Has anyone used an EDT type protocol for whole body workouts? I have Coach Staley’s book, which seems to focus on the arm mesocycle. But I want a total body foundation builder using EDT principles.
I was going to try this formula:
First 15 min PR zone
Chest press
Lat Pull
Seceond 15 min PR zone
Leg extension
Leg curl
Third 20 minute PR zone
Biceps curls
Triceps extentions
Lat raises.
Please critiqe…
I chose these exercises partly because the machines at my gym are in close proximity. I was aiming for two rest days between each workout, but I fear that may not be enough as some body parts get real sore and may not recover so quick.
Some may disagree, but I’d dump the idea of alternating exercises so you can use free weights for everything. I mean, do you really want to use leg extensions and curls as your leg workout?
Maybe you can find a way to group at least a couple pairs. Like maybe doing bench presses in a power rack and then doing chin-ups in the rack.
It’s easy. Easy as a girl in Tijuana. Just take a whole body workout and apply the priciples! That’s it, that’s all really is to it. Say you’re doing Pull-ups, Deads, Bench and some curls. Just make it three 15min segments for the compounds and then one 10min seg for the curls. Easy as pie(I mean eating it, not actually making one from scratch).
I agree with w207. Choose the money exercises.
Eg 15 minutes of squats and deadlifts
15 minutes of chins and dips or bench press and bent-over row.
Puke and go home.
Just hog the free weights in your gym! Usually no one is using the squat rack or chinning or dipping station anyway. Unfortunately, they are using the exercises you originally selected. No offense dude, but they were a bit pansy.
Look at soem of mike mahlers work. the new Vitalics magalouge (spelling?) has a 3 x weekly program set out by mike regarding whole body EDT. I like to do EDT because even the next day i feel so pumped and jacked.
Simon
P.S. - you can download the new vitalics Magalouge (thats what they call it i would call it an informative catalouge)
I’m having a really hard time understanding what set/rep range you hit when doing the circuits on any EDT program??!! I guess my semi-anal engineer personality needs something structured and rigid for me to “think” it’s effective. I have read VERY thoroughly the article that the last poster put up AND asked Staley about this, but STILL can’t get a good direction to go in. I over-train very easily and I want to apply EDT while dieting, so over-training would be a HUGE set-back on a hypocaloric diet. I know with each core movement, you work up to 80-90% of your 1RM, then hit a PR zone of 12-15 singles. But, what’s up with the circuits - what’s the basic set/rep (volume) scheme with these???
Top Sirloin… Take a deep breath…OK. For your alternating PR zones, use a weight that would be about an 8RM. Do about 5 reps, go immediately to the antagonistic exercise, do about 5 reps. Repeat. Eventually the amount of reps you can complete will drop and you will find yourself taking longer in between sets. Make sure you record how many total reps for each exercise. Next workout try to get more total reps with the same weight. Once you get 20% more reps, increase the weight by about 5%. You shall now cease asking questions and go lift.
[quote]TopSirloin wrote:
…But, what’s up with the circuits - what’s the basic set/rep (volume) scheme with these???
[/quote]
The circuits are also done EDT-style using 3 sepatate PR zones. You have 15 minutes in each zone to complete as many reps as possible for the 2 exercises selected. Then you get 5 minutes rest before moving on to the next PR zone. Therefore, each workout consists of 4 PR zones, 1 for the core movement followed by a circuit consisting of 3 PR zones.
Only you will be able to answer the “how many sets/reps question” after you begin the program. As a starting point I’d suggest shortening the rest intervals from that used in the previous workout in order to complete more reps. Try starting with 5-6 reps each set using a 10RM weight. The last few sets in your zone will only consist of 1 or 2 reps. For example, use 45s rest between exercises in week 1, then 35s rest between exercises in week 2, etc.
That helps a lot! That’s exactly what I was asking coach Staley or someone to tell me… there is actually FOUR PR zones per workout!!! I guess I just have to jump in and try out the variable set/rep scheme… seems really weird, but I’m open minded.
BTW, I don’t nag just to nag - I just like 100% clarity because of injury/over-training prevention. Not to mention that I have clients that I’d like to put on some of these programs, but there’s no way I can prescribe them if I can’t explain the in my own words.