June 1, 2014

The 100 Rep Method, And How It May Be Exactly What You Need To Continue Making Progress

Betcha any money, you can’t do that again

The ability to repeat efforts is what differentiates a ‘one trick pony’, from someone who can prove that they’re not just a fluke. As it relates to strength training, work capacity (the ability to repeat efforts in a set amount of time), and your ability to build upon it, can be the catalyst for newfound progress when it seems like all else is failing.

The ‘results chain of events’ typically sees trainees making strength gains first, followed by increases in muscular development (this happens because it’s a lot easier for the nervous system to become more efficient than it is for the body to slap on pounds of muscle), but after that gains taper off. While you could ‘switch it up’ and continue to see small increases in strength (primarily as a result of the nervous system adapting to the new stimulus), the gains are generally minimal at best. There comes a time when getting stronger becomes seemingly impossible, especially at a given bodyweight, and when that happens, the only way to see your strength go up is to simply gain more weight (easier said than done, otherwise everyone would already be packing on pounds like nothing).

For most, gaining more weight isn’t an option (if it was, it would already have happened, and would still be happening), and when strength gains have pretty much been maxed out at a given bodyweight (as we can only deadlift, squat, or bench press so many times our bodyweight), you arrive at a crossroads and are left with a decision to make – do you keep doing what got you to where you’re at, with the hopes that the progress you once experienced will magically pickup where it left off, or do you re-evaluate the situation and use the strength you’ve acquired to your advantage?