JT
Feb. 04, 2026
MED vs. MRV: The Two Terms That Determine Whether You Build Muscle or Burn Out
By Jerry Teixeira | Nearly 30 Years of Strength Experience
Two terms will make or break your training.
Get them wrong and you're either spinning your wheels or heading straight for injury. Get them right and you can train for decades without burning out.
Minimum Effective Dose (MED): The least amount of work required to maintain or make small, incremental improvements.
Maximum Recoverable Volume (MRV): The absolute ceiling of what your body can handle before it breaks down.
Most people have no idea which one they should be chasing. Here's how to know.
When to Use the Minimum Effective Dose
If any of these apply to you, stop chasing the ceiling:
- You're stressed out (work, family, life)
- You're in a caloric deficit
- You're over 40 with limited recovery capacity
- You're training for something else (like BJJ, running, or a sport)
You're not going to make massive gains during a high-stress season anyway. Chasing MRV here is how you get hurt.
The move: Stick to MED. Focus on stress reduction, nail your sleep, and maintain your strength baseline. Add volume later when life calms down.
When I was preparing for my first BJJ competition at 45, I didn't push my strength training to the limit. I kept it at MED so my recovery was available for the mats. I won gold. The system works.
That's me at 44 and my daughter at 16. She’s a gymnast who has never touched a weight—this is the power of Surgical Leverage
When to Push Toward MRV
If your stress is low, your sleep is dialed, and your nutrition is on point—now it makes sense to push toward your MRV.
How to do it safely:
Add 1-2 hard sets per body part, per week. Monitor for 14 days before adding more.
Watch for these red flags. If you see them, you've overshot your MRV:
- Strength plateaus or dips
- Crappy sleep or feeling "wired but tired"
- Brain fog and loss of appetite
- Dreading workouts instead of attacking them
These are overtraining symptoms. Back off immediately. More volume isn't the answer—smarter volume is.
What About Cardio?
The higher the intensity, the lower the volume should be.
Walking is the free space on the bingo card—do as much as you want. But HIIT? One session a week is plenty for most people over 40.
Two Templates to Get You Started
Pick the one that matches your goal.
The Strength-First Setup
| Day | Training |
|---|---|
| Mon | Lower Body + 30 min walk |
| Tue | Upper Body |
| Wed | 45 min Zone 2 (easy bike/jog) |
| Thu | Upper Body |
| Fri | Lower Body + 30 min walk |
| Sat | HIIT / Sprints |
The Endurance-First Setup
| Day | Training |
|---|---|
| Mon | 45 min Zone 2 (run/bike) |
| Tue | Full Body Strength |
| Wed | 45 min Zone 2 |
| Thu | Full Body Strength |
| Fri | HIIT |
| Sat | 60 min recovery walk (or easy long run) |
Two Templates to Get You Started
Regardless of which template you choose, your strength training should hit these movement patterns:
- Horizontal Push: Push-up or chest press
- Horizontal Pull: Row (bodyweight or dumbbell)
- Vertical Push: Pike press or overhead press
- Vertical Pull: Pull-up or lat pulldown
- Hip Hinge: Glute thrust, deadlift, or back extension
- Squat: Bodyweight progression or weighted
These map directly to the Foundational 8—the movements I've used for years and teach to every client. You don't need machines. You don't need a gym. You need Surgical Leverage and consistency.
Everything else is an accessory.
The Bottom Line
MED keeps you in the game for decades. MRV is a tool you use carefully, when conditions are right.
Most people over 40 should live at MED and visit MRV occasionally—not the other way around.
Train smart. Stay capable.
JT
About Jerry Teixeira
Jerry Teixeira is the founder of Bodyweight Strength and has been physically training for nearly 30 years. His journey began in the Marine Corps in 1997, where he developed a lifelong focus on functional utility and integrated power.
Since 2019, Jerry has coached thousands of clients using the Minimum Effective Dose (MED) philosophy—maximizing results through surgical precision and leverage manipulation rather than high-volume "junk" training.
A practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Jerry started the sport at 44 and won gold in his first competition at age 45. He currently lives and trains in Bakersfield, CA, where he maintains an elite physique and 30-year track record of strength using only a backyard garage lab and a handful of minimalist tools. He has built a global community of over 225,000 members across YouTube, Instagram, and email.
FAQ: MED, MRV, and Training Volume
What's the difference between MED and MRV?
MED (Minimum Effective Dose) is the least amount of work needed to maintain or make progress. MRV (Maximum Recoverable Volume) is the most your body can handle before it breaks down. MED keeps you consistent for decades. MRV is a tool you use sparingly when conditions are ideal.
How do I know if I'm overtraining?
Watch for these signs: strength plateaus or drops, poor sleep, feeling wired but tired, brain fog, loss of appetite, or dreading workouts. If you're seeing these, you've pushed past your MRV. Back off and let your body recover.
For most people over 40—especially those with careers, families, and stress—MED is the baseline. You visit MRV when sleep is dialed, nutrition is on point, and life stress is low. That's the window to push. Otherwise, stay at MED.
Depends on intensity. Walking is unlimited—do as much as you want. Zone 2 (easy jogging, biking) a few times a week is great for longevity. HIIT should be limited to once a week for most people. The higher the intensity, the lower the volume.
Yes. MED isn't about doing the least possible—it's about doing the smartest amount. You can absolutely build muscle at MED, especially if you're consistent over months and years. Most people overtrain, not undertrain.
Horizontal push, horizontal pull, vertical push, vertical pull, hip hinge, and squat. These cover the full body and map to the Foundational 8. Everything else is an accessory.