06/08/2025
National Health and Fitness Day
Late Night Inspiration
One question I hear frequently is "which is better- high volume training or high intensity training"?
When I began my fitness journey, I grew up in the golden age of bodybuilding. I studied routines from all the greats- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu and many others. They generally favoured between 16-20 sets for larger muscle groups, 10 to 12 sets for smaller muscle groups and worked out 5 or 6 days a week. However, the late, great Mike Mentzer favoured infrequent workouts with higher intensity and less sets.
When I first started weight training, I was following the routines of the most successful bodybuilders of that generation. It helped me establish a foundation that has served me well over the years. The secret is consistency. Discipline has never been an issue for me. When I discovered powerlifting, there were some changes. Power lifters do not train the same way as bodybuilders because the goals are different. Example- when I first began weight training, my back workout consisted of 4 exercises and I would do 4 sets per exercise. When I got into powerlifting, I did 1 back exercise and that was the deadlift. In March 2011, I set a personal record in the deadlift. The surprising thing about that night was I did only 3 sets of deadlifts and the workout took 18 minutes to complete. How did this happen? It was a combination of events over the course of many years that helped me get to a certain level. I never stopped learning. In addition to studying routines of all the bodybuilding greats, I was now studying routines of some of the greatest power lifters. Bob Peoples is considered the modern day father of the deadlift. He consistently deadlifted 4 times his body weight yet he could only bench his bodyweight. Why? Bob Peoples genetics were a big factor. He was very narrow shouldered but had very long arms. In other words, he was built to deadlift but not built to bench.
My fitness journey has been a 40 year experiment. I was always willing to try a new approach. As Pavel Tsatsouline says, "keep what works and discard the rest".
As a fitness trainer, part of my job is to provide advice and guidance. When I design a routine for a client, it is a guide line but should not be considered carved in stone. Routines can be changed based on experience, access to weight training equipment and overall fitness goals.
So....which is better...high volume training or high intensity training? The answer is...both serve a purpose and both are effective. Remember- there is no one size fits all when it comes to weight training. When I train clients, I use a program card which allows me to record exercises, sets, types of equipment and how much weight or resistance is used. Since 2002, I have maintained training journals which have proven to be so valuable. I look for patterns and make changes only when needed. I would strongly encourage anyone who trains on their own to maintain a training journal.
Gotta split !
Ian
