by Bill Starr
Ditch the guesswork! Bill Starr, a strength training legend, unveils the concept of workload. Learn how to calculate it, plan your workouts, and achieve progressive gains. Build a rock-solid foundation for strength!
For anyone serious about building serious strength, understanding workload is a game-changer. It sheds light on the actual amount of work you're doing, empowering you to analyze your program and design future workouts with precision. No more flying blind!
Workload Defined: It's All About the Numbers
Workload refers to the total amount of weight you move in a given period, be it a day, week, or month. Calculating it is straightforward: simply multiply the weight lifted by the number of reps performed for each set, then add those figures together for all your sets.
Here's the catch: workload is a multifaceted concept. There are two key aspects to consider:
- Volume: This refers to the total amount of weight lifted, which you've just learned how to calculate.
- Intensity: This represents the difficulty of an exercise or workout, often determined by the number of reps performed.
Although volume and intensity are closely linked, they're not the same. Let's delve deeper with a practical example.
Heavy Day vs. Medium Day: A Workload Breakdown
Imagine a heavy squat day where you tackle the following weights for 5 reps each:
- 135 lbs
- 225 lbs
- 295 lbs
- 345 lbs
- 375 lbs
Throw in a back-off set of 295 lbs for 8 reps, and your total workload for this exercise becomes a whopping 9,215 lbs accomplished in 33 reps.
Now, fast forward to your medium day. You use the same warm-up weights (135 lbs, 225 lbs, 295 lbs for 5 reps each), but then switch to triples (3 reps) with heavier weights (355 lbs and 390 lbs), followed by a back-off set of 8 reps with 295 lbs. Your total workload for this session adds up to 7,870 lbs completed in 29 reps.
Hold on a minute! You might be thinking that since you handled heavier weights on your medium day, shouldn't it be considered the "heavier" workout? Not quite. Here's why:
Intensity Unveiled: The Rep Factor
To determine the intensity of a workout, divide the total weight lifted by the number of reps performed. On your heavy day, you moved 9,215 lbs in 33 reps, resulting in an average lift of 279 lbs (intensity). On your medium day, you lifted 7,870 lbs in 29 reps, leading to an intensity of 271 lbs.
The Importance of a Light Day
This is where the concept of a light day becomes crucial. Your light day workload should be significantly lower than your heavy or medium days to allow for proper recovery. Often, ambitious lifters make the mistake of doing too much on their light days, leading to overtraining.
Bill Starr recommends using 50 lbs less on your light day squats compared to your top set of fives on your heavy day. Gradually build up to three work sets with the same weight on your light day squats. This approach ensures you stay within the heavy-medium-light system and avoid overtraining.
Workload: Your Guide to Progress
Workload is an invaluable tool for gauging when to add more work—exercises, sets, or reps—to your schedule. The key is to progressively increase your workload in a steady and consistent manner. Beginners can typically add workload faster as they build a solid foundation. However, once your weekly workload nears 75,000 lbs, it's time to slow down the progression.
Strategic Techniques for Workload Progression
Several effective strategies can help you gradually increase workload and avoid overtraining:
- Add Warm-up or Intermediate Sets: Perform a few extra sets with lighter weights as warm-up or intermediate sets during your workouts.
- Back-off Sets: Include back-off sets with a weight 50 lbs lighter than your max weight for 8-10 reps after tackling your heaviest weights. This adds workload without excessive fatigue.
- Extra Exercises: Once comfortable with the core exercises, consider adding extra exercises on your light day to target specific muscle groups or weaknesses.
Listen to Your Body: Finding the Sweet Spot
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