23 hypertrophy training fatigue management

The Lesson Fatigue management Overview Fatigue Training Variables Assessing fatigue Volume Block Planning Deloading Introduction Weeks Autoregulating Volume, Load, rep targets, exe

Hypertrophy Training

Fatigue Management

UNIVERSITY

The Lesson

Fatigue management Overview

Fatigue Training Variables

Assessing fatigue

Volume Block Planning

Deloading

Introduction Weeks

Autoregulating Volume, Load, rep targets, exercise

Active Rests

Missed Training and Training while Traveling

Contest Prep Training

Fatigue Management

Training Stimulus produces positive adaptations but comes along with

a production of fatigue

Beginner: Training = High Stimulus and Low Fatigue

Advanced: Increased Training= Moderate Stimulus and High Fatigue

More advanced you get more stimulus is needed, but fatigue will accumulate faster

Fatigue will limit performance and stall results, so it must be managed

to continue progressing

We must have short and long term management strategies

Managing fatigue we can decrease injury risk, allow greater

performance improvements and mental recuperation

Fatigue Management

Long term

Volume Blocks Periodized

Deloads

Active Rests

Short term

Auto regulated Low Volume Sessions

Autoregulated load/reps, exercise choice

Autoregulated deloads

Utilizing all these strategies we can make an individualized plan and build competency in self awareness and autonomy is training

decisions

Signs of High Fatigue

Rate of Perceived Exertion/Stress Gym Performance

Strength

Decreased Muscle Pump

Heart Rate Variability

Training Motivation

Mood Changes

Appetite Suppression

GI disruption

Sleep Disruption

Illness

Injuries and Stiffness

Loss of Libido and Menses

Assessing Fatigue

• Perceived Recovery Scale 1-10

• Sleep Quality 1-10

• Log Book: Strength Decrease, Increase, Maintain?

• Life Stress 1-10

• Aches and Pains Increase Y or N?

• Are you Motivated to train? Y or N

• Rate Hunger 1-10?

• Grip Strength

Volume Block Periodization

Training blocks (mesocycles) should vary volume block to block based

on recovery capacity

Offseason might have several 6-8 week blocks that get progressively harder or specialized for certain muscle groups each mesocycle

We might have blocks with mini cuts, low PED levels, Pre contest phases were recovery is decreased

Lower volume should be reactive in these situations rather than

assumptive, but each block should take the previous block into

consideration

Deloads and Intro weeks help bridge the gap between these blocks

*Periodization lay out will be covered next lecture

Deload Explained

7-14 day period of reduced training stress to drop fatigue, heal

injuries, and prepare for next training block

Beginners/Early intermediates autoregulated/reactive deloads, access every 6-8 week block, implement regardless after 2-3 training blocks

Intermediates/Advanced flexible preplanned, every 4-8 weeks block, planned but autoregulated as well if need sooner

By end of deload you should feel fresh to train, mentally focused, and driven

Caution! One week of reducing fatigue can allow expression of high amounts of strength while connective tissue may still be damaged

Autoregulating the Deload

1 Motivation to train and work decreased?

2 Sleep quality decreased?

3 Is there a decrease in load/reps?

4 Are injuries or pain occurring?

Yes to 0-1 questions: start next mesocycle

Yes to 2+ questions deload

*Yes to only injuries and pain take a week of high rep training, assess troublesome movements

*adopted from Eric Helm’s Muscle and Strength Pyramid Book

How to Deload

How to Deload

7 day span

Reduce the number of work sets in ½

Use same Loads but 3-4 RIR

If joint stress is high, Stay in a higher rep range at 3-4 RIR Introduce new exercises for the next training block

One extra rest day at beginning of deload can be added

Example:

Push Day Normal day

Bench press 300lb x 10 250lbs x 10 RIR 0-1

Push Day Deload

Bench press 300lbsx7 RIR 3

Active Rest

When:

Successive hard training blocks and need full on rest

Post contest

Post offseason

Vacation

How to:

No formal training scheduled, train per your enjoyment

Focus on recovery

No direct resistance training required

Duration:

7-10 days

Inadvertently this will happen 1-2x per year due to travel or family

matters, etc

Do you have to take a week off from the gym? NO but this won’t hurt you either

Low Volume Session

A full deload is not needed but an acute moment to drop fatigue for that day

When:

Poor nights sleep

food and hydration off

High mental fatigue from stress or work

PRS Score < 4

How to:

Cut set volume in 1/2

Keep loading and RIR same, or drop RIR if fatigue is really high that day

If needing more than 1 every couple weeks, decide if overall training volume is too high

Extra Rest Day

When:

Previous day training was poor

Walking with high fatigue/poor sleep

All signs of poor session ahead

No drive to perform a low volume/light session

What to do:

Take the day off!

Resume your split after the off day

An extra off day can be autoregulated strategy to extend training blocks and avoid deloading too soon

Autoregulating Load/Reps

What is it:

Training in higher rep range targets for the day due to joints/tissues feeling beat up

When:

Joint pain

Full deload is not needed yet

PRS > 8

How:

Move target rep range up 5 reps

Keep same session volume and RIR target

Normal day:

Bench press Set 1 5-10 reps Set 2 15-20 reps

Light session:

Bench press Set 1 10-15 reps Set 2 15-20 reps

Very Light session

Bench press Set 1 15-20 reps Set 2 15-20 reps

Autoregulating Exercises

What is it

Exercise rotation due to lack of recovery or high fatigue or lack of progress

When to use it:

Certain exercises causing excessive fatigue

One day less recovered in certain target muscle

One lift not progressing over several weeks

Example:

Lower back sore and fatigued from deadlifts on back day

On leg day you sub out back squats for belt squats to reduce lumbar loading

Trouble Shoot: Missed Training Sessions

If you miss a session push your split back a day and pick it back up

Or pick you split up where you left off

To ”catch up” and put extra sessions back to back can rapidly drive up fatigue and effect later workouts

Other option is do a low volume session as a “catch up”

Example:

Split: Push, Pull, Legs, off day, repeat

Missed session option 1: Push, pull, miss, legs, off, repeat

Missed session option 2: Push, pull, miss, low volume legs, repeat Missed session option 3: Push, pull, miss, off, legs, off, repeat

Trouble Shoot: Traveling and Training

Traveling issues:

Fatigue from flights (food, hydration, jet lag)

New gyms and equipment

Sleep alterations

Schedule issues

This all can lead to less recovery ability and subpar training

What to do:

Plan ahead

Schedule hard training on non travel days

Look up gyms, equipment and times open

Pack food and some extra for just in case moments

Same lifts execute without change, new lifts approach with cation

Troubleshoot: Contest Prep Fatigue

Contest prep is an inevitable rise in fatigue and decreased recovery ability

Autoregulate load/reps/volume just like in any other phase

This is no excuse to wuss out when times get tough

You will be fighting to uphold load and reps at some point on prep Primary strategy: Low set volume as you need to maintenance levels

Secondary strategy: Split training session volume into more frequent sessions

Additional Strategy: Switch exercises to less fatiguing movements that require less stability

Summary

Fatigue management is necessary to continued progression

Long term we base training volume on recovery capacity in that phase (offseason, prep, blast, cruise)

Deloads can be reactive or preplanned when fatigue is too high and

we need a full week of recovery

Short term strategies within the training block such as extra rest days, low volume session, load/rep manipulation, exercise choices all can be used to keep training progressive