Debates are a time honored tradition and in the manner of fitness, it adds some heated discussions at times. Let’s look at the idea of them but also, perspectives on what they can be beneficial for and/or their possible limitations.
In a short version of this context, it really boils down to what your goal is and what type of training you’re shooting for. Now, what can make this a little more interesting? Shall we turn the key and open up the door?
From my own experiences, I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum. I’ve done hundreds of push-ups and squats throughout the years in various workouts. Sometimes using a deck of cards, sometimes in sets using ladder methods or countdown versions at certain points in time. Heard those say it’s junk volume and not really building strength or muscle. Mostly endurance. Well, they’re not totally wrong but at the same time, they don’t necessarily have the right idea either. On the other side of the coin, I’ve felt in certain cases, high volume doesn’t have the advantage one may believe.
Let’s make a case for High Volume in and of itself:
In reality, it can be hard to beat when your goal is to enhance your conditioning, strengthen your work capacity and build serious mental toughness. Calisthenics in this manner are awesome for that. When you push past the 300-400-500 thresholds, it’s not the muscular aspects that change, it’s the breathing that becomes honest, technique that has to hold up when your gas tank is hitting that breaking point of fatigue and learning how to compose yourself when you start to run on empty.
There’s real transfer there. That level of High Volume work builds an engine like a locomotive. The raw reality of strength endurance that hits you like bricks.
Bodyweight Exercise can be done anywhere and at anytime. It doesn’t matter whether you’re chilling at the beach, tackling a few reps after chopping firewood or getting a tan on the dock by the lake. It’s not just Push-Ups & Squats, there can be lunges, burpees, leg raises, bridges and all sorts of things.
Here’s an outlook on what we can build a case for going against High Volume:
Is it really necessary for everything? The end-all-be-all high and mighty? Hell no and I’ll tell you why?
High Volume is not the same as maximal strength. You can get very strong in certain parts and you can be much leaner and better conditioned, but don’t expect to work like a powerlifter hitting a shit ton of weight. If you want more out of it, focus on utilizing tension. Tension is the key and that leads into progressive overload. What normally can be done at 50-100 reps of whatever can change course but still yield results by contracting the muscles and concentrate on the movements at a slower and more controlled rate. Some do very well hitting numbers while maintaining tension but sets of 15-20 can have a great impact in how you control the muscles.
Another important lesson to look at is the way your technique goes when you start chasing numbers. If you’re pushing into the hundreds but your form looks like you’re a fish out of water, it’s going to bite you in the ass and cause problems you don’t want. You can also burn out and have a bit of psychological damage due to the overwhelming physical trauma you put yourself in. This in turn can affect your sleep along with your ability to eat that turns discipline into problematic eating.
Some say High Volume is the only thing that matters to be fit but let’s face it, how many people in their 60’s and 70’s are doing hundreds of crazy calisthenics on a daily basis? The numbers would shock you how very few in the world per capita are doing that. It’s better to train smarter than chase numbers that can potentially derail you than make you better.
Is it truly needed???
Here’s my take on it: For wanting to be well conditioned, tough and resilient, doing High Volume work does have it’s benefits. Some of the greatest athletes in the world were heavily into it like Herschel Walker, Dan Gable, Karl Gotch, Rickey Henderson, Charles Atlas and Jack Lalanne for example. Being exposed through progressive training bolds well in many areas and not always on a daily basis unless that’s a goal you have in mind.
To be as strong as possible, that’s going to take more than a few hundred squats. High Reps isn’t a whole tool box, but they are a tool of the trade. Build a base, use them as finishers or as a way to recover. It’s not that complicated as some may think, as long as you keep it simple and be able to adapt when needed, you’re golden. Be aware of how you perform and do things that help you recover and not blowtorch to where you’re waiting another week or two to feel ok again.
Could High Volume work outside the realm of exercise itself? Fuck yes it can. Because it could have some awesome benefits to be able to work better and move better throughout the day. You don’t need to live on it though, just value of how you get there and when to take a step back so you don’t create overkill. Remember, even the smallest fraction of progress still leads to the big picture. Keep being amazingly awesome and kill it in your journey to be even 1% better each day.
