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ABSTRACT
Strength Training Methods and the Work of Arthur Jones
Smith D, Bruce-Low S. JEPonline. 2004;7(6):52-68.
This paper reviews research evidence relating to the strength training advice offered by Arthur Jones, founder and retired Chairman of Nautilus Sports/Medical Industries and MedX Corporation. Jones advocated that those interested in improving their muscular size, strength, power and/or endurance should perform one set of each exercise to muscular failure (volitional fatigue), train each muscle group no more than once (or, in some cases, twice) per week, perform each exercise in a slow, controlled manner and perform a moderate number of repetitions (for most people, ~8-12). This advice is very different to the strength training guidelines offered by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American College of Sports Medicine and most exercise physiology textbooks. However, in contrast to the lack of scientific support for most of the recommendations made by such bodies and in such books, Jones' training advice is strongly supported by the peer-reviewed scientific literature, a statement that has recently been supported by a review of American College of Sports Medicine resistance training guidelines. Therefore, we strongly recommend Jones' methods to athletes and coaches, as they are time-efficient and optimally efficacious, and note that, given his considerable contribution to the field of strength training, academic recognition of this contribution is long overdue.
Key Words: Weight training, Bodybuilding, Power, Muscular endurance, Nautilus, MedX
INTRODUCTION
During the past thirty or so years, the popularity of weight training has increased enormously. Simultaneously, the number of popular books and articles devoted to this topic has also increased, and those interested in improving their muscular size and strength are confronted by a rather bewildering array of information sources, many of which appear to contradict one another. Issues such as how many sets and repetitions individuals should perform, the movement cadence individuals should adopt, frequency of training, and how to specifically target increased power or muscular endurance are discussed regularly in popular weight training magazines and books, with little in the way of agreement between the individuals writing in such publications.
In contrast, an examination of recent exercise physiology textbooks (1-3), most specialist strength and conditioning textbooks (4-10) and of the guidelines produced by certification organisations such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association (11) and the American College of Sports Medicine (12) reveals an apparent academic consensus as to how individuals should perform weight training for optimal results. The guidelines issued by such sources state that experienced trainees should perform -
1. multiple sets of each exercise for best results,
2. low-repetition sets to increase strength and high-repetition sets to increase muscular endurance, and
3. repetitions explosively (i.e. with a relatively fast cadence) for optimal power development.
Also, they argue that for experienced trainees, very frequent, high-volume training up to 4-5 days/week twice/day, for a total of around 21 hours of training/week (12) will produce best results.
However, this consensus on optimal strength training methods is not shared by everyone in this field (13-20). A recent article has, for instance, criticised the ACSM resistance training guidelines for their lack of empirical support (13), and another paper (14) has pointed out that despite claims to the contrary, the available evidence does not favour the multiple-set approach advocated by the ACSM and NSCA. Such criticisms are, however, not new. One individual, who has been offering advice directly contradicting all of the above recommendations for over thirty years, is Arthur Jones, founder and retired Chairman of Nautilus Sports/Medical Industries and MedX Corporation. In the early 1970s, when Jones first developed his Nautilus exercise equipment, he began to publish advice as to how to use this equipment for best results. However, the advice he gave can be (and was intended to be) utilised by those using any kind of weight training equipment. This advice was published in over 100 articles within various fitness magazines and technical journals, and in several books, between 1970 and 1998. Jones' recommendations (15-20), aimed at anyone wishing to increase muscular strength, hypertrophy, power and endurance, can be summarised as follows:
1. Perform one set of each exercise to muscular failure. Additional sets will not provide better results.
2. Train each muscle group no more than twice/week, and many individuals will produce optimal results from training each muscle group no more than once/week.
3. Move slowly and deliberately during each exercise. Such exercise form will produce optimal increases in strength and power.
4. For most individuals, best results will be achieved by performing a moderate number of repetitions (around 8 to 12) rather than very high or low repetitions. This will produce optimal increases in muscle strength and endurance, which are related in that increases in strength will be accompanied by increases in muscular endurance.
Therefore, in summary, Jones' recommendations are to train hard (to muscular failure) but relatively briefly and infrequently to optimise muscular strength, hypertrophy, power and endurance. In contrast to the recommendations of many exercise physiologists, who advocate strength training programs that can consume upwards of twenty hours/week (8,11), Jones recommends training for a maximum of about 90 min/week. It is important to note here that Jones' work has never been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Some physiologists have pointed this out in an attempt to discredit Jones' theories (21,22). However, the aim of this article is to point out that his hypotheses have mostly been strongly supported by the peer-reviewed scientific literature. This is in great contrast to the recommendations made in many exercise physiology textbooks and by some prominent exercise certification organisations, which appear to have very little scientific support, and which a great deal of scientific evidence clearly contradicts. The following sections examine the scientific literature relating to each of Jones' training recommendations.
