Training is as much about the mental aspect as it is the physical. Each time you step onto the gym floor, doing so with the intent to learn to allow you to go out and perform better.

This is what differentiates Training from 'Working Out'.

Working Out

• Routine changes every week, and doesn't follow a program

• Different sessions completed which doesn't allow for improvements to be made

• Focus on calories burned and heart rate

• No priority placed on execution

Training

• Same sessions completed week in, week out to build a routine

• A program is followed in 4-12 week blocks to allow for progressive overload

• Primary focus is on quality execution

• The environment is built around educating

• Secondary focus is on improving weight used, training intensity, volume completed and endurance

HYPERTROPHY

Muscular Hypertrophy is the increase in size of muscle fibres, due to an increase in the number of myofibrils, the contractile units within muscle fibres. This can occur through weight training or other forms of resistance exercise, which cause small tears in muscle fibres. The body then repairs these tears by rebuilding the fibres stronger and thicker, leading to an increase in muscle size.

Additionally, increasing muscle protein synthesis and decreasing muscle protein breakdown also play a role in muscle hypertrophy through nutrition, recovery and stress management.

HYPERTROPHY PRINCIPLES

These are a universal set of principles within the weight training world to help make your training more efficient, and effective towards achieving hypertrophy.

Intention: Understanding the targeted muscle group

Tension: Placing tension in the muscle prior to starting

Tempo: The timing utilised for each rep ie; 3011

Range of Motion: Keeping the muscle in an active range where it is lengthened and shortened each rep

Mental Tenacity: Training to physical failure ie; 10 RPE

Progressive Overload: Programming designed to support the improvement in execution, strength and volume

RATE OF PERCEIVED EXERTION

Otherwise known as RPE, this is a metric used to monitor training intensity in a weight training environment.

To stimulate muscle hypertrophy, you need to train between a 7 to 10 RPE. The exception to this rule would be a beginner starting out.

5 RPE = 50% effort, or you could complete another 5 reps at that weight and rep range

7 RPE = 70% effort, you could complete 3 more reps

10 RPE = 100% effort, you could not complete another rep

This rating system requires a level of honesty and understanding of what effort you are putting into each set. When it comes to advancing with your training it is critical to factor in every session you complete.

MENTAL FAILURE VS PHYSICAL FAILURE

Mental Failure is when your mind tells you to stop because things are getting uncomfortable. Humans are hard wired from the moment we are born to avoid risk, danger and discomfort to protect us from harm. However when it comes to training, we want to by pass this switch in a safe manner, and when the time is right, is train to physical failure which is your 10 RPE, and you cannot physically complete another rep.

It's training at this level on a consistent basis that will see you make progress week in, week out.

TRACK YOUR TRAINING

Although not essential to make progress, tracking your training on a regular basis allows you to maintain focus on what you did last week, what you should do this week, and support you to create more accountable training practices.

Best practice for tracking:

• Review your numbers from last week prior to starting the exercise

• Consider how you would like to utilise your sets to build up to hit last weeks number by your second last set

• Utilise your last set to make progress with the resistance you are using if you are feeling confident and comfortable

Remember weight wont always go up, there will be days when you are not at 100% where matching the previous week will be the best and safest outcome.

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

More specific to the group training/conditioning environment understanding what speed (km/h), /500m, or watts generated is crucial to elevating your training.

By this we mean focusing on each effort or set, and attempting to maintain a speed that is challenging you again at a 7-10 RPE level. It's these efforts completed on a consistent basis that will drive you become fitter and more conditioned to what life has to throw at you.