Looking for input from members that switched from High Intensity to Volume Training..

[Aikman56]

Due to age, injury or whatever your reason was.


I turned 36 this year. And after 21 years (I think the longest I've ever taken off was 3 or 4 weeks in Jan of 2006...other than that, a week after a contest is about it) of consistently beating the hell out of my body, I see the need to re-evaluate the way I've been training.

I've always been an advocate and practitioner of the Yates/Mentzer style of training because it made the most sense to me.

But over the last couple of years, the injuries are piling up and it is taking longer and longer to heal when something is injured. I think it's time for me to pull away from the "one set to failure" approach and move more toward a volume approach. The problem is, I really don't know where to start.

I feel like a fish out of water. With High Intensity, I clearly knew when I was done, it was simple...the muscle would not contract any further and couldn't support a negative.

Easy, right?

But after 2 decades of training that way, any other approach feels like a vegan must feel when the only thing to eat is a piece of steak!

What I'm hoping for here is input form other members that might have experienced the same things that I've experienced and made the switch. How much volume is enough? Too much? When are you done with a set? An exercise?

On the surface, these look (even to me) like stupid, elementary questions...but I'm completely realigning my paradigm, and it's the least bit daunting a task.

 

[TNH]

I am 30, but recently switched to volume from HIT type training because I was tired of pounding my CNS into the ground. I had some cortisol and adrenal issues that I needed to fix, so I had to take some time off from the gym and take some medication for reducing cortisol.

When I got back in the gym, I had to take it easy, so I just did light weight, higher rep, many sets. Now that I am back 100%, I decided to stick with the volume work. I got a nice growth spurt from it, my body seems to react well to more sets with the intensity dialed down a bit.

I go completely by feel. Some days I feel I have quite a few more sets to go, other times I just feel enough is enough and I walk out. I train EOD, and I feel that really helps me recover, especially the CNS. I have not had any over training issues while doing volume, which goes completely against everything I have been told over the last ten years.

 

[Aikman56]

That's the thing that I just am not able to wrap my brain around..."training by feel".

I'm too regimented, I suppose.

And to your point, the CNS does take a beating...even on gear, recovery isn't what it used to be!

 

[raw33man]

muscles are denser and are getting defined... less joint pains.

with volume training I can focus a lot better also and squeez the muscles

 

[GS]

i like to cycle heavy training(when able) to volume,it's like the best of both worlds imop.

 

[Aikman56]

But my question is what does a volume workout look like for you guys? Is it entirely instinctive?

 

[juicer]

Due to my age and injuries i have switched to The Slingshot Training System By Ronnie Rowland.

 

[Tom]

Due to my age and injuries i have switched to The Slingshot Training System By Ronnie Rowland.

can you elaborate on that or post a link?

 

[ajdos]

Due to age, injury or whatever your reason was.


I turned 36 this year. And after 21 years (I think the longest I've ever taken off was 3 or 4 weeks in Jan of 2006...other than that, a week after a contest is about it) of consistently beating the hell out of my body, I see the need to re-evaluate the way I've been training.

I've always been an advocate and practitioner of the Yates/Mentzer style of training because it made the most sense to me.

But over the last couple of years, the injuries are piling up and it is taking longer and longer to heal when something is injured. I think it's time for me to pull away from the "one set to failure" approach and move more toward a volume approach. The problem is, I really don't know where to start.

I feel like a fish out of water. With High Intensity, I clearly knew when I was done, it was simple...the muscle would not contract any further and couldn't support a negative.

Easy, right?

But after 2 decades of training that way, any other approach feels like a vegan must feel when the only thing to eat is a piece of steak!

What I'm hoping for here is input form other members that might have experienced the same things that I've experienced and made the switch. How much volume is enough? Too much? When are you done with a set? An exercise?

On the surface, these look (even to me) like stupid, elementary questions...but I'm completely realigning my paradigm, and it's the least bit daunting a task.

I felt much the same when I first made the change to a higher volume system, I was in love with high intensity...but the beat downs were harder to recover from.

I like what higher volume has done for me, but I still like to venture back to high intensity from time to time but I wont dwell there for long, a week of it then back to higher volume.

My legs and back have really liked the volume training and the change brought immediate results but like you it felt like sometimes I was leaving something in the tank on some sets.

Like most things gradually you figure it out, but I remember feeling much like what you described here in your opening post.

 

[deadliver]

Check out Mountaindog training, he has a lot of stuff written up over a T-nation, and if you really want to have amazing results while making your transition, have him take over your training... One of the best investments I have made in a while. John is awesome, and a sponsor here.

 

[Ehren]

I vary it, but my "heavy" short workouts are only about 85% and not to failure these days. These are the recovery workouts between high-rep workouts.

My "building" or "heavy" workouts these days are high-rep. These are where I feel like I put on the best quality mass. Medium weight and very high rep though. Like 40 reps on an exercise, rest paused. I pick a weight, do say 25 reps, wait, 10 reps, wait, 5 reps. Do another set like that, switch exercises.

The reason for me is simple: Progression.
You can always add reps, sets, time under tension, decrease rest periods. But you can't always add weight to the bar. I've been very strong (and looked shitty) but there's a limit to what we can lift. So the progression has to come from somewhere else (for me).

 

[halflife]

You can always add reps, sets, time under tension, decrease rest periods. But you can't always add weight to the bar.

Haha actually think about that again. Which can you actually change the most within limitations of the world/life?

I learned this from DC weight is infinite (relatively, ex: it's easy to find a 1,000lb in a gym)- but you can really only keep increasing reps, sets, time under tension? you would eventually run out of daylight/time you can physically give to training in your daily life. Yet 1,000lbs is a lot easier to find and use as a constant progression tool (hell even 2,000). In addition, rest periods- how short can you really make them - quickly you will get to the point that your not receiving enough oxygen. Want to increase them? obviously your run into your previous amount of time limitation in a given day you can lift.

Personally I do believe they are all good tools - but progression of weigh is the most powerful and possible to /continually/ use to measure progression year after year decade after decade..

 

[JonnyO]

Due to age, injury or whatever your reason was.


I turned 36 this year. And after 21 years (I think the longest I've ever taken off was 3 or 4 weeks in Jan of 2006...other than that, a week after a contest is about it) of consistently beating the hell out of my body, I see the need to re-evaluate the way I've been training.

I've always been an advocate and practitioner of the Yates/Mentzer style of training because it made the most sense to me.

But over the last couple of years, the injuries are piling up and it is taking longer and longer to heal when something is injured. I think it's time for me to pull away from the "one set to failure" approach and move more toward a volume approach. The problem is, I really don't know where to start.

I feel like a fish out of water. With High Intensity, I clearly knew when I was done, it was simple...the muscle would not contract any further and couldn't support a negative.

Easy, right?

But after 2 decades of training that way, any other approach feels like a vegan must feel when the only thing to eat is a piece of steak!

What I'm hoping for here is input form other members that might have experienced the same things that I've experienced and made the switch. How much volume is enough? Too much? When are you done with a set? An exercise?

On the surface, these look (even to me) like stupid, elementary questions...but I'm completely realigning my paradigm, and it's the least bit daunting a task.

I`ll make it easy for you bro, hire John Meadows! Or at least check out his youtube channel under Mountaindog1 and look at some of the videos and read their descriptions. Check out his website for training info as well and decide if you want to go for it and hire him. Its money well spent.

I have a very bad shoulder that will need replacement in the future so super heavy movements and certain exercises I cannot do or I pay the price in pain for days after. Working with John I have increased strength and size and injuries and joint issues are non existent. Many of his clients mention how easy his training is on the joints. And trust me his workouts will kick the living shit out of you!

Something to think about at least.

 

[H3NDR1X15]

I like doing 4 sets going 15, 12, 10, 8. I don't do any more exercises than I would if I was doing lower reps. 4 for big muscle groups, 2 for bis and abs.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[aminoman74]

I do high volume since time under tension will give more break down stimulus to the muscle then anything else.

 

[Deleted member 106824]

Haha actually think about that again. Which can you actually change the most within limitations of the world/life?

I learned this from DC weight is infinite (relatively, ex: it's easy to find a 1,000lb in a gym)- but you can really only keep increasing reps, sets, time under tension? you would eventually run out of daylight/time you can physically give to training in your daily life. Yet 1,000lbs is a lot easier to find and use as a constant progression tool (hell even 2,000). In addition, rest periods- how short can you really make them - quickly you will get to the point that your not receiving enough oxygen. Want to increase them? obviously your run into your previous amount of time limitation in a given day you can lift.

Personally I do believe they are all good tools - but progression of weigh is the most powerful and possible to /continually/ use to measure progression year after year decade after decade..

I can see arguments both ways. Some guys say they love high volume and it seems like a lot of older advanced guys eventually drop the weight and say they're using lighter weight than in their 20's, for example, but are bigger now. I'm only 21 so hopefully I can keep pushing the weight for awhile but even I have some joint issues already. I feel like high volume can work but it's very hard for me to really judge progress that way. When I switch exercises often, progress with more sets or something, switch exercises again, etc. the end result is often no progress. The only time I've measured actual increases in muscle size are when there were strength gains. When I first repped out 100's for incline DB bench my chest was bigger than when I was doing 80's and now it's even bigger, but all the other progression methods seem less "gauranteed" for me.

 

[brutus69]

i went from dc and max-ot to a more volume approach, doing 3 sets of 3 or 4 excercises, with either a 6-8-10, or an 8-10-12 starting weight and upping the reps each week til i get to 10-12-14. i feel so much better and look better, plus adding reps seems easier than adding reps when i was going to total failure on fewer sets. then again, i'm 42 yrs old. now i just count total reps done per bodypart and if i beat the previous number by 3 or more, that to me is progress now. not beating every single set, just total reps done.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

Definitely know what you mean man.

I would definitely check out that article that Shelby posted from Tnation that came out this week.


It was basically Dave Tate saying the same thing except instead of High Intensity...it was powerlifting.

 

[getbig12]

just checked out mountain dog bACK WORK out and lot of helpful tools i am only 23 yr old but i am becoming a big fan of high volume training ... just wish i knew more about it because like everyone else i leave the gym not feeling exhausted but over the past couple months i am loving the way my body is looking im sticking with it

 

[tenny]

high volume is the only way
if you plan on staying around awhile....