Training density

On average neglected - or almost completely ignored - in weightlifting, if well managed, density provides an essential contribution to hypertrophic development.

This sentence is actually a bit misleading because, as will soon be deducible even for kind readers, the existence of density is objective, because it is repeatedly measurable. Ignoring it would create fundamentally (potentially) wrong training plans and schedules.

So why do many amateur bodybuilders get good results even without considering density in their training routines? It depends. It must be considered that any result should be contextualized. For example, subjectively speaking, gaining 1 kg of clean muscle mass can be a very high milestone for a hard gainer or a total failure for an easy-growing individual. Secondly, the "clean hypertrophic increase - observable by noting the almost immutability of the adipose folds - has a much higher value than the" dirty "increase. A clean growth of 100g every 4 weeks, staying below 12% fat mass (BF), is exponentially more valuable than a gain of 200-300g but with the parallel accumulation of 2-4% fat .

Let's proceed by defining the concept of density.

1 The TUT is a parameter which, applied to the execution technique, also serves to differentiate the various systems; for example, large TUTs, with emphasis on the eccentric phase, are basic to hypertrophic stimulus methods such as "Heavy Duty and BIIO." Conversely, low TUTs are employed in maximal or explosive concentric strength training.

2 The muscle relaxation breaks inside the reps are typical of concentric strength training, such as, for example, rest pause or the like.

Example of calculation of the total density and of the relationship with the recoveries

Let's assume that, in a training session, they go to stimulate:

• 3 muscle groups
• with 3 exercises each
• for 3 sets
• from 10 rep
• with a total duration of about 3 "" l "one (concentric phase + eccentric phase)

• The recovery between sets is 120 ""
• Recovery between exercises is 180 "".

To calculate the total or overall muscle tension time, calculator in hand:

• Total density = [(3 muscle groups x 3 exercises x 3 sets each x 10 repetitions each) x 3 seconds l "one] = 270 reps x 3" "= 810" "or 13" 30 ""
• Total recovery = 3600 "" or 60 "00" ", from the following calculation:

Rec between exercises + Rec between sets =

(120 "" x 18 times = 2160 "" or 36 ") + (180" "x 8 times = 1440" "or 24")

The ratio of total density to total recovery for this workout is = 810 "": 3600 "" = 0.225.

In percentage terms it would be:

Total duration of the routine = 60 "+ 13" 30 "" = 73 "30" "

After conversion from sixtieths into hundredths, subsequent percentage transformation = 13.50: 73.50 = X: 100 = 18.4%

It is understandable that most readers are doing and re-calculating several times, incredulous that in a routine of almost an hour and a quarter, the density - therefore the actual effort phase - is only 18.4% ( not even 1/5).

On the other hand, this demonstrates that weightlifting is a low-energy activity, which in turn explains how many bodybuilders are able to cope with diets low in total carbohydrates, sustaining themselves with neoglucogenic metabolism, consuming branched chain amino acids and supplementing with creatine .

We remind you that in the field of bodybuilding, the increase in caloric cuts, especially carbohydrates, must correspond to a reduction in the training load, not reducing the intensity, but rather the volume and / or the training density.