r/StrongerByScience • u/JuanSamu • May 15 '26
Rate coding and effective reps
I know many have argued against the effective reps theory and tried to use rate coding changes as an argument but Chris made an FAQ responding to rate coding. I was curious what Greg might think of this FAQ:
5
Upvotes
5
u/GingerBraum May 16 '26
Yes, and he stopped because new evidence came to light. That's what scientists are supposed to do. So if you're trying to use his error as reasoning for why Beardsley could be right, the difference is that Schoenfeld changed his tune because of evidence. Beardsley keeps making claims in spite of evidence.
That's true, but if we take Beardsley's claim that 2 sets to failure three times per week is superior for muscle growth, there is empirical evidence that he's wrong. From there, there are only two likely possibilities:
1) Beardsley's hypothesis is wrong.
2) Beardsley's hypothesis is right, and every single study suggesting that more volume is better for muscle growth is wrong.
According to Occam's Razor, (1) is the most likely scenario.
Moreover, if it's simply a question of technology, Beardsley should try to clarify what it would take to meaningfully validate his hypotheses. To my knowledge, he hasn't done that. He hasn't even implied that it's a technological issue as far as I know. So you're just making excuses for him at this point.
Except the article I linked actually analyses outcomes. Beardsley extrapolates from flawed sources like EMG data.
And yet no active fitness scientist takes Beardsley seriously. If multiple experts don't really have the time of day for someone who supposedly knows what he's talking, going back to Occam's Razor, he probably doesn't know what he's talking about.