Gaining Muscle and Losing Fat (2015)

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by Baron, Jun 30, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. #221     Aug 12, 2015
  2. How do you define it?
     
    #222     Aug 12, 2015
  3. Failure to me is can't complete the last rep in any set, first to last.
     
    #223     Aug 12, 2015
  4. Then perhaps try this approach. Make sure that each rep is done in a controlled fashion and in proper form, no momentum, and don't do another rep if you don't think you will be able to complete it fully and in proper form. If you've been doing this a while, you'll know when that is.

    So during that last full rep, if you think you'll have a bit left upon its completion (but not enough for another full rep), then slow it down a bit, both positive and negative, so you'll be fully spent when it's fully done.

    That's my present definition of training to failure.
     
    #224     Aug 12, 2015
  5. I just found this. The premise is you should only workout to failure once every 2-3 weeks, or at least not do it every workout. Would you agree? Thanks for the insight.
    http://xbodyconcepts.com/workout-to-failure/
     
    #225     Aug 12, 2015
  6. First, please be sure to take my comments with a grain of salt. (As you would in, say, P&R. :))

    I think the answer is It depends. It depends on how many sets you do per workout and per muscle group, how often you train, how often you train each muscle group, and specifically how you define failure, not to mention your individual recuperative capability. Even then I couldn't give you a definitive answer, although I'd be interested to know what others have to say.

    Presently, I favor a very compact full body workout twice a week going to failure as I defined it in my previous post. The resistance portion takes about 35 minutes, with a few minutes of HIIT cardio thrown in after that. I've been playing around with this, but I base my approach in part on the findings in the study I posted earlier in this thread:

    http://www.elitetrader.com/et/index.php?threads/gaining-muscle-and-losing-fat-2015.292625/page-11
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2015
    #226     Aug 12, 2015
  7. I just finished reading Body by Science, which I had referred to earlier in this thread:

    [​IMG]


    http://www.amazon.com/Body-Science-...id=1439410339&sr=8-1&keywords=body+by+science

    It seems to have been well received by a fairly wide audience. I thought it was a great read, even though I can't bring myself to accept the very low volume and frequency that the authors propose.

    The science behind the benefits of resistance training over any other form of exercise is very well explained, and it gave me the added bonus of finally being able to do overhead pressing again. I had previously avoided overhead pressing for several years because it gave my shoulders grief. However, the authors explain how it is important to have your hands in front of you and not flare the elbows out to the sides (as I had always done in the past). Flaring the elbows, as many people seem to do, can cause impingement, which is exactly what it did in my case.
     
    #227     Aug 12, 2015
  8. Baron

    Baron ET Founder

    No. Currently I am doing a full body workout with 10 exercises per workout, and one set per exercise, all in the higher rep range of 15 - 20 per set. All sets are done to failure, meaning that I am going to the point that I can't fully complete a rep on my own. I'm not using a spotter so there's no assistance to go "beyond failure" if you know what I mean. And I work out on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On occasion I will do 5 sets of jump squats at 20 reps per set on Saturday, depending on how I feel.
     
    #228     Aug 13, 2015
  9. Four full body workouts per week, with each set to failure, seems like a lot. May I ask how long you've been adhering to this regimen? As to failure, you're saying you will stop mid-rep when you can't go further, rather than stopping at the rep before? Sorry for belaboring the point, I just want to be sure I'm clear on this.
     
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2015
    #229     Aug 13, 2015
  10. Baron

    Baron ET Founder

    I've been doing that regimen since my gym flooded, so I guess it's been about three weeks now. And yes, I will stop mid rep instead of stopping at the rep before.
     
    #230     Aug 13, 2015
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.