Poliquin Principles

This book provides a systematic, science-based approach to strength training. Poliquin breaks down the key loading parameters that determine training outcomes—reps, sets, tempo, rest, frequency, and exercise selection. While some examples are dated, the underlying principles remain solid for anyone serious about strength development.

Loading Parameters

The core variables that determine training outcomes:

Reps
Sets
Tempo
Rest
Frequency
Duration
Volume
Exercise selection
Exercise order

Repetitions

There Is No Magic Number

The accepted wisdom of 8-10 reps is often followed without question—like the unproven “eight glasses of water a day” myth. In reality, repetition protocols should change depending on the condition of the athlete, the nature of the exercise, and the goal.

Rep Ranges and Their Effects

1-5 reps: Maximally increases strength with minimal gains in muscle mass
6-12 reps: Maximally increases strength through muscle mass gains

Low reps with heavy weights are the only way to stimulate the development of Type IIb muscle fibers—the fast-twitch fibers with the highest potential for growth.

Let the Reps Dictate the Weight

Determine the desired training effect and select a repetition bracket to suit that goal:

For size gains, select a weight that enables 6-12 reps
If you complete only 5 reps, the weight is too heavy
If you can do more than 12 reps, the weight is too light

Because many factors affect your strength at any given time, plugging yourself into a computer-generated program based upon a one-rep max may compromise the quality of the workout.

Consider Muscle Fiber Composition

A muscle with a high percentage of slow-twitch fibers responds best to higher reps.

Sprinters and Olympic-style weightlifters often have much better hamstring development than bodybuilders. This is because hamstrings are composed primarily of fast-twitch fibers, and to access these fibers you must train them at high intensity.

Consider Exercise Complexity

If an exercise involves multiple joints in a complex skill (like Olympic lifts), excessive reps will produce undesirable technical and motor-learning changes.

Boot camp programs that recommend high reps for power snatches, power cleans, and push presses often compromise technique—even with relatively light weights.

Sets

A set is a group of consecutive reps. The completion of a set is signaled by the start of an extended rest period or a change of exercises.

Variables Influencing Set Selection

Number of reps per exercise - When training with low reps, you must perform more sets to attain optimal volume for strength development. Most strength coaches believe there is a minimum amount of time muscles must be stimulated for maximum size and strength gains.
Number of exercises per training session - The more exercises you perform, the fewer sets you need.
Training level - One or two sets per exercise are usually enough for beginners.
Gender - At any given percentage of 1RM, women can perform more reps than men.
Nutritional status - Advances in nutritional supplements have enabled drug-free athletes to close much of the gap.
Muscle size - The number of sets should be inversely proportionate to the size of the muscle mass trained. Small muscle groups recover more quickly than large muscle groups.
Principle of individualization - Everyone has a unique response to a given training stimulus.
Principle of quality over quantity - After a few sets, muscles fatigue to a critical drop-off point (5-7% performance decrease). As Charlie Francis said: “Never increase the quantity at the expense of quality.”
Hormonal output and anabolic state - Perform no more than 30-36 sets per workout. Better results are often seen with 20-25 total sets.
Muscle composition - Fast-twitch dominant muscles respond best to more sets; slow-twitch dominant muscles respond best to fewer sets.

Tempo

Simply prescribing a specific number of repetitions does not ensure the appropriate stimulus is being applied. Two athletes doing 10 reps might finish in vastly different times—one in 45 seconds with controlled form, another in 8.2 seconds with poor form.

Optimal Time Under Tension

To develop maximum muscle mass, the optimal time a muscle should contract during a set is 20-70 seconds.

Building a Base

Many athletes could eventually get great results from explosive exercises, but they must first develop a base with slow-speed work.

Rest

The more reps you perform, the lighter weights you must use and the less rest you need.

Training Frequency

Training frequency varies dramatically across athletes:

Some train once per week per body part
Russian weightlifters train up to 12 times per week

Factors Affecting Optimal Frequency

The weaker the trainee, the more frequently they can train.

Exercises that involve a small number of motor units (calf raises, wrist curls) can be performed more frequently.

It takes a good strength coach roughly 6-8 weeks to determine what methodology works best for an individual.

Multiple Daily Sessions

To achieve an optimal training effect, allow about 4-6 hours between training sessions.

Progressive Overload

Every time you repeat a workout, you should be able to add 2 percent weight on the bar for the same number of reps, or do an extra rep with the same weight.

Training Techniques

Pre-Exhaustion

With pre-exhaustion, a muscle is first fatigued by a single-joint exercise and then further exhausted by a multijoint exercise involving the same muscle group.

Eccentric Training

Many trainees—especially women and those who are overweight—cannot perform a single chin-up or pull-up in good form. Eccentric training (lowering phase only) is ideal for quickly achieving this goal.

One-and-a-Quarter Method

Performing 4-5 sets of 4-8 reps of one-and-a-quarter squats will stimulate record growth in your vastus medialis muscles.

Complete Hamstring Development

For complete development, hamstring workouts should involve exercises for both the hip extension function and the knee flexor function.

Key Takeaways

Low reps (1-5) build strength with minimal mass; moderate reps (6-12) build mass
Let the rep target dictate the weight, not the other way around
Match rep ranges to muscle fiber composition (fast-twitch vs slow-twitch)
Keep complex lifts at lower reps to maintain technique
Total workout volume should be 20-36 sets
Time under tension of 20-70 seconds per set for hypertrophy
Training frequency depends on exercise complexity, muscle size, and training level
Progress by adding 2% weight or 1 rep each session