Variable Intensity: The Road to Training Success!

Hit the weights hard! You have received this advice over and over again, it has stuck in your head. But even after working out hour after hour in the gym, you have little to show for your efforts. What the heck is wrong? “Is my form bad?” you ask. “Am I training hard enough?” “Am I training too hard?”

Unfortunately, this scenario is too common. To determine what is wrong, we have to consider all aspects of our training. How many sets are we doing for each muscle group? What exercises do we use in our training? Are we overtraining? Or could it be that our muscles and our central nervous system (CNS) have gotten used to all the training we’ve been doing and are now refusing to add even a shred of new muscle to our physique?

The fact is, our bodies are incredibly adept at adapting to the training stimulus we put them through. This is because our ancestors hunted for food and were physically exhausted to survive or they would have starved to death. During weight training, we put our bodies under similar stress. So it goes without saying that we are destined to reach a sticking point if we train in the same way week after week. We need to change things to keep improving. One of the ways to do this is by modifying the intensity of the effort and the volume of our training.

If your workout is the high-volume variety, try increasing the intensity and cutting back on the number of sets. For example, if your arm routine consists of 15 sets each for biceps and triceps, stopping all sets 2 reps before failing, reduce sets to 8 and ending all sets 1 reps before failing. Do this for four weeks and then switch things up by finishing all sets on failure using a set count of 2-3 per muscle group. This cyclical training changes the intensity of the effort and the volume of the training to prevent the body from acclimating to the current demands of the training. The best gains in muscle size and strength will be achieved in the higher intensity phases due to the higher demands placed on the muscles.

The formula for successful bodybuilding

The formula that is the basis of the strategy in this article says: The greater the intensity of the effort, the lower the volume. As a bodybuilder increases the intensity of his effort through the variables “Until Training Failure” or HIT, fewer sets are needed to maximize gains and prevent overtraining. On the contrary, the opposite happens, if the intensity is reduced, the volume or the count of sets should be increased slightly.

Failure to improve when overtraining is not the culprit

If you haven’t made the progress you think you should and have determined that overtraining is not the culprit, there are other reasons for the lack of results you’ve been experiencing. They are:

Age (can no longer improve; focus on maintenance or slow regression)

Genetics (peaked; can no longer improve muscle size or strength)

Over-adaptation (mentally bored; lack of motivation; physically adapted to the stimulus) Previous demands (each series performed decreases subsequent training capacity) Insufficient demands (lack of stimulus, that is, intensity, series or frequency to provoke a sufficient alarm reaction)

Pay attention to what your body tells you and keep a realistic set of goals. It could be that you have reached all the muscle size and strength that your body is capable of.

Incorrect selection of training routines

Many of us try to follow the routines of the best champion bodybuilders because we believe that since they have achieved a lot of success in the sport by training with these routines, we should also use them. The truth of the matter is that many of these routines are not what the bodybuilder is actually using. They appear in articles intended to impress the reader with the bodybuilder and promote his career.

These bodybuilders use chemical enhancers, that is, steroids, human growth hormone, insulin, and other anabolic drugs. These drugs allow the champion to overtrain on a regular basis because they increase the body’s recovery capacity and cause a positive nitrogen balance, causing the muscles to grow rapidly. Unfortunately, they also lead to many health problems, such as heart disease, kidney failure, and cancer, to name a few.

The ideal workout routine is one that is designed around the bodybuilder’s current conditioning, recovery skills, and goals. Remember to design it according to the intensity principle described above.

Example of a variable intensity program for arms

Phrase 1

The first phase is similar to what beginning bodybuilders do. Emphasis is placed on form and learning proper exercise technique rather than intense and heavy training.

Complete the desired exercises in good form, stopping the set two reps before reaching failure (the point where no further reps are possible).

barbell curls-1×10

curls concentration-1×12

pull-downs-1×12 sitting facing palms

standing triceps curls-1×12

kickback standing triceps-1×12

standing bar dips-1×12

Phase 2

The second phase increases the intensity of the effort by finishing all sets one repetition before failing. We will keep the number of sets at three each.

machine curls-1×10

Seated Slant Curls-1×12

pull-downs-1×10 sitting facing palms

lying triceps extensions-1×10

Seated Triceps Overhead Extensions-1×12

close grip bench presses-1×12

Phase 3

The third phase is where we bring all the sets to the point of muscular failure. Load the bar or weight machine with a weight that makes you work your best to complete the desired number of repetitions. Don’t stop when you get to your rep count; Try doing more reps. This causes you to overload your muscles and add weight with each workout, which will lead to additional muscle growth. Since we are increasing the intensity level, we will reduce the volume set to two sets for both muscles.

curls concentration-1×12

bent over barbell rows with palms-1×10

Forward Angled Cable Triceps Extensions-1×12

sitting machine triceps dips-1×8

Now that I’ve outlined the three phases of this HIT periodization program, start using it in your training by working with each phase for 3 weeks before moving on to the next.

Now hit the iron!