Training Made Simple

[drwink]

So what are the two major goals in training? Special populations aside, people are looking for either weight gain, or weight loss. But when we talk about weight, we really aren't just talking about overall weight. We are talking about body composition.

First things first, how do we achieve either goal? Well, the answer is simple. We put on muscle mass, and decrease bodyfat. Awesome, the goal is set. But how do we do it? What are the proper training techniques to accomplish such a goal?!

Reducing bodyfat:
Cardiovascular exercise is pretty much the only way that the human body will use bodyfat. The body uses a few different energy sources. The ones we are concerned about are as follows; Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), Creatine Phosphate (CP), Carbohydrates, and Bodyfat. The body starts off an activity by using ATP. One phosphate breaks off which leaves us with ADP, adenosine diphosphate. Creatine Phosphate brings back a phosphate to reattach, replenishing the ATP. That process will take the body to about 5 minutes of activity. After that, the body will begin using carbohydrates for energy. This process takes us up to the 20-30 minute point, and THEN, depending on the intensity level of the activity, the body will switch over to either bodyfat, or musclemass.

Top athletes excluded, the body will ONLY use bodyfat in a lower intensity exercise. This means the cardiovascular activity should be done at about 65% of your maximum heart rate. If the intensity is too high, the trainee will not be able to utilize oxygen properly. Oxygen is NEEDED in order to breakdown bodyfat for energy use.

Cardio must be done at 65% of maximum heart rate for any time over 30 minutes for it to be effective at using bodyfat. My minimum recommendation is 45 minutes, but I always favor the full hour.

There are many people that choose to do high intensity cardio. While some of them can be successful with it, the average trainee will not be able to utilize oxygen properly, and therefore cannot use bodyfat. Also, the average high intensity cardio routine will only last somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes. Well, as already stated, within that timeframe the body is only using carbohydrates. Yes, we ARE burning calories, but carbohydrate calories, not bodyfat calories. They are two different things.

Gaining Muscle:
Gaining muscle mass will always make bodyfat use a much faster process. Why? Because the more muscle the body has, the more calories it will burn in ANY activity. So how to we put on muscle mass?

Lets say it's my first time in a gym, and I'm going to attempt a bicep curl. Well without any added weight throughout the movement, my body is already used to the weight of my forearm and my hand. Well, lets say I pick up a 5 lb weight. Now my body no longer knows what this weight is. The repetitions with this weight will cause the muscle tissue in my bicep to breakdown. Now, over my resting days, my body will heal the muscle tissue that has broken down, and it will build lean muscle mass on top of that in order to prepare for that weight for next time. Now the next time i go back into the gym, if pick up that same 5 lb weight, and do the same exact amount of repetitions I did last time, my body does not have the same need to adapt. My body will already be used to this weight from the last training bout. However, if I graduate to a 8 or 10 lb weight, then the process will repeat.

So now that we know how the body adapts to weight training, how do we apply that knowledge?

Should I do a split routine? Well, while some people will swear up and down that they are absolutely necessary for building muscle, THEY ARE NOT. Honestly, if we are following the body's rules of adaptation, we can use a full-body training routine two times a week and get fantastic results, AS LONG AS WE GET ENOUGH REST. If you follow those rules of adaption, we quickly realize that every time we go to the gym, we should be able to beat whatever we did last time.

Here is the deal. Let's give ourselves a range of 8-12. As soon as we hit 12 repetitions (slow, controlled repetitions) we can increase the weight. With that weight, the next time you go to the gym, you will probably get 8 reps. With enough rest before the next working bout, you should get maybe 9 or 10 reps. Once you get 12, you can increase that weight again.

Usually people only take 1 day of rest between training bouts. I suggest two or 3, and as your weights increase you MAY need more rest time. If your weights do not increase, that means you did not get enough rest time, and your muscles did not have enough time to adapt. MORE TRAINING IS NOT THE ANSWER. More weight training will only break down MORE muscle tissue and then you will not be able to adapt fast enough!

This is broad information at the moment, and I do plan to refine and make everything much more specific. However, I plan to do this in video logs. I'm not going to attempt the project however, unless I know I will have a regular audience who wishes to participate with question and answer sessions. If you enjoyed this information, and would like to learn more, respond with your thoughts and your questions.

Criticism is welcome, as there are countless philosophies of how to train. I have worked with many personal trainers, good and bad, and have seen many trainees make progress on different programs. I'm not saying what is the best, but these are my preferred training ideals.

Any and all questions are welcome, and I look forward to your input.

[Gunn4r]

Good info for a newb like me! Thanks!

[uday1583]

good information, it would help a lot.. thanks

[Dire.Straits.]

Also, a question.
Is it possible to continue to build muscle, while not increasing weight??

[tonester]

Good stuff. And good on you. Excellent grasp of things.

On the fat loss front though, I recommend an "energy system development" route for fat loss and overall fitness results. Only doing aerobic work will short change the body of the ability to continue to burn fat long after the workout is over by tapping into the high intensity energy system. There is a good reason, I believe, that we have those different energy systems. We should use all of them.

A good example of what I prefer and recommend to anyone who will listen is here:http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ng/running_man

For myself, I cycle this type of work a number of times a year and use a conjugated approach to a weekly schedule. My range is tabata intervals, 200/400/800m and laid back 3 mile runs.

My input here comes from a more general/fitness/athletics angle. A pro-bodybuilder will of course follow an appropriate aerobic path to pre-contest.

[drwink]

Also, a question.
Is it possible to continue to build muscle, while not increasing weight??

Yes, it is possible to build muscle while not increasing weight, but only under very strict and specific circumstances. If the trainee is training strictly for weight gain, the most common method is to train like crazy, and eat like crazy. This is not needed, as training has already been discussed above, and will be in more detail later. On the topic of eating, excess protein is stored in the muscle mass; this means 500 extra calories of protein a day = 3500 extra calories of protein a week, which would equal a pound of week on the trainee, if all training conditions are met. If the body does not have a need to adapt the muscle tissue to increasingly higher demands, then the extra caloric PROTEIN intake is wasted. Most people just eat extra everything so they have a much higher caloric intake. This method is faulted however, as any extra carbohydrate (energy) calories that are not used by the body, will be stored as bodyfat (stored energy). So people make amazing claims of gaining 60 lbs in such a short period of time, but only a very small percentage of that weight gain is actually muscle mass.

If the trainee is building muscle mass AND losing body fat, THIS is when the body weight can be completely maintained.

Please do not be misinformed. It is COMPLETELY possible to gain muscle and lose body fat. It is already common knowledge that muscle weighs more than body fat. So let us assume that the trainee, through proper training methods has gained two pounds of muscle, and lost two pounds of body fat. Well, obviously 180 - 2 + 2 = 180, so the body WEIGHT has not changed at all. However, as previously discussed, in this instance we are looking for body composition change, which will be acquired. Since muscle weighs more than fat, it takes more bodyfat to make up that same 2 pounds! Which means even though the body stays at the same exact weight, the body WILL SHRINK!

Progress is not tracked through body weight alone. Bodyfat percentage measurements and circumference measurements MUST be kept in order to track a successful training program!

So yes, it is possible to build muscle without gaining weight, however, the probability of this being consistent for a long period of time is not a good one. Once the trainee reaches a certain point, ie: the minimal bodyfat percentage, any increase in lean muscle mass from that point will lead to weight gain, just for the fact alone that there is no more excess bodyfat to reduce.

Hope I answered your question as thoroughly as possible!

[Kelei]

Cardiovascular exercise is pretty much the only way that the human body will use bodyfat.

Yeah ok..............

[drwink]

On the fat loss front though, I recommend an "energy system development" route for fat loss and overall fitness results. Only doing aerobic work will short change the body of the ability to continue to burn fat long after the workout is over by tapping into the high intensity energy system. There is a good reason, I believe, that we have those different energy systems. We should use all of them.

First of all, I thank you greatly for your input.

I hope from this first statement though, that you are not confusing my training recommendations. There are always three parts of any good training program: Diet, Cardiovascular Training, and Strength Training. Three parts of one whole means that each training protocol makes up about 33% of the total. Well, as soon as one part of the training is dropped, or done incorrectly, that is a whole 33% chance that the trainee will not achieve his or her goals. I don't like to take a chance like that.

Also, cardiovascular exercise overall will never have ANY long-lasting effect on metabolism. The trainee's metabolism may be elevated for one to two hours after the training bout is over, but after that point the metabolism will drop back down to normal ranges.

A good example of what I prefer and recommend to anyone who will listen is here:http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ng/running_man

For myself, I cycle this type of work a number of times a year and use a conjugated approach to a weekly schedule. My range is tabata intervals, 200/400/800m and laid back 3 mile runs.

My input here comes from a more general/fitness/athletics angle. A pro-bodybuilder will of course follow an appropriate aerobic path to pre-contest.

Cardiovascular training is one of two things for the AVERAGE person.
1. It is goal oriented at burning body fat
2. It is goal oriented at increasing cardiovascular (heart and lung) strength.

The average person can do #1 most efficiently at a 65% target heart rate. However, the top performing athletes, which (if my understand of the article is correct) the study was performed on, CAN burn bodyfat at higher levels of intensity, which would mean 80% target heart rate.

The main argument for higher intensity cardiovascular work is that it will burn more calories in a shorter period of time. While this is correct, we are looking at the TYPE of calories that we are burning. As previously stated, it will take the average person 20-30 minutes to switch from carbohydrate usage, to bodyfat use for energy. So let us assume that our trainee is running at 85% target heart rate for 20 minutes (which I will already say is a larger allowance then what I normally see individuals practice). So this trainee has burned, we will say, 600 calories.

Our second trainee, jogging at 65% target heart rate, continues this pace for an hour. At this pace, our trainee burns 500 calories. Well clearly the high intensity trainee burned greater calories in a shorter period of time! Tremendous work! However, the TYPE of calories that our first trainee has burned are strictly carbohydrate calories. Our second trainee started off burning carbohydrates, but only for the initial 20 (or so) minutes. Which means that in this session, our second trainee burned about 300 calories that are (more or less) strict bodyfat!

This would be the most effective way to burn bodyfat, UNLESS of course you are one of the elite performing athletes who can use bodyfat at more intense levels of training.

As a quick added bonus piece of information, cardiovascular exercise (for our bodyfat burners) SHOULD ALWAYS remain AEROBIC! What this means is that we can properly utilize oxygen to breakdown bodyfat for energy use! Higher intensities of cardiovascular training will turn our AEROBIC exercise into ANAEROBIC exercise. If you ever are running short of breath, you will not utilize oxygen, and you will have crossed over into anaerobic exercise, and you will not burn bodyfat. If you EVER feel lactic acid buildup in the legs, this means you have crossed over into ANAEROBIC exercise, and you will not burn bodyfat.

Lactic acid is the waste-product of anaerobic energy production, as felt in weight training. It should never be felt in bodyfat burning oriented cardio.

Thank you for your input, again, and any other input is greatly welcomed!

[drwink]

Yeah ok..............

I would love to hear any and all input that you have to offer. If there is any part of my protocols for cardiovascular training that you have any questions about, I will gladly elaborate.

[blackrazor]

Good info. But what if your job in tells you having to run M/W/F? Can you still make gains? Anyway how do you or would you set up a weekly routine?

[drwink]

Good info. But what if your job in tells you having to run M/W/F? Can you still make gains? Anyway how do you or would you set up a weekly routine?

Please elaborate on your question. Are you saying that you ONLY have time to work out on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? Or are you saying you need to run on those specific days for a reason?

What is the goal?

Please explain and I will give you my complete answer ASAP.

[LaBamba]

You said before that running in lower intensity burns fat, and running high intensity burns carbs.

Well wouldn't these carbs turn into fats anyway if are unused?
So the bottom line is: calories in vs. calories out.

In cardio : Try to burn as much as you can in the time window before catabolism occurs .

That's what I thought anyway.

[blackrazor]

Please elaborate on your question. Are you saying that you ONLY have time to work out on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? Or are you saying you need to run on those specific days for a reason?

What is the goal?

Please explain and I will give you my complete answer ASAP.

I am in the military. We PT on those days. Running, pull-ups, and crunches. These are just the basics. Anything could happen. 5 mile mile runs, sprints, body drills, anything. My main goal is to get great arms (16 flexed right now) and shoulders. I always work eveything else but the military has me running, doing pull-ups, and crunches I am not new to weight training, been at it for years. Just looking for new insight to incorporate on what I am already doing so they won't cancel each other out. I am glad to see someone advocating fullbody routines......

[drwink]

You said before that running in lower intensity burns fat, and running high intensity burns carbs.

Well wouldn't these carbs turn into fats anyway if are unused?
So the bottom line is: calories in vs. calories out.

In cardio : Try to burn as much as you can in the time window before catabolism occurs .

That's what I thought anyway.

This is partially true.

Now remember, our training routine consists of three main parts, Diet, Cardio, and Strength training.

Our Strength training is designed specifically to increase lean muscle mass, which will elevate the metabolism. This of course means that we will burn more calories in any activity, and even at rest! Hence, we will use more calories during our cardio session.

Our cardio workouts are designed at the lower intensity to use the bodyfat that we already have stored. If cardio is done at a higher intensity, yes carbohydrates will be used that MAY have turned to bodyfat later. However, the bodyfat that we already have stored remains untouched and will stay where it is. Now keep in mind, the first 20-30 minutes of our cardio will be using carbohydrates, so it isn't as if we aren't using the energy we take in.

Our main concern with our diet is to provide enough protein so our body has the ability to add the lean muscle we are looking for, but also to keep our carbohydrates in check. Now, the body NEEDS carbohydrates. If we look at the chemical make-up of a carbohydrate, we have a Carbon molecule, two hydrogen molecules, and an oxygen molecule - CH20. You can clearly see H20 on the end of that, which is water. Now if we cut carbohydrates from our diet, the body will lose the ability to hold onto water. Some people will think this is good, as they are losing water weight. However, 75-80% of our muscle is water! So muscle will waste away and our metabolism will decrease.

Resting metabolic rate + exercise is the way we see how many calories we really need to take in each day. There are methods to find the Basal Metabolic Rate, and then from there you need to evaluate your daily activity and find our expenditure from there.

-------
EDIT
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ALSO! Catabolism is a state that we NEVER want to enter! However, the possibility of entering this during a high intensity cardio session is all too easy. If you are doing your cardio, and your body doesn't have the carbohydrates to run off of, then it WILL break down muscle mass for energy if your intensity is high! If the intensity is low, it will turn to bodyfat use!

Hope this helped clear that up!

[drwink]

I am in the military. We PT on those days. Running, pull-ups, and crunches. These are just the basics. Anything could happen. 5 mile mile runs, sprints, body drills, anything. My main goal is to get great arms (16 flexed right now) and shoulders. I always work eveything else but the military has me running, doing pull-ups, and crunches I am not new to weight training, been at it for years. Just looking for new insight to incorporate on what I am already doing so they won't cancel each other out. I am glad to see someone advocating fullbody routines......

Now this is the more difficult of cases. Most jobs today do not involve such a high demand of physical activity, as they normally involve some sort of consistent desk work.

However, the human body is an amazing work; it is both extremely smart, and extremely lazy. It is smart in the fact that if it does something enough times, it will realize the demands that it needs to meet, and adjust itself for those demands. However, it is lazy in the fact that as soon as those demands are no longer occurring, the body will realize it doesn't need that added muscle mass anymore, as it is just consuming calories, and it will use it as energy.

If the activities you must complete are inconsistent, then it is a little more difficult to plan around. In either case however, it can be done.

Now I do not know the specifics of the training the military has you do, so I will admit I am a little less informed than I would like to be, but here is my guidance for you.

Crunches will not matter, as they are an exercise that in our total body training routine, really will not make much of a difference. The pull-ups or push-ups though, are a concern to us, as they are working our two major upper body muscles! So what do we do?

Well, I'm already assuming that these two exercises are not with added weights, just your body weight. I'm also assuming that they are done for a much higher repetition range. If I am incorrect, please let me know and I will adjust my advice accordingly. However, if I AM correct, than this is a totally different training protocol than what we would follow to add lean muscle mass.

A repetition range of 8-12 is the optimal range for building lean muscle mass. So let's say Sunday you do your own routine, and lift with a much higher intensity than what was experienced before. As already explained, the muscle will break down, and over our resting days, it will heal. Now Monday, obviously the muscle has not had the full time to heal, and maybe it is needed again for pull-ups and push-ups. In this case, the intensity is lighter, but the repetition range is much higher. Muscular endurance demands are placed, and the muscle is still worked, but to a much different extent. If the same activity is also done on Wednesday and Friday, then i would not suggest doing our own routine again until Sunday.

This might sound like we are getting far too much rest between, but again, if the body is being placed under such great demands all three days, then this much rest will probably be needed. You can experiment though, and see if you can do another day sooner. If you can surpass your last training routine in every exercise, meaning that your weights have increase or you hit your goal with repetitions, then great job! The muscle has adapted in time! If not, then the body needs more rest.

Experiment with it. If you ever see your routine plateau, then you need more rest between your training.

As for the cardio, well, remember our cardio is done to use the bodyfat that is already stored. A 5 mile run might be enough for you at your conditioning, but you can always add this cardio later on. You cannot over-train with low intensity cardio, unless your bodyfat is at such a minimum that you have none left to use!

Hope that helped! Let me know if there is more I need to elaborate on!

[golophei]

Thank you for such wonderful detailed guide. I am a noob and I apologize if this question has been asked before. How do I find out what is my maximum heart rate?

I currently do cardio 4-5 times a week and trying to lose fat. Each time I do 40 minutes with my heart rate stays around 135 the first 20 minutes and then 150-160 the last 20 minutes, 4.5 miles distance. I don't run and I only do elliptical types of machine.

I am 43 years old, 6'3", 206lbs BMI 22%.

Thank you

[drwink]

Thank you for such wonderful detailed guide. I am a noob and I apologize if this question has been asked before. How do I find out what is my maximum heart rate?

I currently do cardio 4-5 times a week and trying to lose fat. Each time I do 40 minutes with my heart rate stays around 135 the first 20 minutes and then 150-160 the last 20 minutes, 4.5 miles distance. I don't run and I only do elliptical types of machine.

I am 43 years old, 6'3", 206lbs BMI 22%.

Thank you

To find maximum heart rate, you would do this equation:

220 - age = maximum

To find target, know what percentage you wish to work at. For our fat burning protocol, it is 65%

Maximum x 65% = target.

So at 43 years old, your equations would look like this:

220 - 43 = 177
177 * 65% = 115.05

So 115 would be your target heart rate. It will not feel like a tremendous amount of work, and it shouldn't! Bodyfat is the most abundant source of energy that we have, and a little bit can take us a long, long way! When you tap into that bodyfat (after about 20-30 minutes) it should feel like you can go on forever! That is how you know you are using your bodyfat, rather than carbohydrates or muscle!

And just to be clear, I noticed you put "BMI 22%". BMI does NOT equal bodyfat %. BMI, or Body Mass Index, is just the ratio of height to weight. It is a terrible scale and does not account for bodyfat percentage. Bodyfat percentage is the ratio of lean muscle mass, connective tissue, and organ tissue weight to bodyfat weight.

Hope this helps!

[DBush2765]

Just had a quick question on Squats.

I've always messed around with lifting and all that, but am just now actually getting serious about it. Getting a program, eating enough protein/carbs, etc. Well I was looking at the SS program and was planning on starting with that. I noticed though that it has me doing Squats every workout. I had always thought that doing the same lift every workout was a bad thing. Is that not the case here?

[ptwa9]

Creatine Phosphate brings back a phosphate to reattach, replenishing the ATP. That process will take the body to about 5 minutes of activity.

Wrong, do your research.

Top athletes excluded, the body will ONLY use bodyfat in a lower intensity exercise.

Wrong, do your research.

The rest is not wrong but one-sided. There's not one thing that works, and everything else is less useful.

[drwink]

Wrong, do your research.



Wrong, do your research.

The rest is not wrong but one-sided. There's not one thing that works, and everything else is less useful.

I must apologize as I was rushed as I was typing the initial information. The cycle of phosphocreatine replenishing the ATP will only take the human body through approximately 10-15 secodns of activity. I had meant to explain that REPLENISHING the creatine phosphate system can take up to 5 minutes. After the 10-15 seconds that CP provides, then the body will enter Anaerobic Glycolysis, which can last somewhere between 60-90 seconds.

In my quest to make this guide as simple as possible, I was careless enough to stumble over my own information.

[drwink]

Just had a quick question on Squats.

I've always messed around with lifting and all that, but am just now actually getting serious about it. Getting a program, eating enough protein/carbs, etc. Well I was looking at the SS program and was planning on starting with that. I noticed though that it has me doing Squats every workout. I had always thought that doing the same lift every workout was a bad thing. Is that not the case here?

A link to the program would be terrific, as I do not know the exact program you are talking about. I tend not to follow too many programs, as most things tend to have a severe lack of research, and are strictly anecdotal.

Squats, as most trainers and trainees are concerned, should be a major part of every mass or strength building workout. However, as I have stated in a previous post, squats can be a dangerous exercise if done incorrectly or without spotters.

As far as exercise choices are concerned, and again i do not know the exact set-up of your workout, you can do the same exercises every single time you enter the gym, provided you have had enough rest time between, and provided you are PROGRESSING with your weights.

If the program is having you do squats for two sequential days, then yes, that is bad. This will give the muscles very little time to rest between working bouts, and can cause serious overtraining. However, if the program calls that you do a full-body training routine, and includes squats on the working days (preferably twice a week) then it would be sufficient.

[DBush2765]

Nah, it's not every day. Core lifts are something along the lines of:

Workout A:
Squats 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlifts 1x5

Workout B:
Squats 3x5
Standing Military Press 3x5
Power Cleans 3x5

I didn't bother to put in accessory stuff like abs and all that. It's a 3day/week thing, so it's be something like:

Monday - Workout A
Wednesday - Workout B
Friday - Workout A

And then the next week goes BAB, and so on. I'd be adding 10-15lb. to Squats, Deadlifts, and Cleans every workout, and 5-10lb. on the rest every workout until I stalled.

[BornToLift104]

I'm trying to pack on some weight cause I'm only 155 and 5'8". At one point I was about 170 but I started cutting down for a few months and I defenitel? got results. I want to be 180 though and I want it to be healthy muscle.

So my current routine is-
Sunday abs and 30 min cardio
Monday pushups, pullups, dips
Tuesday Abs, Legs, 20 min cardio
Wednesday Biceps and Forearms
Thursday Abs and Chest
Friday Back and Shoulders
Saturday triceps and traps

Any advice? On lifting days I have 2 whey protein shakes before and after each workout.

[Muscleobsession]

so is doing any bodyparts 2x a week beneficial?

[golophei]

To find maximum heart rate, you would do this equation:

220 - age = maximum

To find target, know what percentage you wish to work at. For our fat burning protocol, it is 65%

Maximum x 65% = target.

So at 43 years old, your equations would look like this:

220 - 43 = 177
177 * 65% = 115.05

So 115 would be your target heart rate. It will not feel like a tremendous amount of work, and it shouldn't! Bodyfat is the most abundant source of energy that we have, and a little bit can take us a long, long way! When you tap into that bodyfat (after about 20-30 minutes) it should feel like you can go on forever! That is how you know you are using your bodyfat, rather than carbohydrates or muscle!

And just to be clear, I noticed you put "BMI 22%". BMI does NOT equal bodyfat %. BMI, or Body Mass Index, is just the ratio of height to weight. It is a terrible scale and does not account for bodyfat percentage. Bodyfat percentage is the ratio of lean muscle mass, connective tissue, and organ tissue weight to bodyfat weight.

Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for your replied. I am going to strictly following your instructions and look forward for results in 3 months. May I ask you one more question please? Can you recommend any device for me to indicate my boday fat precentage please?

Thank you

[SuicideGripMe]

Cardio only way to burn fat? What about um proper diet?

[Passion4Pump]

There are many people that choose to do high intensity cardio. While some of them can be successful with it, the average trainee will not be able to utilize oxygen properly, and therefore cannot use bodyfat. Also, the average high intensity cardio routine will only last somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes. Well, as already stated, within that timeframe the body is only using carbohydrates. Yes, we ARE burning calories, but carbohydrate calories, not bodyfat calories. They are two different things.

Well the argument for HIIT is that the amount of fat burned during the actual cardio is negligable compared to that burned by your BMR. So advocates of HIIT don't care what is being burned during the exercise, they're concerned with ramping up their metabolic rate for the rest of the day and night.
I am certainly not attacking your post, as I would have loved to have information like this when I was first starting out. You put everything in perspective, and perspective is VERY important for proper training.

[drwink]

Nah, it's not every day. Core lifts are something along the lines of:

Workout A:
Squats 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlifts 1x5

Workout B:
Squats 3x5
Standing Military Press 3x5
Power Cleans 3x5

I didn't bother to put in accessory stuff like abs and all that. It's a 3day/week thing, so it's be something like:

Monday - Workout A
Wednesday - Workout B
Friday - Workout A

And then the next week goes BAB, and so on. I'd be adding 10-15lb. to Squats, Deadlifts, and Cleans every workout, and 5-10lb. on the rest every workout until I stalled.

According to the layout of this workout, it is primarily designed around brining up the strength in these specific lifts. If your goal is to build the strength as fast as possible, then the protocols should be sufficient, again, as long as you continue to progress.

However, if you are looking for muscle mass gains, there are much better options available.

[drwink]

Cardio only way to burn fat? What about um proper diet?

Proper diet can assist in weight loss, but as far as bodyfat, diet alone will be insufficient. Eating small portions every 2-3 hours throughout the day will elevate the metabolism. Green Tea extract will elevate metabolism (by about 4%)

As far as the protocols I recommend, it is the most effective way (in my educated opinion) to burn the already stored bodyfat. The diet that we use would be aimed at providing enough protein for muscle gains, and proper carbohydrate intake for the purpose of NOT gaining additional bodyfat.

The main reason that I recommend cardio as the main way to burn bodyfat is that diet is the NUMBER ONE thing people fail at. Psychologically, as soon as you enter the gym, you know it is time for work. However, after you leave, people fall back into their comfort zone, where everything is about convenience.

Again, this thread is "TRAINING MADE SIMPLE." So I'm trying to make everything as simple and easy-to-follow as possible. There are plenty of options available. My protocols are just one of them, however, I'm trying to make them as efficient as possible, while still maintaining the fact that it is a very simplistic yet scientifically oriented approach.

I hope this clears things up.

[drwink]

Well the argument for HIIT is that the amount of fat burned during the actual cardio is negligable compared to that burned by your BMR. So advocates of HIIT don't care what is being burned during the exercise, they're concerned with ramping up their metabolic rate for the rest of the day and night.
I am certainly not attacking your post, as I would have loved to have information like this when I was first starting out. You put everything in perspective, and perspective is VERY important for proper training.

I am delighted to see that you enjoyed my post and continuous information, and I am also very glad to have your input!

I do not disagree that high intensity cardio sessions can be effective. However, my approach is based upon my knowledge of the human body, AND the average trainee.

Let us say for example we have an 18 year old male, who has been active and has been involved in sports throughout his high school career. Can this trainee benefit from highly intense cardio sessions? Of course he can. While the extent bodyfat actually burned is debatable, it does have its place. Mostly though, for the improvement of heart and lung strength.

But now on the opposing end, lets say we have a 43 year old male, who has not set foot in a gym since the age of 20, and is looking to lose 50-70 pounds. This is ALL TOO COMMON. If I, as the personal trainer, were to put this client on a high intensity cardio session, he would last for probably 3-5 minutes if we are lucky, before he needs to stop. His system would just NOT be able to handle such work!

Also, again, the HIIT protocol is recommended because it is supposed to elevate metabolism for the entire day. Let us take into account that the average person works from 8 or 9-5 or 6, and cannot get into the gym until 6:30, 7pm. Well, at this point, part of the benefit of the HIIT system is already negated, because at that point the day is just about over.

HIIT is a system that can be effectively used to burn more bodyfat. HOWEVER, someone who has NOT been participating in activity for a decent amount of time would not benefit as their current conditioning would just NOT be enough to handle such a task.