Let me add something about volume.

At the beginning of the Pain Cave, we started with this workout.This was 11-8. People's affinity to use kettlebells and total workout capacity in this type setting was nil, so you see a lot of basic work and energy system training.

Not to say that all the training we do is not energy system training, but more focused on un-loaded cardiovascular exercises. As basic stability and muscle endurance increased, we went on to more of these workouts. More structured in ground based movements and total body lifts with a few dynamic movements thrown in. Still not high volume. This was 12-29.

Here is a workout from 1-21. See the total volume of work and how it has increased? Volume, easily can be explained as total sets reps and weight combined. Not the technical definition, but close enough.

In a training cycle, we cannot maintain this amount of volume forever. You need to back down sometime to let the body adapt. Here is a rough paint drawing of the point I want to get across. As you bring up volume, you bring up adaptation to volume.
Remember, by changing reps, sets, weight and tempo, we affect volume in the end. So to speak. You start at one place, and through the ups and downs of the training cycle, you end on a plateau, but a much higher level of fitness than before.

Also, without giving too many secrets away, push ups are done as a form of rest period. When we used to train in the service, we would reach a point that the current exercise needed to be stopped, but without stopping all physical activity. Its what is called active rest. Nuff said.

As we start to ramp down training, we will not reach a volume of the start of the phase, but we will be close. 2 weeks of adaptation and we are ready to start another 8-10 week cycle.

At a much higher level of fitness than before.