Blowing UP With Volume

We can all agree that its important to know a scoring system in a sport or game to keep track of who's winning or losing.

For lifters and gym goers thats exactly what volume is. Volume is described as the total number of sets and/or reps we completed in the gym.

In the gym you'll hear the patrons say things like "high volume light weight, or low volume heavy weight." All this means is they're performing a certain type of rep ranges with a specific amount of weight.

Weight and reps have an acute relationship. The heavier the weight, the less reps we should be able to perform. The inverse is true, the lighter the weight the higher the reps.

Reps and sets can accurately be depicted as a balloon 🎈. I have 9 different variations of volume pictured in the header of this article.

The balloon is your volume (sets x reps). The air in the balloon is how fast the balloon is filled up and thats represented through the amount of sets and reps you get. The more sets and reps you get the bigger the balloon.

The pace at which the balloon is filled up is called your intensity. This is usually thought of as weight on the bar, or weight being used. Think of that stubborn inner tube you're trying to blow up and the amount of effort and energy you need to inflate it. Thats the equivalent of straining on a lift.

The more we Strain, the more all out effort of a breath we give. That type of intensity requires a lot more rest until we can give another all out effort.

Our effort, sets, and reps give us parameters we can use to reach certain adaptations and advantages in the gym.

We can use our time more wisely by understanding that heavy weights and higher reps can work together, but they're very limited, just like lower weights and lower reps have a certain capacity as well.

Each set and rep range is limited and optimized on a spectrum. Study the balloon Picture up top to analyze the different training parameters, and challenge yourself to step out of your current set and rep scheme.

You should record the sets and reps you complete each session, so you have a way to track and monitor where you're at. You should try to increase your weekly volume until you see a plateau, and start over again at different rep ranges.

Keep getting those reps in amrap as many reps as possible.

-Coach Austin Structured strength Systems-