In Another thread about best fatloss training parameters you recommend using 6-6-4-4 reps if using the built for bad setup. You also recommend Heavy lifting in the 4-6 range in general whilst in a fatloss phase to preserve musclemass.
My question is if you would recommend using the 20 minute style training - 2-3 excercises per day, same excercises every other day but with above rep setup if working for fatloss and maybe adding the kettlebell swing tabata at the end. Using the same weight for all sets and maybe raising it when able to perform all four sets for 6 reps?
Would this be a valid approach to get good fatloss whilst preserving as much muscle as possible?
Thanks in advance and also for all the great info for many years!
In Another thread about best fatloss training parameters you recommend using 6-6-4-4 reps if using the built for bad setup. You also recommend Heavy lifting in the 4-6 range in general whilst in a fatloss phase to preserve musclemass.
My question is if you would recommend using the 20 minute style training - 2-3 excercises per day, same excercises every other day but with above rep setup if working for fatloss and maybe adding the kettlebell swing tabata at the end. Using the same weight for all sets and maybe raising it when able to perform all four sets for 6 reps?
Would this be a valid approach to get good fatloss whilst preserving as much muscle as possible?
Thanks in advance and also for all the great info for many years![/quote]
I believe in NOT using lifting as a way to directly stimulate fat loss. Lifting should be used to preserve muscle mass. If you accept that you won’t be building a lot of muscle (if any) while ingesting a caloric deficit then it is easy to see that:
Doing a lot of lifting volume is NOT necessary
Doing a lot of isolation work is NOT necessary
Striving to maintain strength IS necessary
So using a low amount of movement, done frequently, for low reps, is a good way to train while trying to lose fat because it is easy to recover from (requires less fuel during the workout and during the recovery period) and is enough to maintain strength and size. If anything it’s easier to LOSE muscle mass if you do too much volume than if you do too little when dieting down.
Any program that is based on low reps, on 4-6 sets of a few basic lifts done 2-3 times per week each will work.
Grod, here’s what I’ve been doing. I’m coming back from a 3 month lay off with the intent to first bring my strength back up to acceptable levels, bring up my level of GPP, then worry about stripping some body fat.
I’ve been establishing a baseline of calories for my given level of activity. So, no dieting right now just establishing the number of Kcal necessary to maintain my current weight (not very difficult as I’ve done this many times). Further, it would be counter-productive to cut calories at this time since I’m reestablishing a base of strength.
I’m currently establishing my density/strength limits–that is the limits of my strength-endurance/capacity. While CT is right that you should not use lifting as a primary means of body fat loss, but rather, to maintain (or increase) strength, density is useful as a means of increasing the so called “oxygen debt” incurred through exercise. Further, if you can lift explosively, at a reasonable intensity (load), with short rest intervals your nervous system will be much more activated than drained, resulting in a further increase in your resting metabolism. Density also keeps me more focused and motivated and gets me in and out quickly (which will become very important as you drop calories).
I’m using the BFB set-up of exercises as follows : 5, 5, 5, 3. I start with some general warm-up of kettlebell swings and empty-bar SGHP, then 3 sets of progressively heavier weight in the trap-bar dead for X3, X2, X1. Then the circuit begins. I emphasize the eccentric on the FIRST rep only of each set–you want to stimulate mTOR without causing undue fatigue which will cause a reduction in load. Granted you won’t be putting on much–if any–muscle during a coloric deficit, but stimulating mTOR seems like a good way to me to offset any potential loss in LBM during dieting.
I’ve been increasing weight in all movements while maintaining as fast a pace as possible without a drop in performance. Normally it’s been taking me about 20-25 min. to complete everything–that includes warm-up time. Today I increased weights again and it took me 35 min.! That’s a HUGE increase in time and about the limit of time I personally would want to train while in a caloric deficit. It was much more challenging in terms of conditioning/strength-endurance–and this was without a caloric deficit. So, I’ll keep the weights here and work on getting my time to under 30 min., only then will I begin a MILD caloric deficit while attempting to increase the weight in movements as I can. I’ll only increase weight when I can complete everything in 30 min. or less, this way as I start to cut calories and my performance starts to slip (which it inevitably will to some extent) I’ll have a little room to play with–being able to allow my time to creep up to 35 min. or so. If I can’t complete a work out in about 35 min. I’m either going too heavy or my conditioning/strength-capacity needs improving.
For me, one of the most important training variables while dieting is the density/load relationship. I don’t want my training at this time to become a slow grinding type of work out–there’s a time and place for that type of training but’s it’s not here. So, I attempt to increase the load as long as the density stays reasonable, again within about 35 min. for me. The point is I’m willing to sacrifice a little in terms of load in order to keep the density high–but never lower than 70% of 1RM. on the sets of 5, and no lower than 80% on the set (s) of 3.
As my strength continues to increase I’ll modify the sets as follows: 5, 5, 3, 3 in order to allow for more lifting at a higher intensity; trying to increase my intensity (load) to 80% and 85-90% for the sets of 5 and 3, respectively.
Thanks for the answers guys. I don’t lift to burn fat but to preserve/build muscle and get stronger, sorry if it seemed that way.
Crowbar your ideas are interesting, I do really like lower rep work 3-6 range and really short workouts usually 25-30 minutes,absolute tops 40 minutes with 2-3 basic movements, also high frequency doing every movement 2-3 times a week.
The baseline calories starting point and then trying to get more work in whilst very slowly dropping calories seems a sensible way to do it.
What do you Think of doing a higher rep set after the 4 lower rep ones, say if doing dips for example, doing Heavy weighted ones for the four sets and then one bodyweight only maxing out or maybe keeping a rep or two in the tank?
For now I just work 2 or 3 movements, not supersetted but eventually I will try the built for bad setup but with the slightly higher reps recommended by both Christian and Crowbar.
The shorter dense workouts really keep me energized and longing for more training btw, I even get a really nice overall pump (haha).
Thanks for the answers guys. I don’t lift to burn fat but to preserve/build muscle and get stronger, sorry if it seemed that way.
Crowbar your ideas are interesting, I do really like lower rep work 3-6 range and really short workouts usually 25-30 minutes,absolute tops 40 minutes with 2-3 basic movements, also high frequency doing every movement 2-3 times a week.
The baseline calories starting point and then trying to get more work in whilst very slowly dropping calories seems a sensible way to do it.
What do you Think of doing a higher rep set after the 4 lower rep ones, say if doing dips for example, doing Heavy weighted ones for the four sets and then one bodyweight only maxing out or maybe keeping a rep or two in the tank?
For now I just work 2 or 3 movements, not supersetted but eventually I will try the built for bad setup but with the slightly higher reps recommended by both Christian and Crowbar.
The shorter dense workouts really keep me energized and longing for more training btw, I even get a really nice overall pump (haha).
Grod, I think the pump type work would be better saved for the following day as a separate short session aimed at improved recovery through increased blood flow. I think the pump work would only serve to stress limited recovery abilities.