A training principle EVERYONE should know and adhere to

[chris mason]

I was perusing my copy of Science of Sports Training this evening and ran across a training principle which many, many trainers and coaches fail to follow. It is called The Principle of Economy of Effort. In a nutshell it states that a training program should be constructed such that the desired outcome is achieved with the least possible training load. The principle therefore protects the trainee from overtraining and injury thus promoting lifting longevity and overall progress. This principle applies to load intensity, training frequency and volume.

Heed this principle in your training no matter your goals and you will be the better for it.

[tmor6]

I think this is an interesting post, and clearly with merit. I've never seen anyone connect the Economy of Effort principal to weight training (and I like it!). I do have a question about your conclusion though, and would welcome any additional thoughts you may have.

The basic idea (Desired outcome=least possible training load) is great, but how does that ensure that a individual will not over train or experience an injury? Is the assumption, then, that the individual knows how to calculate the least possible training load to accomplish their goal? If so, do you think this principal is something everyone can follow, or is it just an idea to keep in the back of your mind?

[chris mason]

Well, by definition if you are doing the least amount of work required to obtain a positive adaptation in the form of increased size or strength you will not be overtraining. Positive adaptation of those sorts never requires overtraining. For an individual to determine that amount they must obviously do some self-experimentation. I would recommend that one start with proven training regimens and then tweak from there.