Episode 49: You Don't Know How Strong You Are (Says Research)

08/09/23 • 70 min

Movement Logic: Strong Opinions, Loosely Held

Welcome to Season 3 and Episode 49 of the Movement Logic podcast! In this episode, Laurel and Sarah discuss the common tendency for people (not just women) to under load when lifting weights to build muscle and strength. In fact, it’s likely a slight majority of people in the gym are either not lifting heavy enough or taking sets close enough to failure to make changes to their muscle mass or strength!

You will learn:

If left to their own devices, the average lifter gravitates toward sets of 10 with 50-55% of a 1 repetition max, which would not be stimulating enough to make a change to muscle mass or hypertrophy.
That research has shown people are likely to leave too many reps in reserve (ending the set too soon) and why this will not make your muscles bigger or your body stronger.
That research has shown that a slight majority of people select weights that are too light for a given rep range and why this will not make your muscles bigger or your body stronger.
That if a slight majority of people with access to a fully equipped gym are prone to underloading, then people working out at home with more limited equipment might be even more prone to underloading.
How heavy, moderate, and light loads are defined according to exercise science.
A working definition of “serious lifters” which is people who track their workouts and correctly apply the principle of progressive overload to their training protocol. AKA, people who see results from their training!
How laundry detergent can explain why people are so stuck on doing 3 sets of 10.
How strength training is a lot like yoga in that it is literally ALL about listening to your body.
How feelings can explain the tendency to underload, like avoiding feelings of discomfort or avoiding feeling embarrassed if you cannot lift a weight successfully.
Getting close to failure is key for success in strength training.
That healthy boundaries for women includes learning your no, but also learning your yes, especially when it comes to saying yes to loading sufficiently to build muscular strength and bone density.

Article by Stronger By Science - Most Lifters Train Too Light

Self-Selected Resistance Exercise Load: Implications for Research and Prescription

Are Trainees Lifting Heavy Enough? Self-Selected Loads in Resistance Exercise: A Scoping Review and Exploratory Meta-analysis

Episode 32: Load & Volume: When is Enough Enough? When is it Too Much?

Episode 39: RPE, 1 RM, 3 sets of 10, oh my?

You will learn:

If left to their own devices, the average lifter gravitates toward sets of 10 with 50-55% of a 1 repetition max, which would not be stimulating enough to make a change to muscle mass or hypertrophy.
That research has shown people are likely to leave too many reps in reserve (ending the set too soon) and why this will not make your muscles bigger or your body stronger.
That research has shown that a slight majority of people select weights that are too light for a given rep range and why this will not make your muscles bigger or your body stronger.
That if a slight majority of people with access to a fully equipped gym are prone to underloading, then people working out at home with more limited equipment might be even more prone to underloading.
How heavy, moderate, and light loads are defined according to exercise science.
A working definition of “serious lifters” which is people who track their workouts and correctly apply the principle of progressive overload to their training protocol. AKA, people who see results from their training!
How laundry detergent can explain why people are so stuck on doing 3 sets of 10.
How strength training is a lot like yoga in that it is literally ALL about listening to your body.
How feelings can explain the tendency to underload, like avoiding feelings of discomfort or avoiding feeling embarrassed if you cannot lift a weight successfully.
Getting close to failure is key for success in strength training.
That healthy boundaries for women includes learning your no, but also learning your yes, especially when it comes to saying yes to loading sufficiently to build muscular strength and bone density.

Article by Stronger By Science - Most Lifters Train Too Light

Self-Selected Resistance Exercise Load: Implications for Research and Prescription

Are Trainees Lifting Heavy Enough? Self-Selected Loads in Resistance Exercise: A Scoping Review and Exploratory Meta-analysis

Episode 32: Load & Volume: When is Enough Enough? When is it Too Much?

Episode 39: RPE, 1 RM, 3 sets of 10, oh my?

Previous Episode

Episode 48: Alignment Dogma - Pelvis

Welcome to Season 3 and Episode 48 of the Movement Logic podcast! In this episode, Laurel and Sarah discuss dogmatic beliefs and myths around the pelvis from the yoga, Pilates, and strength training worlds. We also discuss how correlating pelvic position with safety or pain is not backed by research, and thus what value teaching pelvic alignment may or may not have.

You will learn:

Natural variations on the AFAB and AMAB pelvises
How there’s a variety of ideas on where neutral pelvis is, which tells us that nobody knows what a neutral pelvis actually is
That anterior pelvic tilt is not a pathology and we need to stop acting like it is
Alignment cueing has value - let’s not throw out the baby with the bathwater
What place does mula bandha have in our pelvis
Literally, where is mula bandha as there seems to be no agreement
Is “butt wink” a bad thing or an inevitable thing?
What does “navel to spine” actually do to the pelvis
Ultimately, how should we be thinking about our students’ pelvic alignment and how much do we need to be doing about it

Laurel's Body of Knowledge Course

Movement Logic Hip and SI Joint Tutorial

Movement Logic Pelvic Floor Tutorial

4 Types of AFAB Pelvis

Paul Grilley Bone Images

IG post comparing Sarah and Laurel’s internal and external hip rotation

Matthew Remski’s Practice And All Is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, And Healing In Yoga And Beyond uncovers rape and sexual assault by Ashtanga Yoga’s creator Pattahbi Jois on his teachers and students

Study showing 75-85% of people have anterior pelvic tilt and no pain

Anterior tilt not correlated with low back pain

Lumbar lordosis not correlated with low back pain

Next Episode

Episode 50: Bracing versus Breathing

In this episode, Laurel and Sarah discuss bracing and breathing. Why are we all so confused about our breathing mechanics and convinced we’re doing it wrong, no matter what we’re doing? When is the right (and wrong) time to brace when lifting something? What’s the difference between bracing and bearing down? And is navel to spine even doing what we think it’s doing?

You will learn:

Is there a right and a wrong way to breathe
How social media influences our sense of right and wrong breathing
Breathing vs bracing in yoga, Pilates, and strength training
Common postural tension that can impact breathing
Sarah’s favorite injury
How Sarah teaches breathing in the clinic
Anatomy of breathing
What bracing for a heavy lift actually entails (hint: it’s not bearing down)
When to use bracing in strength training
The value of trunk stability and what navel to spine is actually doing
Whether pranayama techniques should be done all the time
How to cue diaphragmatic breathing
Whether pranayama is the most efficient way to challenge the cardiovascular system and increase breath capacity