Maximizing Calisthenics Training Effectiveness for Strength and Hypertrophy: Three Pillars (Volume Reconsidered)

1. Technique – I named my site “Form Is Everything” for a reason. While technique and form are not literally *everything*, well executed repetitions are incredibly important and key to progress and success. Take the push-up, for example. A small tweak in form can halve your maximum rep count and double the effectiveness of the set. So instead of a set of 35 “shorties”, increase the range of motion, lock out, and lower your tempo. Suddenly a set of 20 is difficult and far more stimulating.
   
   How to insure good technique? Increase your range of motion by locking out and/or using rings or something similar, and most importantly, pause your reps. Hold your position for a second at the top of a pull-up or row, at the bottom of a push-up or dip.
2. Intensity – how difficult the set is largely determines how effective it is at building strength and muscle. While easier sets can have their value, hard sets build muscle by recruiting more muscle fibers. Without a density approach, easier sets will be much less effective. If a set taken to complete failure (another repetition would not be possible) has a relative perceived exertion of 10, then you should be shooting for sets with RPE of 7 or 8. Taking sets to complete failure has diminishing returns in terms of effectiveness and are much more difficult to recover from.
   
   But here’s the kicker: how do you know you’re working as hard as you think you’re working? I’ve discussed this in the past here and here. When a set starts to get difficult (and painful), it’s really easy to stop. Really easy. But have you stopped too soon? For years I’ve believed I’ve been working at an RPE of at least 7. But I started to suspect I wasn’t. So I tested it by deciding to shoot for at least one or two more reps at the point where I thought I was at an RPE of 7. And in fact, I never reached failure. So if I thought my RPE was a 7 and it really was a 5, I was working just over half as effectively as I could have been. When you think you’re done with the set, keep going. Don’t go to failure, but get mighty darn close. You almost certainly have more reps in you than you think you do.
3. Volume – volume refers to the amount of work done per movement pattern per time period. I like to think in terms of weeks. Volume is the most exciting factor in the mix for me at the moment, due in large part to recent studies indicating that weekly hard sets beyond, even WELL beyond, the universally accepted 10 – 20 sets per week may be beneficial for strength and muscle gain. In this study, groups of experienced lifters were tracked for twelve weeks. One group kept volume constant and the other two groups added sets each week. The third group added the most sets, such that they were doing upwards of 35 sets per week for barbell back squats. The groups who systematically increased volume showed greater gains, and the most gains were seen in the very high volume group.
   
   My training is usually three hard sets of push, pull and legs per day, yielding 21 sets per movement pattern per week, just above the upper end of what is conventionally considered effective weekly volume. But given the results of the study linked above, I am starting a block now of four sets per movement pattern per day rather than three, giving me 28 total sets per week. Staying true to the principles 1 and 2 should allow for this to be a good test of the value of added volume. Success will be indicated by progress without fatigue limiting recovery. 

What about load? Younger strength trainers would surely include load as a pillar and likely make it number 1. Back in my weightlifting days it was all about load. You have to train heavy to get big, right? Actually, no. Just about any rep range from 5-35 can build muscle. Training heavy has its place but eventually the bill comes due. The joints retain the wear and tear and it builds up over the years. Load is no longer a factor for me and in fact, I prefer movements that allow at least twelve reps per set.

To conclude, your reps need to be well executed, your range of motion should be high, and you can probably do more reps per set and more sets per week than you think. Let’s find out, shall we?