19A - Fit and Well Article for May 11th, 2003
TITLE:
DIVERSIFY to GET FIT AND FITTER!!!!
"Dear David & Patricia…
I have been exercising at various levels for over forty years – I’m presently 58. I know the value of combining aerobic and anaerobic exercises – even during my marathon days (personal best: 2:55), I still included some anaerobics. However, as the years passed by, I found my middle spreading out and my schedule not allowing me enough time in the gym. A couple years ago I read about "super slow" anaerobic exercises (was it in your column?). Now I find I can spend less time in the gym but achieve superior results. This is the first time since my football days that I am actually sore for a few days after each workout. My suit size has suddenly gone from 40 to 42 and my waist from 36 to 34. Question: why don’t I see anyone else doing this and why don’t I read more about it?"
-J Roahen
Annapolis
Dear Jay…
ABSOLUTELY! It certainly DOES work, and in my training, I often use it to challenge "plateaus" and increase stress and overload on slow-twitch fibers. So, you found a great style of exercise.
Regarding WHY it’s not used more… Interesting story.
This was a very exciting "discovery" a few years back, and as a result, many clubs actually were modeled utilizing this technique, almost exclusively. It is TRULY the most efficient way to do resistance training, and the most time efficient! (People have a REAL hard time with THAT concept… they assume it’s better to rush through the movements to save time… silly them!).
Anyway, the bottom line? It worked, but it was too darn hard! Too much pain (or rather discomfort) for too long a time. People (especially MALES) would just NOT tolerate it. And, historically, and genetically, men’s threshold of pain is considerably lower than women’s (that’s why men don’t have babies????).
So the clubs dedicated to this type of exercise pretty much "shut down" operations, except for a select few in (you guessed it) sunny California.
Jay.. obviously you have found a MATCH. Keep it going. However, remember that muscle and systemic adaptation ALWAYS occurs, so remember to "shake it up" a bit now and then! Keep your muscles, and your body, guessing. I might suggest super-high reps, and maybe descending sets as a compliment to the super-slow approach.
By the way, in case our readers are not familiar with this system, it involves doing only one set for each major body part. You use about half the weight you use for the traditional method, and go SUPER SLOW, both up and down. Seven seconds up (one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, etc.) and ten seconds down. The first few reps are easy. But then, by rep eight, your muscles are burning! Do 10 reps – if you can do more, next time add more weight. Remember… just ONE set per body part!
Other Special Techniques:
1.Trisets – Using three exercises targeting the muscle group and performing them in quick succession with little rest.
2. Giant Sets – Similar to Trisets but the set range is 4-6 sets. It can target the same muscle group or two antagonist groups (ex. 2 sets biceps followed by two sets triceps).
3. Continuous Tension – Moving the weight slowly over the entire range of motion.
4. Partial Reps – After taking the muscle to failure and you can no longer complete a full rep, take the weight only through half the range of motion.
5. Negative Reps – GET A TRAINING PARTNER OR A SPOTTER. The spotter takes a load that’s heavy enough you could not perform one rep of the exercise. The spotter helps you get the weight to the finish point of the exercise. Then it’s up to you. You let the weight down to the starting point of the exercise while resisting the whole time.
6. Stripping Methods – Start heavy with low reps, strip off a couple of plates, do more reps with the lighter weight. So on and so on.
7. Pyramiding – Opposite of stripping.
8. HIT – This is a technique of one to two set exercises for one body part per week. Very intense.
9. REST – This one of the most underrated techniques of pushing past you limit. Have you been lifting a long time with no layoffs? Try taking two weeks off and come back stronger.
10. Strength Training – High number of sets (5-6) with low reps (2-3).
12. Change the order of your exercises or the days – A mental thing and it works.
13. Pre-exhaustion – Hitting the smaller muscle groups before the mass movement that targets the same area. Ex.) Deltoid exercise before military press.
14. Supersets – Two exercises done back to back with little rest. Usually between antagonistic muscle groups.
15. Heavy Partial Reps: I have been using these for a while to increase my maximum lift in the squat and dead lift. For squats, I use a Smith Machine, and set the safety bars to roughly 5-6 inches below my shoulder level. This allows me to do the most powerful part of the lift (and hence the most weight) without risking safety. You can do partial reps on our Smith Machine for bench press and military press, also. Just bring a bench over, set the safeties, and pile on the weight. Just don’t overdo it. Use good form with the most weight for 4-6partials.
A COMPLETE PROGRAM
Remember to include from 20 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise at the end of each session. And the warm-up and stretches in the beginning, during, and after.
The gym is a playground (Trish said that!). Always approach it that way, and maximize your progress!
BOX ONE:
Benefits of Special Techniques:
David Oshman, M.Ed., is a Certified Trainer, Fitness Consultant and Wellness Lecturer. Trish Oshman is a Certified Trainer and Club Manager in Washington, D.C. Visit The
First Family of Fitness at: http://www.Fitness-Life.com. E Mail: OSHMAN@FITNESS-LIFE.COM.