In order to achieve the greatest benefit - increased muscle size and strength - in the shortest
          time period, training must impose an extreme degree of anaerobic stress. The
          FUNDAMENTALS which must be considered are VOLUME, FREQUENCY, RECOVERY
          AND INTENSITY. Equally important is understanding the RELATIONSHIP between these
          fundamentals; a relationship based upon the idea that volume, frequency, and consequently
          recovery are all functions of intensity. In other words, the PRIMARY consideration must be
          INTENSITY. Only when this fundamental and its degree of application are specified can we
          then consider how to properly structure the volume and frequency of training in order to
          maximize recovery and subsequent adaptive response.

          Intensity has been defined as the percentage of possible momentary muscular effort being
          exerted. To further understand this concept, intensity can be diagrammed on a scale relating
          various degrees of muscular effort.

          ___________________________________________________________
            complete
            rest
                                 rep. 1
                                              rep. 5
                                                            rep. 10
                                                                           concentric
                                                                           failure
                                                                                                  beyond
                                                                                                  concentric failure
 

          At the extreme left side would be complete rest, exerting NO muscular effort. Continuing to
          move to the right on the scale would involve the use of PROGRESSIVELY GREATER
          muscular effort at rep 10, reaching momentary CONCENTRIC (or positive) FAILURE
          representing 100% of momentary muscular effort. It is possible however, to continue to
          increase the intensity and, consequently the anaerobic stress by adding isometric (or static)
          contractions, forced reps, eccentric (or negative) reps or even combining these to create as
          absolute a degree of stress as is possible. As the INTENSITY of effort and the STRESS on
          the body is increased, so too is the growth stimulation. However, the STRESS from which the
          body must recover is also increased dramatically.

          At any point along the scale the body will have specific requirements necessary to facilitate
          complete recovery and adaptation. To the far left, recovery requirements are minimal, but as
          we move to the right along the scale, recovery requirements increase. This constantly
          increasing requirement is TIME.

          To understand the reason for this increased time requirement, it must be understood that
          recovery is a BIOCHEMICAL process taking place within the body. These biochemical
          processes have a limit as to the RATE at which they are able to occur. For the most part, these
          responses are not subject to change. You are not, for example, going to influence the rate at
          which your body uses proteins, carbs or fats by simply increasing their consumption.These
          processes are enzyme-mediated responses that are influenced little by more substrate (or food)
          being administered. Nor are you going to decrease recovery time by engaging in activities often
          termed 'active recovery' as these simply impose further stress from which the body must also
          recover.

          Reviewing what is understood so far:
          1) Increasing the INTENSITY increases the growth stimulation AND increases the stress.
          2) The greater the intensity, the greater the recovery needs.
          3) Since recovery is a biochemical process which can take place at a certain RATE and is not
          subject to significant outside influence, the greater the recovery NEEDS, the greater the TIME
          required for these biochemical processes.

          Understanding these concepts now allow for considering the issues of volume and frequency -
          how much and how often. To do so, we will use some specific concrete examples.

          Suppose one is able to bench press 300 lbs. for exactly 10 reps using a 4 second eccentric (or
          lowering) and a 2 second concentric (or raising) of the weight without pausing between any of
          the 10 reps. The last, 10th repequates to 100% of momentary muscular effort with concentric
          strength being exhausted and no further unassisted, full-range reps possible. Suppose further
          that it has been discovered that it takes 6 days to FULLY recover from this one set.

          Now let us change our set so that we perform 10 reps exactly as above only this time we get
          assistance and FORCE 2 additional reps and then perform 2 NEGATIVE reps. Or, let us
          suppose that we are now stronger after a 6 day recovery period and we are able to bench press
          330 lbs. (10% more weight) for the same number of reps under identical conditions. Will the
          same 6 day period which was previously required for complete recovery now be sufficient for
          recovery under these new circumstances? Given what we understand from above, it can be
          seen that:

          1) More TIME will be necessary under conditions of increased intensity. (and stress)

          2) Recovery time MUST be a function of the level or degree of intensity. As regards
          VOLUME, we can see that the same constraints apply, If we add another exercise to the
          above workout, we have increased the stress and therefore, the recovery requirement - TIME.

          After working through the reasoning above, it is clearly INTENSITY OF EFFORT which
          must be the primary consideration in training. It is the degree of intensity that dictates the
          recovery requirements. And COMPLETE recovery MUST take place in order for any
          increases in muscle size and strength to occur. You will know your recovery needs are being
          met when you are able to make increases in weight lifted and/or reps with every training
          session. Anything less indicates that not enough TIME has elapsed since the last workout to
          allow for COMPLETE recovery. If you are not achieving this outcome the answer (provided
          your intensity of effort is 100%) is to add days between training sessions until you start
          achieving these results.

          To understand what the ranges of possible times for complete recovery may be, a number of
          scientific studies recently have demonstrated recovery from high-intensity stress can range
          from one to six or more weeks. This time will depend on a number of factors, but these
          studies have unequivocally shown the DEGREE of intensity to be the primary factor.
          Additionally, work done recently by MedX Corporation has identified patients who are
          intolerant of high intensity exercise conducted any more frequently than once every 3 weeks.
          Finally, high-intensity personal trainers are reporting INCREASED strength in clients who have
          had to interrupt training for as long as 6 weeks.

          Understanding and applying the principles discussed here will allow for the greatest progress in
          the least amount of time up to the limits of one's genetic potential.