10 Common Training Variables in Strength & Conditioning

Exercise Selection

It is important to understand regressions and progressions. People tend to train outside of their current fitness level. For example, a knee push up is easier that an elevated push up. Stick with the proper exercise for your current level of fitness and once you have mastered the form, progress to a much more challenging exercise.

Exercise Order

Alternate between agonistic and antagonistic movements, opposing motions such as pushing and pulling in the horizontal plane in your training sessions. Select movements that don't interfere with each other and that uses opposing muscle groups. The general rule is train large muscle group first and smallest last. So, knee dominant exercises (quads) first, then hip-dominant (hamstrings & glutes), upper body pulls (back), then upper body presses (chest and shoulders) and then smaller muscles such as the core and obliques, triceps and biceps.

Training Split

This refers to how you split up your workouts throughout the entire training program. The full body training works the entire body, the lower-upper splits work half of the body in one session and the other in the next session, push-pull routines alternate between pushing muscles (quads, chest, shoulders, triceps) and pulling muscles ( hamstrings, back, biceps). Body part splits focus on one or two parts,; chest and triceps or back and biceps.

Frequency

Training frequency refers to the number of days per week you train. Most exercises train two to five days per week. Your training days are dependent upon your personal situation but whatever you choose train your entire body each week. It is more rewarding to train four days per week for 30 minutes versus two days weekly for 60 minutes a session.

Volume

Volume generally refers to the number of sets and repetitions you perform. A low volume session could include one set of six exercises; a high volume session could include 3 sets of eight exercises. The first set is by far the most important and subsequent sets become less important; the Law of Diminishing Returns applies to programming. Additional sets can become counterproductive because the muscles aren't able to repair themselves for future sessions.

Naturally, form and intensity are important, if your form is poor you cant handle much volume and if your don't push on intensity you can't handle plenty volume either. Volume and intensity are inversely related; you either train hard or you train long but you can't do both.

Intensity

Intensity refers to the amount of weight you lift, it also refers to intensity of load, and certain exercises involve more load that others. A push up involves about 68 percent of one's body weight not 100 percent, because there are several points of support and the body is at an angle at the top of the movement. Elevating the feet increases the percentage of body weight in the push up, and performing a one arm push up dramatically increases the loading on the shoulder joint. As you progress to more challenging exercises, the intensity increases in terms of joint loading.

Intensiveness

Intensity refers to the load used and intensiveness refers to the effort put forth. Intensiveness is how hard you push yourself during a training session. Some days you put in 95 percent and another day you deliver 60 percent. While this is an important ingredient be careful not to push too hard for too long, you will overreach or even worse over train. Listen to your body and pay attention to the signals.

Density

Training density refers to the amount of work you do per session. If you perform a 60 minute workout but rest 5 minutes between each set, you end up performing just eight sets and your work is not very dense. Conversely, if you perform 25 sets in 60 minutes your session is quite dense. Strength training should not mimic aerobic exercise, you should push hard and rest between sets but not too long. Antagonistic pairing is one way to increase training density. Some exercises don't require rest between sets, while others do, aim for 30 to 90 seconds of rest between sets.

Tempo

Tempo is usually indicated with three numbers. The first number refers to the concentric (muscles shorten during contraction) portion of the repetition, the second number to the isometric (lockout) portion of the movement and the third number to the eccentric (muscles lengthen during contraction) portion. A 1-0-3 tempo requires an exerciser to lift the body weight in one second and then lower the body in three seconds for each repetition. A 2-3-5 tempo call for a two seconds concentric, three seconds of isometric pause at the top and five seconds of eccentric for each repetition.

An isometric hold involves holding a movement in a static position for the specified time. Example, hold the top of a chin up or hold the bottom position of a push up.

A pause repetition requires you to pause briefly (usually one to five seconds) at a certain position in the exercise. Example, at the bottom of a Bulgarian split squat or at the top of an inverted row.

Negative accentuated repetitions are performed by slowly and gradually lowering yourself eccentrically. Example, lowering yourself in the chin-up for a count of 10 seconds.

Explosive repetitions are performed with maximal acceleration, which vary depending on one's goal. Example, to engage more pectorals during push ups, descend rapidly and quickly reverse the movement.

Partial repetitions can be done occasionally to provide novel training stimulus. Although full repetitions are better for strength and hypertrophy, sometimes it's wise to perform partial repetitions. Try incorporating tempo and repetition strategies in your training routine for variety.

Periodization

Periodization refers to how you switch up your workouts over time. You can periodize your workout several ways. One month you perform higher repetitions, the next month medium repetitions and the following month lower repetitions. Another method is incorporating iso-holds, or you accentuate the negative portion of certain exercises and the following month you implement plyometic exercises.

Simply progressing to more challenging exercise variations over time is also a method of periodization.

Most importantly, progress in your workouts by focusing on better from, performing more repetitions and increasing intensity, intensiveness, and density.

Here's to a stronger and healthier you!