Mid Life Fitness

Thursday is the day in this routine where I contrast the low volume, high weight of the Monday workout with a high volume, lighter weight. It’s based very loosely on the EDT system, and it’s real point is to attack the muscles in a different way so that even though I’m using some of the same exercises as Monday, it causes a very different stress pattern.

The routine is based on choosing a weight you can do ten reps of. Then see how many reps you can do in fifteen minutes, and next time, beat that number. It is a very simple concept and one which works very well. The one thing that you will likely find is that first time you put it into practice, especially if you’ve been working on low volume sets is that you’ll end up with a weight which is too light and after a few weeks you’ll be doing a high total number of reps.

You will also need to find the strategy which works best for you. Do you try to do it in sets of ten? Sets of five, three? Perhaps you’ll start out with fives but by the end of the time window you’ll be down to doing one rep at at time. It doesn’t matter, all that matters is the end number, and different routines work best for different people.

Because you are looking at fifteen minute sessions, you have to limit what you do, and really it’s going to be only two or three exercises. I’m doing three but it really pushes the workouts longer than I’m used to – actually pushing over the hour which for me is a long time, I don’t have that much time!

Exercises: Squat, bench press and rows. I alternate between overhead and bench presses each week, mainly because of the time issue.

It seems that I can’t open an email or a browser window without someone trying to sell me the new Joel Marion (that’s the guy above) diet system. Now I’m no expert on nutrition, but people who I trust to know more than me about it are giving it the nod as being a good product.

Having said that I wasn’t paying it too much attention, I mean I’m still in weight gain mode, right? That was until Vince pointed out that being ripped makes it easier to gain weight, muscle weight that is. Which made me think, and now I’m starting to wonder if I made a mistake and I should jump on board while its on sale at half price.

But while I ruminate on it, my research did reveal a good review of it, one that I’d like to share with you.

http://www.staleytraining.com/articles/product-reviews/cheat-your-way-thin-review.htm

It seems to me a fair and balanced review, and actually there is a follow up review about leptin at the bottom of the main review.

See what you think. I must admit that its making me think twice about my current nutrition program. I am carrying excess fat, which I was happy about until now, because that is the old, traditional route – bulk up and then cut. But maybe just maybe that isn’t the best route.

Yesterday was the low volume, max weight session, so today was the interval/ max VO2 session. Fifty sets of 8 reps of kettlebell swings at 15 second intervals, so thats 25 minutes workout time. When I get to seventy sets then I’ll switch to the next exercise. I’m increasing five sets at a time and I’m comfortable with that. There is a temptation to do more which I’m sitting on heavily because there is a lot of strain placed on the core with these exercises and I’ve had some twinges in the lower back in previous sessions.

When I started I didn’t think I’d able to even get half way, but towards the end I was still going strong so the last five sets were done at sprint pace, accelerating the kettlebell back down. This did give me more rest time, I will admit but it’s something I’m going to need to do when I get to doing snatches at this pace, which is my goal.

I worked out in the evening for a change instead of my usual early morning routine.

Squats 2 x 5
Bench Press 2 x 5
Deadlift 2 x 5
Dips 3 x F

Total workout time, 35 mins excluding warmup

I just had a mail from Vince Delmonte telling me about the hardgainer challenge that he is running. If you consider yourself a hardgainer and you fancy not only gaining muscle but winning a trip to Cancun Mexica, then check out Vinces Blog:

Vinces Blog

Only one thing – keep me posted with how you are doing and send me a postcard from Mexico.

Deal?

Vinces Blog