Spaced-out Micro-Workouts: How do their physiological effects differ from regular?

[qwertuiop4321]

Spaced-out Micro-Workouts: How do their physiological effects (blood glucose, muscle tissue, neurotransmitters) differ from a regular workout? For cognitive function, muscle growth, cardiovascular health, and general health.

I'm curious to know how different the physiological response of the body is for doing, say:
-8 sets of squats to failure in a span of 10 minutes, versus
-8 sets of squats to failure in a span of 20 minutes, versus
-8 sets of squats to failure in a span of 30 minutes, versus
-8 sets of squats to failure in a span of like 5 or more hours.

I'm asking because in my sedentary work from home day, I have little pockets of time here and there (computer loading, waiting on tech support, etc.), and I notice it's a quick way get my blood pumping. Also, after a big greasy meal, doing a set makes me feel way less sluggish. I'm particularly curious about how much -- and in what ways -- the spacing between sets affects muscle tissue/blood glucose/neurotransmitters/etc. for cognitive function, muscle growth, cardiovascular health, and general health.

I remember in Tim Ferris's 4 Hour Work Week, he does mention a time he did air squats in a bathroom before a Nine Inch Nails concert after he ate like two whole pizzas. But other than that, I can't find much on what these micro-workouts do physiologically, nor how best to implement it.

[TolerantLactose]

Squats.... to failure?

[qwertuiop4321]

Squats.... to failure?

More or less. I mean I work with adjustable dumbbells behind my desk and do dumbbell squats, so I guess it wouldn't be as catastrophic as what your picturing? That is...barbells, right?

[TolerantLactose]

More or less. I mean I work with adjustable dumbbells behind my desk and do dumbbell squats, so I guess it wouldn't be as catastrophic as what your picturing? That is...barbells, right?

I wouldn't go for failure regardless.

[qwertuiop4321]

I wouldn't go for failure regardless.

Okay, you can replace to failure with however many reps. That isn't really the point of this thread. I'm interested in what happens physiologically with spaced out micro-workouts.

[air2fakie]

Okay, you can replace to failure with however many reps. That isn't really the point of this thread. I'm interested in what happens physiologically with spaced out micro-workouts.

Me too. Try it out and report back.

[TolerantLactose]

Okay, you can replace to failure with however many reps. That isn't really the point of this thread. I'm interested in what happens physiologically with spaced out micro-workouts.

Asking "what happens physiologically" is a pretty vague question when you get down to it.

[qwertuiop4321]

Asking "what happens physiologically" is a pretty vague question when you get down to it.

Well, in biohacking circles, it typically means the interesting stuff, like neurotransmitters (dopamine, acetylcholine, seratonin, gaba), hormones (testosterone, estrogen), muscle tissue (glycogen, glutamine, lactic acid?), etc.

That last one, muscle tissue, is particularly of interest to me. Like why does muscle breakdown more if your sets are in close succession? How is the spacing of sets related to an exercise's effectiveness at working the muscle?

[TolerantLactose]

^^^

That goes to my point. Everything, including the kitchen sink.

There isn't general consensus regarding mechanical tension and how it triggers a training response.

Regarding "effectiveness", you have to define effective. If you train for strength adaptation, more rest between sets tends to be better than less.

[OldFartTom]

Well, in biohacking circles, it typically means the interesting stuff, like neurotransmitters (dopamine, acetylcholine, seratonin, gaba), hormones (testosterone, estrogen), muscle tissue (glycogen, glutamine, lactic acid?), etc.

That last one, muscle tissue, is particularly of interest to me. Like why does muscle breakdown more if your sets are in close succession? How is the spacing of sets related to an exercise's effectiveness at working the muscle?

I'm very much an enthusiast for understanding anantomy physiology training programming and all of that, but people who don't have a solid practical experience can get lost in all the details and lose perspective which leads them to distorted conclusions. Going down rabbit holes etc. Stop looking for clever tricks, shortcuts, hacks.

My advice is to stop drilling down into the minutiae. Just take a common sense practical overview without all the sciencey buzzwords. Go back to basics. Old school training.

After you have a couple of years experience under your belt, feel free to go down into whatever details you want and adjust your methods as by that point you'll have the experience to have solid perspectives.

Not the reply you wanted, but sorry it's the one you needed.

[qwertuiop4321]

^^^

That goes to my point. Everything, including the kitchen sink.

There isn't general consensus regarding mechanical tension and how it triggers a training response.

Regarding "effectiveness", you have to define effective. If you train for strength adaptation, more rest between sets tends to be better than less.

I don't understand your point. Are you saying that my question is unanswerable as it is phrased? I'm pretty sure there are plenty of studies on how the length of rest times between sets affect things like hormones and neurotransmitters. I wouldn't say it's "everything and the kitchen sink." Biohackers are intensely fixated on specifically the biochemical dynamics for performance enhancement (motivation, energy, cognition). It's studied very extensively. There's enough information out there, I'm just looking for some abstracted conclusions from it all.

I meant effectiveness, in the context of any of the different training purposes. So yeah strength adaptation, for one, and also like endurance, power-lifting, etc.

I mean I would think that when a person speaks of a general concept, it refers to any of its potential subtopics or contexts.

[qwertuiop4321]

I'm very much an enthusiast for understanding anantomy physiology training programming and all of that, but people who don't have a solid practical experience can get lost in all the details and lose perspective which leads them to distorted conclusions. Going down rabbit holes etc. Stop looking for clever tricks, shortcuts, hacks.

My advice is to stop drilling down into the minutiae. Just take a common sense practical overview without all the sciencey buzzwords. Go back to basics. Old school training.

After you have a couple of years experience under your belt, feel free to go down into whatever details you want and adjust your methods as by that point you'll have the experience to have solid perspectives.

Not the reply you wanted, but sorry it's the one you needed.

Well I have more than a few years of experience. I have a lot, actually. Not sure what implied that I am not already doing "old school training." I've been doing the same 3 day split for years. I'm drilling into the minutae, because I'd like to optimize my energy levels and sense of well-being on my off-days.

[air2fakie]

Well I have more than a few years of experience. I have a lot, actually. Not sure what implied that I am not already doing "old school training."

See below.

I've been doing the same 3 day split for years.

And below.

I'm drilling into the minutae, because I'd like to optimize my energy levels and sense of well-being on my off-days.

There’s much more basic ways for you to improve your workout and recovery.

[supramax]

Spaced-out Micro-Workouts: How do their physiological effects (blood glucose, muscle tissue, neurotransmitters) differ from a regular workout? For cognitive function, muscle growth, cardiovascular health, and general health.

I'm curious to know how different the physiological response of the body is for doing, say:
-8 sets of squats to failure in a span of 10 minutes, versus
-8 sets of squats to failure in a span of 20 minutes, versus
-8 sets of squats to failure in a span of 30 minutes, versus
-8 sets of squats to failure in a span of like 5 or more hours.

I'm asking because in my sedentary work from home day, I have little pockets of time here and there (computer loading, waiting on tech support, etc.), and I notice it's a quick way get my blood pumping. Also, after a big greasy meal, doing a set makes me feel way less sluggish. I'm particularly curious about how much -- and in what ways -- the spacing between sets affects muscle tissue/blood glucose/neurotransmitters/etc. for cognitive function, muscle growth, cardiovascular health, and general health.

I remember in Tim Ferris's 4 Hour Work Week, he does mention a time he did air squats in a bathroom before a Nine Inch Nails concert after he ate like two whole pizzas. But other than that, I can't find much on what these micro-workouts do physiologically, nor how best to implement it.

We didn't evolve to exert ourselves for a set amount of time on specific days or work legs once a week, etc. Monkeys don't swing from trees for a set amount of time every other day.

[jtaylor2010]

Haven’t read any of the studies, but I would imagine it would be a decent approach for maintaining strength but probably not increasing. Would t be as beneficial for heart or stamina, and probably wouldn’t affect hormones as much as a legit lifting session. Energy levels would probably be good throughout the day though since you’re getting the heart rate up frequently and increasing circulation.

[TolerantLactose]

I don't understand your point. Are you saying that my question is unanswerable as it is phrased? I'm pretty sure there are plenty of studies on how the length of rest times between sets affect things like hormones and neurotransmitters. I wouldn't say it's "everything and the kitchen sink." Biohackers are intensely fixated on specifically the biochemical dynamics for performance enhancement (motivation, energy, cognition). It's studied very extensively. There's enough information out there, I'm just looking for some abstracted conclusions from it all.

I meant effectiveness, in the context of any of the different training purposes. So yeah strength adaptation, for one, and also like endurance, power-lifting, etc.

I mean I would think that when a person speaks of a general concept, it refers to any of its potential subtopics or contexts.

I don't think you understand your question and are just throwing together a bunch of terms, to be honest. Eg, powerlifting is a sport with a specific set of rules depending on the competition. I'm not sure what you're getting at there in this context.

[OldFartTom]

Ignore smartasses like Tim Ferris, instead dip into articles and analysis here: https://www.strongerbyscience.com if you want that (in my opinion) over analysis then that site is the motherlode