Quick Summary

• There are many ways to exercise, but muscle-building should be a key component of any movement practice.

• To maintain or build muscle, we must challenge it regularly — ideally pushing to Momentary Muscular Failure (MMF), the point where the muscle cannot do another rep with good form.

• Safety and form are critical — always stop if form deteriorates or if failure would compromise joint safety.

• Research shows that the number of sets and reps is less important than working the muscle to deep fatigue in a safe way.

There are countless ways to exercise, and even to practice Pilates, and each approach will confer unique benefits.  In previous weeks we established the importance of maintaining as much healthy muscle as possible, so ideally some portion of your exercise time will focus specifically on stimulating muscle development.

HOW DO WE DO THIS?

Nowhere is the phrase “use it or lose it” truer than with regard to our skeletal muscle.  If there’s some capacity we aren’t using, our body – ever the economist – will throw it overboard to save energy.  In order to keep the muscle we have, we have to use it fully and regularly.  In order to build *new* muscle, we have to go to the limits of our capabilities and try to nudge past them.

Ideally we’ll work to a point called Momentary Muscular Failure (MMF).  This means proceeding calmly and methodically with good form to the point that you literally cannot do any more, at least not without a brief rest.

Using a Wall Sit as an example, you might place a stool a few inches below where your sit bones are in your wall sit, so that you can safely go all the way to MMF and then melt onto the stool.

There’s a point that often occurs before actual MMF called Volitional Failure (VF): “I have reached the end of my willingness to do this!”  In the Wall Sit example, you would continue until your thigh muscles are burning so much that you stand up out of it.  You were able to stand up, so you know your muscles hadn’t reached failure, but you were no longer willing to tolerate the discomfort.

Unfortunately, there is often quite a distance between VF and MMF! That’s where practice comes in.  Over time, the feeling of intensity becomes less overwhelming, and your volition carries you closer to actual failure.

The good news is, going to Volitional Failure still makes you stronger.  It’s just that the training effect from any given workout will be more powerful as we learn to push closer to actual failure.

Of course, with some exercises, the muscles actually failing wouldn’t be safe, so you would naturally stop shy of that.  It’s also important that as intensity builds, you remain mindful of form.  Sometimes we can keep going with the exercise if we compromise form, but it’s better to stop rather than do that!

This is where your Pilates practice (which is in part a mindfulness practice) is so helpful.  It helps us take our muscles to the limit – burning, shaking, deep fatigue – but remain aware enough to keep good form and proper alignment, and be sure we aren’t generating discomfort in our joints, holding our breath, or doing anything else that could be injurious.

How Much & How Often?

Bodybuilders and exercise physiologists around the world have dedicated tons of time, energy, and research funding to determine exactly how many sets and reps are the magic formula to develop the most muscle the fastest.  What they’ve repeatedly proven is that IT DOESN’T MATTER!  What matters is getting to that point of deep fatigue, and doing it in a way that is safe and therefore doesn’t set you back.  A Wall Sit to failure is at least as effective as a zillion burpees, and without compromising your joints!

We’ll talk soon about the other key elements of muscle-building (protein and recovery), but for now, pick one day per week to focus your movement practice on that.  Good lower body exercises are variations on squats, lunges, and some bridges.  Then do one pushing exercise (like a slow dumbbell press or a modified pushup) and one pulling exercise (like a theraband row).  That covers all your major muscle groups.  And we’ll continue adding to our Slow Strength section to support your practice.

• Fisher, James, et al. “Evidence-Based Resistance Training Recommendations for Muscular Hypertrophy.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, vol. 53, no. 3, 2021, pp. 548–559.
  — Supports the idea that training to momentary muscular failure is more important than the number of reps or sets for muscle development.

• Steele, James, et al. “A higher effort-based paradigm in physical activity and exercise for public health: Making the case for a greater emphasis on resistance training.” BMC Public Health, vol. 17, 2017, Article 300.
  — Emphasizes the public health benefits of resistance training and debunks the myth that volume (i.e., “zillions of reps”) is always better.

• Phillips, Stuart M. “Resistance exercise: good for more than just Grandma and Grandpa’s muscles.” Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, vol. 42, no. 3, 2017, pp. 239–242.
  — Highlights the broad benefits of resistance training across age groups and its critical role in long-term health.