040520 Economy and Training Effort, they are compatible? 3 of 3

040520 Economy and Training Effort, they are compatible

By Danny M. O’Dell, M.A. CSCS*D

Are you being efficient in your training or are you just training for the sake of training? Sometimes its nice to go the gym and do a few things just to put the check on the calendar saying you exercised this day, but if its progress you’re looking for then there are better ways to get it done.

Duration of the exercise session

Keep it under fifty to sixty minutes. Marathon exercise sessions simply mean the intensity is too low, the gabbing is too high or the gym is too crowded. In all of these cases, the answer is CHANGE. 

1. Change the intensity to a higher level at least 80% 1RM and above if strength is the goal-see following section
2. Change the talking to exercising
3. Change gyms

Volume and intensity (For the most part these two are mutually exclusive)

Use one or both of these charts as an aid in planning your workouts. For instance, if strength is your goal then the repetitions will be in the five to eight ranges. Size increases will see repetitions in the nine to twelve brackets with minimal rest between sets.

Muscular Hypertrophy  Muscular Endurance	Strength	Strength and Power	Competition Peaking	Maintenance of continued conditioning
50-75% 1 RM	80-90% 1 RM	87-95% 1 RM	= 93% 1 RM	80-85% 1 RM
3-6 sets	3-5 sets	3-5 sets	1-3 sets	=2-3 sets
10-20 reps	4-8 reps	2-5 reps	1-3 reps	=6-8 reps

Load and repetition recommendations adapted from the National Strength and Conditioning Association Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Baechle, T. R. and Earle, R. W. Human Kinetics, 2000

Supermaximum intensity	Maximum intensity	Heavy Intensity	Medium/sub maximum intensity	Low intensity
>105% 1 RM	90-100% 1 RM	80-90% 1 RM	50-80% 1 RM	30-50% 1 RM
1-7 reps			6-12 reps	30-150 reps

Load and repetition recommendations adapted from Serious Strength Training, second edition, Tudor O. Bompa, PhD, Human Kinetics 2003

Each authoritative source cites load based upon the percentages of one repetition and relative to ranges of repetitions, which have been shown to be most favorable to achieving the particular goals of the session. With the exception of the suggested repetitions listed in the ‘hypertrophy’ portion of the NSCA and the ‘low’ of Bompa’s charts both share similarities across the board.