Mon 11 Jun 2012
W.O.W.-HIT Makes it in Academia and a visit from the author of “The One Diet”.
Posted by Doug McGuff under Uncategorized
I apologize for the delayed posting. Things have been very busy lately with the end of the school year, and with multiple partners on vacation, I have been working almost non-stop. I managed to squeeze in these 2 workouts. Due to scheduling, the first was done at Fike Gym at Clemson University and the second was done at UE very early in the morning before I worked a day shift. My schedule has been such a blur, I don’t even remember the dates of these two workouts. They were spaced 5 or 6 days apart.
Fike workout: Weighted Chin-ups
Dumbell Slight Incline Bench Press
One Arm Dumbell Rows
Chest Fly
Barbell Squat
UE workout: MedX Overhead Press
Thick Bar Biceps Curl
Nautilus Plate Load Triceps Extension (with SS retrofits)
Reverse Curl with EZ bar
Thick Bar wrist flexion
MedX Leg Press (with end-stop squeeze technique)
Despite all the work I have been doing, my recovery was excellent. I attribute this largely to the fact that almost all of my shifts have been day shifts and I am in a normal circadian pattern.
In the midst of all of this I got notification from James Steele that our review paper finally made it into the Journal of Exercise Physiology Online. This is a major advance for HIT. I honestly did not expect this paper to penetrate into academia. Cudos to James, Dave Smith and the other authors for enduring multiple rejections and revisions to finally get this paper published. The paper is already getting major attention in the academic world and provides validation for anyone running a HIT facility or advocating for high intensity exercise. Here is the link: http://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/JEPonlineJUNE2012_Steele.pdf.
On a day off I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Simon Shawcross who is a frequent contributor to BBS discussions and author of The One Diet. We spent some time watching clients train at UE, including one of our best transformations Dr. Mark Spede (who is the director of the Clemson University Band and Music Program). We then had lunch at “BGR” where we had paleo burgers and grilled asparagus. Next we returned to UE and put Simon through a blistering workout. The following day Simon went to Asheville, NC where he was interviewed on the local ABC affiliate. The interview can be seen here: http://wlos.com/shared/newsroom/features/health-alert/videos/wlos_vid_484.shtml
All in all a very eventful 2 weeks in the HIT world.
Post your WOW’s and your thoughts.
A constant HIT topic is frequency and whilst a lot of people are aware of recommendations from trusted sources (naturally including Dr McGuff and John Little) of 1 week being the minimum interval many of us occasionally sneak in something else mid week, or simply shorten the interval.
Why? Possibly a bit of the oft mentioned angst, also a lot of us simply like to train with resistance.
As noted previously I am on a weight (trying for fat loss) program, pretty much Paleo with IF. So far I have reduced from 225 to 189 and as previously noted experienced some loss in strength.
My last workout, where I noted this loss, was using the TBDL 22 days ago.
I decided to TBDL today feeling very slightly ambivalent and accepting to a degree the price of some strength loss that goes with substantial weight reduction.
I followed the exact same protocol, w/ups etc as 22 days previously and………..Up one rep with a 5 kilo heavier weight! This staggered me and I wrote another note to myself to maintain an interval of around 3 weeks a least for this movement.
@Brian F,
I’ve had a similar experience with the TBDL; took a week and a half off the exercise (and all workouts) and came back stronger. I attributed this to weak link recovery, mainly my lower back. I believe that if your lower back is not recovered well, not only will you start shifting load from the stronger superficial muscles to the smaller spine stabilizers (or other structures, such as the SI joint) your brain will do it’s best to weaken your body to a degree that reduces your ability to produce high degrees of force. This is supposed to be protective-so you get weaker. this would be the worst time to “try” and push it.
Doug Holland advised me to deadlift once every two weeks or less, which I think is great advice. Even the guys who promote a lot more training volume are generally careful about deadlifting too often, usually recommending no more than once per week. I should say that these higher volume routines also tend to be periodized, further reducing the lower back stress-far less than many HIT trainers tend to work.
That being said (sorry about the book here) going from 225 to 189 is a significant weight reduction and, depending on your initial level of body fatness, is bound to result in some level of strength reduction. I do think that you can probably work your body weight back up over 200 lbs with a better distribution of mass (more muscle) and gain much, if not all of your strength back and then some.
HI Thomas
Yep, would love to be a solid 200lbs, but don’t think it’s in the cards as my body/ frame type and height is very similar to Skyler Tanners. So if I can achieve solid 180 - 185lbs I’d be pretty happy. I am grateful to be able to do the TBDL as 20 yrs ago I popped L5 and S1 and was told never to DL or Squat again. I also have a knee issue, but the TBDL is so much more forgiving than SBDL.
Because the systemic impact of the DL is so high I am going to stretch the interval, for all training, and see what happens. Shock horror I will be doing HIIT twice a week to assist the fat loss.
Forgot to mention, after TBDL today took a 3 minute rest and tried the Goblet Squat (or Goblin Squat as Doug H calls it) Did these with a 10/10 cadence to a point of failure and then held, SC, as long as possible, then went immediately to a wall sit to failure /collapse…………..killer, Goblins Rule!
low back
pullover
biceps curl
pulldown
shoulder press
leg press/most reclined pos
ten degree
14:52
Brian F,Thomas;
In addition to recovery,everything has to be just right mentally before deadlifting.Many times I’ve cancelled a prepared deadlift workout if everything wasn’t just I as wanted it.The mailman showed up with a big bill,I got in a fight with my girlfriend and wife at the same time,the A/C isn’t working just right,my adult children are acting like infants,the EPA is on my ass for throwing 8 ft. light bulbs in the dumpster behind my gym,etc.,etc.
Also,technique has to be perfect.I watched a youtube deadlift video recently from a well respected HIT enthusiast from the UK,and at the start of every rep his elbows were bent.I was screaming at the screen in horror,waiting for a torn biceps to occur.
@Doug Holland,
That is a testament to the technical difficulty of the lift; it requires total focus to be done safely (those girlfriends can be a real pain!). I think for those who cannot stay focused and maintain great form throughout a set, stopping short of fatigue (on the deadlift and the squat) is a must. This is better than dropping the exercise all together (the failure or nothing idea doesn’t always apply depending on the technical difficulty of the exercise imho). Just don’t do it to failure and possibly do another set of form perfect reps (this is one of those times I believe multiple sets can be beneficial).
Regarding the UK fellow, I know he reads this forum hopes he takes your advice (he’s a smart fellow so I’m sure he will). I also saw the video and otherwise was quite impressed with his strength considering his body structure.
I’m curious if anyone here has anything to say about using a machine that varies the resistance in such a way that it forces the trainee to move slowly. Someone made me think about this a couple years ago. There is a poster on another website that has been currently talking about using old machines that made the resistance increase very aggressively toward the end of the range of motion. He says that he has had much sucess using them. To me this seems like the machines would be like a “magic bullet” with building maximum or near maximum strength. To me it also seems like you would have a very similar situation with a motorized machine. I can also see where contracting with this great deal of force could cause greater wear and tear on the body?? Any comments?
@Donnie Hunt,
Forget the idea of the “magic bullet”. Sounds like they’re just using a different cam to me. As for contracting with a great deal of force-this is one of the goals of resistance training, as long as it’s done safely.
@all
I find that a BBS style workout leaves me wanting more. Doug M mentioned that if the workout is performed correctly then that’s all you can stand and you don’t feel like doing more exercise.
my yesterday workout ended up being more of a traditional workout lasting more than an hour. I even added some treadmill and bike time at the end!
Any views on this?
@Efthymios,
Then do more. Just keep it safe, recover and progress.
I wouldn’t feel too bad about not following the “rules”; they are just guidelines for an efficient, safe and effective workout for the masses. They do not represent the only one and true, “proper” way to train imo. They do represent a very efficient and effective way to go about total conditioning though. But, There are plenty of ways to train (even on this forum there are diverse routines; I favor a higher volume as well and don’t always go to failure)-just be smart about it.
Just a bit on NASA. Doug, when you were here a couple of years ago, I worked like crazy to either get an appointment with the contractor who is working the space fitness problem or get them to attend your lecture and I had no success at any level. Last January I was at a New Years Day party and a couple of guys were there who are involved with the fitness part of the space station program. We had a long discussion on the topic. It was like we were talking in two different languages. I gave your email and website address. I walked away feeling like they really aren’t that interested in finding a “solution.” They are on the government tit(and were dreading going “back to work”) While-collar welfare I call it. If they found a solution to the problem, then what would they do to make a living? Get a real job? Doubtful.
Regarding BBS and NASA,
Is the effort to try and incorporate a BBS approach to fitness while the Astronaut is in Space? If so, making room for equipment in a space capsule might be a serious problem (something like the ARX Omni might be adequate, though). I highly doubt NASA is looking for an “optimum” solution to fitness for their astronauts, but more likely an adequate one to prevent bone and muscle loss and major de-conditioning.
If it’s to incorporate a BBS approach with astronauts on the ground, I’m almost positive NASA doesn’t dictate exercise protocol for their astronauts, but does fitness test.
So, I’m not surprised they’re not interested. In fact, I’m sure they get called upon by many, many different people with different ideas about the best way to keep an astronaut in shape during a long space flight. I might liken it how I feel when yet another multi-level marketer tries to push their nutrition program on me because I’m a health care practitioner. I just don’t listen anymore (not to compare BBS with an MLM-just the feeling of being constantly bombarded with info by people who feel their stuff is the best). They may actually have good stuff, but I stopped listening long ago (and I can’t stand MLM). I’d give those NASA fellows a bit of a break and just keep trying.
Living in near zero-G conditions is sufficiently different from living in a constant 1-G field that I would be cautious about assuming that an efficient and effective exercise program that works on earth would also work in space. As an example of how damaging the absence of gravity can be, consider these effects of zero gravity on vision:
http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/10/astronaut-feels-spaces-toll-on-his-body/
Who would have predicted this kind of problem?
@ Hugh
NASA = not a real job? Seriously?
@Will,
Yeah. Seriously. Create real value and people voluntarily give you money. But that’s for another forum. Not here.
Hugh
@ Hugh,
Obviously, this isn’t a site devoted to the discussion of topics in political economy. However, your comment - apparently intended to be taken seriously - is a bit hard to take as such. Clearly, you have a very limited, and ideologically overdetermined, conception of what “real value” is.