Increase of stress to drive adaptation

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

I really enjoyed your Programming Podcast videos (parts 1 and 2) on Youtube where you describe that the linear progression ends because the amount of accumulated stress is no longer enough to provide the necessary adaptation.

  1. I was wondering how would you explain the introduction of a Wednesday light day during the novice linear progression. Wouldn’t that amount to decreasing the amount of stress?

  2. I was wondering where I can find further reading on this topic. I would like to learn more about how to gradually increase the stress levels, when to start introducing periodization, and how everything fits together in view of the accumulated stress model?

  3. As an extension of the above question, if it’s solely about accumulated stress, then the stress itself has to always keep rising (given that everything goes well and nutrition is there). However, obviously, you don’t just eventually end up doing 10 sets of 10 for each lift, every day. Would it be correct to think of accumulation of stress that drives adaptation to first be weekly, then bi-weekly, etc… ?

2

Sila,

Thanks for the post and I hope you’re well.

  1. Yes, it would reduce the stimulus, thus temporarily reducing the generation of new fitness adaptations while simultaneously reducing fatigue. The reduction in fatigue lets previously generated fitness adaptations be realized for a spell, before detraining occurs.

  2. We have suggested a number of reading recommendations in our podcasts with Mike T and also the “catching up with Dr. Baraki” one.

  3. Yes, we need to continue the provide with more and more stimuli to drive fitness adaptations- some of which will need to be accumulated over longer periods of time.

-Jordan

3

Thank you so much, Jordan. Looking forward to attending your Chicago seminar in May.

4

Jordan, I had some time to think about your response. You stated that the light day on Wednesday would reduce stimulus and thus, reduce the generation of new fitness adaptations while simultaneously reducing fatigue.

I understand the reducing fatigue part, since intensity is lowered. However, the volume remains the same throughout the 3 days. Why would detraining occur? Is the intensity on the light day not enough to drive the adaptations even though volume remains the same?

Or are you saying that detraining will occur precisely because of lack of increase in volume and that a light day only helps to reduce fatigue and realize previously generated fitness adaptations?