Off Topic Board

I've put on 15 pounds this year. At 160. First year consistently working out.

I work out in six day sets, with rests sometime at the halfway mark.

Day 1 -
Cardio/Bicep/Shoulders

Day 2 -
Chest/Abs

Day 3 -
Cardio/Triceps/Back

(optional rest day)

Day 4/5 -
Cardio/Biceps/Shoulders

Day 5/6 -
Chest/Legs

Day 6/7 -
Cardio/Triceps/Back

(mandatory rest day)

Loving it so far.

Trent RIchardson squatting 700 lbs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOWaHPzptS4&feature=related

Today is a conditioning day.

As many complexes as I can get in 30 minutes

Each complex is 6 squats, 6 power cleans, 6 push presses, 6 RDL's, 6 rows, 6 deadlifts, 6 pushups. All done with a 135 lb Barbell.

Have yet to try anything like this before, should be fun.

2 sets of tennis twice per week and lots of baby lifting. i now have tennis elbow in my "off" hand from baby carrying. it's a legit diagnosis. my arm was about to fall off at the mall on sunday

AM:

5 x box jump(36") - 5 x deadlift(315) - 5 x power clean(155) - 5 x weighted pullup(35) - 5x hanging feet to elbows. 20min, repeat as many times as possible. Completed 9, maybe could have squeezed out another but dead and clean dropbox is a good 50' from the closest available rack to do pullups and then another ~50' jaunt back to the box jumps. Pulling 3 plates feels like the weight of the world after about 5 sets.

PM:
20min of fartleks on the indoor bike trainer because I couldn't ride to work today due to rain.

Hanging feet to elbows = hanging leg raise, bring your feet to your elbows

20min total. Hit the timer on the watch, start the circuit, stop when the timer says 20:00. No rest except between stations(and maybe a little in-between deadlift reps)

I take naps between sets.

I'll jump in here.

I ran a mile, then hit the punching bag. Seven 3-minute rounds, 5 push ups and 1 minute rest in between each.

I turned 65 in the middle of February and I have learned to workout smart over the years. At 61 years I did a lot of yoga, then at 62 years I did a lot of Pilates.
For those of you so inclined to look for alternatives to traditional weight workouts I offer this.
I do the same stretching and twisting routine to start my workouts 5 days a week: I use a roller on my back and shoulders in the place of deep tissue massage, several hamstring & back stretches, a high and low back/ hip twists, quad & calf stretch.
M, W, & F after the above stretching & twists I use the hamstring curl, calf press and Quad Nautilus machines to work my legs, a deltoid lift and pull ups with the assisted counter balancing weights (not my full body weight), then I finish with my aerobic stationary bike or elliptical machine. 80 mins with stretching and twists.
Tu & Th I do four Pilates abdominal exercises for abs of steel, two sets of push up, back extensions, swimming and heel sweeps for buns of steel, leg circles and plank. I finish with the bands having handles on the end to do back, lats, triceps and biceps as well as the rotator cuff exercises. 65 minutes with stretching and twists.
I kiteboard for fun.

Some big-time bodybuilders(Mike Mentzer, Dorian Yates) had success with HIT. The principles go against most of what we (believe we)know about power and strength development, but seems to be effective for hypertrophy.

I like the workout because a) it is very intense and b) I am finished in under 30 minutes and c) since I am over 40, it is less stressful on the joints.

It would be an interesting study to see how HIT compares with other programs. My daughter is a military buff and our local fair had a Marine stand with a pull-up bar. I wanted to win her a t-shirt and I was able to bang out 20 pull ups, which is a pretty good amount, especially since I weigh about 210. I'm not sure if I would have had the same strength using other weightlifting methods particularly at my age.

There is a reason not a single s&c coach on the planet uses HIT principles and every one worth his beans does a ton of concentric speed work, slow repetitions are completely contraindicated for increasing one of the 2 components of strength and power(rate of force production) development. That is one of the fundamental principles of muscular adaptation; you are essentially saying I want to see the studies comparing the effects of sprint and long distance training on maximum running speed. It is obviously effective for hypertrophy and is easier on joints and tendons, therefore is often used successfully in bodybuilding and I am sure it works great for your goals.