How often should you lift?

A question that often arises among my clients is how often should they lift weights.  The answer is actually pretty complicated as each of them are different within their routines, ability, and even training age.  The probl
em is that virtually all advice that has been given is basically correct.   You must adapt it to your circumstance and not conform to what has been given to others. 

I'm an advocate of high frequency training.  This methodology varies the load, sets, reps, speed, and rest within the context of only a few exercises.  For example, I am performing a squat every day workout plan.  I have a client who is performing a dead-lift variation of this plan, but with less variability than mine.  The good part is you know what general movement you'll be performing that particular day, however which variation of that movement is up for grabs. 

Let's go with mine as an example.  It's built off a monthly plan, so for 30 days, I squat.  This goes against conventional wisdom that you should rest a muscle (or group of muscles) each day, but I promise you that you see some major progress each and every week.  The major variations of the squat are Back & Front Squats, though with and without a belt. 

The benefits of this is the exceptional amount of volume that we receive in the training.  We also receive a fair amount of intensity (weight) when we train high frequency.  This allows for some significant response from the muscles and thus an improved body composition and strength.  Before I conclude on the high frequency training, know that most elite level weightlifting programs consist of high frequency training, rather than the 1-2x per week training that most conventional programs suggest.

Now, this isn't suggesting that you should begin to lift the same lift(s) every single day, just that it's an effective method to improve strength & body composition.  Most however do an exercise only 1-2x per week only.  Now, there's some definite merit to this as well, especially in the muscle growth concept (and to some degree, strength).  Muscles need rest to grow, the central nervous system (the thing that's primarily responsible for making you strong) needs rest to improve.  The upside is that you can easily see improvement with 1-2x/week training, however the longer that you have in between training sessions the less practice that you receive and thus the less proficient you are at a particular thing. 

Sometimes training frequency doesn't matter, what matters is that you hit it each and every week.  As you continue, you'll see progress.  Fail to go ahead with training and overthinking it will result in you failing in general.  So even if you only know 1-2 things, go ahead and hit those things each and every day.  You'll see progress, and you'll see proficiency. 

Keep your consistency with your training, if it's every day or every other day or every week.  Your frequency only matters when you're highly trained, but know
that you need to train and train hard to see progress.  

Not what, but why?

Maybe about a month ago or so, I briefly posted about clients or members asking about "which muscle does this work?"  As I thought more about it, I realized that many people just like the more "sciencey" answer, but it serves no real good for them.  A better question to ask, yourself and a trainer, is "why is this exercise or series of exercises appropriate for me?"

Just knowing what muscle becomes activated serves no real purpose.  As a trainer, I look more at balance between planes of movement.  This may be contrary to what other trainers look at, but I always look at movement first, which is much more skilled.  The muscles come next, as if you cannot move correctly then targeting certain muscles may not serve a purpose.  Of course, if an obese individual comes to me for training, it does change somewhat to how I approach it.

Since I proposed the "why" question, think about what your goals are.  If your goals are to lose weight and you end up doing a lot of things that only impact small muscles such as your biceps (front of your upper arm) or your calves (back of lower leg), then you're likely not going to get anywhere anytime soon.  These muscles are small and don't have a high energy requirement and thus losing weight is probably going to take an eternity.  However, if you do barbell front squats, you generally use most of the muscles in your entire body to do the exercise and obviously with more muscle you have more energy use.

If your goal is to jump higher, than knowing what muscles are required isn't all that practical, but how to get them to simultaneously activate is.  This also comes with practice, confidence, and being able to contract your muscles when needed to accomplish your goal.

There's a lot to training more than just muscles, consider asking why before anything else, and learn what later.  

Where do you need help?

Being part of the fitness industry, especially coaching, for the last several years has granted me some insight on how to better help people.  Thus, my question that I'd like to pose to all of you who read this is, "Where do you need help?"  This can be in any form, and some examples are as follows:

• Do you need help starting an exercise program? 
• Are you bored with your current exercise program and unsure how to continue? 
• Do you need help finding the time to exercise?  
• Do you have questions regarding technique? 
• Does something hurt and you're unsure how to go about working around it? 

These are just some that I'd love to answer for you.  Every person has different circumstances and reasons to ask.  

In the comments section below, post your question of you have one.  Please share this post to help your friends and family too!

Which muscle does this work?

A question that routinely is asked is "which muscle does this work?"  The question that I have is "what value do you receive knowing the answer?"  What purpose for you, as the exerciser, does knowing which muscle is the one being used?

Part of my undergraduate and graduate studies consisted of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics.  Each of these allow for me to understand which muscles are being used, which energy systems are dominant, agonist/antagonist movement, and a variety of other fairly important items when it comes to understanding how the body responds to exercise.  So for me to answer that question to myself or better yet, why am I working this muscle, is much more relevant than what muscle is it.

The specific muscle being worked isn't hugely important unless your bodybuilding or in therapy.  For many, it's the bio-energetic system(s), the energy systems the body uses, which is usually more relevant.  The amount of muscle recruited to perform a task is also generally more relevant to me than which muscle I'm working.

Now, don't get me wrong, if I tell you that you're working your "lats" while performing a pull-up I'm not lying, they're being used.  But, what does this tell you?  It honestly doesn't fully help me unless I'm trying to hypertrophy (grow) or recruit (contract) the lats.  And even still, lats isn't really the name, it's shortened for lattissimus dorsi.  It is however, one of the primary movers in a pull-up.  It helps to stabilize the spine and the upper body in general. Generally speaking, it's involved in all large compound movements such as dead-lifts, squats, and bench press.

So knowing which muscle being worked, has it helped you with this knowledge?  Or is it important to ask "why am I working this muscle?"  Think of questions like that as opposed to which muscle, which really doesn't serve a practical matter.