MASS Thoughts - December Edition
“MASS Thoughts”, is going to be a recurring post where I give my thoughts on a couple articles featured in the monthly MASS publication. My goal is to hit the high points and share anything I found thought provoking. With that out of the way let’s tackle the first article…
“How to Intertwine Progressive Overload Strategies” by Michael C. Zourdos
Progressive overload is a key component of any training program and it must over time occur if you want to see progress in your training. For many progressive overload is viewed simply as increasing the load on the bar, but progressive overload can occur in a number of different ways such as: reps, tempo, technical effeciency and of course load. It’s also important to note that progressive overload is hind looking and is achieved from the work you previously did not what you’re currently doing.
This article looked to compare strength and hypertrophy differences between those who added reps or load over time, increasing load or reps both lead to hypertrophy and strength gains, both with slightly negligible differences.
Personally, I don’t believe one is better than the other for all instances and it comes down to the goal and intent of the program. In powerlifting there is going to be an emphasis on the load on the bar for the main lifts, but with bodybuilding load isn’t always the means to an end. Increasing the load each week isn’t even totally necessary and you can still make progress repeating the load for weeks to ensure when you do jump up the quality remains the same. Eventually though, you’ll want to increase the load regardless of what progression scheme you use.
I personally used the double progression model for many years when I started lifting. This is where you pick a weight and work within a rep range then once you’re able to get all sets and reps in the top end of the rep range you increase the weight by 2.5 - 5lbs and repeat the process over. This works phenomenally well for beginners and as they become intermediates to advanced I’d recommend adding a RPE cap to each set to better manage fatigue.
“Revisiting Popular Protein Guidelines: How Low is Too Low, and How Much Does It Matter” By Eric Trexler
Protein Intake! The holy grail of macronutrients for us bodybuilders and strength athletes, right? Yes, its very important and for good reason too, but how much do we really need precisely?
The general recommendation you hear people spit out is 1.6 - 2.2g per kilogram of bodyweight. (0.7 - 1g per pound) This is a great catch all range I’d agree with, but this article helped me get more clarity as to how much can someone get away with not intaking and still cover their bases. From my experience working with general population clients and even seasoned lifters their protein intakes can be all over the board and trying to get them to increase their intake can be a job in and of itself. Plus, with the rising costs of meats hitting these high protein intakes can break the bank for people…something to consider.
This article outlined upgraded protein ranges that take into account fat free mass vs. total body mass. (Below)
1.5 - 1.74 g per kg is possibly sufficient
1.75 - 1.99 g per kg is probably sufficient
2.00 - 2.75 g per kg is almost certainly sufficient
I believe this gives us coaches a little wiggle room for guiding protein recommendations for our clients, but if they fall short of the target so long as they’re within the “possibly sufficient” range then we can work from there. The possibly sufficient range is, in my experience, more than achievable for most.
These are the articles I found most interesting and thought provoking this month. Leave your thoughts down below.
