Women CAN train just as hard as men...but you don't need to. Corisol makes you fat.
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 2017, 42(10): 1118-1121, https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2017-0013
Cortisol and High Intensity
1. McGuigan, M. R., Egan, A. D. & Foster, C. Salivary cortisol responses and perceived exertion during high intensity and low intensity bouts of resistance exercise. J. Sports Sci. Med 3, 8–15 (2004).
There was a significant 97% increase in the level of salivary cortisol immediately following the high intensity exercise session
Cortisol and High Intensity
2. Hill EE, Zack E, Battaglini C, Viru M, Viru A, Hackney AC. Exercise and circulating cortisol levels: the intensity threshold effect. J Endocrinol Invest. 2008;31(7):587‐591. doi:10.1007/BF03345606
The cortisol findings support the view that moderate to high intensity exercise provokes increases in circulating cortisol levels. In contrast, low intensity exercise (40%) does not result in significant increases in cortisol levels, but, once corrections for plasma volume reduction occurred and circadian factors were examined, low intensity exercise actually resulted in a reduction in circulating cortisol levels.
Cortisol and High Intensity
3. Gaviglio CM, Osborne M, Kelly VG, Kilduff LP, Cook CJ. Salivary testosterone and cortisol responses to four different rugby training exercise protocols. Eur J Sport Sci. 2015;15(6):497‐504. doi:10.1080/17461391.2015.1017012
Testosterone did not significantly change as a result of any intervention, whereas cortisol declined and the testosterone to cortisol (T/C) ratio increased significantly in both the 5 × 15-55% and 3 × 5-85% protocol. When results were retrospectively grouped and analysed according to the protocol that demonstrated the greatest absolute testosterone response, significant (P < 0.01) increases for the 5 × 15-55%, STRNG and COMB protocols were observed.
Cortisol and High Intensity
4. Hill EE, Zack E, Battaglini C, Viru M, Viru A, Hackney AC. Exercise and circulating cortisol levels: the intensity threshold effect. J Endocrinol Invest. 2008;31(7):587‐591. doi:10.1007/BF03345606
The cortisol findings support the view that moderate to high intensity exercise provokes increases in circulating cortisol levels. In contrast, low intensity exercise (40%) does not result in significant increases in cortisol levels, but, once corrections for plasma volume reduction occurred and circadian factors were examined, low intensity exercise actually resulted in a reduction in circulating cortisol levels.
Growth Hormone and Shorter Rest Periods - HGH critcal for man over 40
5. Willardson JM. A brief review: factors affecting the length of the rest interval between resistance exercise sets. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(4):978‐984. doi:10.1519/R-17995.1
Shorter rest intervals of 30-60 seconds between sets have been associated with higher acute increases in growth hormone, which may contribute to the hypertrophic effect.
Growth Hormone and Shorter Rest Periods - HGH critcal for man over 40
6. de Salles BF, Simão R, Miranda F, Novaes Jda S, Lemos A, Willardson JM. Rest interval between sets in strength training. Sports Med. 2009;39(9):765‐777. doi:10.2165/11315230-000000000-00000
When the training goal is muscular hypertrophy, the combination of moderate-intensity sets with short rest intervals of 30-60 seconds might be most effective due to greater acute levels of growth hormone during such workouts.
Sustained Performance
7. Willardson JM, Burkett LN. The effect of rest interval length on bench press performance with heavy vs. light loads. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(2):396‐399. doi:10.1519/R-17735.1
The ability to sustain repetitions while keeping the intensity constant may result in a higher training volume and consequently greater gains in muscular strength.
Shorter Rest Improved Body Composition in Older Men
8. Villanueva MG, Lane CJ, Schroeder ET. Short rest interval lengths between sets optimally enhance body composition and performance with 8 weeks of strength resistance training in older men. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2015;115(2):295‐308. doi:10.1007/s00421-014-3014-7
This study suggests 8 weeks of periodized high-intensity strength RT with shortened RI induces significantly greater enhancements in body composition, muscular performance, and functional performance, compared to the same RT prescription with extended RI, in older men.
Rest-Pause Greater Hypertrophy
9. Prestes J, A Tibana R, de Araujo Sousa E, et al. Strength and Muscular Adaptations After 6 Weeks of Rest-Pause vs. Traditional Multiple-Sets Resistance Training in Trained Subjects. J Strength Cond Res. 2019;33 Suppl 1:S113‐S121. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001923
In conclusion, RT performed with the rest-pause method resulted in similar gains in muscle strength as traditional multiple-set training. However, the rest-pause method resulted in greater gains in localized muscular endurance and hypertrophy for the thigh musculature.
Greater Muscle Growth With Higher Training Volumes
10. Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, Krieger J, et al. Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(1):94‐103. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764
Marked increases in strength and endurance can be attained by resistance-trained individuals with just three 13-min weekly sessions over an 8-wk period, and these gains are similar to that achieved with a substantially greater time commitment. Alternatively, muscle hypertrophy follows a dose-response relationship, with increasingly greater gains achieved with higher training volumes.
Number of Sets (Volume) Leads to Greater Strength Gains
11. Ralston GW, Kilgore L, Wyatt FB, Baker JS. The Effect of Weekly Set Volume on Strength Gain: A Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2017;47(12):2585‐2601. doi:10.1007/s40279-017-0762-7
This meta-analysis presents additional evidence regarding a graded dose-response relationship between weekly sets performed and strength gain. The use of Medium Weekly Sets and High WS was more effective than Low WS, with LWS producing the smallest pre- to post-training strength difference. For novice and intermediate male trainees, the findings suggest that LWSs do not lead to strength gains compared with MWS or HWS training.
Not Necessary to Train to Failure to Maximize Strength
12. Davies T, Orr R, Halaki M, Hackett D. Effect of Training Leading to Repetition Failure on Muscular Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [published correction appears in Sports Med. 2016 Apr;46(4):605-10]. Sports Med. 2016;46(4):487‐502. doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0451-3
Overall, the results suggest that despite statistically significant effects on muscular strength being found for non-failure compared with failure training, the small percentage of improvement shown for non-failure training is unlikely to be meaningful. Therefore, it appears that similar increases in muscular strength can be achieved with failure and non-failure training. Furthermore, it seems unnecessary to perform failure training to maximise muscular strength; however, if incorporated into a programme, training to failure should be performed sparingly to limit the risks of injuries and overtraining.
Low Load Training Can Build Muscle - (failure)
13. Schoenfeld BJ, Peterson MD, Ogborn D, Contreras B, Sonmez GT. Effects of Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Well-Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2015;29(10):2954‐2963. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000958
These findings indicate that both High Load and Low Load training to failure can elicit significant increases in muscle hypertrophy among well-trained young men; however, HL training is superior for maximizing strength adaptations.
Increasing Rest Period Frequency = More Overall Reps and Volume
14. Denton J, Cronin JB. Kinematic, kinetic, and blood lactate profiles of continuous and intraset rest loading schemes. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(3):528‐534. doi:10.1519/18135.1
It was observed that manipulating the rest period, by increasing the frequency but decreasing the length of each rest period, did not significantly influence the kinematics and kinetics associated with resistance training, but did have an effect on the postexercise blood lactate response when the load, rest duration, and training volume were equated (ISRV). This finding may be of practical significance if fatigue is important in strength development or conversely if power training requires minimal fatigue. It was also observed that increasing the frequency of the rest period enabled the subjects to perform a greater number of repetitions (ISRR), resulting in significantly greater kinematics, kinetics, and blood lactate accumulation.
Interruption Rest Periods Great Power Output
15. Lawton TW, Cronin JB, Lindsell RP. Effect of interrepetition rest intervals on weight training repetition power output. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(1):172‐176. doi:10.1519/R-13893.1
Significantly (p < 0.05) greater repetition power outputs (25-49%) were observed in the later repetitions (4-6) of the Singles, Doubles, and Triples loading schemes. Significantly greater total power output (21.6-25.1%) was observed for all interrepetition rest interventions when compared to traditional continuous 6RM total power output. No significant between-group differences were found (p = 0.96). We conclude that utilizing interrepetition rest intervals enables greater repetition and total power output in comparison to traditional loading parameters.
Intra-Set Rest Can Do a Lot More Work
16. García Manso JM, Valverde T, Arrones L, Navarro-Valdivielso M, Martin Dantas EH, Da Silva-Grigoletto ME. Effects of intra-set rest on the ability to repeat work at maximal isometric strength. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2016;56(3):214‐222.
This study shows how an appropriate intra-set rest inclusion can significantly increase the work performed in every set without changing the muscle contraction characteristics, thus delaying muscle fatigue and maintaining the desired training objective.
Cluster Sets Increase Training Volume
17. Tufano JJ, Halaj M, Kampmiller T, Novosad A, Buzgo G. Cluster sets vs. traditional sets: Levelling out the playing field using a power-based threshold. PLoS One. 2018;13(11):e0208035. Published 2018 Nov 26. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0208035
These data indicate that CS are a viable option for increasing training volume during contemporary training where sets are ended when repetitions drop below velocity or power thresholds.
Intra-Set Rest Keeps Weight Velocity Higher
18. Tufano JJ, Conlon JA, Nimphius S, et al. Maintenance of Velocity and Power With Cluster Sets During High-Volume Back Squats. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2016;11(7):885‐892. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2015-0602
These results demonstrate that CS structures maintain velocity and power, whereas TS structures do not. Furthermore, increasing the frequency of intraset rest intervals in CS structures maximizes this effect and should be used if maximal velocity is to be maintained during training.
Intra-Set Rest Keeps Weight Velocity Higher
19. Jukic I, Tufano JJ. Rest Redistribution Functions as a Free and Ad-Hoc Equivalent to Commonly used Velocity-Based Training Thresholds During Clean Pulls at Different Loads. J Hum Kinet. 2019;68:5‐16. Published 2019 Aug 21. doi:10.2478/hukin-2019-0052
Therefore, RR generally allowed for a better overall maintenance of velocity and power, especially at heavy loads. Coaches who wish to implement velocity-based training, but who do not wish to purchase or use the associated equipment, may consider rest-redistribution to encourage similar training stimuli.
Intra-Set Rest Keeps Weight Velocity Higher
20. Merrigan JJ, Tufano JJ, Oliver JM, White JB, Fields JB, Jones MT. Reducing the Loss of Velocity and Power in Women Athletes via Rest Redistribution [published online ahead of print, 2019 Oct 23]. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2019;1‐7. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2019-0264
By redistributing a portion of long interset rest into the middle of a set, velocity and power were better maintained. Therefore, redistributing rest may be beneficial for reducing fatigue in resistance-trained women.
Perfect Practice - Form Doesn't Break Down Even With Higher Volume
21. Tufano JJ, Conlon JA, Nimphius S, et al. Effects of Cluster Sets and Rest-Redistribution on Mechanical Responses to Back Squats in Trained Men. J Hum Kinet. 2017;58:35‐43. Published 2017 Aug 1. doi:10.1515/hukin-2017-0069
These data indicate that rest redistribution results in similar average kinetics and kinematics, but if total rest time is redistributed to create shorter but more frequent sets, kinetics and kinematics may remain more constant.
Practice Perfect Form
22. Hardee JP, Lawrence MM, Zwetsloot KA, Triplett NT, Utter AC, McBride JM. Effect of cluster set configurations on power clean technique. J Sports Sci. 2013;31(5):488‐496. doi:10.1080/02640414.2012.736633
The results demonstrate cluster set configurations with greater than 20 seconds inter-repetition rest maintain weightlifting technique to a greater extent than a traditional set configuration.
*** This is just like TVT!! Maintain force and do more work while feeling easier.
23. Tufano JJ, Omcirk D, Malecek J, Pisz A, Halaj M, Scott BR. Traditional sets versus rest-redistribution: a laboratory-controlled study of a specific cluster set configuration at fast and slow velocities. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2020;45(4):421‐430. doi:10.1139/apnm-2019-0584
Although effective at slow velocities, rest-redistribution was likely more effective during high-velocity movements in this study. Rest-redistribution maintained the ability to produce force throughout an entire range of motion. Rest-redistribution reduced RPE during both high-velocity and high-force movements.
Energy System References
waking up dormant muscle fibers - how the body activates more motor units and fibers