Quality Over Quantity
When it comes to strength training, less can often be more. In fact, our clients are often surprised to learn that the key to building strength isn’t about doing more- it’s doing it smarter. Training less often, doing fewer exercises, and using heavier weights can be just as effective (Androulakis-Korakakis et al. 2020). Pushing your muscles to failure with proper form and giving them enough recovery time can lead to effective results, without the need for overtraining or doing too many low-intensity exercises.
This approach fits into even the busiest lifestyles while keeping you on track to reach your goals. It’s not just common sense—it’s backed by research.
How Muscles Work
Your muscles don’t get stronger by doing more exercises - they get stronger when you train them the right way. Here’s how it works: your brain controls your muscles through motor units. A motor unit is a nerve and the group of muscle fibres it activates. Your brain uses small motor units to produce low levels of force for easy tasks, like brushing your teeth. But when you lift something heavy, it needs to recruit larger motor units to generate enough force to get the job done (Henneman 1957).
If you keep lifting the same weight, your body stops needing to recruit larger motor units. It gets efficient at using the smaller ones, which are enough for the job. That means you’re no longer pushing your muscles to get stronger. To keep progressing, you need to give your brain a reason to recruit more motor units. This only happens when you keep challenging your muscles, including:
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lifting heavier weights
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improving your technique
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slowing down the movement
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Challenging your maximum perceived effort
What is a Training Plateau?
One of the biggest frustrations in strength training is when you hit a plateau. This is when your progress stalls, and no matter how much effort you put in, you don’t seem to be getting stronger. Plateaus occur for two main reasons:
1) You’re Not Challenging Your Muscles
If you keep lifting the same weight, or if it's not heavy enough, your muscles will adapt and won’t grow stronger. They stop receiving the stimulus they need to keep growing.
2) Tired or Overworked Muscles
If you don't get enough rest between sessions, your body doesn’t get the chance to recover from the fatigue induced by the previous workout. This slows your progress and increases the risk of injury. Recovery is as important as your training itself.
Breaking Through Plateaus
The key to overcoming a plateau is progressive overload. This is when you consistently increase the demands placed on the muscles to ensure continued adaptation and growth. We use a method known as ‘double progression’. First, we will increase the weight you’re lifting. Unlike traditional machines with weight stacks, Kieser machines let you increase the weight by as little as 2 pounds. Most machines at gyms start at 5 pounds. And if increasing weight is not possible, we will increase the time your muscles stay under tension during each set.
For example, if you’ve been lifting the same weight for a while and hit a plateau, we may increase the weight by 5% in your next session. If more weight isn’t an option, we may add time—say an extra 10 seconds—to keep your muscles under tension for longer. These minor adjustments will keep challenging your muscles, helping you break through the plateau.
Recovery is equally as important. Your muscles need rest to grow. That’s why training less frequently but with more intensity and allowing for sufficient recovery can help you build strength more effectively.
Other Factors That Can Impact Building Strength
While lifting heavier and applying progressive overload are key, other factors can have an impact:
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Nutrition: eating a balanced diet with enough protein helps your muscles recover and grow after each session.
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Sleep: getting enough rest is crucial for muscle recovery. Poor sleep can lead to muscle fatigue and slower progress.
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Exercise Stability: maintaining your balance as you exercise is important, especially as the weight increases. This will help prevent falls or injuries. Kieser machines fully support you throughout each movement so you can safely lift heavier weights and not lose your balance.
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Motivation: having specific, achievable goals can help keep you motivated. Studies show that people who go into training with specific (realistic) goals tend to see better results (Locke et al. 1981).
Less is More at Kieser
We believe in training smarter, not harder. Our approach is about focusing on quality over quantity. In only 2 x 30-minute sessions a week, you can get stronger without spending hours training. Our method ensures that your muscles are properly challenged while giving them the recovery time they need to grow. Remember, it’s not about how much time you spend training but how effectively you use that time.
References:
Androulakis-Korakakis P, Fisher J and Steele J (2020) ‘The Minimum Effective Training Dose Required to Increase 1RM Strength in Resistance-Trained Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis’, Sports Medicine, 50:751-765.
Henneman E (1957) ‘Relation between Size of Neurons and Their Susceptibility to Discharge’ Science, 126(3287), 1345–1347.
Locke E, Shaw K, Saari L and Latham G (1981) ‘Goal setting and task performance: 1969–1980’ Psychological Bulletin, 90(1), 125–152.
