Some lifters prefer high volume training and some prefer low volume training. There are also some who alternate between both. In this article, I will discuss the topic of how to alternate between high and low volume training.
One way to alternate between high volume and low volume training is to do so within the same week. The first workout for each muscle group would be a high-volume workout. The second workout for each muscle group would be a low volume workout. The following schedule would be an example of this:
Monday: High Volume Chest and Back
Super set bench press with T-bar Rows
1st superset: 1 x 10 40% of your single rep max
2nd superset: 1 x 10 50% of your single rep max
3rd superset: 1 x 8 60% of your single rep max
4th superset: 1 x 6 70% of your single rep max
5th super set: 1 x 6 80% of your single rep max
Super set Incline Press With Lat Pulldowns
1st superset: 1 x 10 40% of your single rep max
2nd superset: 1 x 10 50% of your single rep max
3rd superset: 1 x 8 60% of your single rep max
4th superset: 1 x 6 70% of your single rep max
5th super set: 1 x 6 80% of your single rep max
Superset Decline Press with Seated Pulley Rows
1st superset: 1 x 10 40% of your single rep max
2nd superset: 1 x 10 50% of your single rep max
3rd superset: 1 x 8 60% of your single rep max
4th superset: 1 x 6 70% of your single rep max
5th super set: 1 x 6 80% of your single rep max
.
Tuesday: High Volume Shoulders and Arms
Overhead Press
1st superset: 1 x 10 40% of your single rep max
2nd superset: 1 x 10 50% of your single rep max
3rd superset: 1 x 8 60% of your single rep max
4th superset: 1 x 6 70% of your single rep max
5th super set: 1 x 6 80% of your single rep max
Lateral Raise
5 sets x 8 reps: You should finish with one to two reps in the tank on your last set
Superset Incline curls with Triceps press-downs
4 sets x 8 reps: Use a weight that allows you to finish with one to two reps in the tank on your last set
Super set Barbell Curls with overhead triceps extensions
4 sets x 8 reps: Use a weight that allows you to finish with one to two reps in the tank on your last set
.
Wednesday: High Volume Legs
Squats or leg Press superset with leg Curls
1st superset: 1 x 10 40% of your single rep max
2nd superset: 1 x 10 50% of your single rep max
3rd superset: 1 x 8 60% of your single rep max
4th superset: 1 x 6 70% of your single rep max
5th super set: 1 x 6 80% of your single rep max
Standing Calf Raises
4 sets x 10 reps: Use a weight that causes you to reach failure on your last set
Seated Calf Raises
4 sets x 12 reps: Use a weight that causes you to reach failure on your last set.
.
Friday: Low Volume Chest, Back, and Shoulders
Flat Bench Press
1 set x 5 reps 40% of your single rep max
1 set x 5 reps 50% of your single rep max
1 set x 3 reps 60% of your single rep max
1 set x 8 reps 75% of your single rep max
Seated Pulley Rows
1 set x 5 reps 40% of your single rep max
1 set x 5 reps 50% of your single rep max
1 set x 3 reps 60% of your single rep max
1 set x 8 reps 75% of your single rep max
Overhead Press
1 set x 5 reps 40% of your single rep max
1 set x 5 reps 50% of your single rep max
1 set x 3 reps 60% of your single rep max
1 set x 8 reps 75% of your single rep max
.
Saturday: Low Volume Arms and Legs
Superset Incline Curls with Overhead Triceps Extensions
3 sets x 8 reps: Use a weight that causes you to finish with 2 reps in the tank on your last set
Squats
1 set x 5 reps 40% of your single rep max
1 set x 5 reps 50% of your single rep max
1 set x 3 reps 60% of your single rep max
1 set x 8 reps 75% of your single rep max
Seated Calf Raises
3 sets x 12 reps: Use a weight that causes you to reach failure by the last rep of your last set
.
Why Alternate?
Why alternate between high volume and low volume? Because it happens to be the right combination for some lifters. Not all lifters need to alternate between high and low volume training. There are some lifters who do one high volume workout for each muscle group each week and this is all they need. However, there are other lifters who respond well to high volume training, but they need more than one workout per week for each muscle group. Even though they respond well to high volume training, they end up overtraining if they do two high volume workouts within the same week for each muscle group. One way to correct this problem is to do one high volume workout and one low volume workout for each muscle group per week. The low volume workout provides enough stimulus between high volume workouts to avoid atrophy and adaptive decay. At the same time, the low volume workout is far less demanding which makes recovery possible before the next high-volume workout.
The bottom line is that if you are one of those individuals who becomes over trained from constant high-volume workouts, but low volume workouts don’t provide enough stimulation, try alternating back and forth between both.
In the next article, I will discuss how to alternate back and forth between a training block of high-volume workouts, and a training block of low volume workouts. Best of training to you.