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1-677-124-44227

184 MAIN COLLINS STREET WEST VICTORIA 8007

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Winston-Salem, NC

(919) 426-1671

2345 Griffith Rd

Winston-Salem, NC 27103

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Is Feeling The “Burn” Good or Bad?

Ok, so I am feeling like busting another myth so here we go.

Myth number 2, “You have to feel the burn, if you aren’t, whatever you are doing isn’t working.”

This is a half truth at best.

While feeling the burn or “the pump” isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it isn’t the end-all either.

When you feel the burn or “the pump” all that you’re really feeling is lactic acid building up in your muscles. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting a great workout.

The truth of the matter, is to get a great workout you really need primarily one thing…You Need Progressive overload.

Progressive overload is when you incrementally get stronger over an extended period of time.

For example, if you lift 5 lbs for 10 Reps for 6 months, do you think your body will change? No! It won’t, because your doing the same thing, creating the same stimulus over and over again. Your body isn’t being forced to adapt or grow.

Now let’s say you do 5 lbs for 400 Reps for 6 months every single day. Plus, you feel an intense burning sensation from all those reps. Do you think your body will change after 6 months? No! Granted you would feel an intense burn I am sure, but your body would adapt and remain the same because the stimulus is the same.

One of the simplest ways to use Progressive Overload is by using what’s called, linear progression.

Basically, the principle of linear progression is you slowing use more weight over time.

A super simple method would be to do 3 sets of 8-10 reps. The goal is to pick a weight you can get 3 sets of 10 reps with. If you get 3 sets of 10 reps, you add weight the next time you do that movement. If you once again, get 3 sets of 10 reps, move up in weight. Now if you only can get 2 sets of 10 and the last set you get 8 reps…stay there, at whatever weight it is. But as soon as you get 3 sets of 10 reps add more weight. Simple right?

Another classic form of linear progression is the 5X5 method. The 5X5 method is basically pick a big compound movement, like the bench press, back squat, deadlift, and you performed 5 sets of 5 reps. The goal being, at first you can’t get all 5 reps for every set. However, over time, eventually you do get 5 sets of 5 reps. Once you do…you guessed it! You add more weight.

That in short, is how Progressive Overload works.

In closing, do you have to feel the burn to get great results? No! Is feeling the burn bad? No! Feeling the burn is simply the buildup of lactic acid in your muscles.

Now go be awesome and have an epic weekend.

Kellen Lake – Getting progressively more verbose lol.

PS – What is one to do without Football on Sunday? What do you do? I am open to ideas ;-).

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