I mentioned that hypertrophy researcher Chris Beardsley has said that a muscle recovers after only 48 hours. That’s two days. So does that mean we should train each muscle three times a week: M-W-F, for example?
There are considerations, such as intensity, muscle damage, and supercompensation…
Here’s Mr. America/Mr. Universe Doug Brignole’s logical take on the subject…
I’ve thought quite a lot about Beardsley’s suggestion that a muscle ‘could be worked’ every-other-day.
The first thing I found problematic is that he only says the muscle has ‘recovered’ from the damage/trauma induced by the previous workout, but he says nothing about the supercompensation phase that follows. We seek to recover from the previous workout, but we also want to GAIN from the previous workout.
None of the literature I’ve read has every suggested that the supercompensaion phase reaches its peak at 48 hours after a muscle’s previous workout. IF the recovery from the workout takes 48 hours, it seems we must allow at least another 24 hours for the muscle to reach the peak of its supercompensation phase. Of course, if we wait too long (96 hours or more), then we’ve started sliding down the other side of the peak, losing some of the gains.
The other part about which I was curious (which Beardsley did not address) is the issue of intensity. There MUST be a theoretical ideal intensity, paired with an ideal frequency, for optimal gains.
It can’t possibly be that less intensity and more frequency is automatically EQUAL to more intensity and less frequency. Otherwise, we might be tempted to work a muscle every hour, but with very light intensity……or bomb the hell out of the muscle and wait a week. I think it’s obvious that both of those are LESS productive alternatives.
All great points. One thing all of this has me considering is my muscle-training frequency. For example, my upper-body workouts are on Tuesday and Saturday…
So while Saturday to Tuesday is the appropriate 72 hours, or three days, from Tuesday to Saturday is 96 hours—possibly one too many days. What’s the solution?
If you read the past few newsletters, you know that I usually add a stretch-position exercise for each muscle after the ideal move. Those tend to cause more muscle damage and no doubt require a bit more recovery time. That’s perfect for the four-day pause.
So including stretch moves on Tuesday is a good plan…
As for the three-day pause, Saturday to Tuesday, contracted-position exercises will be more appropriate as the add on—or perhaps no add-on at all for some muscles.
I’m looking to this new tweak to pack some extra mass to this old-man physique. Stay tuned.
New: Get the ideal exercise for each muscle, the best add-on moves for ultimate mass, complete 35-minute workouts, exercise start/finish photos, and details on building muscle fast and efficiently in Old Man, Young Muscle.
And you still get The Muscle-On, Belly-Gone “Diet” ebook FREE for a limited time when you add Old Man, Young Muscle to your mass-building library. Go HERE.
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
www.X-Rep.com
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