Training Methods Explained
Training methods are 'whole approaches' to training. They define a
system by which your whole resistance (and in some cases beyond) training
programme is created and provide a proven basis on which to deliver
results. Methods differ from techniques in that a technique may describe
how to execute an exercise or even a whole workout, whereas the method
provides the basis on which to build a long term sequence of workouts with
a consistent thread between exercises, workouts and training cycles.
There is a long term debate on which is the 'best method' to employ for
increasing muscular size, and whilst many people have a strong preference,
science at least has not delivered a conclusive answer as to which
provides the outright best results, long term, for most people.
Once you become familiar with each of the methods, you will see that
many of the same principals underlie all the methods, but that each one
takes a different perspective on the limiting factors to training and
consequently a different approach to over coming these barriers.
To give an example, all methods accept that the principle of
progressive overload is a critical factor to success. Briefly, this means
that to continue to increase muscle size, the muscle must be stimulated by
an ever increasing workload. Obviously, two possible mechanisms to achieve
this would be to either increase the resistance of the exercise, or to
increase the number of sets performed for that exercise. High Intensity
Training (HIT) would see the limiting factor to this problem as eventually
you will need to perform so many sets that recovery becomes impossible,
and thus we must focus more effort on the set we are already performing.
Sub-maximal training (SMT) would see the barrier to progression as being
that eventually the resistance becomes so high that further progression
becomes almost impossible, and thus we would need to increase either the
reps performed or the number of sets performed.
This example is very much simplified, but demonstrates that both
methods recognise the same underlying principle, face the same problem,
but look to solving it from different perspectives.
The second realisation that will occur to people on closer inspection
of these methods is that they are not completely incompatible, and that
you can often embed the working practice of one within the other. For
example, it is possible to cycle different phases of HIT routines within a
periodised approach.
Below are the four most distinct training methods currently in use.
They are often referred to by different names, or sold/presented in
different guises, but nonetheless, you will find that everything out there
has its basis in at least one of these four methods.
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