Sun 29 Nov 2009
W.O.W. 11/29/09
Posted by Doug McGuff under Uncategorized
I did my “little 6” workout today. I worked a busy 5pm-1am shift last night, so I didn’t get to the gym until about 11:30. It was a good workout, with some modest improvements. I Spent the rest of the day decorating for Christmas, and felt great doing it.
Calf Raise- stable weight, TUL up 2 seconds
Ab-stable weight, down 5 seconds- (I am going to drop the weight back on this movement, as the weight I have progressed to has caused stabilization issues and form breakdown)
Nautilus Plateloader Bicep- stable weight, up 5 seconds
Tricep Pushdown- up 2.5lbs, TUL down 2 seconds
Formulator Wrist Curl- stable weight, up 2 seconds
Formulator Wrist Curl-stable weight and TUL.
If you refer to my last comment on the previous WOW, you will see my answer to Dave when he asked if HIT can improve one’s immunity. I discussed innate vs adaptive immunity, and explained that innate immunity was a multi-pronged approach involving white blood cells, T-cells and chemical mediators as a way of bum-rushing invading organisms (as opposed to adaptive immunity that involves making a specific antibody for a particular organism). I explained how you have to depend less on adaptive immunity when your innate immunity is high. I believe that HIT improves innate immunity by increasing the effectiveness of your white cells, killer T-cells and certain cytokines. I also explained that innate immunity can be consumed by systemic inflammatory states, and that HIT can decrease systemic inflammation. Here is a soon-to-be-released article that demonstrates that strength training does decrease the systemic inflammatory state.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Nov 13. [Epub ahead of print]
Resistance Training At 8RM Reduces the Inflammatory Milieu in Elderly Women.
Phillips MD, Flynn MG, McFarlin BK, Stewart LK, Timmerman KL.
1Texas Christian University, Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Fort Worth, TX 2Purdue University, Wastl Human Performance Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN 3University of Houston, Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, Houston, TX 4Louisiana State University, Department of Kinesiology, Baton Rouge, LA 5University of Texas Medical Branch, Sealy Center on Aging, Galveston, TX.
INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE:: Inflammatory cytokines are associated with age- and inactivity-related disease. We examined the influence of moderate-high intensity resistance exercise training (RT) on inflammatory cytokines (IL-6,IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha) in circulation and LPS-stimulated whole blood in elderly women. METHOD:: Previously sedentary women (72+/-6.1 yr) were grouped according to their hormone replacement regimen: traditional estrogen/progesterone (HRT, N=12), selective estrogen receptor modulator (SER, N=7), no hormone replacement (NHR, N=9), or non-exercise control group taking no hormone replacement (CON; N=7). HRT, SER, and NHR trained (three sets, 10 exercises at 8RM) three days per week while CON maintained their “normal” activity for 10 weeks. Participants performed a bout of resistance exercise (RE; 8RM)(HRT,SER,NHR) or sat quietly (CON) before (BT) and after (AT) RT to assess the influence of training on the acute responses to RE. Blood samples were obtained pre-exercise (PR), post-exercise (PO), and two hours post-exercise (2H)(same time points for resting CON). RESULTS:: Hormone status had no influence on dependent variables so HRT, SER and NHR were collapsed into one exercise group (EX; N=28) and compared to CON. RT significantly reduced resting serum TNF-alpha by 37%. RT also reduced LPS-stimulated production of IL-6, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha at all time points (PR, PO, 2H; per monocyte). Acute RE transiently increased plasma TNF-alpha, but blunted the circadian increase in LPS-stimulated inflammatory cytokines observed in CON. The blunting effect in EX was significantly greater AT compared to BT. RE also resulted in an increase in plasma IL-6 which was significantly reduced AT (BT:PR=1.6+/-0.5, PO=2.8+/-0.5; AT:PR=1.8+/-0.3, PO=2.4+/-0.3). CONCLUSION:: We found that 10 weeks of moderate-high intensity RT: 1) reduced the systemic inflammatory milieu and 2) abrogated exercise-induced circulating IL-6 in previously sedentary elderly women.
PMID: 19927028 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Just wanted to say that I am currently rereading bbs for the second time. When I first got, I sped through it, and then went out and bought 5 more copies which I promptly lent out or gave away…(perhaps gave away, because I only just now got one back), and am rereading so I can quote for book I am working on.
Even better second time through… fascinating book… reading much more carefully….
chin
nautilus compound leg press
nautilus pullover
I did my WoW on Monday. TUL is up by at least five secs on all movements. Even my shoulder press is improving now that I increased the weight.
One observation from last week.
In the leg press I was due to push 185kg, so I though one light warm-up set should help. So I did 10 reps of 75kg, after which I did not feel warmed up or exhausted.
But when I tried my workout set, I could not get the 185kg moving. It felt like kicking a concrete wall.
This week I skipped the warm-up set again and voi la, 185kg for 110 secs.
I just finished rereading the chapter on global metabolic conditioning, and this time, I think I understood most of it. First time, I was skipping through all the technical stuff quickly so I could get to the workout!
So question… I’ve heard Fred Hahn say that although he doesn’t advocate cardio, he says walking wherever you need to go short distances does help levelize insulin levels. I walk the dogs .8 km (half a mile) most days and take the stairs at work (four floors) and for recreation, my wife and I ballroom dance 2 to 3 times per week. All of these are short duration, very low intensity. Does this acutally contribute anything to insulin control, and/or does it impede progress. (not that I’m planning giving up walking the dogs or dancing, but could skip stairs if it makes any difference)
Amy’s workout last night:
Nautilus pullover
Nautilus overhead press
Nautilus pullover
Nautilus incline press
MedX Avenger leg press
Re: HIT and the immune system,I do not know if it’s attributed to HIT or genetics,but I hardley ever get sick.I did have to miss a few days in high school in 1975 due to some kind of virus.In 1991 I got food poisoning,so I went outside,threw up in the parking lot,went home for a four hour nap,and then went back to work.Other than that I have never been sick.I have many friends who are runners and cyclists and they seem to be sick all the time with colds,coughs,sniffles,and sinus infections.
@Doug Holland, re immune system… I think it’s the beer at the end of the deadlift set!
Looking to get back on a Saturday schedule so decided to do a Little 6 rather than a Big 5 even though we had 8 days recovery since last workout. We will have only 4 days rest until Saturday so decided to keep it on the lighter side.
My left shoulder is now bothering me quite a bit as well, which will make it tough to do overhead presses. The pain is right in the middle of the range of motion on an overhead press. Does anyone have advice about exercising through this? Should I drop the exercise all together or try a limited range of motion? Any advice appreciated. It hurt some doing deltoid raise today and I stopped the exercise immediately, dropped the weight in half, and did a limited range of motion with no pain. I have no idea whether that is the right thing or not. I believe the pain is caused by either sleeping on it wrong or Jeet Kune Do movements that seem off for my anatomy. My arms do not straighten out fully and keeping my elbows in on “sticking hands” exercises really puts me in a bad position that might have contributed.
Workout was good and took right around 13 minutes.
-Bicep curl: Up 2.5# and down only 3 seconds. Still above 90 seconds.
-Leg Curl: Same weight and up 17 seconds.
-Tricep Extension: Up 2.5# and down 16 seconds. Finally below 90 seconds.
-Leg Extension: Up 5# and down 22 seconds. Finally below 90 seconds. Might have been better to go up only 2.5#. Not sure why I didn’t do that.
-Deltoid Raise: Low weight. Limited range of motion to avoid pain. Went to failure after a while but didn’t time it.
-Calf Raise: Up 10# and down 14 seconds. Below 90 seconds.
Anyone with advice about the sore shoulder?
My wife’s workout(12 minutes):
-Bicep Curl: Same weight, up 18 seconds
-Leg Curl: Same weight, up 18 seconds
-Tricep Extension: Same weight and time
-Leg Extension: Same weight, up 5 seconds.
-Deltoid Raise: Same weight, up 7 seconds.
-Calf Raise: Same weight, down 14 seconds.
All good overall I think.
Doug,
To your point about HIT and not getting sick. I’ve been managing and training at Doug’s place for over three years. As I’m sure you’re aware, you’re subject to various oral body fluids being expelled in close proximity many times a day, 4-5 days a week. I’m pleased to say that other than a few sniffles along the way I’ve made it this far without any significant type of cold or other illness. In fact this year I’m getting cocky enough not to get a flu shot…we’ll see!
Ed
WOW-11-28-09
Deadlift
Nautilus Leverage bench press
Deadlift (added weight)
Med-X Avenger Overhead Press
Nautilus Pullover (N.O.)
Great workout! I was feeling a little blaah before the workout, but after the first warm-up set on the deadlift I was feeling good. My metabolic conditioning is going up every workout.
W.O.W. 11/21 2009
Leg press
Incline press
Lat pull
Decline press
Rows
Shoulder press
All poundages were the same with slight improvements in TUL on the first 3 and the fourth exercises. I didn’t get around to posting on last week’s site as I had to go to Panama. No workout on the 28th so the next will be Dec. 5th and I will have had 2 weeks rest.
Great stuff on both last week’s and this week’s site. It took me a while to get caught up on all the info. Ate a relatively good diet while there and definitely got my share of D3. Being that close to the equator, it doesn’t take much sun exposure to notice results. The BBS principles of intensity and duration are definitely applicable here.
Ed H
December 3, 2009
1. Overhead Press: 256 lbs / 1:47
2. Torso Arm: 320 lbs / 2:05
3. Leg Extension: 212 lbs / 1:40
4. Leg Curl: 206 lbs / 1:36
5. Chest Press: 282 lbs / 1:37
6. Compound Row: 280 lbs / 1:12
7. Lumbar Ext.: 222 lbs / 1:23
8. Lateral Raise: 98 lbs / 1:02
Duration: about 21 minutes
Intensity slightly reduced as last time. I just stopped about a second after positive failure. In addition, I reduced the up until now rather extreme ROM for some of the exercises, especially for the lumbar extension and compound row, from which I had negative reactions the last few times I performed it.
Doug
Is your opinion still the same regarding the use of Rest-Pause at Failure - “A Useful Intensity-Extender” (you rest just long enough after failure to allow yourself to get just one more repetition … say 10-15 seconds)as described in your article “Grist For the Mill” which can be found at your ultimate-exercise web site?
Thanks
John
Hi,
I agree with Rick BBS is better reading the 2nd and even better the third time round.
For Jeff,
About two years ago I suffered from shoulder problem I continued to exercise for about twelve months eventually I saw a shoulder specialist. I had a SLAP (labrum) tear in the shoulder I was forced to have shoulder surgery about 4 months ago. For about twleve months I could exercise similar as you are now doing I suffered similar symptoms as you have outlined, I don’t know if this is good news for you. I think I done mine from bench press but it could have been from 30 odd years of exercising. I have just purchased Bill DeSimone MAE book Bill talks about concerns with full range exercise Bill may be able to give some advice on “safe range”.
John,
Rest-Pause at failure is still (IMO) one of the more useful intensity extenders. It allows re-exposure of the most productive part of the set without repeating all the fatiguing reps leading up to failure. It is like a second set, but only the productive part.
Having said that, I would still use it VERY sparingly. Experience tends to suggest “once is enough”. But if you are going to do an intensity extender, this is a great one.
Doug McGuff
Nautilus low back
Medx front grip pulldown
Medx Avenger 10 degree
Medx Chest Press
Biceps curl
MedX Avenger Leg Press
Workout time 13:34
Greg
Dr.McGuff,
You said the following:”Experience tends to suggest “once is enough”.
Do you mean one repetition or only applying the technique once ever?
Regards,
Al
@Jeff and Steven:
Yes, shoulder pain is my hobby. For myself, I’ve concluded that overhead pressing, even at a steep incline, is a distant third behind press behind the neck and upright row as shoulder wreckers, and after my most recent bout of stuff, I don’t see me ever doing them again. The long story will probably make up my next you tube, but for me, shoulder work will be rear delt as in MAeX, external rotations, and possibly a raise in the scapular plane, rather than front or side work. Chest presses will be as in the video, arms not in pure flexion or adduction.
And ice. Lots and lots of ice.
@Jeff,
In addition to the comment I left at your blog, I would suggest that you may have some biceps tendonitis where the proximal bicep slides through the bicipital groove on the anterior humeral head.
If you do bicep work and then the lateral raise you are using is not congruent (especially if you are abducting the arm with the humerus in any degree of external rotation) you can cause the bicep tendon to try to “jump the tracks” of the bicipital groove.
If you are going to overhead press, use MedX if possible with palms facing together grip toward the end of the handle. The Nautilus with the coverging handles looks like it may put a lot of tension on the biceps tendon at the humeral head.
Ultimately it may not be due to working out at all. The worst shoulder trouble I ever had was when my kids were little and I spent a lot of time carrying around the infant child seat in the crook of my elbow with my arm abducted and externally rotated. I had trouble chest pressing, overhead pressing and wiping my butt. Once I figured out what I was doing wrong, I started avoiding the way I carried the car seat previously and the pain resolved.
@Al,
By “once is enough” I meant the initial set to failure. I was suggesting that the rest-pause may not add anything. I would do only one extra rep in movements where you tend to run a short TUL, and up to 3 reps in movements where you run a longer TUL. In general, I would perform this infrequently.
Doug McGuff
12/5/09
Did the six that I do at this time: Incline dumbell press, weighted deep knee bends, dumbell lateral raises, curls, tricep extension, and leg raises.
I am beininning to look different with 3 workouots it the last for weeks.
Diet is getting beter. I am also noticing what I perciece to be more strength and conditioning for Judo
On Dec 4, did the following:
Chins bw of 169+25lb plate, 5-5 cadence, 5 reps, and part of 6th
Torso Arm 130*1212 (jreps halves)
Nautilus Pullover (1,5’s) (single reps with 5 second breaks between) 110*12 (and realizing I chose the weight too light, at one reps, I did several partials)
Can someone explain this… my lats or biceps are hardly sore, but my chest, abs and triceps are still sore today…(I can see the abs)
3rd workout in the last 4 weeks.
All the times were up, as well as weight in two exercise movements. Should reach a point next week where weight will increase in Incline Dumbell Presses, and squats.
Feeling very strong in the first three exercises, and then a bit worn during the last two out of three.
Been four weeks sinc ehaving restarted and am already seeing a difference in my shoulder/chest/ab/leg areas.
update to my post above… my lats are sore… noticed when I tried a very light weight on torso arm, adjusting for someone I was training… also workout can be seen on my blog which is www”dot”heroofyourlife”dot”blogspot”dot”com
@Rick,
WRT your first question. I think the kind of activity you describe is beneficial and has no negative effect on recovery. The urge to do these kind of activities comes with the activation of the active genotype the occurs with HIT.
I think your abs and tris are sore because of the duplicate work they received during the chins, torso arm, and pullover. Furthermore, the tricep soreness (especially if it was on the medial arm) may actually be lat soreness from it’s insertion on the medial humerus (commonly mistaken for tricep soreness)-consult your favorite anatomy text for details.
Doug McGuff
@Rick-I always got a great pump in the triceps when doing dumbbell pullovers. Although machine pullovers are more strict with less possible elbow motion, the triceps does attach to the shoulder blade so it is involved in shoulder movement. I think the style of your reps (I did watch your video-nice abs!) may have played a part in that you did every rep in a rest pause style (Devany style?)-this may have caused increased activation of your tricep muscles!?