Do any of you all monitor your training volume per muscle in lbs worked?

[hellomycognomen]

I know that I'm making gains when I can lift more or do more reps.

Both of which increase volume.

However should the focus be more so on overall volume as opposed to progressive strength or rep increases if hypertrophy is the main goal?

Thoughts?

[Splifton]

From what I have interpreted is that an incremental increase in the muscle's ability to properly perform the desired movement under load is considered positive development. Regardless if the increase is in the total number of successful repetitions or an increase in strength leading to a heavier workload. The goal is to emphasize a methodology of progressively overloading the muscle to continually promote growth without allowing a possibility for the body to acclimate to the external stimulus and reduce the anabolic development.

Now whether that physiological response to stimuli produces sarcoplasmic or myofibrillar growth is mediated by the emphasis on explosive movements/low repetitions or high volume high repetitions with lower weight. As well as genetic predisposition dictating the given density of relevant muscle fiber types.

Some development also occurs within our neurological system that controls our skeletal muscles. Progressively overloading the CNS will lead to a more efficient activity in regards to neuron firing. Also, the more developed the neurological system the more productive the mechanics associated with recruiting additional muscle fibers for adequately working the progressive overload.

Movement in any direction can be considered progression. Validating the increase in a desired variable as a reference for success and growth is rather subjective, but I would still say a recognized increase in any aspect would be substantial enough to categorize the state of development. (active or plateaued)

[novastepp]

From what I have interpreted is that an incremental increase in the muscle's ability to properly perform the desired movement under load is considered positive development. Regardless if the increase is in the total number of successful repetitions or an increase in strength leading to a heavier workload. The goal is to emphasize a methodology of progressively overloading the muscle to continually promote growth without allowing a possibility for the body to acclimate to the external stimulus and reduce the anabolic development. Now whether that physiological response to stimuli produces sarcoplasmic or myofibrillar growth is mediated by the emphasis on explosive movements/low repetitions or high volume high repetitions with lower weight. As well as genetic predisposition dictating the given density of relevant muscle fiber types. Some development also occurs within our neurological system that controls our skeletal muscles. Progressively overloading the CNS system will lead to a more efficient activity in regards to neuron firing. Also, the more developed the neurological system the more productive the mechanics associated with recruiting additional muscle fibers for adequately working the progressive overload. Movement in any direction can be considered progression. Validating the increase in a desired variable as a reference for success and growth is rather subjective, but I would still say a recognized increase in any aspect would be substantial enough to categorize the state of development. (active or plateaued)

God I love that! You are not only extremely intelligent, you have the ability to relate that information to others! Keep developing that skill!

[tempest818]

You dont even know. He was just finishing up disproving the theory of relativity, on the back of a cocktail napkin he found in his backpack while kayaking through the desert sand on a magic carpet. Somewhere in this mess he decided to enlighten us all by dropping that knowledge.

[Splifton]

Thanks! I really don't see it all too valuable. I guess it just comes from my OCD for reading and writing. I just enjoy blabbering sometimes.

Physics!?!?! Gross. It uses numbers in all the wrong ways for me!

[novastepp]

I know that I'm making gains when I can lift more or do more reps. Both of which increase volume. However should the focus be more so on overall volume as opposed to progressive strength or rep increases if hypertrophy is the main goal? Thoughts?

I know I'm a little late to the actual convo, but there does not appear to be much direct evidence that explains which increase in volume is more important: load or repetitions.

Overall volume is the goal, so as previously mentioned an increase is the only, albeit vague, prescription.

It may be worth a few scholarly invitations to introduce this idea to biomechanics and exercise science faculty and address pending research.

[hellomycognomen]

I know I'm a little late to the actual convo, but there does not appear to be much direct evidence that explains which increase in volume is more important: load or repetitions.

Overall volume is the goal, so as previously mentioned an increase is the only, albeit vague, prescription.

It may be worth a few scholarly invitations to introduce this idea to biomechanics and exercise science faculty and address pending research.

Yea the research is lacking in that area. There is a consensus that there does exists a mechanical load threshold that needs to be reached in order to stimulate the muscle enough to allow for adaptation. What that is, is currently unknown.

I generally increase volume via load and keep my reps the same. I don't like to go over 12 reps for my high volume sets.

[Splifton]

Yea the research is lacking in that area. There is a consensus that there does exists a mechanical load threshold that needs to be reached in order to stimulate the muscle enough to allow for adaptation. What that is, is currently unknown.

I generally increase volume via load and keep my reps the same. I don't like to go over 12 reps for my high volume sets.

Action Potential also described as a potential threshold deals with the defined value of stimulation must meet or exceed the action potential to initiate some form of cellular adaptation and response. You could think of like the Go Big or Go Home analogy. This all has to deal with our transmembrane ion channels (voltage-gated ion channel, sodium-gated ion channel, calcium-gated ion channel, electron transport chain etc).

[AR's King Silabolin]

If your goal is if hypertrophy do half of your reps and eat twice

[Splifton]

If your goal is if hypertrophy do half of your reps and eat twice

It's much more meticulous than that. What is hypertrophy? You have to think to yourself do I agree with the established-esque defining groups of myocyte hypertrophy? (sarcoplasmic/myofibrillar) I've argued on those words for so long I've just given up.... Does Hyperplasia occur to musculoskeletal tissues?

Can't forget neuronal adaptations that can occur in much more acute circumstances.

[hellomycognomen]

Action Potential also described as a potential threshold deals with the defined value of stimulation must meet or exceed the action potential to initiate some form of cellular adaptation and response. You could think of like the Go Big or Go Home analogy. This all has to deal with our transmembrane ion channels (voltage-gated ion channel, sodium-gated ion channel, calcium-gated ion channel, electron transport chain etc).

Correct, but what I was referring to was that the research is lacking in terms of how much load, fiber recruitment, stimulation, etc is minimally necessary to trigger the growth cascade. Perhaps the idea will be difficult to elucidate as everyone is different and would require varying degrees of stimulation. Action potential is a more broad topic.

-Cheers

[Splifton]

Correct, but what I was referring to was that the research is lacking in terms of how much load, fiber recruitment, stimulation, etc is minimally necessary to trigger the growth cascade. Perhaps the idea will be difficult to elucidate as everyone is different and would require varying degrees of stimulation. Action potential is a more broad topic.

-Cheers

Oh I getcha. Took it a little too literal, but I'll see if I can dig up anything worth glancing over. Neural functions play a major role in all the progressive factors.

[hellomycognomen]

Oh I getcha. Took it a little too literal, but I'll see if I can dig up anything worth glancing over. Neural functions play a major role in all the progressive factors.

Thanks for your input, you are very knowledgeable and I enjoy reading your posts.

[Splifton]

Thanks for your input, you are very knowledgeable and I enjoy reading your posts.

Hardly. I just read a lot, but I appreciate the thought! Finding studies on muscular biomechanics is a pain sometimes especially when you're specific with your thought. My vocabulary is pretty rusty in that subject and I tend to badly word my search entries.

[novastepp]

Hardly. I just read a lot, but I appreciate the thought! Finding studies on muscular biomechanics is a pain sometimes especially when you're specific with your thought. My vocabulary is pretty rusty in that subject and I tend to badly word my search entries.

I think you both are highly valuable contributors! Thank you.

[Splifton]

I think you both are highly valuable contributors! Thank you.

Why thank you!