Training intensity has either a constructive, or destructive, effect on each. Learn to use it productively and you’ll create a muscle constructing internal environment.

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Managing Weekly Training Intensity Audio Lesson

 

Everything Undulates

 

Sound waves, light particles, ocean waves—our natural environment is one large display of undulation. Everything moves in waves.

We’re not removed from the conversation—humans undulate too. Our daily rhythms and our chemical environment serve as two undulating physiological examples.

 

As smart lifters, trainees and coaches, we’ll consider undulation as it relates to our weekly training intensity.

 

 

Start The Week Intensely

 

We’re freshest early in the training week. Once you move past the obviousness—and near needlessness— of that statement, let’s move on. It’s when we can exert the most energy and train most intensely. That’s why the neural-metabolic training continuum places heavy neurological loads early in the week and heavy metabolic loads at the end of the week.

 

Neural–Metabolic

 

But early week heavy training does us another solid beyond making us stronger—it employs the nervous system to affect our hormonal system.

 

Heavy, compound lifts jack up testosterone—especially when the loads creep up to 8-9 RPE, or more, and are lifted until near failure. This isn’t a news flash, but it’s an element of muscle building that’s often ignored. (Side note: we’re not proponents of the near failure element of the equation. It’s not completely necessary and too much bad shit can happen training to failure’s cusp.)

 

So what does this mean for you in terms of your current program? It means “crush” yourself on Monday. Follow the RPE and loading guide, but if you’re going to challenge loads, and push to the upper-limits of prescribed RPE, Monday is the day to do it. Neurologically we’re freshest—barring weekend debauchery. Heavy loads early in the week also create a hormonal environment that spurs adaptation throughout the week. We challenge the body, creating a large hormonal disturbance and then stimulate throughout the rest of the week.

 

Takeaway: Make Monday your most intensity-challenging day.

 

 

“Off” Days

 

The first “off” day, when it comes to strength training—Wednesday’s Neural Charge—is the first undulation example. Stress is dropped into the stimulation/recovery zone.

Dropping stress on day 3—and again on day 6, with Fury Saturday—of the training week gives the body the chance to adapt to day 1’s neurological and hormonal barrage without creating too much stress. Overload the body’s stress tipping point and recovery is nil—taking Monday’s great work and flushing it down the toilet. Our “off” days stimulate the body to drive recovery while allowing it time to adapt to the disturbance we’ve created.

 

Takeaway: Stimulate on off days to spur recovery and adaptation

 

 

Remaining Training Days

 

The week’s remaining lifting days are intense, just not as intense as day 1. It’s ok to walk out of the gym on day one feeling like Rhonda Rousey’s face after Holly Holm kicked it to death, again, due to pushing the RPE. It’s not ok to do that the rest of the week—think “heavy stimulation.”

Push yourself, but stay in the middle of the RPE range. Walk out of the gym feeling like you’ve lifted, but not like Holly worked over your no-no parts. With her knuckles, of course, with her knuckles!

Remember—when your second heavy lifting day hits you’re still recovering/adapting to day 1’s massive insult. We want to stimulate the hormonal system again to further adaptation. Heavy stimulation is the key.

 

Takeaway: Remaining lifting days are heavy stimulation. Train hard, but don’t crush yourself.

 

Manage intensity in this way, ladies and gents, and you’ll accrue bountiful muscle and strength!