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FFT Monthly Community Group Calls🎙️
Oct 8th, 2024
Monthly community group calls to educate Farm Fit Training members on progressive overload and heart rate monitoring.
Key Takeaways
Progressive overload is essential for continued fitness progress, challenging the body to grow stronger and more resilient
Heart rate monitoring provides insight into workout intensity and helps guide adjustments
Small, consistent improvements over time lead to significant results
Proper form and gradual weight increases are crucial for safe, effective strength gains
Topics
Progressive Overload Fundamentals
Defined as gradually increasing stress on the body over time to build muscle and adapt
Creates micro-tears in muscle fibers, signaling repair and growth
Applies to both strength training and cardiovascular exercise
Introduced by Dr. Thomas DeLorme in 1940s to help injured soldiers regain strength
Meta-analyses show it leads to better strength and muscle gains across studies
Implementing Progressive Overload
Focus on balancing volume (sets/reps) and intensity (weight lifted)
Recommended rep ranges: 6-8, 8-10, or 13-15 for optimal strength/hypertrophy balance
Signs to increase weight: easily hitting top of rep range, shorter recovery times, workouts feeling too comfortable
Other methods: increasing reps (within given range), adding sets (max 4 rounds), reducing rest time, trying more complex variations
Heart Rate Monitoring
Connect smartwatch or heart rate monitor to Farm Fit Training app
Target 50-85% of max heart rate during strength training (max HR = 220 - age)
Use heart rate data to gauge intensity and recovery between sets
Faster heart rate recovery indicates improved cardiovascular health
Consistently low HR during workouts signals need to increase weight/intensity
Overcoming Plateaus
Deloading: Temporarily reduce weight/volume to allow full recovery
Try exercise variations targeting same muscle groups in new ways
Focus on flexibility/mobility on rest days
Plateaus are normal - listen to body's signals for when to try new challenges
Next Steps
Members to connect smartwatches/HR monitors to Farm Fit Training app
Log workout details including weights used and max/average heart rate
Gradually increase weights when able to complete full rep range with good form
Coaches will review logged data and provide guidance on progressive overload
Amanda to post detailed explanation of blood pressure medication effects on heart rate in group chats