The most common misunderstanding in beginners when training for muscle growth is a lack of intensity in working sets. Literature strongly supports that in order to effectively gain hypertrophic adaptations, sets must be taken to at least 5 reps in reserve (RIR).
We see too many people when they are just starting train too conservatively. Although at the very start it may be necessary to keep intensity low to ensure correct movement patters/efficiency, once form has been nailed intensity must be progressed to allow for growth. Unfortunately without approaching that end failure point of a movement, the stimulus to the muscle will not be great enough to require it to adapt, and growth will not occur.
True beginners to training can ‘get away’ with training within the lower thresholds in the RIR zone, by staying 3-5 reps away from failure and still making significant enough muscle growth (if other variables are kept consistent). At this point systemic fatigue can be managed more easily, as there is less of a stress on the body’s CNS despite the individual being new to training, with training loads being comparatively low when compared to their max.
As an athlete progresses into a more intermediate lifter, training intensity should increase for most sets to a point around 1-3 RIR. There has been a recent rise in the training mindset of regularly training to failure. However, the majority of literature states that this comes with no additional hypertrophy gain, yet with a far greater cost of systemic fatigue. This limits the amount of time an athlete can spend training progressively, subsequently limiting overall training volume across a longer period of time. That is not to say that training to failure does not have its place, however.
For programming at the Unit Programming Collective, the exact RIR will depend on where the athlete is within their mesocycle. Towards the start of a meso the stimulus required to elicit effective growth is very low, as it should be following a well-structured deload; Therefore, maintaining a favourable stimulus to fatigue ratio. As we progress through the meso intensity will have to be increased, with sets being pushed to around 1-2 RIR. Training volume will be carefully monitored to prevent exceeding a maximal recoverable workload as intensity is kept high. As we approach the end of the mesocycle, training intensity can be peaked where athletes are able to train to failure (within reason). As systemic fatigue has accumulated to the highest point, an appropriate deload will be implemented to allow the athlete to recover and dissipate that fatigue, ready to start a new mesocycle the following week.
There are many difficulties in establishing RIR, monitoring training volume and knowing when and how to alter training intensity. The UPC Team have knowledgeable coaches that have experience in maximising their athletes training through these concepts. If you feel like you could benefit from some extra guidance in your training get in touch at dan.unitfitness@gmail.com or tom.unitfitness@gmail.com.
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