Hi, optimum nutrition is coming down to my country malaysia and hosting an event. The challenge will be:
1min rep challenge:
Squat: 60kg (20kg each side)
Bench press: 40kg (10kg each side)
Deadlift: 60kg (20kg each side)
Basically u have to do as many rep as possible in 1min.
Currently i’ve been doing typical bodybuilding split workout 4 times a week consist of chest day, back day, shoulder day, arm day. I know the weight of the challenge is pretty light. But im just curious and i wanna ask u guys, will u guys alter the training regime for the reps challenge? Maybe 5x5? Giant set? What will u guys do?
I would practice for what you need to do. Throw the prescribed weight on the bar and do AMRAP in 1min. Also mix it up for a few weeks at lighter weight for more reps in a minute and heavier weight for less reps in a minute. I like training specificity for this type of goal.
It looks like you’ll be testing work capacity. You’ll need to improve that. In addition to just running the challenge on yourself try some lighter Tabata training. It will increase your work capacity AKA lactic threshold. During a challenge like Thai or sounds like the limiting factor is going to be that point in the dry that your muscles burn, cramp, and stop contracting (failure). The reason that happens is because you’ve burned through your anaerobic energy capabilities and can’t buffer the lactic acid anymore. Once it builds up it will shut you down to a lower intensity until it can clear it out.
By work capacity I’m referring to the phospho-creatine energy system’s ability to do work. I’m also thinking of the ability to buffer lactic acid. I guess that could also be called conditioning but it’s very specific to the anaerobic energy system.
My wife is a dedicated runner and by definition “conditioned” or in good shape but she wouldn’t be able to do a minute of non-stop squats since it’s a different intensity and energy system.
Edit: I view work capacity in a more short term way as in how much work you can perform in a training session. Improve capacity–train harder/longer. I think it’s just the way I was taught. Viewing it over the course of a full day or multiple days works too (strongman, decathlon).
Typically, I have seen conditioning refer to ability to recover within a set and a workout, while work capacity is the ability to recover from accumulated volume throughout a training cycle. It is why those with greater work capacities can handle higher volume training.
But I thought it was related to intraset recovery and allowed them to do more in a given training session… which would probably also apply to greater volume over a period of time…
Only if they had the ability to recover from such volume over such a period of time, which is where work capacity comes into play. Conditioning allows you to get more volume in a training session, but if your work capacity isn’t up to snuff, you burn out fast or need very frequent deloads to recover from accumulated fatigue.
I ran the Deadlift portion of this challenge with 135lbs and it seems more like a speed challenge. I had gas in the tank at the time limit but should’ve moved faster.
Thanks guys for the infoo. So it looks like tabata is the way to go. How many times a week do u guys reckon? 3 times a week? Do u guys i think i should include some 5x5 strength training to maintain my strength? or its not necessary?
From my experience yesterday this is all about speed. Obviously deadlifts could be the easiest of the three lifts due to the large muscle groups, range of motion, and not having to reverse the weight like bench and squat–you get to use gravity instead of your muscles.
I used to do Tabata four days a week. I finished every workout with them at about 65lbs. I’d set a rep goal like 13 or 15 on each round and then strive for a record on the last set. If I hit 15 reps on every set then I’d add 5lbs the next time.
I lol’ed at ‘5x5’. And you said it TWICE! How in the world is doing sets of 5 going to help you here? I would think 50+ reps should be possible in this challenge. I’d have to try it to verify. But 5x5? Come on man. Train for your goals. You’ll have to do high rep work. Granted, I didn’t see how far off this challenge is, so if it’s like months away, doing things to support strength goals would make sense. But if we’re just talking about a few weeks, then I would start doing amrap sets. Do the actual challenge. The way I would structure it would be by doing the deadlift challenge one day, the squats 2 days since apparently you don’t currently work legs, and the bench 1 day. Get yourself used to pushing through an entire minute, that’s going to be key. Figure out what pace you can maintain.
I was thinking like 5x5 once or twice a week just to maintain strength and feel comfortable with the heavy weight, so when i actually do the actual challenge it will feel lighter? and i was thinking like 2-3 times a week do tabata or the actual challenge amrap sets. Logical? no? haha
i rarely do leg day haha