lack of commitment. Updated in October 2023.
Should you cut or bulk first? A dilemma we’ve all faced at least once. You may be wondering, “Am I lean enough to bulk? Or should I cut first and bulk later?” This indecision is holding you back from making any progress at all in either direction. I’ve been there. Three years ago, I spent six months stagnating because I couldn’t commit to a bulk, but I also didn’t want to cut again because I’d just finished one such phase. This article is going to spare you all of that and take you through a thought process to help you make the best decision to attain the physique you want. This thought process includes the following assessments:
If you haven’t already, complete a Kickstart Phase first to prime yourself for either bulking or cutting, then come back to this post and dive in. For me, sometimes it’s more important to perform well in training and know that I am improving rather than scoring in a game. It’s doing the hard work, day in, day out. If you’ve ever lifted weights before, I’m sure you’ve come across repetition ranges, such as 6-12 reps.
In a well-structured training program, these ranges won’t be assigned at random. In fact, by selecting an appropriate range for each exercise, you can make your workouts more effective to achieve your fitness goals. This article will focus on how to choose the best rep range to maximise muscle growth, but you’ll pick up on some fundamental concepts to improve strength and endurance, too. Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s make some brain gains. |
Nikias TomasielloWelcome to my blog. I’m an online fitness coach with a passion for bodybuilding, fantasy, and bread. Want to work with me? Check out my services!Archives
March 2024
Tags
All
|