For over a month I have experienced considerable strength gains with 30-30-30, at almost every workout (when combined with 30-10-30 and “normal” cadence, two days a week in a 10 day cycle).
The 30-30-30 regime is evidently the driver into heavier weights/load, in my experience. The other regimes serve to perfect the form, and over time establish the increase in load. I have not seen similar increases in load during only 30-10-30 regime.
I have mentioned this observation previously in other posts. In some machines I now use the full weight stack on 30-30-30, which is a pleasant surprise.
I was wondering if you, Dr Darden, or anyone else has made similar experiences with 30-30-30? Any theories why it is so?
If I dare to say, I recall previous member “planet health” was onto this, but the message got lost along the way as he failed to describe it in simple terms.
Hi pettersson,
I made good strength gains on 30-30-30 for quite a while and then I got really stuck. It was only after talking with Dr. Darden that I realised I needed to tailor the cadence to my muscle fibre type. Then I started to be able to make increases in the weights I could use for another extended period.
From my learning on 30-30-30 I realised I needed to tailor 30-10-30 to my own individual needs very quickly. As a result I was able to continuously increase the loads I could use for quite some time.
For both cadences some of these increases come from getting used to the movements as much as anything else (maybe more so).
There will always be a ceiling though (age, genetics etc etc). I have been using these cadences for around 5 years now so my ability to continuously increase loads is somewhat diminished. My way to continue to have satisfying workouts is to vary cadences across workouts and exercises.
If anyone has insight in these cadences, it is you, considering your personal experience of being trained by Dr Darden.
Your reply provides an explanation to the progression in both 30-30-30 and 30-10-30, which says a lot. Neuromuscular adaptation?
I intend to meet the skill/adaptation by adding/replacing excercises, dumbbells/bar instead of machines, which surely will bring back the load-factor. I might even make one of my three regimes a high-rep session, or why not super-slow for a change.
Any opinions or suggestions about that? What kind of tailoring for your muscle fibre type did you do, Jeff? Thanks in advance.