Less is More, More or Less

What is the optimal amount of strength training? The short answer is the least you can do while making credible gains.

Why would you do more? Like anything we pursue in life strength training has a point of diminishing returns. At some point x in no longer equals y out. Eventually 2x in starts to equal y out, then 3x and 4x in. Think of recovery like a cup. The more volume you add the more the recovery cup empties to get you ready for the next workout. If you have more volume than the recovery cup can handle, you aren't recovered by the time the next workout comes. Life is very busy for the high school athlete. There are numerous demands on their time.

In addition to the normal academic demands, athletes have sport demands. Sport demands can further be broken down into strength training demands. Everything is cumulative. So if you can save some time somewhere, it's a good thing. Time saved can be shifted to be utilized to improve another area the athlete needs improvement in. Also though, time saved can be banked, that is not spending the 20 minutes saved by having them practice 20 minutes longer at something else. This can foster improved recovery both physically and mentally from sport.

How Do We Determine The Right Volume?

The key is to monitor your progress and keep accurate records. From that point if you add more volume you can see if your gains keep up, or slow. Conversely you can reduce volume and if the gains stay the same, then you've got a win on your hands. You can reduce the strength training stimulus while getting the same strength gain. This allows better recovery for the athlete. As stated earlier, don't be quick to spend the reduced volume by filling it with other exercises. Less can and often will be more.

What Are Some Ways To Reduce Volume In The Weight Room?

Reduce the sets - An obvious way to reduce the amount of volume. Many studies show one set is enough stimulation for strength and muscle gains and diminishing returns set in on the third and subsequent sets.

Remember, one of the key reasons powerlifters and olympic lifters do many sets is for the practice of the lift itself. Their one and only goal is to lift more weight in that movement. Set upon set helps to build motor memory for that movement and when you are lifting for competition, you want to be able to hit the efficient groove 100% of the time.

Strength training for athletics is not the same. You are trying to make the athletes stronger, but you are not trying to turn them into a world record squatter, so having them squat as a world record pursuing lifter doesn't make sense. It's waaay past the line of diminishing returns.

Reduce the total reps - This one is also an abvious way to reduce volume. This one can also cut down on DOMS that your athletes may experience. Delayed onset muscle soreness primarily comes from the eccentric phase of the movement and the more reps that are done, the more eccentric contractions.

I'm not saying go to heavy singles, but you can cycle in some lower rep sets from time to time. What I'm really saying is reduce the reps by reducing the sets and NOT changing the amount of reps in your existing sets. Go from 3x10 to 2x10, not 2x15.

Fewer Exercises - Look at decreasing assistance work on some of the prime movements, but also consider reducing the prime movements temporarily and focussing more on the assistance movements. Many times the assistance work is not done with enough intensity as it's an after thought to the prime work. As such the assistance work doesn't reach the intensity level required to stimulate optimal gains.

Consider dropping prime movements one week of every four. This will allow more intensity on the assistance work and allow the prime movers to get some much needed rest. I think you'll find the benefit of doing so. Just be sure not to add more assistance work that week. You may work to up the intensity of what is in place, but don't add more exercises or you'll defeat the purpose.

Wrap-up

If you look around at what you are doing you will find places and ways to save time and wear in your strength training program. This is also an activity where another set of eyes can help. Talk to other strength coaches and agree to critiqe each others programs with an eye toward reducing the work. That other coach will probably spot ways that don't occur to you and vice versa.

Dumbbells for Training Athletes

There are plenty of ways to train your athletes. Barbells, Machines, Bands... basically anything that provides resistance to the targeted muscles.

Of course dumbbells belong on that list as well, simply because they provide resistance too. However there are some reasons to look a little closer at what dumbbells bring to the table.

I will point out that some of the advantages or unique points to training with a dumbbell are also true of resistance bands or cable / pully machines.

For most schools though, a complete set of dumbbells will be a better investment than cable/pully machines as the machines tend to be focused on a single or only a very few movements.

Dumbbells and resistance bands are not limited in the same sense and offer a plethora of possibilities that more specific machines and modalities don't

Some advantages or unique properties of Dumbbells

Cost - Dumbbells typically cost less than barbells and plates which in turn cost less than machines. They are offer a lot of value for the schools athletic equipment budget.


Minimal other equipment required - Dumbbell's are often utilized standing and require nothing more than a space for the athlete to stand and have freedom of movement. Some dumbbell exercises require an adjustable weight bench. Even top quality adjustable benches are reasonably priced. An adjustable bench and protection for your floor assuming you don't have rubberized or similar flooring in your facility are all that are needed for exercises requiring a bench for exercises where it's difficult to place heavy dumbbells down gently.


Safety - No athlete will ever suffer a fatal injury from dumbbell bench presses by becoming pinned beneath the bar as there is no par coming down on the lifters chest. Unless you are doing an exercise that brings a dumbbell over your face, dumbbells are inherently safe.


Single Limb - Dumbbells are most commonly held one per hand. As such they can be used to train around injuries very well. An injured right shoulder need not hamper training the left when one is using dumbbells. There are numerous medical studies


Balance - Some times an athlete will have a stronger side. Lifting with Dumbbells will quickly make this apparent as the weaker side will lag the stronger when pulling or pressing.


Stabilization - Because dumbbells are held in each hand and there is not connection between them as in the case of a barbell, each limb is free to move independently of the other. This places more stress or activates more of the stabilizer musculature along the spine. Working these muscles will help the athlete to be more resistance to injury. In many sporting activities, forces act on one side of the body and not the other or at least not equally. The stabilization muscles help to absorb or counteract that force. It stands to reason that stronger stabilization muscles will make the athlete better prepared to handle those forces.


Fast Weight Changes - Assuming you have either a set of fixed weight dumbbells or selectorized dumbbells, it's very quick to change the weight for different exercises or sets if doing multiple sets. Dumbbells can be carried to another workout station and used to pre-exhaust a muscle group if desired as well.


Targeted - Dumbbells work great if you want to target an individual muscle with a simple movement whereas barbells tend to be more suited to compound movements. This is a great way to target a specific muscular deficiency.

Conclusion

Dumbbells also offer a nice change of pace for the athletes and help keep things fresh which has been shown to be important in training not only for the mental aspect of the athlete but also for the body and central nervous system.


If nothing else pick one barbell exercise per week and have your athletes work with the dumbbell equivalent and observe the athletes, their attitudes and outcomes. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.


Dumbbells offer many pluses and should be a part of any coaches repertoire. They are of good value to the school and the athlete alike. Their advantages in training effect and safety make it almost irresponsible not to be using them.


If you aren't using them today ask yourself why and look into the many advantages yourself and proceed accordingly.