More Reps, More Often #fitnessfriday

An article in The Atlantic talks about a new fitness regime described as “greasing the groove.”

The idea, from Russian trainer Pavel Tsatsouline, is that you should lift weights in smaller, more frequent chunks. Tsatsouline is credited with introducing Americans to the now ubiquitous kettlebells.

This directly contradicts the usual thinking that lifters should push their muscles to failure, forcing them to rebuild stronger and larger.

Tsatsouline advocates lifting weights for no more than five repetitions, resting for a bit between sets and reps, and not doing too many sets. For a runner, this would be like going for a four-mile jog, but taking a break to drink water and stretch every mile. Tsatsouline’s book suggests spending 20 minutes at the gym, tops, five days a week. In this way, he claims, you grease the neurological “groove,” or pathway, between your brain and the exercises your body performs. It’s not exactly the brutal routine you’d expect from someone billed as a Soviet weight lifter. But Tsatsouline contends this is the most effective way to build strength.

Bro, Do You Even Grease The Groove — The Atlantic, Sept 2019

I long ago switched to the idea of doing more, but lighter reps. I want to stay strong, but have no desire to end up swole. I think strong, but wiry is the ideal physique for golf. I am going to do some more reading about “greasing your groove,” because it makes sense to me.