If anyone has seen my other posts they know im a huge fan of old OLD school bodybuilding. Ive been doing a fairly basic full body routine and im getting bored with it.
I started doing a gironda 8x8 full body routine mon wed and fri. Looks like this. I used some of vinces favorite exercises and a couple of my own.
I kept the reps around 8-10 leaving about 1 or 2 reps in the tank not going to complete failure but close. And i averaged at 15 to 20 seconds between sets and about 30 seconds between exercises. Ive been reading online that this is supposed to be crazy intense but im not feeling the insanity. I kept the rep ranges, went to almost failure, had almost no rest between but it wasnt super difficult for me. Im not new to the short rest periods, ive always done this but usuallly just for 3 consecutive sets. I mean dont get me wrong, my heart was pumping and i was feeling the burn but i wasnt dieing…i couldve kept going.
So either im really conditioned or im doing something wrong? Should i add a couple more exercises or graduate to 10x10? Anyone have experience doing 8x8 or 10x10?
My understanding is that you use a weight thats challenging for 8 reps which I am. If I went heavier if be in the 6 rep range. Do I increase weight and then use that weight until I get to 8 reps then increase again?
Yeah as others said up the weight . Personally I would take one compound move and take my time -90secs to 2mins rest and really bring it and the rest just breeze through with 20-30 secs rest etc
Your average has a 25% variation. Or 30%? I don’t math too good. Stick to a strict by-the-clock rest period. Not about 15-20 seconds, definitely not 15-20 breaths. Time it exactly and be consistent.
Gironda was also big on being focused during training, so make sure that every single one of those 64 reps you’re doing are quality movements with sufficient tension on the target muscle.
It’s super-easy to blast through 8 reps with a light weight, rest a little, and bang out more sets. It’s another thing entirely to contract the muscle against resistance for 8 clean reps, rest 15 strict seconds, and be ready to repeat the performance 7 more times.
You are most likely not giving yourself enough credit for just how heavy you can go for 8 reps.
I like to use this as an example from my own training. The very first rep of this set could easily have been it, but it turned out I actually had 2 more reps in me.
Consider running the old school 20 rep squats program at some point. It gives you a good understanding of just how many reps you can eek out when you think you don’t have any left.
20 rep squats are great. I don’t know much about bodubuilding, but the weights do really seem a slightly off for this kind of training. 8x8 with front squat should not be easy.
I mean, I’ve seen strong and very, very conditioned athlete almost giving up when doing 4x8 fronts in one workout.
I’vde done 10x10 before (assuming you are talking about GVT that is…what I found was on:
Squats: Worked really well, both for adding mass & as a conditioning supplement.
Lat pull downs: Also worked really well.
Bench press: Not good…had to stop about 3-4 sets in…felt like my chest was about to explode.
Bicep & tricep isolation movements: Worked well, great pump!
Rows: Worked well, similar to lat pull downs.
I just did front squats this morning and struggled pretty hard on the last rep for each set. It wasn’t that bad. Maybe I should record myself.
Same with every exercise. I get to the point where I can’t do any more with good form. Usually 1 or 2 more before i,literally can’t lift anymore. Today while benching I almost couldn’t get the last rep at all on the last few sets i,got a little scared haha. So I’m pushing myself.
Example of the weight I use, dips with additional 45lbs, Pullups with additional 25 pounds, bench press 145lbs, row 145lbs, decline bench 185 , dumbbell press with 45s all for about 8-10 reps. And for 153lbs and long arms I think that’s decent weight to throw around for 8 sets with little rest. It’s not like I’m pressing with 25lb dumbbells and stopping with another 10 reps in the tank
Also the 5 second difference is dependant on if I’m using dumbbells or for instance the bench press I take an extra few seconds to position and retract my shoulder blades etc
Question: When was the last time you failed a squat? As in, went down, tried to get back up, spent about 7 seconds grinding it, and then crashed down on the pins? No spotter assist or anything.
Oh nevermind I don’t do back squats my form either sucks or my core is weak because it kills my back. I’m working on strengthening my core. Eventually ill start doing squats and deads
Your very first post said you were doing squats, so you understand my confusion.
The reason I pick that movement is because the front squat and Dbs are easy to bail on. A squat really traps you, and you have to really decide if it’s legitimately too heavy or if you still might have 1 more. Invaluable teaching tool for learning where failure REALLY is.
Spotterless benching can achieve a similar effect, but I don’t find it as helpful.
You should consider squats. Without a midsection of steel, you’re always going to end up in a bad position which will always limit how much weight you move. That will limit how much stimulus your legs get.
Which meams weaker, smaller legs. You gotta attack your weaknesses head-on, not avoid them
Front squats are more upper back. At least for me. I’m not in a position to get injured.
Being all gung ho and having a great attitude goes so far until I snap my back up and can’t work. I don’t get sick days and my lower back goes through he’ll at work as it is
