Interesting question....

[jimmyt]

Originally Posted by drewyallop

Many good points birly. But many are contradicted in the book I referenced. I suggest you get the book for a more complete argument. I think you would be surprised at how much high intensity training can contribute to overall athletic performance, including speed. But note that there are may be insurmountable limits imposed by an individual's genetic makeup.

Been doing strength/fitness training for years and Body By Science was the most eye opening read on the subject I have ever set eyes on. Enough science and footnotes to satiate most here I would imagine. I just returned the book to the library and I definitely will be buying a copy of this one.

Just started reading this book and I have to agree 100% with it being the most eye opening subject. At my age of 54 my body that daily breaks down because of the years of "low intensity" long time workouts, this knowledge is the best thing that could have happened to me. My body can endure "high intensity" short time bursts a few times a week. Once you get passed all the reasons and studies why it works the book is "Ting of Beauty". That last comment for all my Italian brothers and sisters out there.

 

[conkanen]

Welcome Jimmy

 

[ParHunter]

I've been doing the big5 workout from Body by science now for the last month but I am not sure whether I am doing it right. If I remember it correctly from the book having lactose (sore muscles) is a normal and you should have it.

I did get it the first few times but not anymore. Is that a sign that I am not pushing hard enough (give up to early) or does the body simply get used to it?

 

[wulsy]

I was told that lactose being the cause of sore muscles is a myth. Does it say that in the book?

 

[conkanen]

I've been doing the big5 workout from Body by science now for the last month but I am not sure whether I am doing it right. If I remember it correctly from the book having lactose (sore muscles) is a normal and you should have it.

I did get it the first few times but not anymore. Is that a sign that I am not pushing hard enough (give up to early) or does the body simply get used to it?

Hi Par,

It probably just means you have done something your muscles are not used to. In this case it's probably
the increased intensity and longer cadence. Not being sore just means the muscles have adapted. Neither
is a prerequisite for growth. Same thing happened to me. I am sure you are doin great.

 

[spktho]

The lactic acid build up in the muscles will cause the burning during the exercise due to lack of oxygen. As long as you are getting to positive failure in a fairly quick amount of time meaning the muscles cannot aerobically keep up and you are not injuring the muscle tissue, then you may not get sore. In my experience you should feel the muscle fatigue for at least a couple hours after the workout, though.

 

[Billy McKinney]

High enough intensity produces HGH, which should be called Human Youth Hormone instead. It raises testosterone as well..especially squas. It also releases adult stem cells which heal what's needed. The body demands increasing sophistication and will whisper to you that it is bored with a given 'magic bullet' exercise. Fast twitch muscle fibers can be actuated but for us grownups, find a way to do it without impact.

 

[jimmyt]

The body demands increasing sophistication and will whisper to you that it is bored with a given 'magic bullet' exercise. Fast twitch muscle fibers can be actuated but for us grownups, find a way to do it without impact.

I couldn't agree more, for the adults in the room. I have had enough impact for a life time.

I have just started reading......through the first 3 chapters. I know the book makes recommendations with regards to equipment! I'm curious what you are all using. I have always been a free weight guy but to take exercise to positive failure with a spot defeats the purpose. Home Gyms, actual gyms, will accept recomendations, just try to keep these suggestion with affordable reality.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ParHunter]

I couldn't agree more, for the adults in the room. I have had enough impact for a life time.

I have just started reading......through the first 3 chapters. I know the book makes recommendations with regards to equipment! I'm curious what you are all using. I have always been a free weight guy but to take exercise to positive failure with a spot defeats the purpose. Home Gyms, actual gyms, will accept recomendations, just try to keep these suggestion with affordable reality.

Thanks in advance.

In the book they recommend machines with a CAM profile. Of course my local gym only has cheap machines without any cam profiles so the weights feel 'different' depending on e.g your arms are fully bend or nearly fully extended. Not ideal but I guess it has to work.

 

[drewyallop]

I couldn't agree more, for the adults in the room. I have had enough impact for a life time.

I have just started reading......through the first 3 chapters. I know the book makes recommendations with regards to equipment! I'm curious what you are all using. I have always been a free weight guy but to take exercise to positive failure with a spot defeats the purpose. Home Gyms, actual gyms, will accept recomendations, just try to keep these suggestion with affordable reality.

Thanks in advance.

I train at a local recreation centre using Apex machines. Not bad but not the best. For that I think McGuff recommends Medx but that stuff is scarce where I live. The rec. centre has free weights but I agree with McGuff that it is easier to maintain form on a machine.

I have another training question for you all. I have been working the big five for the last 4 months but have plateaued Time under load has not increased significantly in the last three sessions. This is covered in the book and the recommendation is to move to the Big Three workout. Has anyone reached this point and moved on to Three and with what result?

 

[spktho]

I did the golf workout from the book with dumbells for the forearms and my old Bowflex for the rest. Leg press is the hard one with the Bowflex so I would do what I could on it, then jump on the spinner bike and do 1 to 2 hard sprints for 30 seconds.

I did it for about 3 months and also felt like I plateaued so I took about 3 weeks off and am going to start the big 5.