build muscle fa days

I wrote a recent post about using low weight and high reps to build muscle for 24+ hours. Below is a workout that encompasses this idea. It really didn't turn out perfect so next time will be better but it was still hard. The prefatigue was just to get us started but the workout will be the technique I mentioned.

Side note: we moved Monday workouts to Tuesday due to a scheduling conflict.

My morning progress: This morning I banked 750 reps.

This evening we did:

Prefatigue:

20 seconds to complete 6 reps of each exercise. after 20 seconds, move on to the next exercise. 5 total rounds:

6 suspension cable row (like a bent over row)
6 30# dumbbell situp

6 32" box jump

6 superman pushups

rest 5 min

Workout:

90 seconds to complete each exercise for max reps, 30 seconds to transition to next exercise. 2 full rounds.

90 seconds max reps dumbbell bench press using 30# dumbbells

rest 30 seconds

90 seconds max reps upright row using 45 pound bar

rest 30 seconds

jump rope (continuous for 90 seconds)

rest 30 seconds

90 seconds max reps 1 leg squat

rest 30 seconds

Saturday's long-low intensity

For the record, 4 days is too long to wait between workouts and (imo) working out before breakfast is more effective then working out later in the day. It's also a lot harder. One exception, since I can't get my intensity high enough in the morning yet, I do my really hard stuff in the afternoon. But as far as running, pushups and stuff like that it works GREAT.

700 reps of the basic (14 rounds of 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 10 situps, 10 back extensions, 15 squats) then 4 mile run. (took about 1 hour in between)

new personal record for Murph

what is Murph? Murph is a crossfit workout I have been working on for years. I checked my time I got last year and it was 41:50. This time I got 35:20!

Workout (time yourself from start to finish):

run 1 mile

100 pullups

200 pushups

300 squats

run 1 mile

(break up the middle exercises into any combo to complete the full amount. I did 20 rounds of 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats)

Heavy duty crossfitters do this workout wearing a 20lb weight vest.

Taylor's time 36:50

Evan: 44:08

Ryan 42:20

Alex (or newest victim): 38:00 but he only did 1/2 mile run, 12 rounds of the above, 1/2 mile

Saturday and this week

On Saturday I worked out 14 sets of "the basic" in about 25 minutes. So I'm running about 700 reps in the morning. Today I only had time for 4 sets. Tomorrow I will take the morning off because my team is doing the "Murph" for our workout.

Murph is a CrossFit workout. Time yourself to complete:

Run 1 mile

100 pullups

200 pushups

300 squats

Run 1 mile

break up the middle exercises in any combo you like (I prefer 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats for 20 rounds). My first time I did it took me 55 minutes, my last attempt was around 44 minutes. My goal this time is 34. I will have to do even better for the competition but that is some good advancement if I can do it.

5 stations

for this workout we did a light warmup and then jumped right into it. This sequence takes 30 minutes.

there are 5 stations. Each station has 2 exercises which are related. The format of the workout is as follows

20 seconds to complete 10 reps of main exercise

40 seconds to complete max reps for burnout exercise

1 minute to rest while moving to next station

thus - you will have about 1 minute of effort and 1 minute of rest. Repeat the below sequence 3 times.

FYI - the guys really thought this workout was fun and challenging

STATION 1

10 deadlift with 40# dumbbells

40 seconds of max reps squats

rest 1 min

STATION 2

10 pullups (or arm haulers)

40 seconds of max reps bent over rows (using 40# dumbells)

rest 1 min

STATION 3

10 wide grip pushup with legs elevated

40 seconds of max reps dumbbell flys (using 15# dumbbells)

rest 1 min

STATION 4

10 toes to bar

40 seconds max reps situps

rest 1 min

STATION 5

10 overhead pushups

40 seconds max reps dumbbell press (using 12# dumbbells)

rest 1 min

complete 3 total times.

ramping up!

Yesterday morning I completed 11 rounds of my "basic". 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 10 situps, 10 back extensions, 15 squats. Total = 550 reps

in the afternoon I took the guys through 6 more rounds of the above, a 10 minute rest then the following "chipper" workout. ( a chipper is 1 round, no repeating) Time yourself to complete:

25 pushups

run 200m

25 tricep extensions using (1) 40# dumbbell

25 (18") box jump

run 200m

25 calf extensions

25 pullups

run 200m

25 curls using (1) 40#dumbbell

25 squats

run 200m

25 lunges (total steps) holding (1) 40# dumbbell

25 dips

run 200m

25 overhead dumbbell press using (1) 40# dumbbell

25 situps

run 200m

25 back extensions using (1) 40# dumbbell

My time: 13:51

Taylor, however, beat me by 2 seconds: 13:49 grrrr

This was 1 full minute shorter than I had done 2 years ago. But 2 years ago, we didn't have 300 rep "prefatigue" nor was I doing 550 reps in the morning.

Evan shaved 4 minutes off his time from 2 years ago and came in at 15:10

It was a tough one!

Gym Routines

Some of you are working out in gyms and wondering how you can get a workout like I post without taking over four machines and asking everyone to wait for you for 20 minutes. Here are some ideas. I'm trying to take into consideration some rest because someone else wants the machine you are using, but we put other exercises right after the machine to keep the heart rate and intensity up. The goal always being to gain lean muscle, burn fat and build your heart.

Routine 1:

bring a pair of dumbbells over to a bench press. Pick a weight that you can do about 20 times for each exercise but shoot for maximum repetitions on each exercise. do the three exercises one right after the other then rest for 3-4 minutes afterwards. Repeat the circuit 3-4 times resting each time.

bench press

standing dumbbell curl

dumbbell squat (with the same dumbbells you just used for curls)

Routine 2a:

using a lat-pulld own or a seated cable row machine choose a weight you can do about 10 times

max lat pull down

max pushups (don't rest during the set)

rest 3-4 minutes.

repeat circuit 3-4 times resting each time afterwards then move to 2b below

Routine 2b:

pick a weight you can do about 10 times

max leg press (or squat or leg extension) then immediately afterwards do

max split jumps

rest 3-4 minutes

repeat 3-4 times resting after each circuit.

Routine 3:

this one focuses on an exercise with a burnout for a few sets then moves on to another body part. Pick weight you can do about 10 times

10 Bench press

max flys

rest 2 min

repeat 3 times then

10 seated cable rows (or lat pull downs)

max standing curls

rest 2 min

repeat 3 times then

10 leg press (or squat or leg extension)

max squats (no weight!)

rest 2 min

repeat 3 times

Building lean muscle for days. Put down the heavy weights.

Building muscle with light weights? I thought you had to lift at 90% of your maximum to build muscle. New research is starting to refute this (so has my experience). This is great news for people with high blood pressure issues or even the elderly. Lifting heavy is not the only option anymore. I have previously mentioned on my videos and facebook page about lifting with a slow cadence (3 seconds up and 3 seconds down, no pause until you finish the set, using 50% of maximum) builds nearly as much muscle as lifting heavy. Now, researches have taken this a bit further and gone after even lighter weights and seen similar results.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100811125943.htm

The key seems to be - pushing the set to failure. I have seen research showing this is not as beneficial for strength but my opinion is those studies did not account for enough rest at the high weights (just an opinion). Pushing to failure makes more sense for increased strength. So if you're lifting the lighter weights - go each set to failure. The study participants who did this were still building muscle 24 HOURS after the workout. Those who lifted heavy weights WERE NOT.

The original abstract from the research is here.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0012033

NAVY PRT TEST

So I wanted to see how my fitness ranked against other members of the US armed forces. My buddy turned me on to the navy PRT test.

Here's how the test is conducted:

http://military.plainfacts.net/fitness/navy-physical-readiness-test-navy-prt/

Male Standards for my age class:

http://www.navy-prt.com/malestandard/35-39.html

My scores:

2 min Curl ups: 88

2 min Push ups: 88

1.5 mile run: 9:40

Score: 285

Total possible score: 300

(that morning I did a 500 rep workout so I was a little tired)

before breakfast

I'm trying to increase my total workout volume. Its very hard to wake up in the morning and do a heavy lifting or high-intensity set. Its hard mentally and physically so I've been doing what I call "basic" sets where I can work all major muscle groups pluscardio but nothing gets too fatigued. Hopefully, I can get to 1000 reps each morning. I'm half way there.

10 rounds of

"The Basic"

90 seconds to complete:

5 pull ups (can't do pullups? sub bent over dumbbell rows or arm haulers)

10 push ups

10 situps

10 back extensions

15 squats

if you finish the set before 90 seconds, rest remainder of the time before starting 2nd set.

The rest keeps you from blowing out too fast which will only shorten your actual workout.

3 Stations

Prefatigue:

6 rounds of the "basic". Each round performed in a 90 second interval. Rest remainder of 90 seconds

5 bent over rows

10 pushups

10 situps

10 (40# dumbell) back extensions

15 squats

Workout:

at each station and you will have 30 seconds to complete 10 reps. In most cases you will probably finish 10 reps before 30 seconds is complete, just rest until the time is up and switch to the next exercise. Alternate between 2 exercises until you have done each exercise 4 times. Naturally, this will take 4 minutes. The kicker here is, both exercises work the same muscle groups. Rest 1 minute between stations .

Station 1:

push ups

dumbbell flys

station 2:

box jump

goblet squat (holding one 40# dumbbell)

station 3:

bent over row (using two 40# dumbbells)

standing curls (using two 15# dumbbells)

OMGoshness I almost puked

prefatigue: 7 rounds of the "basic" in 90 second intervals

BASIC: 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 10 situps, 10 back extensions, 15 squats. rest remainder of 90 seconds (if you have any time left)

I made up two exercises for this workout. When I was doing them, I wished I hadn't invented them.

Zombie Burpee: holding 2, 40# dumbbells begin in a standing position. Drop down, do a pushup, get your feet underneath you, stand up and in a single motion do a bent-over-row.

Situp-to-pullup: start in a standing position, drop down to the ground and do a situp. come up from the situp with maximum speed to get to a standing position under a pullup bar. Grab the pullup bar and do a pullup.

Workout:

1 minute to complete each set, 5 sets per exercise then go to next station

STATION 1: 10 zombie burpees

rest 1 min

STATION 2: 10 situp-to-pullup

rest 1 min

STATION 3: sprint 100m jog back to start.

it's 17 minutes of effort but it's pretty rough.

Friday

Slow reps simulate higher weight inside the muscle (without the rise in blood pressure) when done correctly. Research indicates 8 reps (where rep 8 is very difficult) at a 3/3 count (3 seconds up, 3 seconds down) without resting simulates lifting at 90% of your max. It produces gains like lifting heavy. This is the main reason I mix into my exercises.

6 rounds of the "Basic":

5 pullups

10 pushups

10 situps

10 back extensions (2x10#)

15 squats

rest 5 min

Using 3/3 timing, take 2 minutes to complete each round, 5 rounds total.

suspension rows (using TRX or similar)
pushups

1 leg squats