How Much Training is Enough?

First, I’m going to get into what MED is so you guys have a decent understanding. MED or METD is a minimal effective (training) dose and is used in the medical field to describe drug prescriptions and administrations. In the strength training field, it is used for exercise intensity and volume prescription. MED is basically the least amount you can train and still see progress. Now in this post, I will be talking about MED in reference to its relevance in powerlifting specific training. In other words, this in depth overview won't be as applicable to other training modalities. Another acronym commonly used is MTD, which stands for maximal tolerated dose. MTD is basically the most training a person can do and see progressions while still recovering reasonably. 

I want to make it clear that MED is useful, especially in circumstances of injury/ recovery, older training age, time constraints, etc. What it's not useful for is training powerlifters from the age of 16-40 years of age. When looking at MED focused studies, there are still progressions amongst many levels of competitors, but is it the preferred amount of progression or is it just enough to count as significant to peer-reviewed journal standards? In fact, one study states that only 20-30% of coaches and athletes actually favor an MED approach. In my opinion, the best use of MED in the powerlifting sphere is more for just time management, injury rehab, and age specific reasons. Now not all approaches will use the exact same MED for people, but in most cases, the MED approach seems to favor maintaining low RPE (rate of perceived exertion) and progress to a point that still won't be getting the same benefit as a high 8-9.5 RPE. Some Programs seem to start low, which is okay, but still finish off with a low RPE 5-6 range. There also seems to be an emphasis on keeping a moderate RPE 6-7 range as a static approach throughout the entire block, which would be pretty restrictive on intensity progression. The prescription that shadows an MED approach also seems to favor 40-80% of whatever reference RM is taking up most of the volume and then having a little bit of intensity maybe above 80%, which in this sport, is a percentage we see more of our valuable sets at. Applying different variations does lead to either drops or increases in intensity prescription depending on if it is biomechanically favorable or not, but doesn't mean you'd be set just sticking with biomechanically unfavorable lifts and training their respective intensity won't be enough, no matter how long you tempo or pause it.

I understand favoring something that is more minimal or not as fatigue provoking for maintenance or other scenarios where I just don't care that much about intensity, but for most powerlifters, who are actively competing, the age range spans from 14 to 49. I would say that people can maintain a higher level of training dosage and reap the benefits for at least 75% of that age range (14-38) meaning the majority of active competitors would see greater benefits from maintaining high intensity training and still being able to recover/ progress. Looking at RPE/ Intensity, whatever progression focus is favored should be around 85-96%/RPE 8-9.5 for most beneficial set/ rep schemes within their respective block and this includes top and backdowns. You want your sets of 5 to push 86-88%, 4 pushing 88-90%, 3 pushing 92-94%, and etc for top sets and backdowns can be also progressed and yield gains especially when striving close to the max percentage range. Fatigue will boost RPE throughout sets, but if it isnt requiring much effort then your just fucking around. Deads see success with maintaining a lower than other lift percentage for backdowns, but that's a maybe from person to person and is only at most 33% of your training including all accessories and 20% or less would be actually in that low range. Majority of the training will not benefit from that style of backdowns.

Looking at the blocks that avoid any style of minimal training (MED) would be a must for accumulation and strength blocks. You're training to elicit adaptation in these blocks, and if you're letting yourself get by with the bare minimum, you are wasting time. We change blocks and fluctuate intensity from something low enough to gain traction then push to create damage then adaptation. The fluctuation and change is what helps us keep plateaus at afar and to keep us chasing the next step. When we peak we look at technique and the intensity we trained hard to handle for a rep or so. Keeping backdowns and accessories lower is common in this period, which would be considered an MED/ minimalist approach and is okay. But, it’s only okay for the fact that you are training a shorter block and just want to maintain lean mass, strength, and save energy for the top set of the primary lift. That peaking period really shouldn't stretch beyond 5 weeks though, making it the shortest block ran, and if it extended beyond that point, diminishing returns would occur from lack of stimulus to induce adaptation. 

If you're training people that are in high school and college especially, take advantage of the fact that they can take a decent amount of stimulus when done appropriately. If you just started powerlifting or are 1-2 years into it and you're making 5-20 kg progressions every 6 months to a year, you're not training hard enough. Older people (23-38 years of age) who are freshly involved in powerlifting will be looking at the same response as the younger competitors with maybe a small deviation. I understand the focus on technique and how it can lead to overlooking the benefits of performing the 'big three' lifts within more intense parameters. These exercises not only support solid hypertrophy but also promote neuromuscular development (ND) through exposure to higher intensities—and they should be utilized for both. Recognizing these lifts for their benefit for hypertrophy and ND, but not applying the more applicable and beneficial intensity/ rep range for it is also an issue. Use these lifts for technique, hypertrophy, SETS of heavy 5’s, sets of fatigued whatever, and sets that you might fail. The body can adapt like crazy, but you gotta make it.