Training age

Training age describes a client’s level of training experience; as experience increases, potential gains shrink and improvement slows.^{1Hoffman, NSCA’s Guide to Program Design, p. 40.} Israetel and colleagues call it the biggest determinant of minimum effective volume: someone who has never trained their legs can grow on one set a week, and the volume needed rises for everyone as training age advances.^{2Israetel et al., Scientific Principles of Hypertrophy Training, p. 61.} Helms and colleagues add that the same volume produces less progress as a client gains experience.^{3Helms et al., The Muscle & Strength Pyramid: Training, 2nd ed., p. 101.}

How to judge training age

The NSCA’s strength and conditioning text classifies clients by months of training alongside frequency, training stress and technique: beginner under 2 months, intermediate 2 to 6 months, advanced a year or more.^{4Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 458.} It describes the categories as a continuum.^{4Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 458.} The NSCA’s personal training text uses five intake questions, including how long and how often the client has trained, to establish a baseline.^{5Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 409.}

Helms and colleagues prefer to classify clients by how long it takes them to improve.^{6Helms et al., The Muscle & Strength Pyramid: Training, 2nd ed., p. 99.},^{3Helms et al., The Muscle & Strength Pyramid: Training, 2nd ed., p. 101.} They argue that years in the gym can mislead: some people have lifted for over 10 years and are still functionally intermediates.^{3Helms et al., The Muscle & Strength Pyramid: Training, 2nd ed., p. 101.}

In practice

• Ask how long the client has followed a regular program, how often and how hard they train, and which exercises they can perform with proper technique.^{5Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 409.}
• For a novice or early intermediate, a plan matched to their goals with adequate workload can produce gains without an elaborate progression scheme.^{6Helms et al., The Muscle & Strength Pyramid: Training, 2nd ed., p. 99.}
• A client with years in the gym but little strength gained may improve quickly with the right training changes.^{3Helms et al., The Muscle & Strength Pyramid: Training, 2nd ed., p. 101.}