THE FATIGUE/TENSION PRINCIPLE
" Researchers have spent a lot of time trying To figure out what makes muscles grow. They've understood pieces of the puzzle for some time-the idea of overloading, for example. We all know forcing ourselves to more than we think we can lift is essential growth.
We also know timing is important. All three the following limit growth: doing individual rep's too slowly within a set; resting too long between sets; not resting long enough between workouts
These two principles-overload and timing-have produced the well-known formula for muscle growth/strength increase:
- Do three to five sets
- Use a weight with which you can only do six to eight reps
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- Work at a moderate pace
- Work a body part no more than three times per week.
Now we introduce a new wrinkle. Recent research has shown that timing and overload are not independent of one another. It's not a question of just finding the best timing or just determining the optimal overload. These two are inextricably intertwined. For a particular overload, there is a maximum allowable amount of rest. For a particular amount of rest, there is a minimum overload necessary for maximum growth.
If, for example, you lift 80% of your max weight, you must rest no more than 30 seconds between sets to sustain maximum growth. If, on the other hand, you use 95% of your max, you can rest about one minute and still sustain maximum growth.**
Timing and Overload act together. One determines the other.
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