Gaining Muscle and Losing Fat (2015)

[Frederick Foresight]

Here's a bit of food for thought regarding workout frequency and intensity.

The linked article describes a 37-year-old man's experience with training just short of failure:

http://www.cbass.com/KevinDye.htm

You will note that he has worked out for over 20 years, presently has a fairly abbreviated routine, and works out twice a week. He reports to have made gains in strength and size by not going all the way to failure, as he had previously done.

There is some debate regarding the need to go to failure to maximize results. Although I've tried stopping just short of failure when I first read about this idea a couple of years or so ago, it never really sat well with me. Regardless of how I tried to convince myself otherwise, in the end, the stopping point seemed vaguely arbitrary. And so, despite fits and starts with training just short of failure, I resumed going to failure because I felt most at home doing so. The book Body By Science makes a compelling case to train to failure to maximize inroads, as does a study that I posted here a while back:

http://www.hituni.com/the-science-o...-better-than-repetition-maximum/#.Vzyg4Wz2ZO-

This study was conducted on subjects who had some training experience.

What is interesting is that the guy in the first article did mostly compounds not-to-failure 2x a week, whereas the study subjects in the second article did mostly isolation work (which is less intense and metabolically demanding than compound work, all else being equal) to actual failure, also 2x a week. And they both evidently achieved better results. So it then follows that if one were to do almost entirely compounds and to failure, it would make sense to reduce the frequency to something less than 2x a week in order for the work not to exceed one's recovery ability. Makes sense, no? And thus, my 3x-every-2-weeks routine was born. The argument is not flawless, but it's not without merit.

 

[wjk]

I'm not sure I know what you mean. Could you provide a couple of examples?

One example that quickly stands out is the rotator cuff. I would want to make sure my rotator cuffs can handle heavy bench presses or overhead shoulder presses. It's quite common to warm up rotator cuffs prior to lifting, as well. You may want to isolate your knees on a machine for a few sessions if you plan on heavy squatting further down the road. Some say isolating calves adds strength to the ankles.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Please let us know how it goes.

As an aside, do you go to momentary muscle failure on your work sets?

Only on the last set. I typically do 3-5 sets depending on the exercise and adding weight each set. Reps stay the same for the first two sets which is typically 10 reps, falling to 8 then 6. I do what I can on the last set which varies from movement to movement but is usually 3-4 before experience MMF.

 

[Frederick Foresight]

One example that quickly stands out is the rotator cuff. I would want to make sure my rotator cuffs can handle heavy bench presses or overhead shoulder presses. It's quite common to warm up rotator cuffs prior to lifting, as well. You may want to isolate your knees on a machine for a few sessions if you plan on heavy squatting further down the road. Some say isolating calves adds strength to the ankles.

I'm aware of 2 standard remedial rotator cuff exercises. I used to do them years ago when my shoulders flared up. They're more physio-type rehab exercises than workout exercises, though. And if you're referring to lateral raises for shoulders before presses, all I can say is that the lateral raise is the most unnatural bodily movement ever conceived and completely bereft of evolutionary relevance. As for knees, I'm assuming you're referring to leg extensions. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that they're harder on the knees than properly performed squats or leg presses. Regarding calves, you got me there; I do calf raises, an isolation exercise, but only because I don't think compounds adequately address them. At least for me, that's what makes them the exception to the rule.

To each his own, eh?

 

[Frederick Foresight]

Only on the last set. I typically do 3-5 sets depending on the exercise and adding weight each set. Reps stay the same for the first two sets which is typically 10 reps, falling to 8 then 6. I do what I can on the last set which varies from movement to movement but is usually 3-4 before experience MMF.

You do a full-body resistance routine once a week with up to 3-5 sets per exercise? How many sets do you do in total on your lifting day?

 

[CaptainObvious]

You do a full-body resistance routine once a week with up to 3-5 sets per exercise? How many sets do you do in total on your lifting day?

Used to. Changing that quite a bit since the beginning of the year. Hell, I was doing 6-8 sets 5 days a week last year. That is why I was dealing with all the fatigue. I just wore myself down. I no longer do full body resistance all in a day. I've really cut back and continue to do so. I was afraid of weight gain and getting weaker. In fact I continue to get stronger, albeit not in huge increments and I have stayed at my target weight range since March. I'm slowly, slowly becoming more comfortable with less is more, but it goes against everything I've ever done, so it's more of a mental challenge than anything. I'm always fighting the you can do more mind set.

 

[wjk]

I'm aware of 2 standard remedial rotator cuff exercises. I used to do them years ago when my shoulders flared up. They're more physio-type rehab exercises than workout exercises, though. And if you're referring to lateral raises for shoulders before presses, all I can say is that the lateral raise is the most unnatural bodily movement ever conceived and completely bereft of evolutionary relevance. As for knees, I'm assuming you're referring to leg extensions. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that they're harder on the knees than properly performed squats or leg presses. Regarding calves, you got me there; I do calf raises, an isolation exercise, but only because I don't think compounds adequately address them. At least for me, that's what makes them the exception to the rule.

To each his own, eh?

I always warm up my rotator cuffs before benching or overhead shoulder presses...light weight only. On shoulder day, I finish with rotators doing more reps with a little more weight than when using them as a warm-up. I know several people who have damaged their rotator cuffs, mostly doing bench presses, so I'm a believer in isolating those for strength as well as warm-ups. Why wait until it has to be rehabbed from injury?

You may be right about extensions regarding knees, but I think using them to strengthen knees is ok if one doesn't go overboard on the weight. Actually, I would say that about pretty much any exercise. Stay within our limitations, and always use good form. Form is even more critical when challenging limitations, as you know, but should never be taken lightly in any event. I see more sloppy form than anything else in the gym.

 

[Frederick Foresight]

I always warm up my rotator cuffs before benching or overhead shoulder presses...light weight only. On shoulder day, I finish with rotators doing more reps with a little more weight than when using them as a warm-up. I know several people who have damaged their rotator cuffs, mostly doing bench presses, so I'm a believer in isolating those for strength as well as warm-ups. Why wait until it has to be rehabbed from injury?

I think using extensions to strengthen knees is ok if one doesn't go overboard on the weight.

Well, if you're staying out of trouble, you must be doing something right. Which is more than I can say for a good chunk of my workout "career."

 

[wjk]

Well, if you're staying out of trouble, you must be doing something right. Which is more than I can say for a good chunk of my workout "career."

I'd be lying if I said I didn't learn some lessons the hard way, but I am trying to stay out of trouble now. We've reached the age where it may not be a matter of when, but if an injury will heal. (At least I think I've reached that point).

 

[Frederick Foresight]

We've reached the age where it may not be a matter of when, but if an injury will heal.

Yes, that thought does cross my mind from time to time. Long gone are any notions of invincibility.