Thanks for explaining your workout. It looks very daunting. If I had the toughness to try such a thing, I might go back to single sets. “IF” is one of those Big Two words.

What changes have you noticed going from 2 to 3 minute statics? Beyond immediate fatigue, have you noticed any increases in lean mass or decreases in daily fatigue? Any shifts in overall perspective?

Thanks,

Thom

Selected weights slightly higher than only the 5% increase and reached failure on some movements, on some just bore-fatigue. Spent more than an hour working out.

10 exercises, actually 11 due to torso rotation in both directons, with too light weights makes up a hell of a long time for the workout.

I have no TUL recordings, since I didn’t have my stopwatch but times were way to high.

Will up the weights a big step next workout.

MedX Pullover 100lbs
MedX Seat. Row 140lbs
MedX Chest Press 110lbs
MedX Rear Delt 70lbs
MedX Leg Ext. 84lbs
MedX Leg Curl 92lbs
MedX Hip Abduction 60lbs
MedX Torso Rot. 64lbs
MedX AB Iso. 50lbs
MedX Low. Back 102lbs

The MedX machines feel really different than the machines I am used to from commercial gyms with big sticking points.

Reaching failure with sticking points was more like not being able to move even an inch once my strenght dropped and I tried another rep.

I will have to get used to the cam profiles I guess.

But overall I am REALLY happy that I have this opportunity.

As far as the discussion goes:
I don’t have many insights, since I didn’t participate in many “sports” activities in my lifetime.

I was in a swimming team for 8 years or so, between my 6th and 14th birthday, trained about 4 times a week. Which was next to nothing compared to what the really professional guys did there.
One training session before school at 5 in the morning and one in the evening. Probably 6 times a week I would guess.

Then again, it consisted mostly of swimming in different styles and no stupid drills that ruin your skill conditioning.
Although some of the drill that let you swim against a resistance (being tied on a leash somewhere) maybe would qualify as that.

Chris mentioned his krav maga class, something I tried for some time about 2 years ago.
And the only reason why I don’t feel like going back to it is that I don’t want to waste my time with such unnecessary and ineffective drills.
Even though I like the “toughness” and also enjoy a bit of pain and hard work, the gift of knowledge kind of ruins it, or in other words: prevents you from doing stupid shit.

Cheers guys!

I think the only thing I did differently was to put a valid URL in the Website field. For earlier posts I had left this blank.

The word “dissatisfied” is troublesome. You would not be the first Doctor to work himself/herself into an early grave/retirement. We need you satisfied.

@Greg Andersen-

Great comments….Keep-em-coming!

—–

WOW

Parallel Grip Pulldown

228 lbs. for 7 reps…..regular speed

————
The first team/coach to understand the principles involved in conditioning team sports for peak performance, as outlined in Dr. McGuff original post, will be like the 1972 Miami Dolphins….unbeatable.

Regarding my own experience with football, our head coach was pretty moderate back in high school.

Mondays were the only killer days for the first half of the season.

Tuesdays were moderate, and mostly consisted of scrimmaging against the younger JV team.

Wednesdays we were still in pads, but the practice was mostly skill based.

Thursdays we were never in pads, the practice was half the duration, and we only practiced plays.

There was never any practice on the weekends, other than the option of watching the game footage with the coaches.

Running was limited usually to Mondays (during the season). Weight lifting was 3-4 times per week during the summer (pre season), once or twice at most during the season, if at all.

Ironically, I had a training disagreement with the coaches during the summer before my senior season. I opted to train by myself for the 5 weeks left leading up to “official practices”. When I returned, I had the highest bench press of the entire offensive line, was the fastest, and the lightest. Not exactly the perfect combo for a “hog”, but it left a grin on the head coaches face - not so much the other coaches who I had gotten into arguments with.

…

Oh, and naturally, two weeks later, I dislocated my kneecap for the 4th time. The joys or sports.

Hi Doug,
Could it also be that you just ignored a few minor physical symptoms (and not just progression reduction) over the course of months, symptoms wich could be signs of overtraining?I for instance felt a real difference of being recovered between my weekly work out and my feeling after a rest of almost 3 weeks during the holidays.Maybe for me training every 10th day would be better, and that should also be adjusted according the different more relaxed or stressed situations of life.
And actual we should be hyper sensitive to this as we all promote so much the complete recovery and then some for growth.
Mastering this body awareness is in my opinion very crucial ,and certainly when one comes closer to one’s potential limit and the progression comes in very small steps.But being very close to this limit or progressing in very small steps because of recovery issue’s are two different things wich we should be aware of .
Even a big 3 could be too much for the recovery of 7 days,but this is ofcourse very individual.Maybe you(or we) should try a big 3 or a 3 way split and add a few days of recovery to see what happens.The nautilus north study shows us a direction in this matter but still do I think that we are not implementing the conclusions enough.
ad

What was the code you cracked to avoid being in “moderation”? Since I’m doing a lot of posting’s for folks, it might help…or in the words of a famous BP exec “I want to get my life back”

Ed

All exercises are static holds. I am doing a split routine: chest press and seated row one week, shoulder press and lat pull down the next week, leg press both weeks. Chest press and shoulder press at close to full extension, seated row moving the weights just an inch or two, lat pull with bar at about eye level leaning back, leg press moving the weight just an inch or two with knees around 90 degrees (machine does not have enough weight otherwise).

I try to hold for three minutes. If I reach 3 minutes I stop and increase the weight next time. Until recently I was using a target time of 2 minutes. 3 minutes has a much more profound impact.

I am in my late 50’s, training alone in a community exercise room with a multi-station weight machine. It is not a wonderful set up but for static holds the quality of the movement, precision of cams, etc. really doesn’t matter.

I report weight in terms of number of plates out of 20. I believe the weight stack is 200 lbs but the plates are not all the same size so I don’t know the exact weight except when lifting the full stack.

Sorry to suddenly pop up without introduction. I have posted a number of times before but my posts always got hung up in moderation. Looks like I finally cracked the code. I have been enjoying and benefiting from the posts here for some time so thanks to all.

Just my 3 cents worth….great thought provoking installment, Doug.