Working Out In The Heat

Training
1

Hey all, long time no see. A lot has changed around here…

Anyways, it’s fuckin hot. My gym is currently ~105° + heat index. Unfortunately I simply cannot workout at another time right now. Life finds a way to be impossibly busy.

I’m running Jacked&Tan2.0. everything is bearable and going great, short of squats.

After my sets I’m drenched. My head is pounding. And I am absolutely wiped.

Should I just reduce Volume? Would it be reasonable to just focus on squat on Tuesday, then use my Wednesday rest day for the accessories to break up the stress?

Hell, is the heat just not worth battling and keep my squat days short until it cools down?

Just looking for thoughts.

2

Not across this program, how much squat volume is there ? How long are the rest times ? What are to drinking / eating before and during ?

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Currently:

Squat TM (or whatever they call it in GZCL) is low at 85%

3-5m rest times on the big movers

Squat Volume reduces as intensity rises weekly, but lowbar squats on Tuesdays with Amraps. Straight sets of Leg Press on Fridays. (Leg press already subbed over front squats as they were killer in the heat as well)

Job is… average. Not sedentary but not overly active.

3/4 to a gallon of water before my workout.

MRE shake in the morning
50 P
500 Cal
45 Carb

Chicken, rice, and a salad for lunch
52 P
700 Cal
60 carb

PB & Banana sandwich right before workout

These are loose numbers but a start

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@simo74

Apparently I forgot how to use this forum and replied to myself.

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5

OK so had a quick look at this, seems like for your main movement the program has you work up to a RM rep max set and then you drop the weight a little and do back off sets ?

For the secondary movements you do straight sets and third movements are straight amrap.

I am assuming as you mention squats as the main issue, you are struggling with the Rep max and back off sets.

Food intake and water looks on point. You dont mention of you take any intra workout fuel ?

I guess there are a few ways to make this more bearable.

  1. take longer rests between the sets - This may make the session very long which in the heat could be another problem.
  2. Reduce your training max / working weights. The program has a lot of volume in the other movements so I cant see it hurting to reduce the squat a little.
  3. Cap the reps on the rep max work, Just get 3-5 really good reps in, with good speed and then drop and do the back off sets.
  4. Or just suck it up and dip your head in a bucket of ice water between sets. LOL
2 Likes
6

Lol all solid options. No intra workout fuel, I have to be careful not to get myself sick on water alone.

The disconnect is really the squats>whatever I choose to do. The accessory work is painful, but incredibly easy even my accessory standards.

But I think they idea of capping my sets isn’t a bad idea. I can always just double down on a squat centric program in the winter.

Maybe keep my top set exactly what is estimated, no more. Maybe skip the AMRAP.

Sucking it up is the ideal option, but on week 4 of still not having sucked up, I think it’s time to cut my losses lol.

Thanks for the solid advice!

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7

Am I right in thinking the amrap work is the T3 accessory movements ? There is no amrap on the T1 squat.

If it is just accessory work, just do a few less reps, work on getting a solid pump and move on.

8

So essentially it is:

T1: Big Lift

Warm up to top set (10, 8, 6, etc)
2 back off sets at prescribed weight
1 back off AMRAP

T2a: Straight set of alternate supp (Ie front squats on DL day)

T2b: Typically rows. Same rules as below

T3: Accessories work up to top set at x reps. Do 3 sets as many reps as possible each set. There can be 2, 3, 4 different movements here.

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Sorry mate I missed that final AMRAP set on the T1 work. I would deff either cap this or just drop it.

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No worries. Thanks for the concise tips. Reddit failed me, so I knew I had to find my login here.

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11

Good to see you!

I’m with @simo74. If it helps mentally, maybe think of it as a “100°+ training max”. Then you can have another standard in winter?

2 Likes
12

You too man! 100%, at the very least I’ll treat squats like this moving forward. I can keep the momentum going to finish the squats, which I feel like is probably enough, but I feel like the overall payoff is less than dialing them back and hitting my assistance as well

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