And by doing it a little differently, I am referring to the fact that I am taking a different approach to my own fat loss and dieting strategy than I have in past years. Perhaps a bit of an experiment of sorts.

One thing that we often hear talked and written about is how recovery is obviously going to be at least somewhat compromised on a caloric deficit when compared to eating in a caloric surplus. I've written about this a number of times myself and I still believe this is true. You simply don't have the same recuperative resources when your calories are lower.

However, I think what's happened as a consequence is that there has become a wide sweeping fear of volume when dieting. That's not to say that a lower volume approach isn't going to work - since it does and will continue to do its job if it's set up properly. However, you have people that say anything more than 2-3 sets of 5 (as just an example) is too much and you'll run yourself into the ground. I don't believe this is true. Sure, I think perhaps for SOME people it MIGHT be ... but I guess that's part of my point; individual assessment. Everyone is different and some people can handle more than others.

And this also isn't to say that a higher volume across the board is better either - individual assessment. Adding volume just for the sake of volume isn't the point. I've read that referred to as 'junk volume'.

And it's not really the volume that we necessarily should be avoiding while dieting; it's the need to avoid running ourselves into the ground with too much work - whether that be too much heavy lifting, too much metabolic work, too much interval training, too much steady state cardio, etc. Everyone needs to listen to their body and pay attention to their biofeedback.

Which brings me back around to my point of doing it a little differently. I typically follow an upper/lower split when dieting, with reduced volume (although not as low as some go), with a concentration of lower reps and compound movements, with some 10-12 rep stuff thrown in as well. Throw in a couple interval training workouts - on the days I do legs, but in a separate training session - and maybe a couple low intensity steady state sessions and I'm good to go.

This time however, I'm not doing that. Here's a synopsis of what I'm currently doing:

- no traditional cardio; that means no intervals and no SS cardio
- training six days per week - yes, SIX
- body part split

A little different eh?

I am basically hitting everything twice per week. So for example, one day is shoulders and arms, which is heavy shoulder work and lighter arm work. Later in the week I have arms and shoulders with heavy arm work and lighter shoulder work. The same goes for the rest of my groupings.

I'm also doing 3-4 exercises PER bodypart and 3-4 sets EACH exercise, so I'm very far removed from the lower volume training while dieting approach. Heavy work is in the 5-8 rep range with full recovery and my lighter work is in the 12-15 rep range with incomplete recovery. I might also add this is NOT 'metabolic work'. My lighter work is isolation-type work; not anything near those nasty metabolic workouts.

For example on my heavy quad day I did the following
Full Squats
Hack Squats
Leg Press
Bulgarian Squats
And then one set of Alternating Lunges

My light quad work looks like this (on another day, and more in the 15-20 rep range)
Leg Extensions
Single-leg Leg Press
Horizontal Leg Press
Walking Lunges

And you know what? I have no recovery issues whatsoever. None. In fact, I'm in week 3 now and my weights or reps have increased each workout and I'm still getting leaner ... with no cardio. (I hate cardio)

I guess my point is to not always get locked into the rigidity of the 'rules'. Pay attention to your body. I have had this problem myself in the past, but with exercise and training, it's such an exhaustive field. There's always more to learn and we'll never know it all; at least I certainly won't. I don't see this as my 'changing my tune' so to speak, but rather adding to the knowledge base and evolving in my own learning.

There's so many approaches and ways to be successful in your training. Read critically, but be open minded.

Posted May 02, 2008 by Erik Ledin.
This entry is filed under Training.