vidual experimentation on training frequency of each exercise. In this
chapter I am giving increased emphasis on this point, and some definite
suggestions for experimentation in order to find what works best for you.
Reader feedback and personal experience, for sure, have contributed; and
some folk claim there is some backup “science” too.. Some trainees have taken the “less is more” maxim too far. I want to encour-
age that minority of people to investigate the possibility that they may have
done just that. “Less is more” is appropriate only up to a certain point, but
what that point is varies among individuals. What may not be enough for
some trainees, may be just right for some others to grow like weeds.. Experiment in a careful and progressive way. But, once again, all the components
of recovery must first be in perfect order. Doubling training frequency and
adding back-down sets will be overkill for almost everyone. But perhaps just
increasing frequency or volume a little, may be helpful, but only if you have
“overabbreviated” your training.. Even within the framework of abbreviated training with a maximum of
three weights workouts per week, there is considerable room for variation in
order to find the particular approach that produces the results you want.. Do not, however, think that poundage progression is no longer important, and
all that matters is training frequency, and set-rep format. Poundage progres-
sion is very important. You still need progressive resistance, but the precise for-
mat of training you apply the “progressive poundages in good form” to (frequency,
volume, rep count, etc.) can greatly influence how much size a given strength
increase produces.The food factor
. Finally, some trainees have not been gaining any muscle (though they have
gained some strength), at least in part because they have not been eating
enough. Eating more (perhaps a lot more in some cases), not training exces-
sively infrequently (or excessively frequently), avoiding pure strength-focus
training methods such as very low reps, yet still building strength, are neces-
sary for these people to gain substantial muscle mass along with gaining sub-
stantial strength. Strength gain does not always equal size gain, depending
on how the strength was built, and the attention given to factors including
nutrition.