By early November, we had experienced 2 consecutive workouts with no further progress in any of our sets. We then took 23 days off. We returned to the gym and we were now able to add 10% to the Squat poundages for the same number of reps as our previous squat workout AND we had not performed squats for 30 days!

At first, this may seem beyond belief–an absolute impossibility! Not, however, if you understand recovery from the standpoint of the inflammatory response and recovery model outlined in steps 1-6 above. It is important to never forget that high intensity anaerobic weight training stress is a study properly subsumed under the heading of MEDICAL SCIENCE. As such, medical science can teach us much, but as pioneers in the field of high intensity, anaerobic exercise, so too can we teach medical science much!

Source: http://www.mikementzer.com/

UNDERSTANDING RECOVERY: A WOUND HEALING MODEL

by Dave Staplin

To understand and study the process of muscle recovery and repair, it is useful to develop a MODEL. Modeling the biochemical reactions to stress and the observed effects such as soreness allow for a better understanding of the events and TIME COURSE necessary for muscle recovery. Such a model comes from the study of the wound healing process; particularly the inflammatory reponse (7,9). Whenever muscle cells are subjected to high intensity anaerobic training stress, damage occurs at the cellular level (1-4,7-9). The DEGREE of damage depends upon the degree of intensity–the higher the intensity, the greater the damage (2,4,5,7,9,10). It is the process of healing this damage which then makes the muscle cell larger and stronger(2,9).

Recovery from training stress requires a number of steps; each of which must proceed to completion UNINTERRUPTED for COMPLETE recovery and adaptive response (7,9). While the exact mechanisms are unclear at the present time and subject to further research and clarification, it is thought that acute inflammation is the initial response to muscle cell damage (7,9,10). This is especially the case where high intensity eccentric work is performed such as Negative Training, Hyper Training or when accentuating the Lowering of the weight during standard repetitions. Delayed-onset muscle soreness is thought to be one of the effects of this acute inflammatory response as well (1-8,10). This sequence of events occurs in the following manner and time:

1. Connective and/or contractile tissue (muscle cell) damage occurs during intense muscular contraction, particularly eccentric action (1-10).
2. Within the first 24 hours, levels of neutrophils (white blood cells which respond to injury) increase and migrate to the site of injury or exercise trauma (1,6,9).
3. At the same time, lysosomal enzymes which digest and break down damaged tissue are released and this breakdown activity commences (3,6,8,9,10).
4. Macrophages (cells which aid lysosomes and synthesize a variety of chemicals in response to inflammation) begin to accumulate around 24 hours and continue to do so for up to several days. One of the chemicals these cells secrete, PGE2, is believed to make nerves , more sensitive to pain and may help explain soreness sensations starting 24 hours or so after exercise, and lasting for as long as 7 or more days (1-7,9,10).
5. This inflammatory response causes further damage to the affected area and may continue for several days beyond imposition of the INITIAL training stress damage (1,6,7,9).
6. Once these initial inflammatory responses (steps 1-5) are completed, then signs of the BEGINNINGS of tissue regeneration (rebuilding of the muscle) can be observed (4,7,9).

The muscle cell must first rebuild to normal levels of structure and function and then, only then, and only IF allowed FURTHER TIME, will it supercompensate and build up to levels GREATER than before. The next question is: How long does this ENTIRE process take?

It must be remembered that the severity of response and so the time necessary to complete it vary according to the degree of trauma or in this case, the intensity of the work, the muscle has been subjected to (2,4,5,10). Numerous studies have examined this response process, especially with eccentric contractions (1-10). The time course for completion of the above 6 steps ranges from 5 days to over 6 weeks (1-10)! This has profound implications regarding FREQUENCY of training! The more intense your training, the longer you must allow for recovery. If you add 50% to the weight you normally use for high intensity repetitions and then proceed to perform NEGATIVE repetitions, you have just dramatically increased the stress and therefore the TIME necessary for the muscle to recover. One concrete training example may help further clarify these ideas.

From mid-July to mid-October 1997, my training partner and I increased our Squat and Deadlift poundages 49% and 70%, respectively. We used standard repetition protocol–2 seconds concentric (raising) and 4 second eccentric (lowering). We terminated sets when no more full-range, unassisted reps were possible. In other words, we performed no Forced Reps, Negatives or any other technique which would have increased the intensity of the sets. Further, we had been performing only 2 sets per workout every 7 days on Mike’s Consolidation Routine.

Alex, i just read a fantastic article on the subject. It is not strictly about split routines but i think it relates very well. It is written by Richard A. Winett, Ph.D. and it is called “High-Intensity Training and Traditional Athletic Training”. I am going to take some excerpts (it is like 3 page long!) but if you can find the article i think it is going to be very beneficial.
Okay, here we go.

1.Why other experts do splits?

“There’s one very interesting and important criticism of very brief, infrequent, high-intensity training that I’ve never seen satisfactorily addressed. The criticism is typically made by people advocating higher volume approaches to resistance training. These people most often appear to be in the periodization camp. The gist of the criticism is that since no contemporary athlete revolves his or her training around the high-intensity (effort) model, for example, swimmers or track and field athletes, this proves that the high-intensity approach is basically flawed.”

“What many of us have been thinking for a number of years but (at least speaking for myself) could not quite articulate is this point: “Suppose the entire approach to athletic training is basically flawed? Suppose the paradigm – the theory and framework – of training adhered to by so many athletes all these years is not just flawed, but totally incorrect? Suppose that athletic success has much, much more to do with having the right genetic characteristics for specific sports and events, including the ability to tolerate a great volume of inappropriate training?” These thoughts suggest that great athletes are often not really trained appropriately, they just survive an onslaught of often inappropriate training!”

“That’s simply what these kinds of athletes have always done and now they’re just doing more of what they have always done. We also know that some of the rationale and concepts used to justify this approach such as developing an “aerobic base” or training every day to prevent “deconditioning” have no basis in reality. The term “aerobic base” has never been well defined and does not
appear to have a physiological rationale. In fact, long, slow sub-maximal distance work of any kind is not an effective way to increase aerobic capacity. Rather, what is needed is some systematic overload primarily delivered by increasing the intensity of training not volume of frequency.”

This basically explains why other trainers and experts do it! The whole mainstream approach is wrong. But nevertheless it is what they have always done and they continue it. And if you think about it, it makes sense.
There is a lot else i could have presented here but i am bit lazy when it comes to posting.

2.Why then bodybuilding magazines promote splits?
Well, they are really for bodybuilders on juice so it works for them. But ordinary people with no great genetics won’t be able to completely recover from everyday workout.

To Vince

Hey man, if you would read this and comment it would be superb.