Movement Cost Spectrum

The biggest factor we need to account for when designing a program is fatigue management. The best way to do this is by managing our training volume. We have a minimum amount of volume that is required to make progress (MEV) and we have a maximum amount of volume we can handle and still recover (MRV). We must budget to have the volume fatigue cost between MEV and MRV. Every exercise we do has a cost but not all exercises have the same cost. The heavier, further range of compound movements will have a higher cost than the more accessory type movements. This means our compound movements will be more effective in hitting our MEV with less work but easier to over train with them. The accessory work will target the specific areas we want to make progress and help add to our volume to hit the sweet spot between MEV and MRV. With only accessory movements the cost might not be high enough to hit our MEV to make progress. Both compound lifts and accessory movements are necessary in a program to control volume and make progress.