For those not in the know, auto regulation is a way to ensure that your training is of the utmost quality each and every time.
You can look at training as like filling a glass. Once you program the amount of training you can tolerate, then adding more only overfills the cup and will result in a decrease in performance from too much stress or not enough recovery but almost certainty both.
High volume and /or frequency training programs are fine and I do them myself but I think we all know that quality trumps quality every time so if half of your sessions are doing you good but the other half aren't, then what's the point of them?
Also how do you know if everything is having an effect? Maybe only 1 part of your training is providing you your performance improvements but 3 other parts are not. So why continue with the other 3 parts that are just adding unneeded stress to your body?
When implementing auto reg, it provides a set point that you are aiming to reach but not cross. Once at that set point then you can use a drop off point that you'll continue to train to but once you hit it then it's home time.
An example of this is someone who has a strength program that says he's gotta do 5 x 5 of bench presses.. You first 2 sets are pretty good and you've built up a bit of fatigue and feel that you might not reach 5 reps on the next set. Sets 3, 4 and 5 are completed with a far slower rep speed and your also straining between reps holding the bar at lockout taking big breathes to fire out more reps. You lockout of some reps almost comes to a complete halt until you squirm on the bench a little and force it up with a twisted torso position. Not great technique but, hey you got it up let's count it!
You finish your 5 sets of 5 an follow it up with 2 more bench press variations and a fly/crossover exercise or 2 and go home with a pump the size Texas and you're happy. You wake up tomorrow and you're sore as buggery and won't train chest again for 6 full days to recovery from yesterdays pec-tastic session.
Now when using auto reg you'd follow something like this:
Step 1 - set a goal for the session, let's say strength again. You also want each rep of each set to be completed with full acceleration through each rep with no sticking points, excessive straining/grinding or change in technique.
Step 2 - set a rep goal for the session, let's say 3.
Step 3 - focusing on the speed of each rep of each set you ramp up in weight each set until you hit the heaviest weight you can for 3 reps with full acceleration.
You've hit your aim for the session and now you've got some decisions to make whether it it be a focus on strength, hypertrophy or explosiveness.
Step 4 - whatever decision you make, you'd drop the weight and do a specific reps per set until max out following the guidelines of your training from step 1.
Here's how it might look numbers wise:
Set 1 - 3 x 50kgs
Set 2 - 3 x 60kgs
Set 3 - 3 x 70kgs
Set 4 - 3 x 80kgs
Set 4 - 3 x 90kgs
Set 5 - 3 x 100kgs (max set)
Goal is to continue with strength improvements so you will stay with 3 reps and also drop the weight 5 - 10% for your next sets.
Set 6 - 92.5kgs x 3
Set 7 - 92.5kgs x 3
Set 8 - 92.5kgs x 3
On your 8th set it didn't feel as "good" as the others and there was a bit of wavering in rep acceleration so you'll call it a day right there.
As you can see this method cuts out any bullshit volume that is there to fill up time or your program sheet.
It ensures only quality work is completed which will usually result in less overall volume which will result in less overall recovery from this session. This means that tomorrow or the next day you'll be able to do more high quality work again because you didn't overfill your stress glass.
Too many footballers follow bodybuilding programs, which is ridiculous, and has far too much shit volume in them that is not needed for footy when you have a lot of other things to train for.
You can apply so much stress before you break down.
In my next post I'll go into how I apply velocity based training and auto reg training together to make you a beast!
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