How to Maximize Your Muscle Growth & Fat Loss: The Top Tip for Achieving Your 2024 Muscle-Centric Fitness Goals

According to a survey from March 2020 survey of hundreds of American adults, the top New Year's resolutions for Americans are:

Exercise more (52%)

Eat healthier (50%)

Lose weight (40%)

This survey, conducted by Statista, included respondents between 18 and 89. 

It's worth noting that these resolutions often relate to the obesity crisis in the US, where approximately 40% of the population is classified as obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

In fact, there's been about a 300% increase in obesity rates in just the past single generation! 

New Year's resolutions are often unsuccessful, with only 9% of Americans feeling they are successful in achieving them.

In 2007,  only 12% of people who set resolutions were successful.

In fact studies suggest that 75% of people who make resolutions are on track to achieving them after 1 week, but this number drops to 71% after 2 weeks, 64% after 1 month, and 46% after 6 months.

In comparison, only 4% of people who have similar "goals" but fail to design and follow a simple but effective pathway to achieving those goals are successful after just 6 months.

(Image source) 

 Now, Suppose you're looking to start a muscle-centric fitness program to build large amounts of high quality muscle fast, too loose weight and unlock the incredible health benefits of doing so.

What is one of the simplest, yet most powerful steps you can take in designing your workouts to help you reach your resistance training goals? 

According to the latest exercise science, one of the most import things you can do is avoid pushing yourself to failure during your workouts.

According to a major recent meta-analytic study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, training to failure (RTF) and not to failure (RTNF) can lead to similar improvements in muscle strength and power output in athletes and non-athletes.

The study also found that, in some cases, RTNF may lead to slightly more significant strength gains, especially in the lower body muscles (which means more efficient glucose dumping and metabolic and hormonal boosting).

As for muscle hypertrophy, the study found that RTF may result in slightly greater muscle size gains, but these may be due to a higher volume of training rather than a specific effect of fatigue.

In other words, when the training volume is equal, there is likely little to no difference in muscle hypertrophy between RTF and RTNF.

The implication here is that if you train the same number of reps and sets but not to failure, you will likely experience comparable gains in muscle size growth and superior gains in muscle strength.

In other words - you want to try adding a drop-set to each extra set per exercise to get the same number of reps per exercise instead of training each set to failure for maximum gains in strength and hypertrophy (muscle size growth).

You're also more likely to succeed in sticking to a regular resistance training program by removing one of the most significant sources of exercise-behavioral-friction from your muscle-centric fitness program – namely "DOMS."

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a type of muscle soreness that typically occurs two after performing a new or unaccustomed exercise. It is caused by excessive micro-tearing of the muscle tissue, which leads to inflammation and soreness. DOMS can be more intense in people who are not used to the type of exercise they're doing or if they over-train. DOMS can be managed with self-care measures, including active recovery, high-quality sleep, and vibration foam rolling. As the body adapts to the new activity, the frequency and intensity of DOMS typically decrease. 

Stopping your workouts before your muscles reach full fatigue can promote muscle hypertrophy or growth while avoiding DOMs. This is because training at the right level can stimulate the optimal production of muscle-building hormones to increase muscle size while reducing muscle tearing.

Human growth hormone (GH) and testosterone are two hormones that are important for building muscle. GH helps increase muscle size and strength by adding mass to your muscles without changing how strong they can contract. It also helps your body produce more protein, which is essential for muscle growth.

Testosterone is another hormone that is important for muscle growth. It helps build and develop your muscles, especially when combined with exercises that challenge your muscles, like resistance training. Resistance training can help increase your testosterone levels, leading to bigger, stronger muscles.

GH and testosterone are produced more when you do exercises challenging your muscles, like resistance training. With age, your body naturally makes less of these hormones, making it harder to build muscle. But resistance training can help keep your hormone levels optimal and make it easier to build muscle while maximizing your health and even adding years to your life.

DOMS typically occurs 12-24 hours after unfamiliar or demanding physical activity (i.e., repeatedly overtraining to failure). It is usually at its worst 24-72 hours after working out.

Most people don't know this, but overtraining can seriously impair your immune system because the immune system plays a critical role in repairing muscle damage.

Micro-tearing of muscle fibers is thought to be one of the primary mechanisms that can lead to muscle growth or hypertrophy. When a muscle is subjected to the stress of exercise, the fibers can become damaged, triggering the repair process. During the repair process, immune cells called macrophages are attracted to the injury site and begin cleaning up the damaged tissue. At the same time, satellite cells, a type of stem cell, are activated and begin to divide and differentiate into new muscle fibers. These new fibers are added to the existing muscle tissue, resulting in an increase in muscle size.

The immune system plays a significant role in this process because it is responsible for recognizing and responding to the damage that occurs in the muscle. The immune cells involved in the repair process produce a variety of growth factors and other signaling molecules that help stimulate the satellite cells and promote muscle growth. Additionally, the immune system helps prevent infections or other complications that could arise from muscle damage. The immune system is a crucial player in muscle growth, and its functioning is vital for maintaining muscle health and function.

On the other hand, overdoing it through excessive training to failure could make you more susceptible to illness by compromising your immune system.

Here are a few tips to bare in mind when starting a muscle-centric resistance training program as a busy professional:

• Consider getting a set of good resistance training bands and choose 4-6 multi-joint resistance training exercises. I strongly recommend the x3 Bar (I have no afflation) because it includes an Olympic-style bar, which rotates, reducing the pressure on the wrist (that the bands quickly and easily hook onto, some really high-quality resistance bands, and a small metal platform you stand on with the band underneath to keep them in place). The X3 Bar is also highly portable with a sturdy travel case - it’s like a serious resistance training gym you can take with you just about anywhere. However, the X3 bar costs around $400. If that’s outside your budget range - you can get a great set of resistance bands for as little as $10–$30 on Amazon and still enjoy potentially life-transforming health benefits.
• Overlearn the correct body mechanics for each exercise before adding resistance. The most high-value resistance training exercises, such as the squat or deadlift, are complex behaviors similar to riding a bike. It is crucial to fully understand and practice the form of these exercises to mastery before adding weight.
• Commit to just two 15-20 minute resistance training sessions per week and work up to 4 days per week over about 2 months.
• Gradually increase the amount of resistance (for example, every 2-4 weeks)you add to each exercise, always prioritizing proper form - I call this the "form before weight principle." 
• If you're an athlete who combines resistance training with sports training, consider using the RTNF approach. This can lead to similar or even more significant improvements in muscle strength and power and may also help prevent overuse injuries and overtraining in the long term – leading to higher levels of sustainable peak performance in your sport.
• If you're a non-athlete, consider factors such as your cardiovascular health, risk of injury, and time available for training. Always talk to a qualified healthcare expert (i.e., your family Dr. before starting any new exercise program. Although resistance training has incredible cardio-metabolic health benefits - It’s a good idea to also build regular walking and/or micro-movement breaks into your day and to get 1 or 2 short (as little as 5 minutes per week) burst peak interspersed with zone 2 cardio interval sessions in per week (make sure to consult a qualified personal trainer to learn more).
• Prioritize a healthy sleep habit to maximize recovery and reduce the time it takes you to recover.
• Practice good stress management. Stress can significantly impact sleep quality and exercise recovery. It can also affect your ability to maintain a resilient, adaptive mindset.

When you're chronically stressed, your body produces and secretes stress hormones such as cortisol, which can interfere with your body's ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Also, stress can cause physical tension and discomfort, making it more challenging to get comfortable and interfering with sleep.

Muscle-centric fitness can be a helpful way to manage stress, as it can help to reduce the stress hormone levels in your body and improve your overall sense of well-being.

However, if you're experiencing high levels of stress, it can also be more challenging to recover from exercise. Stress (both physical and psychological) can suppress your immune system and make it harder for your body to repair and rebuild muscle tissue after a workout.

7 key takeaways to help you build and maintain a muscle-centric fitness habit:

1. A recent meta-analysis found that training to failure (RTF) and not to failure (RTNF) can lead to similar improvements in muscle strength and power output in athletes and non-athletes.
2. In some cases, RTNF may lead to slightly more significant strength gains, especially in the lower body muscles, which are critical for metabolic health.
3. The study also found that when the training volume is equal, there is no difference in muscle hypertrophy between RTF and RTNF. This suggests that if you train the same number of sets and reps but not to failure, you'll likely experience comparable gains in muscle size and superior gains in muscle strength. It also allows you to enjoy these benefits without the adverse effects of overtraining. In this sense, the definition of overtraining may need to be changed to include intentionally training to failure as a core resistance training goal.
4. Overtraining can weaken the immune system, which is responsible for repairing muscle damage and aiding muscle growth.
5. As a result of training to muscle failure, individuals may experience Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), a type of muscle soreness that occurs after performing a new or unaccustomed exercise. DOMS can be intense and uncomfortable, causing individuals to suffer physically and potentially impacting their ability to sleep well and perform daily activities.
6. DOMS is a crucial obstacle or source of behavioral friction for building and maintaining a healthy, muscle-centric workout habit/routine.
7. If you're looking to start a muscle-centric fitness program but have a really busy schedule, consider avoiding overtraining and working with an ISSA-certified nutritionist and personal fitness trainer like myself. I'm available for online chat, email-based assessment, and behavioral coaching to help create a personalized fitness program that meets your needs and goals.

Hope that helps! - Your Coach David.