T-Nation,
I have decided to back the weights off to two days a week for a while. Let me explain. After having been out of fight sports for ten years I realize that even though I may look like I can kick somebody’s ass, I probably no longer could. I don’t like this. So I am starting to get back into martial art training two days a week. I also am adding back in my cardio day which is a run to the gym, some jumprope body weight work, then a run home.
As far as the weights go I am going in and hitting the big exercises. Day 1 is Bench 225, Pull Ups with a 45lb weight, lunges with 55s, with as many sets as reps allow (if I can get 1 rep then 5 sets but once I hit 3-5 down to 3 sets up until I can get 10 reps for 3 sets, rest also varies with reps) then 2 sets of an auxillary/single joint exercise, like 90lb ez bar curls, or single leg deadlifts then 1 set of an ab oriented exercise, leg raises, v-sits.
Day two is a squat 275/deadlift 315, 135 military press, 135 Bent Over Rows (with good form), in the same manner as Day 1 then 2 sets the single joint/aux lift dips with 45s or single leg squat or calf raises and 1 set abs. Will this work, to A make me stronger in all these lifts and B keep my muscle I have built up?
[quote]T-man21 wrote:
T-Nation,
I have decided to back the weights off to two days a week for a while. Let me explain. After having been out of fight sports for ten years I realize that even though I may look like I can kick somebody’s ass, I probably no longer could. I don’t like this. So I am starting to get back into martial art training two days a week. I also am adding back in my cardio day which is a run to the gym, some jumprope body weight work, then a run home.
As far as the weights go I am going in and hitting the big exercises. Day 1 is Bench 225, Pull Ups with a 45lb weight, lunges with 55s, with as many sets as reps allow (if I can get 1 rep then 5 sets but once I hit 3-5 down to 3 sets up until I can get 10 reps for 3 sets, rest also varies with reps) then 2 sets of an auxillary/single joint exercise, like 90lb ez bar curls, or single leg deadlifts then 1 set of an ab oriented exercise, leg raises, v-sits.
Day two is a squat 275/deadlift 315, 135 military press, 135 Bent Over Rows (with good form), in the same manner as Day 1 then 2 sets the single joint/aux lift dips with 45s or single leg squat or calf raises and 1 set abs. Will this work, to A make me stronger in all these lifts and B keep my muscle I have built up?[/quote]
Not if you keep using the same weight each session.
I think you could MAINTAIN what you have with this approach, but ONLY if the combined effects of the weight training, AND your fight training do not create such a stressful environment that you start to eat away at your lbm.
You most certainly will not make gains, but in light of your goals, I think youll be okay
Depends on what your martial arts and other training is. If running to the gym means doing sprints up a hill sometimes, then your legs will continue to get stronger, if pushups and punches = double clap pushups and heavy bag punches then your upper body will get stronger. Progressions.
[quote]FormerlyTexasGuy wrote:
Yeah, intensity will be key.
You won’t get the gains you are used to but you can still gain on two days per week.
You will have to be much more careful with your diet though. [/quote]
Who the hell makes significant gains on only two days a week especially when the rest of that time is spent training for fighting?
This is why pics need to be in everyone’s profile because I am betting the people saying you can still gain like that are making little progress themselves.
Pick a goal and go for it, but don’t expect your body to still grow muscle mass like a weight lifter/bodybuilder when you are training it like a fighter.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I think you could MAINTAIN what you have with this approach, but ONLY if the combined effects of the weight training, AND your fight training do not create such a stressful environment that you start to eat away at your lbm.
You most certainly will not make gains, but in light of your goals, I think youll be okay
I am okay with maintaining my muscle mass, I figured I would not be able to add mass or anything while training this way. But, will my strength maintain as well, or can I still make gains there? I am trying to get stronger in the bench, deadlift and squat.
Currently my 1 rep/2 rep maxes are Bench 225, Squat, 275 and Deadlift 315. I want to make these my ten rep maxes with good form, will I be able to accomplish this only weight training two days a week? Yes my intensity is up and I don’t waste my time with a ton of single joint lifts opting for the BIG exercises instead.
[quote]T-man21 wrote:
I am okay with maintaining my muscle mass, I figured I would not be able to add mass or anything while training this way. But, will my strength maintain as well, or can I still make gains there?
I am trying to get stronger in the bench, deadlift and squat. Currently my 1 rep/2 rep maxes are Bench 225, Squat, 275 and Deadlift 315. I want to make these my ten rep maxes with good form, will I be able to accomplish this only weight training two days a week?
Yes my intensity is up and I don’t waste my time with a ton of single joint lifts opting for the BIG exercises instead.[/quote]
Your genetics are going to determine whether you even maintain what you have. Not one person here can predict that for you.
You are spending the majority of your time now training for fighting. Don’t expect strength increases on a routine like that to any significant degree.
Let me also add that I am going two days a week because my opening exercises in the workouts are currently dependent on CNS, when I can get them up to 8 reps with good form I was planning on training them three days a week, with variation because by then they would be in a hypertrophy zone, although I am aware I would most likely still be maintaining.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
FormerlyTexasGuy wrote:
Yeah, intensity will be key.
You won’t get the gains you are used to but you can still gain on two days per week.
You will have to be much more careful with your diet though.
Who the hell makes significant gains on only two days a week especially when the rest of that time is spent training for fighting?
This is why pics need to be in everyone’s profile because I am betting the people saying you can still gain like that are making little progress themselves.
Pick a goal and go for it, but don’t expect your body to still grow muscle mass like a weight lifter/bodybuilder when you are training it like a fighter.[/quote]
Unless he was lying Roy Calendar only trained ONE day per week hitting the whole body, and he didn’t look to shabby. So that’s who the hell makes those kind of gains. It’s NOT how long you spend in the gym…it’s what you do while your there. I work at a gym and I see guys coming in there 7 days per week ans they have made NO gains whatsoever.
[quote]slimthugger wrote:
Professor X wrote:
FormerlyTexasGuy wrote:
Yeah, intensity will be key.
You won’t get the gains you are used to but you can still gain on two days per week.
You will have to be much more careful with your diet though.
Who the hell makes significant gains on only two days a week especially when the rest of that time is spent training for fighting?
This is why pics need to be in everyone’s profile because I am betting the people saying you can still gain like that are making little progress themselves.
Pick a goal and go for it, but don’t expect your body to still grow muscle mass like a weight lifter/bodybuilder when you are training it like a fighter.
Unless he was lying Roy Calendar only trained ONE day per week hitting the whole body, and he didn’t look to shabby. So that’s who the hell makes those kind of gains.[/quote]
Roy Calendar trained more than one day a week when he was competing and was well known for insane training sessions that involved more sets and reps than most pros at the time could ever perform. The man was a genetic freak among genetic freaks. If you want to go one on one about bodybuilding trivia, you may want to pick someone else to play with.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
slimthugger wrote:
Professor X wrote:
FormerlyTexasGuy wrote:
Yeah, intensity will be key.
You won’t get the gains you are used to but you can still gain on two days per week.
You will have to be much more careful with your diet though.
Who the hell makes significant gains on only two days a week especially when the rest of that time is spent training for fighting?
This is why pics need to be in everyone’s profile because I am betting the people saying you can still gain like that are making little progress themselves.
Pick a goal and go for it, but don’t expect your body to still grow muscle mass like a weight lifter/bodybuilder when you are training it like a fighter.
Unless he was lying Roy Calendar only trained ONE day per week hitting the whole body, and he didn’t look to shabby. So that’s who the hell makes those kind of gains.
Roy Calendar trained more than one day a week when he was competing and was well known for insane training sessions that involved more sets and reps than most pros at the time could ever perform. The man was a genetic freak among genetic freaks. If you want to go one on one about bodybuilding trivia, you may want to pick someone else to play with.[/quote]
There was a time in his career when he ‘got by’ doing one day per week workouts. It in the first edition of the Arnold encyclopedia. (yellow cover) One thing you are correct on- only somebody with superior genetics can pull that off.
[quote]slimthugger wrote:
Professor X wrote:
slimthugger wrote:
Professor X wrote:
FormerlyTexasGuy wrote:
Yeah, intensity will be key.
You won’t get the gains you are used to but you can still gain on two days per week.
You will have to be much more careful with your diet though.
Who the hell makes significant gains on only two days a week especially when the rest of that time is spent training for fighting?
This is why pics need to be in everyone’s profile because I am betting the people saying you can still gain like that are making little progress themselves.
Pick a goal and go for it, but don’t expect your body to still grow muscle mass like a weight lifter/bodybuilder when you are training it like a fighter.
Unless he was lying Roy Calendar only trained ONE day per week hitting the whole body, and he didn’t look to shabby. So that’s who the hell makes those kind of gains.
Roy Calendar trained more than one day a week when he was competing and was well known for insane training sessions that involved more sets and reps than most pros at the time could ever perform. The man was a genetic freak among genetic freaks. If you want to go one on one about bodybuilding trivia, you may want to pick someone else to play with.
There was a time in his career when he ‘got by’ doing one day per week workouts. It in the first edition of the Arnold encyclopedia. (yellow cover) One thing you are correct on- only somebody with superior genetics can pull that off. [/quote]
Roy also had a regular job like many other pros back then. That is what makes those guys even more impressive. They worked long hours and still worked out to achieve those looks. He did not build the majority of his size only training one day a week and he did NOT get ready for contests only traioning one day a week.
Phil Hill stated he NEVER trained legs until right before a contest…however, you would have to be one serious dumbass to think he BUILT that size by doing the same.
You can MAINTAIN the muscle you have by training less often than it takes to build it in the first place.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I think you could MAINTAIN what you have with this approach, but ONLY if the combined effects of the weight training, AND your fight training do not create such a stressful environment that you start to eat away at your lbm.
You most certainly will not make gains, but in light of your goals, I think youll be okay
S
[/quote]
I’m going to guess that adequate nutrition (protein/calories) needs to be maintained as well.
[quote]SteelyD wrote:
The Mighty Stu wrote:
I think you could MAINTAIN what you have with this approach, but ONLY if the combined effects of the weight training, AND your fight training do not create such a stressful environment that you start to eat away at your lbm.
You most certainly will not make gains, but in light of your goals, I think youll be okay
S
I’m going to guess that adequate nutrition (protein/calories) needs to be maintained as well.
