Blog
The science behind how you train.
Evidence-based, jargon-free guides to the ideas Adaptiv programmes around — so every decision in your plan makes sense.
- Programming
How many exercises per workout? By goal, time and experience
How many exercises per workout? 4–8 for most people. How it changes by goal, experience and session length, and why weekly sets matter more.
18 min read
- Programming
Training while travelling: how to keep your progress when you're away
Away mid-block with a hotel gym or no kit at all? What a week or two off really costs, and how to train, or rest, so you come back on track.
19 min read
- Recovery
Training when tired: how to adjust your workout
Should you train on little sleep or after a draining day? What tiredness really costs your lifting, and how to trim a session without losing progress.
17 min read
- Fat loss
Cardio vs weights for fat loss: what works best
Cardio or weights for fat loss? What the trials show, why combining them usually wins, and how to build a fat-loss week around the time you actually have.
20 min read
- Training splits
The best training split for 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 days a week
Full body, upper/lower, push/pull/legs or a bro split? The evidence on training splits — and the best one for the number of days you actually have.
20 min read
- Tempo
Does rep tempo matter? The evidence on lifting speed
Does rep tempo matter? Muscle growth looks similar across a wide range of lifting speeds. Where tempo genuinely changes your results — and where it doesn't.
17 min read
- Rest periods
How long to rest between sets — and why rushing doesn't help
How long to rest between sets: 2–3 minutes on main lifts, 60–90 seconds on isolation. What shorter rest costs, when it makes sense, and when it doesn't.
17 min read
- Deload
What is a deload week — and how often do you need one?
What is a deload week? How much to cut, how often you actually need one, what the research shows — and how Adaptiv moves lighter weeks around your training.
19 min read
- Warm-up
Warm-up and cool-down: how long, and should you bother?
Warm up for five to ten minutes, mostly on the lift itself. Skip the cool-down unless you want it. What the evidence actually shows, and what to drop.
19 min read
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