You’ve built muscle. You’ve built strength. Now it’s time to build your engine. Conditioning improves how your body handles fatigue, recovers between efforts, and performs for longer periods without breaking down.

Many lifters overlook endurance training because they think it’s either boring or counterproductive. But conditioning improves heart and lung function, boosts work capacity, and plays a direct role in recovery. It also keeps you healthy enough to keep training consistently. To guide us through this process is lecturer Mike Young, PhD, Director of Performance & Sports Science at Athletic Lab in Morrisville, NC. His insights will help break down what conditioning is, how it works, and how to apply it to your training week.

This session will cover the body’s energy systems, how to use intensity zones, the difference between steady-state and intervals, and how to balance conditioning with strength or hypertrophy training.

What Conditioning Actually Means

Conditioning refers to how well your body produces energy, handles fatigue, and performs repeated efforts. It includes both cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance, and each responds to a specific type of training.

Cardiovascular endurance is the ability of your heart, lungs, and vascular system to supply oxygen to your muscles during extended activity. It’s systemic and is best developed through longer, continuous training or repeated efforts using machines, running, cycling, or swimming.

Muscular endurance is more specific. It describes how well a single muscle group can produce or sustain force over time. It’s usually trained through higher-rep, lower-load strength work.

While there’s some overlap, each quality responds best to a different approach. Dr. Young recommends blending steady-state aerobic training with higher-rep strength work to build a broad foundation. Doing so improves performance, increases recovery capacity, and helps prevent injury.

Understanding the Body’s Energy Systems

Conditioning is based on how your body produces and uses energy. This comes from two main systems: the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Each one dominates under different types of effort.

The aerobic system uses oxygen to generate energy. It supports long-duration, steady-state efforts. Training this system improves recovery, endurance, and cardiovascular health. It is the dominant energy system during moderate activities that last longer than two minutes.

• The anaerobic system generates energy without oxygen. It supports short bursts of high-intensity effort but fatigues quickly. It includes two subsystems:
• The phosphagen system, which powers all-out efforts lasting less than 10 seconds.
• The glycolytic system, which fuels efforts up to about two minutes and is highly trainable through interval training.

Dr. Young emphasizes that the effectiveness of your conditioning work depends on how you manage intensity and duration. Longer, lower-intensity sessions develop the aerobic system. Shorter, high-intensity sessions target anaerobic output. These adaptations require different training strategies.

Understanding Training Zones

Training zones help you control intensity so you can target specific adaptations. While you can estimate these zones based on heart rate or perceived effort, the most important thing is that each zone serves a purpose. Dr. Young uses zone-based conditioning to build targeted aerobic and anaerobic capacity with precision.

Here’s a breakdown of the most relevant zones:

Zone 1 (50 to 60 percent max heart rate): Light movement. Valid for recovery and active rest days. Not hard enough to build conditioning, but it helps promote blood flow and recovery between harder sessions.

Zone 2 (60 to 75 percent max heart rate): Builds your aerobic base. This is the most efficient zone for improving cardiovascular function, increasing fat oxidation, and enhancing long-term recovery. Training in this zone supports steady-state endurance and is low-impact enough for high frequency.

Zone 3 (75 to 85 percent max heart rate): A transitional zone. Hard enough to feel challenging, but not intense enough to fully target anaerobic systems. While not useless, it’s often referred to as a “gray zone” because it delivers limited returns unless strategically programmed.

Zone 4 (85 to 90 percent max heart rate): This is where things get uncomfortable. Training here improves lactate threshold and aerobic power. It’s useful for tempo runs, long intervals, or sessions designed to push endurance under fatigue. Recovery demands increase significantly in this zone.

Zone 5+ (90 to 100 percent max heart rate): Max-effort conditioning. Intervals in this zone target VO₂ max, anaerobic power, and glycolytic capacity. Dr. Young recommends these efforts sparingly and with adequate rest. They create strong adaptations but come with a high recovery cost.

Training across multiple zones allows you to develop a broad engine. Still, Dr. Young advises starting with steady-state Zone 2 sessions and gradually layering in higher-intensity work as your base improves.

Building an Effective Conditioning Program

The best conditioning programs build a broad aerobic base and layer in higher intensity efforts when appropriate. You don’t need to do a different workout every day; you just need consistent exposure to the right intensity at the right time.

Dr. Young recommends starting with low-impact, steady-state conditioning. Once a base is built, you can add intervals to develop speed, power, and VO₂ max. This is especially important for lifters or beginners who are new to cardio.

Here are the key tools to build your conditioning plan:

Steady-State Conditioning: Continuous effort at a low to moderate intensity. This is best done in Zone 2 for 20 to 45 minutes. Steady-state builds aerobic capacity, improves recovery, and supports long-term progress. You can walk briskly, row, cycle, or jog. Frequency can be high, mainly if intensity stays low.

Interval Training: Short, intense bursts followed by rest. These sessions are time-efficient and train both aerobic and anaerobic systems. They should be used sparingly due to the recovery demands. For example, 30 seconds hard, 90 seconds easy for 8 to 10 rounds is a solid starting point.

Tempo Work: Sustained efforts just below or at lactate threshold (Zone 3–4). This is more advanced but valuable for bridging the gap between aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. Tempo runs, bike intervals, and threshold circuits all fall here.

Concurrent Training Considerations: Conditioning can interfere with strength or hypertrophy gains if not appropriately managed. Dr. Young suggests separating lifting and cardio sessions by at least six hours. If they must be done on the same day, perform strength work first. Favor low-impact, Zone 2 conditioning when recovery is limited.

Progression  Conditioning Strategy:

1. Start with 2 to 3 steady-state sessions per week (20 to 30 minutes).
2. Add 1 interval session per week once a base is established.
3. Gradually increase duration, frequency, or intensity, but not all at once.
4. Cycle between low and high intensity weeks to prevent burnout.

A well-designed conditioning plan improves performance, aids recovery, and supports long-term progress in both fitness and strength. It doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional.

Sample Weekly Program: Strength + Conditioning

This structure supports general fitness, performance, and long-term progress. It separates strenuous efforts, keeps recovery in check, and balances energy system development with strength training.

Weekly Breakdown

• Monday: Strength
• Tuesday: Conditioning
• Wednesday: Strength
• Thursday: Conditioning
• Friday: Strength

Conditioning Days

Tuesday – Aerobic Base (Zone 2)

• Activity: Row, cycle, jog, or incline walk
• Duration: 30 to 40 minutes continuous
• Intensity: Zone 2 (60 to 75 percent max HR or conversational pace)
• Goal: Build aerobic capacity, improve recovery, and support fat metabolism

Thursday – Interval Conditioning

• Activity: Rower, assault bike, sled push, or hill sprint
• Format: 30 seconds hard effort, 90 seconds recovery × 8 to 10 rounds
• Intensity: Zone 4–5 (above 85 percent effort)
• Goal: Improve VO₂ max, anaerobic capacity, and power endurance

Common Mistakes That Undermine Conditioning Training

Conditioning doesn’t fall short because it doesn’t work. It falls short when it’s misunderstood, thrown together randomly, or ignored entirely. Whether you’re a strength-focused lifter or a recreational trainee trying to get fitter, avoid these common mistakes.

• Turning every session into punishment: If your cardio feels like punishment for a bad weekend, it’s not conditioning. Structure and consistency beat occasional all-out efforts.
• Skipping the aerobic base: Going straight to intervals without building a base leaves your system underdeveloped and your recovery tank empty. Zone 2 work builds your capacity to train harder and longer.
• Cramming everything into one day: Lifting, sprinting, circuits, and cardio stacked together is not a training plan. Spread your work across the week and give each session a clear goal.
• Relying too much on HIIT: Intervals work, but not if you use them as your default for every session. They take a toll on recovery. Use them strategically and give yourself time to adapt.
• Neglecting recovery: Conditioning places demand on your nervous system, muscles, and energy stores. Increase your sleep, hydration, and carb intake when you increase your endurance work.
• Avoiding cardio out of fear: Conditioning done correctly does not kill gains. It can support your lifting, improve your recovery, and extend your training longevity. Only excessive cardio done alongside high lifting volumes creates problems.

Key Takeaways

Every class ends with a review. Conditioning 101 gave you the tools to train your energy systems with purpose, not guesswork. Whether your goal is better endurance, faster recovery, or stronger performance in the gym, these principles will help guide your plan:

• Conditioning includes both cardiovascular and muscular endurance. Each responds to different training methods.
• The body’s energy systems work together, but aerobic and anaerobic systems require different intensities and durations to adapt.
• Use training zones to control intensity. Zone 2 supports aerobic development. Zone 4 and above builds anaerobic power and VO₂ max.
• Build your base with steady-state cardio. Layer in intervals once a foundation is established.
• Progress gradually. Increase duration, intensity, or frequency one variable at a time.
• Keep strength and cardio separate when possible. Prioritize recovery and avoid stacking high-stress sessions together.
• Conditioning done correctly supports strength, recovery, and long-term progress.

Meg Gallagher is the fitness trainer that more than 600K Instagram followers know simply as ‘MegSquats’ — and with good reason. This fit female was a powerlifter before becoming a coach but still loves to squat for success when it comes to staying in shape. And, while the regular back squat may not be everyone’s favorite move, this canny coach recently offered up an alternative, suggesting that the Zercher squat is not only great for gains, but also for relieving tension. Here’s what you need to know.

The Zercher will build your quads, glutes, back, and even biceps, but you won’t be loading the barbell onto the back of your shoulders, instead, the bar rests in front of you, laying across the inside of both elbows. Keeping the bar in this position, you’ll lower down into a squat and then raise back up and repeat. Zerchers require more core action than regular squats and put greater emphasis on the quads, but holding the bar over the inner elbows can take some getting used to. Fortunately, Gallagher gladly provided some tips in an IG post.

How to Make the Zercher Squat Work For You

“You can always Zercher up from the floor, but if you have a rack then set it up (so that the barbell is) right at your belly button,” explained the trainer. “You can use a hip thrust pad on the bar, or knee sleeves to protect your inner elbows,” she added. “I’ll be honest though; you sort of get used to the pain in your inner arm. A lot of padding tends to make it a little bit harder (to lift the bar), especially if you have a larger chest.”

How to Zip Through Your Zercher Squats

“My favorite cue for the Zercher is to make sure that I’m, like, punching up towards the ceiling, so that I don’t let those elbows drop down,” said Gallagher of her process. “You also want to get a little bit wider stance, so you have enough room to kind of sit in between your legs,” advised the trainer. “If you have a hard time hitting depth in the squat, the Zercher squat could be easier in helping you do that, because you have the weight closer to your center of mass.”

So, if you’ve been shunning squats through fear of hurting your back, Zerchers are a great alternative. “A common squat or deadlift weakness is rounding in the upper back or just feeling discomfort in your back once loaded,” said Gallagher. “The Zercher works your back, your trunk, and your core more than any other squat variation,” she added. “So, if your back is a weakness, then this is a great secondary squat choice.”

Meg Gallagher concluded that her favorite benefit of the Zercher squat is that “It can unlock a lot of tension” in your upper to mid back. “You have to kind of try it to believe it, but it’s such a relieving feeling,” she said. Ok we’re sold. Race you to the rack!

To follow Meg Gallagher on Instagram, click here.

Building muscle is phenomenal, but muscle without strength is like owning a sports car you never take out of first gear. Strength training takes those muscles and teaches them to do something—push more weight, pull with more force, and handle whatever challenges you throw at your body.

To help us cut through the noise and get to the facts, we’re bringing back our favorite guest lecturer: Mike Young, Ph.D., Kinesiology, Director of Performance & Sports Science at Athletic Lab in Morrisville, NC. He’ll help explain what strength training is, how it works, and how to do it the right way.

By the end of this session, you’ll understand the principles of getting stronger, know which lifts should anchor your program, and walk away with a clear plan for building strength that lasts.

Class is back in session.

What Strength Training Really Is

Strength training, in simple scientific terms, is training your body to produce more force. According to Dr. Young, “Strength training is focused on training the body to produce higher levels of force. This is most optimally achieved through training that emphasizes high load (typically above 85% of your one-rep max), low repetitions, and sufficient rest between sets.”

For the average person, building strength means improving the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull with stability and control. It’s about making daily life easier and maintaining independence as you age. For athletes, strength is more specific. Dr. Young explains, “For athletes, true strength is more nuanced and much more task-specific. Typically, we’re concerned with maximal force output, explosiveness, and the ability to generate high force quickly.”

Much of the strength you gain early on is not from adding muscle but from improving how your nervous system works. These are called neuromuscular adaptations. Your body learns to recruit more muscle fibers, fire them more efficiently, and reduce the natural “brakes” that limit force output. In other words, your nervous system gets better at using the muscles you already have.

There are two ways to measure strength:

• Absolute strength: The total amount of force you can produce, regardless of body weight.
• Relative strength: How strong you are for your size; pound-for-pound performance.

Dr. Young notes that larger individuals tend to excel in absolute strength. In contrast, relative strength is critical for athletes in weight-class sports or anyone who wants strength without unnecessary mass.

The Core Principles of Strength Training

Strength training requires a different approach than hypertrophy. Rather than chasing a pump or training with higher volume, you’re teaching your body to produce maximum force with heavy loads. Dr. Young lays out the key principles:

• Load: Strength training works best with heavy weights. Dr. Young explains, “This is most optimally achieved through training that emphasizes high load, typically above 85% of your one-rep max.”
• Reps: Keep your repetitions low. Most working sets should stay in the 3–6 rep range.
• Sets: Aim for 3–10 sets per exercise, depending on your experience and recovery ability.
• Rest: Recovery between sets is critical. Rest for 2–5 minutes between heavy lifts to allow near-complete recovery.
• Frequency: Train 3–5 days per week, focusing on 3–5 compound lifts each session.
• Progressive Overload: Increase weight by 3–5% each week or add 1–2 reps per set, but only when every rep is completed with good technique.
• Technical Proficiency: Heavy loads demand excellent form. “Proficiency ensures that the right muscles are loaded, joint stress is minimized, and progress is sustainable,” says Dr. Young.

These principles work together to build strength safely and effectively. When in doubt, prioritize quality over quantity and treat technique as a non-negotiable part of training.

Foundational Strength Movements

Compound lifts are the backbone of any solid strength program. These multi-joint movements engage large amounts of muscle mass, allow you to lift heavier loads, and create the most significant return on your training.

• Squat: This is the gold standard for developing lower-body strength. Squats train the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core while improving stability and mobility through the hips and knees.
• Deadlift: Deadlifts teach you how to generate force from the ground up. They build powerful posterior-chain strength across the glutes, hamstrings, and back while reinforcing proper lifting mechanics.
• Lunge: Single-leg work like lunges develops strength imbalances, enhances stability, and adds a functional element to your lower-body training that carries over to sports and daily life.
• Bench Press or Overhead Press: These pressing variations build upper-body strength across the chest, shoulders, and triceps. They also improve pushing mechanics and shoulder stability.
• Pull-Up: Pull-ups develop upper-back, arm, and grip strength while teaching you how to control your body weight, an essential component of relative stability.
• Clean Pull: This Olympic lifting derivative builds explosive hip and leg drive while improving your ability to generate force quickly. It is also an excellent accessory for athletes who need power in addition to strength.

A strength program built around these movements will develop total-body capacity that translates well beyond the weight room.

The 3-Day Full-Body  Strength Training Workout Program

These templates follow Dr. Young’s recommendations for sets, reps, rest, and frequency. They center on heavy compound lifts while adding a small amount of accessory work to support weak points and overall balance.

Day 1

• Back Squat: 5 sets, 5 reps
• Bench Press: 5 sets, 5 reps
• Barbell Row: 4sets, 6 reps
• Plank: 3 sets, 45–60 sec.
• Dumbbell Curl: 3 sets, 10-12 reps

Day 2

• Deadlift: 4 sets, 4 reps
• Overhead Press: 4 sets, 6 reps
• Pull-Up (weighted if possible): 4 sets, 6 reps
• Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets, 8 reps
• Side Plank: 3 sets, 30–45 sec. (each side)

Day 3

• Front Squat: 4 sets, 5 reps
• Incline Bench Press: 4 sets, 6 reps
• Pull-Up or Lat Pulldown: 4 sets, 6 reps
• Walking Lunge: 3 sets, 8 reps (each leg)
• Tricep Rope Pushdown: 3 sets, 10-12 reps

The 4-Day Upper/Lower Strength Split For Intermediate Trainers

Day 1 – Upper

• Bench Press: 5 sets, 4 reps
• Pull-Up (weighted if possible): 5 sets, 4 reps
• Barbell Row: 4 sets, 6 reps
• Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 3 sets, 10-12 reps
• Hammer Curl: 3 sets, 10-12 reps

Day 2 – Lower

• Back Squat: 5 sets, 5 reps
• Romanian Deadlift: 4 sets, 6 reps
• Walking Lunge: 3 sets, 8 reps (each leg)
• Glute Bridge: 3 sets, 10 reps
• Standing Calf Raise: 3 sets, 12-15 reps

Day 3 – Upper

• Overhead Press: 5 sets, 4 reps
• Incline Bench Press: 4 sets, 6 reps
• Chest-Supported Row: 4 sets, 6 reps
• Triceps Overhead Extension: 3 sets, 10-12 reps
• Face Pull: 3 sets, 12-15 reps

Day 4 – Lower

• Deadlift: 4 sets, 4 reps
• Front Squat: 4 sets, 5 reps
• Bulgarian Split Squat: 3 sets, 8 reps (each leg)
• Nordic Hamstring Curl (or leg curl): 3 sets, 8 reps
• Hanging Knee Raise: 3 sets, 10-12 reps

Programming Notes

• Intensity: Keep loads heavy, roughly 85%+ of your 1-rep max, while maintaining perfect form.
• Rest: Take 2–5 minutes between heavy sets and 60–90 seconds for accessories.
• Progression: Increase load by 3–5% weekly or add 1–2 reps per set when form is solid.
• Cycle Length: Stick to these movements for 4–6 weeks, then adjust as needed.

Mistakes That Kill Strength Progress

Strength training is simple, but simple does not mean easy. Plenty of lifters spend months in the gym without getting stronger because they overlook the fundamentals or get stuck in bad habits. These mistakes do more than slow progress; they can lead to injuries, burnout, or both.

If your goal is lasting strength, avoid these common pitfalls:

Skipping the basics for fancy lifts: The core compound movements will give you the most significant strength return. Do not waste most of your session on advanced variations until you master the fundamentals.

• Neglecting technique: Strength training is unforgiving at heavy loads. Poor form turns every rep into a risk and limits your ability to progress. If your technique breaks down, drop the weight and fix it.
• Training too often or too heavily: More is not always better. Lifting near your max every week or piling on extra sessions will burn you out fast. Strength gains require recovery, not constant maxing out.
• Overemphasizing accessory work: Accessories support your main lifts, but they are not the star of the show. Do them after your heavy compound work, not instead of it.
• Ignoring recovery: Strength is built outside the gym. Sleep 7–9 hours per night, schedule rest days, and use deload weeks to keep your body fresh and ready for heavy lifting.

Final Exam: Key Takeaways

Every good class ends with a review. Strength 101 is no different. You now know what real strength training looks like, how to structure it, and what mistakes to avoid. Before you leave the classroom, here are the essentials to remember:

Strength training is about teaching your body to produce more force using heavy loads and low reps.

Focus on compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, presses, pull-ups, and lunges to build a foundation of total-body strength.

Train in the 3–6 rep range for 3–10 sets per lift, resting 2–5 minutes between sets for full recovery.

Progress by adding 3–5% load weekly or increasing reps, but only when technique stays sharp.

Strength grows with recovery. Get 7–9 hours of sleep, schedule rest days, and use deload weeks to keep progress sustainable.

Class dismissed. In the next installment, we’ll tackle the next pillar of training and keep building your back-to-school curriculum for long-term results.

You’ve heard this before, because it’s said out loud in many a gym: “If you want to get big, you’ve gotta lift heavy.”

On face value, it sounds legit. You look around the gym and see that the lifters who lift heavy are big. So, it’s easy to think more plates equal more gains. But here’s the truth…

You don’t need to lift like a powerlifter to look like a superhero.

The idea that only heavy weights build muscle is a persistent myth surrounding strength training. While going heavy has its place in the hypertrophy toolbox, it’s not the only tool—or even the most important one. Here, with the help of Andrew Coates, a personal trainer with over 25,000 hours on the gym floor, and Greg Nuckols, three-time world champion powerlifter and the head dude at Stronger By Science, we’ll break down where this myth originated, why it persists, and what triggers muscle growth.

Lifting Heavy Alone Won’t Maximize Muscle Growth

This myth originated in the weight rooms of the golden age of bodybuilding, when Arnold, Franco, and Lou Ferrigno were lifting heavy and resembling Greek gods. Fast forward a few decades, and powerlifting grew more popular, and the internet exploded with max deadlift videos and the “how much ya bench?” culture.

Then, somewhere along the way, lifting heavy became synonymous with building muscle.

“Status-seeking talking heads on social media engage in battles over tribal ideology related to muscle building,” Coates says. “This battle confuses many people. Why can’t the experts agree? Well, that’s not really all experts—just a mix of people with good branding and loud voices arguing against the PhD researchers in muscle building.”

Like many good myths, there is a sprinkle of truth to the matter, which muddles the water even further, explains Nuckols.

“One thing that can be frustrating is that two different concepts are often used interchangeably “effective reps” and “stimulating reps”, and there are also “hard” and “soft” versions of each,” he says. “However, essentially, the “hard” version of the concept is that a muscle fiber will not experience a muscle stimulus unless it’s exposed to maximal mechanical tension. The “soft” version essentially suggests that mechanical tension is important, and training closer to failure enhances hypertrophy outcomes.”

With these schools of thought, it is easy to become confused about lifting heavy (or lifting light) and building muscle. Let’s clear things up with what drives muscle growth. Hint: Lifting heavy is only part of the picture.

What Drives Muscle Growth

Muscle growth is also about how much tension you create and how hard your muscles work, regardless of the weight on the bar. With that in mind, here are the four main drivers of muscle growth:

Mechanical Tension This factor is the big one. Tension happens when your muscles contract against resistance, ideally through a full range of motion. You can generate it with heavy loads, but also with moderate loads when lifting with intent, control, and good technique.

Metabolic Stress

That burning, pump-filled feeling? It’s important. When you train with shorter rest periods, more repetitions, or techniques like dropsets, you generate metabolic stress—a potent trigger for muscle growth.

Muscle Damage

Muscle damage happens, especially when training eccentrically or performing new movements. But it’s not the goal. Too much damage can hinder growth. What matters is creating just enough disruption to force adaptation, not to leave you limping down the stairs after leg day.

Consistency

All this science stuff is great, but, according to Nuckols, there is one major factor that is entirely in your control.

“The most important factors are maintaining consistency, training with a high level of effort for most sets, selecting exercises that are likely to be limited by the target muscle(s), and that work the target muscle(s) through an extended range of motion. Additionally, training with sufficient volume, consuming enough calories and protein, and sleeping enough and recovering effectively are crucial.”

Top Hypertrophy Training Tips: How to Build More Muscle

If your goal is hypertrophy, focus on these factors for enhanced muscle growth:

Use a Variety of Loads

Alternate between heavy, moderate, and light weights across different rep ranges, explains Coates.” This means lifting at least 30% of your one rep max,” he says. “If a weight is too light, you can’t get close to failure despite repping it for 30 minutes; it’s pointless and a grand waste of your time.”

Train Close to Failure

Let’s be clear about what we mean by failure—it’s not the kind where you can’t do another rep and end up stuck under the bar. It’s a technical failure when you fail to do another rep with good form. Coates advises aiming for 1-2 reps before failure on your working sets.

Prioritize Tension and Control

Slow down your reps and feel the muscle working. That’s mechanical tension in action, and it’s a massive driver of hypertrophy.

Progression

Whether it’s more reps, more sets, more weight, or better form, progress is progress. Track your workouts and aim to do a little more each week.

How Lifting Heavy All the Time May Eventually Backfire

Lifting heavy always has its place, but if that’s your only gear, you’re heading straight for a training wall or worse, the ER. Here’s what can happen when you take “go heavy or go home” too literally.

Increased Injury Risk

There is a time and place for grinding out low-rep sets. However, doing it all the time increases joint stress, strains connective tissue, and leaves little room for error. One bad rep under fatigue, and you’re nursing a tweak, or worse, sidelined for weeks.

Decreased Movement Quality

When the weight is always near your max, your form usually breaks down first. You start ego-lifting, sacrificing control and range of motion to move the bar. Over time, this reinforces bad habits, weak points, and stalls progress.

Plateaus and Burnout

Going heavy all the time isn’t sustainable. Your nervous system will eventually say, “no, thank you,” your recovery tanks, and motivation will ultimately dip. And since you’re not varying load or volume, your muscles stop responding. You’re stuck chasing numbers instead of results.

Lifting Heavy Isn’t the Only Way to Build Muscle

Now, you should know better than to assume that lifting heavy isn’t the ONLY way to build muscle. But why does this myth still have legs? These two titans of the health and fitness industry share their opinions.

“It sounds reasonable and makes a great soundbite when you first hear it. On the other hand, reviewing the evidence against the concept is quite dry, technical, and tedious. Since most people have relatively short attention spans, I think it’s hard to present the case against it in a way that is both concise and persuasive,” explains Nuckols.

Because there’s some truth to this myth, lifters get stuck in a rut and believe it’s the only way to build muscle.

“It is true that a lower volume and fewer sets can produce good muscle-building results if you train with enough intensity,” Coates says. “However, this doesn’t mean it’s the best approach. It means you see diminishing returns as you increase volume. Generally, more volume leads to more progress, but the rate of improvement tends to slow down. Supporters of low-volume training often cite two well-known bodybuilders, overlooking the numerous lifters who have achieved excellent results with traditional, higher-volume programs.”

Coates adds that using elite bodybuilders to support any argument about building muscle is useless because they are different from you and me.

“Using any famous bodybuilder as an example to support your training beliefs is flawed,” he says. “Elite bodybuilders, by definition, have elite genetics, excel in their training and nutrition over many years, and have access to advanced performance-enhancing drugs.”

Now that you have read this article and you know better, put it into action and do better.