In your opinion.....

[gooey]

which is more important between A) volume training and B) max weight based on the goal of muscle gain? Obviously their are other variables that play a role in muscle recruitment, but BBers such as Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler have different styles and Im curious what others think is more important specifically to BBing.
Gooey

 

[rAJJIN]

Easy
Volume training with Max weight?

 

[Ton1333]

I find I grow more off of using more wieght. When I go with higher volume routines I dont notice the gains to be as rapid or as constant. When I work with progressivly heavier wieght I always feel I am growing at a constant rate. Plus I enjoy my workouts better when pushing more wieght around, maybe a higher feeling of satisfaction and that Im getting something done. But then, I am nowhere near the muscularity of you or many of the other members, perhaps the benefits of heavy training taper off as you gain more and more muscle. Im only speaking from what Ive noticed in myself.

 

[MassMachine]

I like to cycle my training monthly. Strength/Endurance/Bodybuilding.
Lee Apperson turned me on to this type of training a year ago and my gains keep coming and i always feel fresh. I get the best of all worlds.

MM

 

[Conan21]

both are important

heavy weights are important, volume is important

I'm not really sure what people mean by high volume, or low volume. that is a vague generalization which doesn't really tell you much at all.

i think there is too much focus on LOW sets or HIGH sets. it seems most people fall on either one end of the spectrum or the other and have very weak arguments to suggest why one method is superior and the other is inferior. when really there is MANY other things to consider than the number of sets

 

[DIEZEL666]

I think workload and frequency are the most important (not counting nutrition.)

 

[The Myth]

Switch it up.....

I've had success with switching back to higher reps (10-13) and moderate weight, whenever my body seem to stop growing. Back in the days there were a few pros that recommended this method whenever they experienced the same thing.

 

[TooPowerful4u]

I think it is all dependant on the person. Everyone is different. Some grow off volume, some cant handle the volume or theyl overtrain. Some can not lift maximal weights and grow, some need the weight to grow. You have to find out what works for YOU not ronnie coleman or jay cutler lol. More than half of what works for them im bettin wont work for u (especially coleman jeeze, that form/weight would tear a body apart).

 

[Got Juice]

personally i gain great off lifting heavy low volume. problem is my body cant handle the heavy weights. either my shoulders start hurting, my elbows, seems like something is always killing me. ive decided to just keep my reps up a little highre and remain a small worthless POS..

later,

 

[Conan21]

if this was the case.......

I think it is all dependant on the person. Everyone is different. Some grow off volume, some cant handle the volume or theyl overtrain. Some can not lift maximal weights and grow, some need the weight to grow. You have to find out what works for YOU not ronnie coleman or jay cutler lol. More than half of what works for them im bettin wont work for u (especially coleman jeeze, that form/weight would tear a body apart).

how could you as a personal trainer know how to train someone? or atleast what would be a starting point?

there would be no way to tell what would or would not work for them.

 

[TooPowerful4u]

how could you as a personal trainer know how to train someone? or atleast what would be a starting point?

there would be no way to tell what would or would not work for them.

start with the basics and grow from there depending on their capabilities and how fast they adapt. Nobody says to be a personal trainer u start perfectly from the get go, you learn your clients and what works best for them, what areas need to be improved and what goals they want to achieve. You gotta remember most people who hire personal trainers arent very experienced in the gym from the start, so ANYTHING they do consistently and correctly is an improvement and will bring about an improvement. Dont u remember when you first started liftin in the gym how fast you grew, how bout your very first cycle. Dont you wish you still grew like that. Beginner results

 

[Vander_V]

which is more important between A) volume training and B) max weight based on the goal of muscle gain? Obviously their are other variables that play a role in muscle recruitment, but BBers such as Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler have different styles and Im curious what others think is more important specifically to BBing.
Gooey

Im gonna have to say for my body type Volume training , altough sometimes people piss me off and say oh i see you use cables alot assuming i cant throw down 150lbs dumbells shit i was using 130lbs at age 19 lol.

 

[LATS]

i think it really depends on the dreaded word GENETICS.. some can recup from high volume very easily.. coleman, cutler, jackson (now), and just about every guy on the olympia stage.. but, it depends on what is meant by volume.. if they are counting sub max sets that are fairly easy, than it is not to be taken literally.. low intensity sets may add to the total over all workload but, there so many other variables.. many of those who swear by high volume would proably make just as good a gains by switching to low volume if their genetics are apt for bodybuilding.. some like vander swear by higher volume and grow nicely from it.. so why should he switch to heavy "power building " for low sets and reps.. sergio was noted to like sets of 20 in various points in his career.. he also used low reps and sets at other points and also grew.. he would grow from eating cardboard (as mentzer used to say)..
so it depends on your body and what it can handle.. mentally, i can not do 15 to 20 sets a bodypart.. it bores the crap out of me.. so maybe i could grow better on higher volume if i could put my mind to it.. but, at closing in on the big 4-0.. i do not plan to change.. so listening to someone like ronnie who would grow from about anything he did due to his amazing recovery ability would not be feasible.. as trulyhuge and traps21 who frequent this board ,and live next to me will tell ya, it is the equal as to listen to me tell ya how to train calves.. my calves have always just grown and i do absolutely no calf work at all.. doing hamstring work used to pump them up aweful..
so ithink you should do what you can do on a consistant basis and not burn out and look forward to your workouts..consistancy is the key..

 

[DOGMA]

I gain better training with maximal weights, than when I switch to a higher vomume less weight period. But then again the reason I grow better during the maximal phase is because of the volume phase I have just completed.

 

[MassMachine]

But then again the reason I grow better during the maximal phase is because of the volume phase I have just completed.

Dogma you nailed it. Cycle your training and you will prosper.

MM

 

[Trulyhuge]

LATS is an ass when it comes to calves! He does nothing and had humongous calves! I on the other hand have to pound the shit out of em to grow. But, as a youngin training at his gym, I used the Flex routines and grew little. He then pulled me aside and taught me(like Mr. Miagi in Karate Kid) how more is not better. Basically a "hit it hard, tear it down, get out, eat, repair" mentaility. I can't fathim the thought of doing 20 sets for arms or even chest. Low volume(ALA DC training) suits me and my 5'6 frame.

TH