Are your workouts really making a difference, or are you just going through the motions?

Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher continue the series on the principles of exercise design. In this episode, they cover the pillars of a whole effort exercise session and explain how muscle fatigue, eccentric activation, and glycogen depletion work together to build strength, improve metabolism, and deliver lasting results. Tune in to hear practical tips on how to make sure every session counts and gets you closer to your fitness goals.

• Amy starts by explaining the three major components of an effective strength training workout: muscle fatigue, eccentric activation, and glycogen depletion.
• Learn why not every workout delivers the intended results, even if it feels hard.
• Dr. Fisher highlights what a whole effort exercise actually is. It means every muscle is worked fully and to real fatigue. From a metabolic standpoint, that’s what boosts calorie use and supports long-term health after the workout ends.
• How to spot the difference between moving your body and truly training it. Amy points out that walking, yoga, and similar activities can be great, but they don’t always demand your full effort. Whole effort exercise is about getting the biggest return on the time you put in.
• Dr. Fisher explains that your muscles are made up of slow-twitch and fast-twitch fibers. As we age, it’s the fast-twitch fibers we lose first, even though they’re the ones most capable of growing stronger. If staying strong matters to you, these are the fibers you want to protect.
• Dr. Fisher highlights a common misunderstanding about fatigue. Cardio exercises like running or cycling can feel exhausting, but they usually last too long and stay too aerobic. That means you never tap into the fast-twitch fibers that drive strength and muscle growth.
• Why you need to rethink muscle fatigue. Dr. Fisher explains that real fatigue means recruiting every muscle fiber. Strength training forces your body to work through the full sequence until no muscle is left unused.
• Dr. Fisher explains why muscle fatigue matters as we get older. Your body naturally shifts into a “what don’t we need anymore” mode over time. If you don’t regularly use certain muscle fibers, your body simply lets them go.
• Dr. Fisher highlights what eccentric muscle activation really means. Lifting the weight is only half the work, lowering it is where most muscle fibers are being challenged.
• How to get more out of every rep you do. Dr. Fisher emphasizes working harder on the lowering phase than the lifting phase. That’s where deeper muscle recruitment actually happens.
• How to train for better metabolism and long-term health. Amy and Dr. Fisher show that glycogen depletion only happens when effort is high enough to recruit fast-twitch fibers.
• If your goal is fat loss, strength, or aging well, you need to work harder and activate your type two muscle fibers.
• How to know if personal training is actually working for you. A good personal trainer isn’t just counting reps or filling time; they’re guiding you toward true muscle fatigue, controlled eccentrics, and real effort.
• If you leave every session feeling “busy” but not challenged, you’re probably not working hard enough.

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