The Science of Getting Stronger
Hi Friend,
Coming off of running the Grandma's Half not long ago, I'm in a season right now where running is taking a backseat so strength can take the lead. The goal is simple - to build muscle this summer so when fall races roll around my running actually benefits from it instead of just surviving alongside it. It's gotten me thinking a lot about strength training and how misunderstood and overcomplicated it still is, so let's talk about it for a minute.
Here's what most people get wrong: they think building strength requires hours in the gym, five or six days a week, total exhaustion every time. It doesn't.
What you actually need is 7–10 sets per muscle group per week training in the 3–30 rep range per set. The goal should be to get close to failure AND consistently increasing weight as things get easier. That's the whole science of it all. Most people can accomplish this in 2–3 focused sessions a week - enough volume, enough intensity, enough consistency. Nothing crazy or magical about it.
a few things worth your time this month
The Compound by Aisling Rawle. If Love Island has had you in a chokehold lately, this is the freaky dystopian fiction version of it, quick to get through and makes you think a little bit as well. 4/5 stars.
🏋️ what's in my home gym
Adjustable dumbbells so that I can easily increase my weight selection up to 55lbs. But also these 1–3 lb wearable wrist weights, they make the jump from 20 to 25 lbs feel a lot more approachable when you're not quite ready to make the full bump to another dumbbell yet.
This episode of The Dr. Shannon Show breaks down exactly the frequency and volume science I mentioned above, how often you actually need to train a muscle and how many sets it takes. If you want to go deeper on the why behind what I just explained, start here.
If perfectionism shows up for you in your training (all or nothing, or skip one day and the whole week feels ruined) my colleague Claire DeBenedetto is a therapist who specializes in working with athletes and perfectionists. She's especially wonderful for young female athletes navigating the pressure to perform and always have it together. She is available in person in Minnetonka or virtually. If any of this sounds familiar, she's worth knowing and reaching out to.
Here's where I come in with YOUR strength goals. What I do isn't personal training in the traditional sense, it's supplementary strength programming. I build programs around what you're already doing (your running, your sport, your daily life, your injury history) so the strength work actually supports the rest of your life instead of competing with it or aggravating something that's already cranky. That's the difference between a basic program you can buy online and one built by someone who understands both your movement patterns and what your body has already been through.
If you've been wanting to get stronger but didn't know where to start, or if you've been doing the same routine forever and it's stopped working… this might be exactly the conversation we need to have.
Quick reminder - starting September 1st we're moving to a fully cash-based model. If you see Dr. Bryan and use insurance please feel free to reach out or discuss it at your next visit.
See you soon,
Maggie
owner, chiro, CPT
nordic rehab + chiropractic | 952-479-0743
5250 w 74th st suite 8, edina, MN
