Twins and different workouts for two weeks: the discovery
The twins Hugo and Ross Turner tried to find out if more or less long training had the same effects. And the result was surprising…
– Milan
Is it better to train a lot or a little to get results? Two British twins tried to answer that question by conducting an interesting (and bizarre) experiment. Hugo and Ross Turner34, athletes and explorers known for their extreme performance decided to investigate the effects of different training programs on their (identical) body. For three months, one of them trained for short periods while the other doubled the times of each session. Her theory was that more work in the gym would lead to better results. But did it really happen like that?
The education of the twins
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Hugo and Ross followed for 12 weeks 2 different strength training programs: Hugo trained 3 days a week for 20 minutes. Ross trained for 40 minutes at a time, twice as much as his brother, with the same frequency of 3 days a week. Despite the difference in training times, the twins have followed:
- There same dietwith an estimated calorie intake of 2,000-2,500 calories per day.
- The same training programincluding squats, deadlifts, bench presses, shoulder presses, rows and lifting the same weights at the same time.
The only difference was that Ross was doing twice as many reps per set as Hugo: 4 sets of 14 to 16 reps for each exerciseto improve endurance.
A surprising result
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To evaluate the results of their experiment and compare the effects of different training programs, The Turners conducted a series of tests at the beginning and end of the 12 weeks. They recorded parameters such as body weight, strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness. And the results surprised her. The experiment revealed Only minor differences between Hugo and Ross, although the latter spent twice as much time training. Both received improvements, but overall the changes on the brothers were minimal (and similar). Ross was frustrated that doubling the amount of training he did hadn’t yielded twice the benefit: his brother had achieved results similar to his with half the effort.
Conclusions
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However, there is something surprising about the Turner twins’ experiment Experts believe caution should be exercised given the limited sample size and the lack of a control group as in all scientific studies worthy of the name. However, it seems that the experiment has unearthed at least part of the truth: according to Michael Graham, Professor of Exercise and Exercise Science at Teesside University (USA), The Turners’ findings are not significantly different from those of other scientific research. According to Graham, other factors besides the length of training are the key factors to consider: the importance of tailoring training programs to individual needs and the fact that it is possible to achieve benefits even when the training is relatively short and lasts less than many of us would expect.
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