This graphic borrowed from RP Strength shows the varying levels of volume needed to achieve desired outcomes. MEV stands for minimum effective volume- or amount of hard sets needed to make some progress. MAV- stands for max adaptable volume- or ideal amount of hard sets needed to make steady progress. MRV- stands for max recoverable volume- or the amount of hard sets the body can handle before excess fatigue occurs. MV- stands for maintenance volume- or the amount of volume needed to maintain progress. These matter due to the fact that there is only so much time in a given week to train. Also, the body can only recover from so much. When we build programs for our clients we take into account their goals and put their primary movements at higher volumes and their lower priority movements at lower volumes. This allows for exponentially faster progress than simply following a cookie cutter program. 

Stress index is the concept that every body can handle a certain amount of stress over a given time period. For the sake of this post I will use the example of a training week. When programs are individualized the chance of negative outcomes from training (lack of progress, fatigue, or even injury) are reduced. Finding the appropriate dose of stress that each individual can handle allows us to build programs that get people to where they want to be in the easiest way possible. 

This graphic taken from Tim Gabbett explains the concept of what is known as Acute Chronic Workload Ratio.  What this concept explains is that the body has a sweet spot for stress. This sweet spot is different for each person and when found can lead to ideal progress while reducing risk of injury from training. We build our programs progressively to allow each person we work with to slowly build a tolerance to stress keeping them progressing at a rate they are happy with without creating excessive fatigue. In our next article I will cover why this matters for busy periods of life as training too little can also lead to increased risk of fatigue and injury when returning to training.

SRA cycles are a concept that explains each individual will have a natural Stress, Recovery, and Adaptation cycle to training. Another way that I like to frame this concept is known as time to peak. Time to peak explains the concept that every individual will have a "peak" training week after a certain amount of time. When this cycle is maximized and used repeatedly it can exponentiate the amount of progress an individual is able to make by taking advantage of peak weeks of training. 

This graphic borrowed from Brett Contreras illustrates this concept. The body needs a period of time to adapt to the stressors placed on it. Staggering certain movements throughout a training week and taking advantage of each individuals SRA cycle can allow us to take full advantage of what is known as supercompensation. This occurs when the body has adapted to the first bout of stress (workout). Utilizing this model allows our clients to make exponentially greater progress and train to their bodies individual rhythm. 

This is just a glimpse into why we choose to tailor our programs to the needs of each individual person. Stay tuned for part two next week where I will explore the concept of individual goals and training through stages of life.

Patriel Dunford - CPT, PN-1

This story is very personal to me. This topic is even more personal to me. Over four years ago my father passed away. When that happened my beliefs around health, exercise, and life in general changed. My father, like most of the clients I work with, was a busy guy. He was busy selling all of his time and energy for The American Dream. He spent his weeks working long hours as a truck driver. He spent his weekends either working on his house or working on his side business. His goal was always to work really hard and then peacefully enjoy retirement. Except, that never happened. 

My father, like most people, struggled to stay on track with his health and fitness goals. He would exercise for a period of time. Then he would fall off. The cycle would repeat itself a couple times every year or so. Most of the time his stress levels were through the roof. Most of that stress could have been avoided. He also carried a lot of extra weight that effected his health. Growing up watching my fathers example I too made many of these mistakes. I sold my soul to work, lost copious amounts of sleep, and lived a high stress life for a long time. But, when my dad got sick, and later passed it really made me take a look at my own priorities. I think the lesson will resonate with some of you.

I got into my career in the fitness industry at a relatively young age. I was twenty- two when I began coaching.  I remember having conversations with my father about taking his health more seriously. Partaking in exercise more often, making different choices with his eating, etc. I remember he would always have a reason why he couldn't do it; I have too much going on, I like eating the way I do now, etc. I really wish he had taken a look at the big picture. 

I have been coaching now for over eight years. In my time coaching I've had thousands of these conversations. I see the same patterns in a lot of the people I work with. They sell their souls to work. They invest big money into their homes and cars. Most of them are silently ignoring their gradually rising waistline and blood pressure. If this strikes a chord with you I want to pose a question; what is the fucking point? When your clock expires your job will have your position filled within a months time, maybe less. The nest egg you've been shelling away for retirement will get passed on to the next generation. Now, don't get me wrong, I see nothing wrong with hard work and having nice things. But, not if it comes at the price of your health. 

This is where the point of this post comes in, look at the big picture. In the big picture you can replace your career, you can replace your car, you can replace your home, but you cannot replace yourself. Shouldn't investing in yourself be your top priority? You're right there aren't any guarantees, but investing into yourself gives you a greater chance at beating the odds of life.  Investing in your health might make other things take a bit longer. Maybe you can't redo your kitchen for another year or so. Perhaps that promotion at work takes a bit longer than you expected. But, if at when it does happen at least you will be healthy enough to enjoy it. 

To hit this point home I want to share one last piece of the story. I remember right before my father got sick he built this beautiful deck on the back of the house. He had grand schemes of having all of his friends over and enjoying the summer nights with my mom in front of a nice roaring fire. My parents used that deck a handful of times before my father got too sick to enjoy it. It broke my heart and still does to think about this. So, what's the point? Focus on your health. I'm not just talking about getting active and eating well. Keep your stress levels in check. Take some time for yourself. Don't work yourself to death. If my father had made his health a higher priority it may not have saved his life. But, unfortunately we will never know. I am willing to bet it would have made a difference. Next time you think you're too busy, look at the big picture.

I want to start off by saying that this article is targeted towards people that want something out of their training. Whether that is increased strength, improved aesthetics, improved energy, improved mental health etc. If you are someone that simply exercises for the sake of doing so this message may not resonate with you. 

Most people are working out to achieve a desired outcome. Some of the most common include; increased energy, better mental health, a sexier bod, a stronger more resilient body, etc. In my time coaching I have found that many people have been fed a lie that showing up and doing something is the only thing necessary to improve. At first this message is true. Beginners can walk into the gym and get better doing pretty much anything. However, after the first three months to a year this begins to change. This crucial transition is where many beginners fail to leave the mediocre intermediate state of training. Many of these gym goers arrive eager to reach their goals with the belief that doing the same thing over and over is going to get them results. While doing similar exercises and movements is a great idea for progress; lifting the same weights, walking at the same speed on the treadmill, and not pushing the envelope are not ways to get there.

What most people fail to realize about training is that change is created through doing enough work. For example when a new PR is successfully lifted the body didn't magically get stronger in that moment and rise to the occasion. Instead that PR was created from doing weeks and months of hard work leading up the event. The body naturally adapts when presented with the right amount of work. Why does this matter? For those with goals, the only way to reach these goals is to create change. Want to lift heavier? The body must get stronger. Want to run faster or longer? The body must develop better cardiovascular systems. Want more energy? The body must grow new mitochondria or make its current mitochondria more efficient. Want to look better? The body will need a few more pounds of lean muscle. I could go on but, I think you get the point. In order for the body to change it has to be presented with a REASON to change. 

This is where improvement enters the picture. In order to change the body has to improve in some way. My point in writing this is to open your mind up to the possibilities of what training the right way can do. It's a natural experience to improve at something if it is performed consistently and at the right intensity. Too many people are stuck in the belief that if they; run faster, lift heavier, push harder that they will end up hurt and washed up. This simply isn't the truth. If you make the time to train and do the right amount of work your body should naturally get stronger. Don't be afraid to push the envelope. If you don't you won't get any closer to your goals. 

- Patriel Dunford, Owner

Lifting weights has often been misunderstood as a high risk activity. Meaning certain movements and exercises are bound to cause injury eventually. While there is a chance that lifting weights can cause injury not lifting weights is much more likely to lead to a detrimental end. For those that doo decide to brave the storm and enter the gym this article is designed to educate you on how to decrease your chances of getting injured both inside the gym and out. 

Lifting weights can be a useful tool in creating a strong and resilient body. After all lifting weights is simply a way to place stress on your body in a controlled manner. Over time, the body adapts to this stress which creates a body is stronger and more resistant to disease and injury. I think it's important to zero in on the fact that lifting weights is a controlled stressor. This means that progression should be done intelligently to prevent as many problems as possible. I want to provide three simple tips to help you progress safely and confidently in the gym.
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1) Listen To Your Body

One of the best ways to reduce injury risk in the gym is to simply understand that you aren't going to be at 100% every day. If I think back on all the times I have felt pain in the gym it usually started by ignoring the way my body was feeling. When training, it is normal to have days where the weight on the bar is lighter than normal. It's tough to accept, but being at your strongest every day is not realistic. Instead, it is better to ride the wave and understand that while everything might feel heavy today, if you listen to your body everything might feel better next week. A great way to tune into your body is to pay attention to how your warm up sets feel. If everything is feeling heavy and labored it may be best to save your high weight attempts for another day. The more that you listen and ride the wave with your training the easier it becomes to accept bad days. 

2) Train In Multiple Planes

The tough part about popular exercises is that they all mostly happen in a singular plane of motion. Think about the three staples of strength training; the squat, bench, and deadlift. All three of these movements involve moving the bar up and down in one plane of motion. If steps are not taken to also strengthen other planes of motion it can cause problems in day- to- day life as well as training. At any given time there are forces acting on the body in all planes of motion. In order to reduce injury risk we must train these plans of motion as well.  Doing this can be as simple as adding rotational and lateral movements into a program. Some examples include; split stance contralateral reach deadlifts, lateral lunges, landmine rotations, etc. Simply performing movements like these on a regular basis can go a long way to increasing training longevity.

3) Don't Be Afraid Of Form Breakdown

This is probably the most controversial of the three tips that I will give. Many people view form breakdown as a bad thing. If form breaks down it can mean injury, right? This sentiment is actually pretty misplaced. Think about what I said in point two; training in multiple planes can increase the bodies resilience. The same concept holds true when training in multiple positions. If the spine is only trained in a neutral position it will not be as strong as a spine that is trained in a flexed and extended position. Now, I will interject with the fact that there is nuance to this advice. The goal is not to look like a high schooler doing deadlifts. The goal is to push the limits of your strength bit- by- bit to create a stronger body. Pushing the numbers on the bar will most likely lead to minor form breakdowns. This is okay and is a normal part of the strength training process. The more that you push the envelope and the stronger you get the more tolerance your body will have to stress and injury. 

It is impossible to completely eliminate injury in the gym. It may happen from time- to- time. But, understand that the alternative of avoiding the gym altogether is much more likely to produce long term ailment and injury. Instead, using the tips above, it is best to progressively challenge your body. Remember you are strong, capable, and resilient.

- Patriel Dunford, Owner