Minimums: What Are They And How Can We Use Them?

In a recent Instagram post, I spoke about the concept of intensity “minimum,” and how they can be an invaluable tool in your training arsenal.

But, first… what is a minimum? Effectively, your minimums are the most reliable loads that you can consistently hit in a given rep range.

For example, let’s say you typically train triples in your Back Squat training, as that’s what you’ve perceived to be the biggest bang for your strength buck. If you take an indefinite approach of a top set triple at an 8 RPE during your strength phases, you’d surely see volatility in the absolute loads of those sets across a given 6-20 week training phase. The “minimum” is the load at which you become confident that you can reliably hit (at the target RPE or less) on a week to week basis.

Take the below graphic as an example data set of a lifter who has a 3RM PR of 445 lb

Take the below...

Loadability

How stimulating is this particular exercise for this person?

This is the concept of loadability in exercise selection. 

What I'm looking for when I discuss loadability, is how easy is this exercise that I've selected to load (in total load), progressively overload week to week, and ensure this exercise is stimulating enough to elicit some sort of adaptation for the person doing the movement.

So, for example: Goblet squats are great for gen pop. This exercise is highly loadable (you just hand them the dumbbell and have them go). But, this exercise reaches a point of diminishing returns artificially - at a certain point you are no longer fatiguing out the targeted tissues (quads) due to the load, AND, if you're at that point, your squat max is probably high enough that this is an incredibly low percentage movement.

Most gyms I've seen have DBs up to 120. So, if you're a 405 squatter, and you're goblet squatting 120, that is 29% of your 1RM. Is that enough load...

On this episode we have Derek Miles of Barbell Medicine and we talked about what is the life of a Physical Therapist which he answered and shared the things that he does day to day.

We talked about the good and the bad things that social media has brought the fitness industry. We talked about opportunity of getting to know someone who have the same interest as you do. Then talked a little spicy on what makes him mad in the fitness industry where he answered that Yes, fitness industry somehow is a sales job and it is a confidence game but the over confident people who does not have enough knowledge is taking over the ones that really knows what they are doing.

You'll Hear:

1. The idea of working with a raw and novice athlete where we can mold them the way we can.
2. A good group of people to work on.
3. How to work with people who is overthinking and scared.
4. Doing more for client satisfaction.

On this episode we have Semaj a traveling strength and conditioning coach sharing what the fitness industry has become. Semaj really think that with the internet and social media the fitness and nutrition is expanding in a strange direction. 

Semaj then talked about how he got out of the United States and shared his experience on the the difference of what is life outside that makes him think that things aren't that bad as you see or hear on tv. Saying that in terms of fitness and nutrition he has more access to more things and he is actually having fun.

You'll hear:

1. How fitness industry is expanding in a strange way.
2. How progressive overload works.
3. Fitness outside USA

Learn More About Semaj here:

Here on Instagram

Talking today about how internet and social media impacts our lives and our businesses with Jake Boly. He is a strength and conditioning coach and a content creator and he shares how he used organic strategies through YouTube to build his business.

Jake also talks about how toxic social media and its lack of context that blinds the readers and followers. We all know that internet and social media has been great in keeping us entertained and it has been useful in businesses but it has bad effect to some of us.

You'll Hear:
1. How internet and social media affects our business and our lives
2. How and what is the process that a content creator do to a business
3. The right platform for your business
4. Youtube vs Social Media Platforms which is better for you.

On this episode we have Jamie Smith of "Melbourne Strength Culture" and on this chat Jamie shared on how he came up with the business, how he made his gym to be one of the best facilities in Australia. We also talked about what keeps the business running despite the pandemic and how he manage to fight being mentality depressed. We also talked about how important culture is in branding your business. Then we discussed on where is the best placed to put an educational content. 

You'll Hear:
1. How important the word culture in the fitness business.
2.Things you can do in confronting culture unfit members.
3. The very confusing teachings about Gait Cycle

If you like this episode, then please do us a favor and share it with your friends on Instagram and tag us @compoundperformance_ and @mattdomney

Enrollment for Compound Performance Group Mentorship is now open. Grab your spot now.

To learn more about Jamie, check him out here:
on Instagram

On this episode we have Dr. Andy Chen for the second time. We had so much more to discuss since the first recording, so we decided to re-record and go deeper.

In this episode Andy shared his experience of how he run his business from rebranding and making it in a pandemic. He also added that pandemic made him slow down and think properly that made him execute things for the good of his business. We also talked about his vision to stop the misconceptions and false information that plaque the fitness industry.

You'll Hear:
1. Entreprenuer side of Fitness.
2. What this pandemic taught us.
3. The pros and cons of Social Media.

If you like this episode, then please do us a favor and share it with your friends on Instagram and tag us @compoundperformance_ and @mattdomney

Enrollment for Compound Performance Group Mentorship is now open. Grab your spot now.

Happy to have Caity "The Barbell Osteo" Haniver  on the show today talking about life in the pandemic. We also talked a lot about snatches and weightlifting cause if you don't know Caity is also a professional weightlifter. Caity shared her journey on become a weightlifter, she also shared things on what she see and experience in the weightlifting community.

We also went into a little bit about business and what happened to that infamous social media outage that made us think twice to get our business into other social media platforms. We also talked about how important active lifestyle is especially now that we have the pandemic.

 You'll Hear:
1. The Weightlifter's world
2. The equality in weightlifting
3. Difference between Powerlifting and Weightlifting
4. Stressful weightlifting environment 
5. Where and How to get ideas for educational social media content
6. The importance of living an active lifestyle

Dr. Caity Haniver is an Osteopath, weightlifting...

Mike DeMille on the show today, and we're talking about filling the gap between Physical Therapy and Personal Training.

Mike is an athlete, a baseball player before making it in the fitness industry as a physical therapist.  With extensive PRI education, Mike shares his vision for how he sees the fitness industry and clinicians working together to improve care to patients and clients.

You'll hear:

1. Difference between In-Network and Out-Network Physical Therapy Practitioners
2. The truth about educations for clinicians
3. The right application but not seeing the reason behind.
4. The pros and cons of social media in the fitness industry

On this episode we have a very smart guests from Building the Elite Craig and Jonathan. This chat went very well for I have learned alot from talking with this guys.

Inside of this episode we dive into the truth about motivation, how it works and the science behind motivation: dopamine and the how the brain plays part of it.

Mental Skills the Segmenting and the Compartmentalization. Then we went to Responding to Stress from a coach and a client perspective and then Lastly we talked about Jaggedness. How unique we are us a human that we have to communicate and listen to our client and see if what we are doing to them is helping.

You'll hear:
1. The 2 types of motivation.
2. The science of motivation. Dopamine and brain
3. Difference between a desire and control base circuit
4. How Mental Skills like segmenting and compartmentalization works
5. Acting into feeling. Behavior can change your feeling. Action precedes motivation
6. Managing Stress Respond
7. The 2 steps in Appraisal...