Training

Jan 06, 2020

Cardio vs. training with weights: Which is better for fat loss?

Many people who have decided to lose weight are faced with a tricky question: should they do cardio or work out with weights? These are the two most popular types of workouts, but it can be hard to know which is the better choice.

This article will teach you everything you need to know about cardio vs. training with weights for fat loss.

Cardio burns more calories per training session

Many scientists have studied how many calories people burn during different activities. Based on this research, you can use your body weight to estimate how many calories you will burn during different types of exercise, including cardio and resistance training.

For most activities, the heavier you are, the more calories you will burn. If you weigh 75 kilos, then jogging at a moderate pace will burn around 250 kcal per 30 minutes of jogging (1). If you were to run faster at a speed of about 10 km/h, you would burn about 365 kcal per 30 minutes of running (1).

On the other hand, if you trained with weights for the same amount of time, you would only burn 130 to 220 kcal.

In general, you will burn more calories with cardio per training session for the same amount of time than with weight training at about the same effort.

Summary: The number of calories you burn during exercise depends on your body weight. Typically, cardio workouts burn more calories than weighted workouts for the same duration.

Training with weights helps you burn more calories every day

Although a weights workout typically doesn't burn as many calories as a cardio workout, it has other important benefits (2).

For example, weight training is more effective than cardio when it comes to building muscle, and muscle burns more calories at rest than some other body tissues, including fat (3). For this reason, it is usually said that building muscle is the key to increasing metabolic rate, where metabolic rate describes how many calories you burn at rest.

One study looked at the metabolic rate of subjects at rest during 24 weeks of weight training. In men, training with weights led to a 9% increase in metabolic rate at rest. This effect was less pronounced in women, with only a 4% increase in resting metabolic rate (4).

However, while this may sound good, it is important to think about how many calories this represents. In men, the described increase in resting metabolic rate increased calorie expenditure by around 140 kcal per day, compared to just 50 kcal per day in women.

So training with weights and building some muscle won't make your metabolism skyrocket, but it could increase it slightly.

However, training with weights has other calorie-burning benefits. Scientific research has shown that you burn more calories during the hours following a weights session compared to cardio training (5, 6, 7).

There are even reports that the metabolic rate remains elevated for up to 38 hours after a weight training session, while such an increase has not been observed with cardio training (7).

This means that the calorie-burning benefits of training with weights are not limited to just the training period. You could be burning more calories for hours after the workout. For most types of training, a more intense workout will increase the number of calories you burn after the workout (8).

Summary: Training with weights will increase your metabolic rate over time. In addition to this, training with weights is typically more effective than cardio training when it comes to increasing the amount of extra calories burned after the training session.

High-intensity interval training delivers similar benefits to cardio training in a shorter period of time

Although cardio and weight training are two of the most popular options, there are other options. One of these options is high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which involves short bursts of high-intensity training alternating with low-intensity recovery periods (9, 10).

Typically, a HIIT training session lasts 15 to 30 minutes. You can perform a HIIT workout with a range of different exercises including sprints, cycling, jumping rope or other bodyweight exercises.

HIIT could burn more calories

Some studies have directly compared the effects of cardio training, training with weights and HIIT.

One study compared the number of calories burned during 30 minutes of HIIT training, 30 minutes of resistance training and 30 minutes of running or cycling. The researchers found that HIIT burned 25 to 30% more calories than other forms of exercise (11). However, this does not necessarily mean that other types of exercise are not good for weight loss.

HIIT and traditional cardio training may have similar effects on weight loss

A study that looked at more than 400 overweight and obese adults found that HIIT and traditional cardio training reduced body fat and waist circumference to a similar extent (12).

In addition, other research has shown that HIIT-style workouts could burn the same amount of calories as traditional cardio, although this depends on the intensity of the workout.

Some studies have estimated that if you weigh 73 kilos, you could burn around 300 kcal each during 30 minutes of cardio or HIIT training (13).

One of the potential benefits of HIIT is that you spend less time actually exercising, as there are rest periods between the intense phases of activity.

Summary: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can burn calories in a short period of time. Some research shows that it may burn more calories than training with weights or cardio. All in all, HIIT can produce similar weight loss as cardio training, but for less time.

Using multiple types of exercise might be best

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is one of the largest and most respected organizations that makes exercise recommendations. This organization has published science-based recommendations for weight loss (14).

How long should you exercise per week?

All in all, the ACSM states that less than 150 minutes of moderate or intense physical activity such as cardio per week is probably not enough for weight loss. However, it also says that more than 150 minutes of this type of physical activity is sufficient to help most people achieve significant weight loss.

In addition to this, scientific research shows that people tend to lose more body weight when they have higher activity levels (14).

What types of exercise should you do?

Interestingly, the ACSM study review concludes that exercising with weights is not very helpful for weight loss. However, it is important to remember that body composition can improve even if the weight does not change.

For example, training with weights can lead to an increase in muscle mass and a reduction in body fat. If your muscles and fat change to the same extent, the weight on the scales can remain the same even though you have become healthier.

A large study of 119 overweight or obese adults helps to put everything into perspective regarding exercise and weight loss. The study participants were divided into three groups: a group that did cardio training, a group that did weight training and a group that did both cardio and weight training (15).

After eight months, those who had done cardio training and cardio training plus training with weights had lost the most weight and fat. At the same time, the groups that had trained exclusively with weights or had done cardio training in addition to training with weights had built up the most muscle.

Overall, the cardio plus weights training group showed the best changes in body composition. These subjects had lost weight and fat while building muscle.

This means that a program that combines cardio and weights may be best for improving body composition.

Summary: Cardio is more effective than weight training when it comes to reducing body fat and you do more than 150 minutes per week. Training with weights is better for building muscle. A combination of both may be best for improving body composition.

Both diet and exercise are crucial for long-term success

Most people know that exercise and a healthy diet are essential for optimal health (14). Even strict adherence to the best exercise program is not enough, as you still need to pay attention to your diet if you want to optimize your progress.

Scientific research has shown that the ideal program for long-term weight loss includes a moderate reduction in calorie intake and a good exercise program (16).

Although many people know that a healthy diet is essential for weight loss, some go so far as to say that diet is all that matters for weight loss. However, it is important to realize that exercise can also help.

A review that looked at studies involving a total of 400 subjects examined the weight loss effects of diet plus exercise and compared them to the corresponding changes brought about by diet changes alone. The researchers found that the combination of diet plus exercise resulted in 20% greater weight loss after 10 weeks than diet without exercise (17).

In addition, the program that included dietary changes plus exercise was more effective than dietary changes alone when it came to maintaining the new weight after one year.

Conclusion

Both cardio and weight training can help you become healthier and fitter.

A cardio training session burns more calories than a training session with weights. However, after a weights workout, the metabolic rate stays elevated longer than after a cardio workout and a weights workout is better for building muscle.

An ideal training program for improving body composition and health should therefore include both cardio training and training with weights.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cardio-vs-weights-for-weight-loss

Jan 03, 2020

The best way to train triceps The top tips from 8 experts

We asked 8 experts in the field of weight training and bodybuilding the following question:

What's the best way to build triceps?

Here are their answers:

PJR Overtrains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l257_mLzces

No exercise for the triceps works the long head of the triceps harder than this one. There is no exercise that even comes close.

You can do all the close bench presses and all the dips in the world, but none of these exercises will put the long head of the triceps in a fully stretched state. And the muscle that is stressed the most in a stretched position is the muscle that takes most of the strain.

The long head of the triceps, which attaches to the lateral part of the shoulder blade, acts as a shoulder extensor. You cannot move the long head of the triceps into a fully extended state without shoulder flexion. PJR pull-ups put your shoulder in a 180 degree shoulder flexion, which in turn puts the long head of the triceps in a maximally extended state.

When someone tells me that this version of pull-ups is a latissimus exercise, I know that they simply don't know how to perform this exercise correctly. If you do it like this, it will work the triceps:

From the highest position, bring the shoulders into a 180 degree flexion and then lower the dumbbell straight down to fully extend the triceps.
The initiation of the concentric (lifting) phase of the movement is through elbow extension (stretching) to full extension, which is the primary function of the triceps.

This differs from latissimus specific pull-ups where the elbows tend to remain in a slightly flexed or fully extended position to emphasize a stretch of the latissimus.

In the variation of pull-ups presented here, the elbows go into flexion and then extension to emphasize the triceps rather than the latissimus.

- Paul Carter - weight training and bodybuilding coach

A variation of tricep presses on the cable pulley

Don't be fooled by the simplicity of this exercise. It will make a big difference. The first point to emphasize is that this exercise is best performed as the last exercise of the tricep workout.

Cable tricep presses are one of the best exercises for the back of the arm. EMG tests have shown that tricep presses with a cable grip are effective for both maximum and average values. Scientists have found that cable tricep presses activate the lateral muscle head of the triceps more than prone tricep presses (skullcrushers) or kickbacks.

My variation of choice is to add three to four seconds of isometric hold to the set, which increases the time under tension and improves your ability to build a mind-muscle connection during the hold. Hold the first repetition for 3 to 4 seconds and then perform 4 repetitions. Then hold the contraction again for 3 to 4 seconds and perform 4 more repetitions. Finally, hold the final repetition for another 3 to 4 seconds.

- Michael Warren - Strength coach and performance expert

Partial repetitions of bench press variations using the repetitive effort method This method was popularized by Mel Siff in Super Training and Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell. It emphasizes moving light weights for a large number of repetitions. This method has proven itself time and time again with powerlifters all over the world. If you don't believe me, look at people like Dave Hoff, who bench presses 1000 pounds, training under the guidance of Louie Simmons.

This method is meant to be used with accessory exercises - especially the exercises that immediately follow your main exercise. This method is unique in that it builds strength, increases endurance, raises the lactate threshold and promotes growth hormone production. The following exercises are ways to incorporate this method into your training program.

Triceps of death

This is the most brutal triceps exercise you will find. Anyone willing to try this with a few friends will experience muscle growth - guaranteed.

Execution: Lie on a bench as if you were going to do a regular bench press. Have a training partner place two planks on your chest as for board presses(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeScw6pghNw&t=55s) and then perform 5 repetitions. Without placing the bar in the rack, your training partner places 3 planks on your chest and you perform another 5 repetitions. This continues until you have reached 5 planks, at which point you perform as many repetitions as possible.

With my athletes, I use 135, 185, 225, or 275 pounds. It's important to know that it's all about how many reps you can do with the last plank.

Board bench press with 3, 4 or 5 planks

You can use this method immediately after your last set of heavy bench presses or at the end of your training session as a finishing exercise. The purpose of the planks is to substantially limit your range of motion and eliminate any support from the pecs. This allows you to primarily train your triceps.

Execution: Lie on a bench as if you were going to do a regular bench press. Have a training partner place 3, 4 or 5 planks on your chest. Lower the weight to the planks and then press it back up. Repeat this either for time (no less than 30 seconds) or for the maximum number of repetitions (no less than 20). If you are doing multiple sets, you can change your grip from close to wide.

Dumbbell floor presses

This is the most popular variation as it is simple and you can do it anywhere with dumbbells or kettlebells.

Execution: Lie on your back on the floor. Your feet can either be flat on the floor or you can stretch your legs straight out in front of you. Now perform the same movement as you would for a regular dumbbell bench press. Make sure you control the movement and let your elbows touch the floor. Don't let them hit the floor with force as this will do more harm than good. You can perform the exercise either for time (no less than 30 seconds) or repetitions (aim for more than 30 repetitions).

- CJ McFarland - Strength coach

Several variables are needed for triceps growth

Effective triceps development is the product of the following variables:

Upper arm position relative to the torso
The angle of resistance in relation to this arm position
The volume
The tempo

The way in which the upper arm is positioned generates a range of different angles:

Your upper arm can be parallel to your torso or under your head, as is the case with cable tricep presses
Your upper arm can be perpendicular to your torso, as is the case with lying tricep presses (skull crushers).
Your upper arm can be in line with your torso with your arms above your head, as is the case with French presses.

Each of these positions will slightly change the active range of each of the three muscle heads of the triceps, primarily affecting the long head of the triceps - the inner part of the horseshoe. The full active range of the triceps will only be maximized if all of the arm positions are used.

Think of the angle of resistance or the line of pull. The strongest muscle activation occurs when the angle of resistance is 90 degrees to the forearm. Since a resistance consisting of free weights always pulls vertically downwards, cable pulls are an excellent way to change the line of pull.

In different exercises, the triceps are maximally loaded either in the starting position, in the middle range of motion or in the end range of motion. For maximum growth, choose exercises that place maximum load on the triceps in all three positions. Always use different combinations of upper arm positions and resistance angles to maximize triceps development.

Make volume and speed a priority instead of the weight used? Why? Because you will get better results. The biggest mistake exercisers make when training triceps is using so much weight that they don't achieve enough time under tension to stimulate any growth.

- Kurt Weber - Strength & Conditioning Coach

Three specific exercises

Getting strong on heavy multi-joint exercises is undoubtedly one of the best ways to develop your triceps. However, most exercisers need something more to maximize their growth potential. That's why I recommend adding these three exercises to your training program once every 5 to 10 days:

A triceps-dominant horizontal pressing exercise (e.g. close bench press)
A tricep extension that emphasizes the stretched position (e.g. lying tricep press / scull crusher)
An isolation exercise with constant tension (e.g. cable tricep press)

First perform a thorough warm-up with tricep presses on the cable with high repetitions. This will lubricate the elbows. Start with 4 to 5 sets of your favorite tricep-dominant pressing exercise: close bench press, reverse incline bench press, dips, reverse grip bench press or close grip floor presses.

If you really want to maximize your triceps growth, try using supportive resistance (bands or chains) to overload the top half of the movement, which is the phase that emphasizes the triceps. Avoid an extremely tight grip as this can put too much strain on your wrists and can cause you to turn your elbows out, reducing the load on the triceps. Instead, use a grip that is about shoulder width.

Use 2 to 6 repetitions on this first strength exercise to help target the motor units with the highest threshold of stimulation and maximize mechanical tension. This will not only optimize the growth response in the rapidly contracting muscle fibers, which have the greatest growth potential, but will also provide a neural potentiating effect that will make all subsequent isolation exercises feel easier.

Next, move on to a triceps extension exercise such as lying triceps presses (scull crushers), overhead triceps presses or JM presses. These exercises will help emphasize the stretched position, which will cause muscle damage. If I had to recommend one exercise that is both easy on the joints and absolutely brutal on the triceps, it would be Skullcrusher with kettlebells on a reverse incline bench with an emphasis on the eccentric phase of the movement.

The combination of a downward incline and kettlebells puts continuous tension on the triceps - something that most tricep exercises don't have to offer. This exercise also tends to put less stress on the elbows. Multiple sets of 6 to 10 repetitions are perfect for accumulating significant time under tension while also maximizing microtrauma and muscle damage.

To finish the session, perform a constant tension exercise targeting the contracted position. This includes most variations of cable tricep exercises including variations with a rope grip or reverse grip, one-arm variations and kneeling variations.

Perform 2 to 3 sets with either a slower tempo and moderate repetition ranges (8 to 12) or with a more traditional tempo and higher repetition numbers (15 to 25). When you reach the point of muscle failure on your final set, perform a descending set by halving the weight and performing as many reps as possible. Expect significant metabolic stress and cellular swelling, as well as a huge blood flow for a massive pump. Yes, the pain will be almost unbearable, but the growth will be worth the pain.

Another tip is to perform each exercise with your favorite biceps exercise in superset. Not only will this maximize your cell volumization and muscle pump, but it will also allow you to use heavier weights throughout the training session. This is due to the fact that depletion of the antagonistic muscle produces reciprocal inhibition. This allows for greater force production by the agonist, maximizing overload and muscle growth.

- Joel Seedman, PhD - Strength coach and performance expert

Pay attention to the three Ps

Most exercisers want massive arms and the triceps make up the majority of the upper arm circumference. Several aspects influence the speed at which your triceps can grow:

Weight (Pounds)

Unlike the biceps, where the pump is more important than the weight moved, the triceps need both. However, before you put another pair of discs on the bar at Skullcrushers, you should not lose sight of the fact that heavy pressing exercises for the chest and shoulders also inevitably train the triceps. This means that your chest training already takes care of most of the heavy training for your triceps - and not triceps-specific exercises.

Pump

Yes, the triceps respond extremely well to a fascia-widening pump, which is best achieved through extended sets, mega sets and descending sets. An excellent example of a mega set is the following: Tricep press on cable, followed by dips between two benches, followed by close grip push-ups. An advanced set that I love includes one-arm cable tricep presses where you go from an underhand grip to an overhand grip.

Program design

Nothing hinders the process of triceps growth more than inflamed elbows, which is why the order of your exercises is so important. I prefer to perform my tricep workout directly after chest and/or shoulder training.

Tricep training after heavy pressing exercises ensures that your elbow joints are warmed up and has the added benefit of forcing you to use lighter weights on the tricep specific exercises - an added safety feature.

As a final measure on the program front, you should always finish your tricep workout with an exercise focused on stretching the triceps. I can see faster growth when stretching an exhausted and massively pumped up muscle. A good exercise would be overhead tricep presses, for example.

- Mark Dugdale - IFBB Pro Bodybuilder

Frequency

I've always had serviceable triceps - especially relative to my biceps. The main reason for this? I've always used a high frequency in my tricep training.

When I was a teenager, I read that the secret to massive arms is to have big triceps, as they make up two-thirds of your upper arm mass. And even if this isn't entirely correct, it stuck in my mind. That's why I always did at least twice as much training for the triceps as for the biceps and trained them at least three to four times a week.

There were two times when my triceps were at their biggest. The first time was when I first tried the Westside Barbell workout, which emphasizes tricep training. I had read an article by Louie Simmons about additional workouts. He talked about how mini workouts every day and several times a day can boost your results.

I did tricep presses with bands several times a day for the next few months. I didn't use a specific set or repetition scheme, but simply performed a lot of tricep presses with bands throughout the day, focusing on getting a strong contraction and pump. My triceps grew tremendously during this time.

The second time was when I specialized in bench presses, doing some form of bench press pretty much every day. This also made my triceps really thick and dense. So if you want to achieve rapid tricep growth, then you should train your triceps often with low-impact exercises (cable tricep presses with moderate or light weights), focusing on achieving a crazy pump and maximum contraction, after which you stop. Tricep presses with bands are great for this purpose and can be done daily - and even multiple times a day - at home or anywhere else.

- Christian Thibaudeau - Strength coach and performance expert

It's all about the tension

Over the years, my quest for bigger and denser triceps has led me to the conclusion that it's not necessarily the exercise that makes the biggest difference, but the tension the muscle is subjected to. I believe this is true for any muscle, but especially for the triceps.

The mass and density will come with controlled and heavy scullcrushers, close bench presses and heavy dumbbell kickbacks. You don't see many exercisers performing heavy kickbacks. This is always an exercise that exercisers forgo or use light weights on. But over the years, I've worked my way up to over 30 kilos of dumbbells while maintaining strict form with no swinging.

Another excellent exercise that places a lot of tension on the long head of the triceps is one-arm tricep presses on the cable pulley.

Turn your body to the side, pull your shoulders back and use strict form.

- Arash Rahbar - IFBB Classic Physique Pro

References:

Boeckh-Behrens, WU, Beier, P., & Buskies, W. (2001). Fitness Strength Training: The Best Exercises and Methods of Sport and Health. Rowohlt Paperback Publishing House.

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/the-very-best-way-to-build-triceps

Dec 30, 2019

7 benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT)

Even though most people know that physical activity is healthy, experts estimate that around 30% of people worldwide don't get enough of it (1).

Unless you have a physically demanding job, a dedicated fitness program is probably your best option for getting active. Unfortunately, most people feel that they don't have enough time to exercise (2, 3).

If you recognize yourself, then maybe it's time to try high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT is a collective term for training sessions that include short periods of intense exercise alternating with recovery periods.

One of the biggest benefits of HIIT is that you can reap maximum benefits in a minimum amount of time. This article will explain what HIIT is and what the main health benefits of this type of training are.

What is high-intensity interval training (HIIT)?

HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise alternating with less intense recovery periods. Interestingly, HIIT may be the most time-efficient way to exercise (4, 5).

Typically, a HIIT training session lasts between 10 and 30 minutes. Despite the short duration of the training sessions, HIIT has health benefits equivalent to training sessions twice as long at moderate intensity (6, 7).

The actual activity performed during HIIT varies and can include sprints, cycling, jumping rope or other bodyweight exercises.

For example, a HIIT training session on a cycle ergometer could consist of 30 seconds of cycling at maximum speed and high resistance followed by several minutes of slow cycling at low resistance. This would be a "round" or a "repetition" and typically 4 to 6 of these rounds are completed per training session.

The specific duration of the intense efforts and recovery periods afterwards will vary based on the activity and intensity chosen. However, no matter how exactly a HIIT workout is put into practice, the high-intensity intervals should include short bursts of maximum effort that get your heart rate up (8).

HIIT not only delivers the benefits of longer conventional workouts in a much shorter period of time, but may also have some unique health benefits (4).

1. HIIT can burn a large amount of calories in a short period of time

You can burn a lot of calories quickly using HIIT workouts (9, 10).

One study compared the amount of calories burned during 30 minutes of HIIT training, 30 minutes of training with weights and 30 minutes of running or cycling. The researchers found that HIIT burned 25 to 30% more calories than the other forms of exercise (9).

In this study, one HIIT repetition consisted of 20 seconds of maximum effort followed by 40 seconds of rest. This means that the subjects in the HIIT group were actually only exercising for 1/3 of the time that the subjects in the runner and cyclist groups were exercising.

Even though each training session in this study was 30 minutes long, HIIT training sessions are often much shorter than traditional training sessions. This is because HIIT allows you to burn the same amount of calories in a shorter period of time.

Summary: HIIT could help you burn more calories than traditional training or the same amount of calories in a shorter period of time.

2. your metabolic rate is elevated for hours after a HIIT training session

One of the ways HIIT helps you burn calories comes into play after you've already finished your workout. Several studies have shown HIIT's impressive ability to increase your metabolic rate for several hours after your workout (11, 12, 13).

Some studies have even found that HIIT increases post-workout metabolic rate more than jogging or training with weights (11). The same study also observed that HIIT shifts the metabolism more towards using fat instead of carbohydrates as an energy source.

Another study showed that just two minutes of HIIT in the form of sprints increased metabolic rate over 24 hours as much as 30 minutes of running (14).

Summary: Due to the intensity of the training sessions, HIIT can increase the metabolic rate for hours after training. This results in additional calories burned long after you have finished your training session.

3. HIIT can help you lose fat

Studies have shown that HIIT can help you lose fat.

One study review looked at 13 clinical trials with a total of 424 overweight and obese subjects. Interestingly, this review concluded that both HIIT and traditional moderate-intensity cardio training can reduce body fat and waist circumference (15).

Additionally, one study found that people who performed a 20-minute HIIT training session three times a week lost 2 kilos of weight within 12 weeks - without any changes to their diet (16). Perhaps even more important was the fact that a 17% reduction in visceral fat - the unhealthy fat in the abdomen that surrounds the organs - was observed.

Several other studies also suggest that body fat can be reduced with HIIT despite its short duration (17, 18, 19). However, just like other forms of exercise, HIIT may be most effective for fat loss in those who are overweight or obese (20, 21).

Summary: High-intensity intervals can produce similar fat loss to traditional endurance training, even at a shorter duration. In addition, HIIT can reduce unhealthy visceral fat.

4. HIIT could help you build muscle

In addition to helping with fat loss, HIIT may also increase muscle mass in certain individuals (21, 22, 23). However, this muscle building primarily occurs in the muscles that are used the most, which in HIIT are generally the muscles of the core and lower body (16, 21, 23).

Additionally, it is important to note that an increase in muscle mass is more likely in individuals who were less active to begin with (24). Some studies with active subjects have not observed an increase in muscle mass with HIIT training programs (25).

Training with weights remains the 'gold standard' when it comes to increasing muscle mass, but high-intensity intervals may support modest muscle growth (24, 25).

Summary: If you're not very active, you might gain some muscle mass through a HIIT training program, although not as much as through training with weights.

5 HIIT can increase oxygen uptake capacity

Oxygen uptake refers to the ability of your muscles to use oxygen and endurance training is typically used to increase oxygen uptake. Traditionally, this consists of long sessions of continuous activity and activities such as running or cycling.

However, HIIT appears to be able to produce the same benefits within a shorter period of time (20, 21, 27). One study found that five weeks of HIIT training with four 20-minute workouts per week could increase oxygen uptake by 9% (6). This was almost the same improvement that was observed in the other study group, which trained on a cycle ergometer for 40 minutes four days a week at a constant intensity.

Another study found that eight weeks of cycle training on an ergometer using traditional training or HIIT training increased oxygen consumption by about 25% (7). Again, the duration of training was very different between the groups: 120 minutes per week for the group doing traditional endurance training and only 60 minutes per week for the HIIT group.

Numerous other studies have also shown that HIIT can increase oxygen consumption (25, 28).

Summary: High-intensity interval training can increase oxygen consumption to the same extent as traditional endurance training, even at half the training duration.

6 HIIT can lower heart rate and blood pressure

Hit could also have important health benefits. A large body of research suggests that HIIT can lower heart rate and blood pressure in overweight and obese individuals, who often have high blood pressure (20).

One study found that eight weeks of HIIT training on a cycle ergometer lowered blood pressure in adults with high blood pressure as much as traditional endurance training (7). In this study, the endurance training group exercised four days a week for 30 minutes each, while the HIIT group exercised three days a week for 20 minutes each. Some researchers have found that HIIT may lower blood pressure even more than the regularly recommended moderate-intensity endurance training (29).

However, HIIT typically does not appear to change blood pressure in normal-weight people with normal blood pressure (20).

Summary: HIIT can lower blood pressure and heart rate in overweight or obese people with high blood pressure.

7 HIIT can lower blood sugar levels

Blood sugar can be reduced by HIIT programs lasting less than 12 weeks (20, 30). A summary of 50 different studies concluded that HIIT can not only lower blood sugar, but can also reduce insulin resistance to a greater extent than traditional training at a constant intensity (31).

Based on this information, it is possible that HIIT training could be particularly beneficial for type 2 diabetics. In fact, some studies conducted with type 2 diabetics have shown the effectiveness of HIIT in improving blood glucose levels (32).

Research conducted with healthy individuals suggests that HIIT may be able to reduce existing insulin resistance even more than traditional exercise at a constant intensity (27).

Summary: High-intensity interval training may be particularly beneficial for people who need to lower their blood glucose levels or suffer from insulin resistance. These improvements can be seen in both diabetics and healthy people.

How to get started with HIIT training

There are many ways to add high-intensity intervals to your program. To start, you simply need to choose your activity (running, cycling, jumping rope, etc.). Then you can experiment with different lengths of training and recovery periods. Here are some simple examples of HIIT workouts:

Pedal on a cycle ergometer for 30 seconds as fast as you can at high resistance. Then cycle at a slow speed with low resistance for 2 minutes. Repeat this pattern for 15 to 30 minutes.
After some jogging to warm up, sprint as fast as you can for 15 seconds. Then walk or jog at low speed for 2 minutes. Repeat this pattern for 10 to 20 minutes.
Perform jump squats as fast as you can for 30 to 90 seconds. Then rest for 30 to 90 seconds, during which you either simply stand still or walk around. Repeat this pattern for 10 to 20 minutes.

These are just simple examples to get you started. Modify your program based on your own preferences.

Conclusion

High intensity interval training is a very effective form of exercise and could help you burn more calories than other forms of exercise. Some of the calories burned come from an increase in metabolic rate that lasts for hours after the workout.

All in all, HIIT produces many of the benefits of other forms of exercise in a shorter period of time. These benefits include a reduction in body fat, heart rate and blood pressure. HIIT may also help to lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity.

So if you're short on time and want to get active, consider high-intensity interval training.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-hiit

Dec 27, 2019

Tips of the week Try out the primary muscle-secondary muscle split

Primary muscles and secondary muscles are old-school terms that are useful when describing these training splits. When training your chest, your pecs are the primary muscles. They should do most of the work. However, the triceps also help out and are therefore secondary muscles. In back training, the different muscles of the back do most of the work as primary muscles, while the biceps would be the secondary muscles.

So far so good, but why is this important when it comes to your training split? Well, as mentioned earlier, the arm muscles are the secondary muscles in chest and back exercises. This gives you two options:

Option #1

Day 1: Back / Triceps
Day 2: Chest / Biceps
Day 3: legs, shoulders, abs
Day 4: No workout or repeat from day 1

The idea is to keep your biceps and triceps fresh and recovered. On day 1 your triceps will be fresh as the back needs the biceps and not the triceps as a secondary muscle group. You will see that you will feel very strong when training your arms with this split and will be able to use more weight when training your arms than if you pair chest with triceps and back with biceps.

Option #2

Day 1: Back / Biceps
Day 2: Chest / Triceps
Day 3: legs, shoulders, abs
Day 4: No training or repetition from day 1

In this option, you intentionally pair the secondary muscles with the primary muscles. If you have already exhausted your arms through your back and chest training, you can give them the rest with direct training.

As with most splits, I wouldn't say one of these is better - they are simply different. So choose the training split that best suits your needs or choose the option you've used the least to break up your routine.

Tip: Small goals for big progress

Here's why setting small goals in the gym leads to the biggest progress

By Jim Wendler

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-think-small-win-big

Too many people sit at the workout buffet with hungry eyes and small stomachs. Their goals, their dedication and their efforts don't match up. This is something we all go through at one time or another. The fact is, every summer a couple high school football players send me a variation of the following question:

"My football coach tells me that if I gain 25 pounds over the summer, increase my bench press weight from 100 to 140 pounds and get faster, I have a good chance of making the roster. Which template should I follow? And what do you think of creatine?" Even though this enthusiasm is admirable, one wishes that these kids would at least keep one foot in reality. Maybe the football coach is just making fun of them. "Sure my boy, you'll play if you put on 25 kilos of muscle, get faster and grow another 35 centimetres."

We could all laugh heartily at all this now, as we have all experienced this ourselves, but all too many people remain trapped in this dream world. Their dedication and efforts don't match their goals.

How to solve the problem

The first thing you should do is reset your goals - make them smaller. Now before you get all excited and shout "You have to dream big!", let's look at the practical side of this. Progress in the weight room - no matter how small - is progress. Anyone who complains about making progress - even if it's small - is just a jerk with a weird attitude.

If you can do 150 kilos on squats at the moment, then you should focus all your efforts on doing 152.5 kilos. Never look further ahead. Never calculate where you might be at some point. Think about what you want to achieve next and then the 155 kilos will fall. Soon after that, the 157.5 kilos will, and if you focus on the process - the work you do every day and every week - then you will reach the 200 kilos faster than you would have expected.

The greatest successes come from those who love the process and focus on getting a little better each time. The trick is to never raise your head and admire the view.

You have to love the grind, the unsexy work and the discipline to keep going day after day. All people seem to see is the glory on the pitch. They think "Oh man, I wish I could walk on the field and have the crowd cheering for me!" But there is no glory without sacrifice.

Tip: Forget the oxygen deprivation mask

Yeah, it might look kind of cool, but it doesn't work. Here's why

By Dr. John Rusin

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-ditch-the-oxygen-deprivation-mask

If you're serious about pushing the limits of your training, isn't the simple act of heavy breathing hard enough without strapping a mask to your face and breathing through a clogged garden hose? The oxygen deprivation or altitude training simulation masks will make you look like a scrawny version of a Batman supervillain, but they will also damage your cardiovascular system and your breathing mechanics.

It is difficult to correlate studies that show the effectiveness of different forms of hypoxia training, such as altitude training or training in a closed chamber with reduced oxygen in the air, with the use of an oxygen deprivation mask. The studies that have used a breather mask relate to very specific situations and it is therefore not the best idea to make broad comparisons with this specific style of training.

For all the disadvantages of an oxygen deprivation mask, there was actually only one meta-analysis that showed that exercising in a low oxygen environment could have the ability to reduce waist circumference and effectively reduce arterial stiffness. I'm sure this is exactly why so many recreational athletes strap this thing on their face while doing supersets or running on the cinder track - for the health of their arteries.

Poor posture and deep breathing

Something I see frequently in my clinical practice is an alarming rate of dysfunctional and sometimes even painful breathing patterns that are directly related to posture, or rather poor posture.

A posture with increased kyphotic position of the spine (rounded upper back and hollow back), inwardly rotated and downwardly pulled shoulders and a forward bent posture of the head, predisposes our respiratory muscles to strain on a regular basis. And this is just what happens when these people sit still. Imagine what happens if we now add training volume, intensity and exercise selection to the equation.

So posture obviously has a big impact on training and performance and can make certain areas of the body such as the lumbar spine and shoulder region more susceptible to injury. The use of an oxygen deprivation mask by a person who already has dysfunctional posture and poor mechanical breathing patterns is the perfect recipe for disaster.

Take off the mask

With a society that "likes" social media posts of NFL pros and MMA stars working out on the treadmill with this dysfunctional gimmick, I challenge you to separate yourself from the herd. Master your posture, improve your breathing strategies and techniques and only then should you even think about taking the next step towards training in a legitimate hypoxic environment.

Tip: Improve the quality of your sleep

How to sleep more, sleep better, fight cortisol and increase your natural growth hormone production

By Mike Roussell, PhD

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/supplements/tip-increase-the-quality-of-your-sleep

A lack of sleep and poor sleep quality can greatly affect your health and your body's ability to cope with stress. While you often hear that 8 hours of sleep is the amount of sleep we should get, it may be the quality of our sleep that is more important than the quantity. So if you can't always get 8 hours of sleep, then you should make sure that the sleep you do get is very restorative.

It has been shown that athletes who train hard suffer from sleep disturbances, some of which are related to higher levels of epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine at night. Drinking decaffeinated green tea before bedtime could help combat elevated norepinephrine levels.

3 ingredients for better sleep

The next step up from green tea is a powerful sleep supplement that contains anxiety-fighting and sleep-inducing ingredients, including the following:

4-Amino-3-Phenyl Butanoic Acid HCl (PhGABA)
L-theanine (yes, the same good stuff found in green tea)
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)

Such supplements can improve the quality of sleep without leading to tiredness or a kind of hangover the next morning, as is often the case with pharmaceutical sleep aids.

A good night's sleep is also important for what happens hormonally during the night. During periods of deep sleep, the body's release of cortisol decreases, while growth hormone production increases at night.

An easy way to optimize your sleep for maximum muscle growth is to simply go to bed earlier. Turn off the TV, make sure your bedroom is completely dark and try to get 14 nights of quality sleep in a row to get your body back on track.

Tip: Use the countdown method for your shoulder muscles

This will really burn. And terribly so. But you'll love the results!

By Ben Bruno

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-use-the-countdown-method-for-delts

Increasing the weight is the best form of progressive overload - but not for deadlifts. Sure, you'll be able to increase the weights a little when you first start doing this exercise, but most people will plateau quickly and the subsequent increase in weight would just mean using poor form. Then it becomes difficult to measure progress. Did you get stronger, or did you just drop a little more?

Instead, keep the weight lighter on side raises and focus on maintaining good form, keeping your arms reasonably straight and minimizing body momentum. If you use some momentum to perform the last reps of a set, that's one thing, but if you're heaving the weights up more poorly than right from the start, then the weight is too heavy.

Instead of chasing weight increases, try increasing reps or volume by adding a few sets here and there, or doing them on an extra day each week. However, you can also do the following...

Side lifts: the countdown method

Start by choosing a number of reps - usually between 4 and 6 - and no matter how many reps you start with, immediately follow this with an isometric hold for an equivalent number of seconds. Then you start the countdown down to one repetition.

Let's say you decided to start with 5 repetitions. The set would then look like this:

5 reps
5-second isometric hold
4 repetitions
4-second isometric hold
3 repetitions
3-second isometric hold
2 repetitions
2 seconds isometric hold
1 repetition
1-second isometric hold

Tip: Activate your gluteus to move more weight when deadlifting

This simple exercise will activate your gluteus and help you pull more weight

By Tony Gentilcore

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-activate-your-glutes-to-deadlift-more

Because we sit on our gluteus for 8 to 12 hours every day, it tends to be weak. Considering that the gluteus is the strongest hip extensor in the body, it's reasonable to assume that this muscle should affect how much weight you can move when deadlifting. Many exercisers cheat themselves by not paying more attention to their gluteus.

The solution? Perform some simple gluteus activation between your deadlift sets. You'll notice a big difference in the amount of weight you can put on the bar. Here's one way to do this.

Glute Bridge Plank Lifts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V6Tgi6hIGc

Place both heels on the floor and lift your hips slightly off the floor. Contract your gluteus.
From here, lift one heel 3 to 5 centimeters off the floor and keep your pelvis straight (it should not turn to the side). Hold this position for one second.
Move the leg back to the floor and repeat with the other side for a total of 5 repetitions per leg.

If your gluteus was in a deep sleep, this exercise will wake it up and you will have a better deadlift workout.

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-try-the-primary-secondary-mover-split

By Chad Waterbury

Dec 20, 2019

Tips of the week pull-ups

Hyperextension of the neck: stop doing it

People don't think much about the health of their necks - at least not until they reach their forties or fifties and realize they've woken up with numbness and non-functioning muscles in their arms because they've suffered a herniated disc.

These problems have a lot to do with people sitting in front of the computer with their heads bent forward. You can exacerbate these problems by performing different exercises with your neck hyperextended when you should be keeping your neck in a neutral position.

Bad pull-ups: Hyperextension of the neck

Good pull-ups: No attempt to touch the bar with your chin.

Oh yes, you also can't do good pull-ups if you're wearing a baseball cap - at least not if you have it on backwards. This will also cause you to have to put your neck in a hyperextended position to get past the bar.

Tip: Build your mind-muscle connection

This isn't bro-science, this is real science. And here's why you need a good mind-muscle connection for optimal muscle growth

By Bret Contreras, Brad Schoenfeld, PhD

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-build-your-mind-muscle-connection

Arnold said resistance training is more than simply moving a weight from point A to point B. He said, "The weights are simply a means to an end. How well we contract the muscles is what training is all about."

To maximize muscle development, he talked about building a strong mind-muscle connection where he visualized the muscle being trained and felt it working through the full range of motion during each repetition. While this may sound like nonsense, scientific research has shown that the mind-muscle connection can significantly improve muscle recruitment.

The study

Scientists had a group of subjects perform two sets of lat pulldowns with only basic instructions. Then, after a rest period, the subjects performed a few more sets, but now they were given instructions on how to emphasize a contraction of the latissimus dorsi while de-emphasizing the biceps.

The result? Muscle activity in the latissimus, as determined by EMG measurements¸ was significantly higher in the sets performed with a better mind-muscle connection. In other words, simply focusing on the target muscle resulted in greater activation of that muscle.

How to develop the mind-muscle connection

Here's one way to apply this technique for optimal effect. Instead of thinking about where you feel a muscle stimulus, think about where you should feel the stimulus. In the lat pulldown example, you need to focus on pulling the weight down using the muscles of your back. Continue this thought process until you reach the bottom phase of the movement and then pull your shoulder blades together, where you should feel a contraction in your latissimus.

In the eccentric (negative) phase of the repetition, you are forcing your latissimus to resist the gravity of the weight so that the muscles are stretched in a controlled manner. As you approach the starting point of the movement, you should feel a full stretch in your latissimus and without hesitation, move on to the next repetition, repeating the process. Keeping your mental focus channeled in this way will shift most of the load to the target muscles of your back, maximizing stimulation.

Several studies for other muscle groups such as abs and gluteus all show the same thing - focused effort increases neural activation of the targeted muscles.

Don't be discouraged if it takes longer to establish a mental connection with some muscles than others. It is generally easier to establish a mental connection with the muscles of the arms and legs than it is with the muscles of the trunk. However, with practice and patience, you will develop a connection with all the muscles in your body.

Tip: Use instinctive training wisely

The fashionable term for this technique is autoregulation. Use it in the following ways

By Bret Contreras, Brad Schoenfeld, PhD

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-use-instinctive-training-wisely

Instinctive training basically means that the training intensity should be based on how you feel during a given training session. So you use a combination of experience and instinct to guide your training sessions from day to day. This helps to address the fact that external influences such as sleep patterns, diet, stress and aches and pains can affect your ability to train at maximum intensity on a daily basis.

Recent research seems to support an instinctive approach to training. In scientific circles, this strategy is also referred to as autoregulatory training and scientists have evaluated its applicability in different flexible periodization models.

The study

In one study (McNamara et al., 2010), 16 novice exercisers were divided into two resistance training groups. All study participants performed the same training volume with the same weight schemes (10RM, 15RM, 20RM) twice a week. One group performed the training program in a prescribed manner, while the other group was allowed to choose when to perform their training sessions based on how they felt.

At the end of the 12-week training period, the subjects who were allowed to train instinctively had increased their leg press strength by 62 kilograms, while the increase in the control group was only 16 kilograms.

Instinctive training is best suited for advanced exercisers

Despite these impressive results for beginners, instinctive training is better suited to more advanced exercisers. You need to be familiar with your mental, physical and emotional state and how these factors affect your training capacity. This is only really possible with some training experience. A novice exerciser is not familiar enough with the nuances of training to accurately assess their daily capacity for maximum performance.

The downside

However, it is important to understand that instinctive training also has a downside. If you're not highly motivated to train, it can be tempting to give in to laziness. The flexible nature of this training strategy provides a ready-made excuse to make things easier, even when you're feeling good. Be honest with yourself. If you're the type of exerciser who needs a set program to train intensely on a regular basis, then a traditional periodization program is a better option.

On the other hand, you can take this to the other extreme and think that it's okay to always push yourself to the limit unless you've broken some bones. Remember that the body needs an adequate amount of rest to regenerate its resources, otherwise your progress will hit a wall at some point. So regardless of your subjective feelings, make sure you incorporate regular recovery cycles into your training program.

Tip: Perform cable pull-ups for excellent latissimus muscles

The cable pulley beats the dumbbell in this classic bodybuilding exercise

By Lee Boyce

https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-cable-pullovers-for-great-lats

Traditional dumbbell pull-ups only involve the latissimus in a small portion of the movement. Perform cable pull-ups on a reverse incline bench to maintain tension on the latissimus throughout the exercise.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMUNY71T2FA).

Many bodybuilders use pull-ups for the latissimus, but what effect does this exercise really have on the latissimus? If we look at the angle of force, we see a movement where the dumbbell is pulled down by gravity. When the exerciser performs the pull-over movement, the dumbbell is basically moving on a more horizontal plane, while the angle of force of the dumbbell is still straight down.

Since the latissimus is involved when the force angle simulates a vertical pulling motion, this means that the latissimus is only involved during a short portion of the movement in the first third of the range of motion before other muscles appear on the scene. You can get more bang for your buck by performing a different variation of this exercise.

Cable pullovers maintain tension on the latissimus due to an angle of force that engages the latissimus throughout the exercise. Use a bench and cable pulley instead of the dumbbell if you really want to challenge your latissimus.

Tip: Maximize your testo levels with two minerals

Most strength athletes lack two key minerals to support T production. Here's a solution to this problem

By Erick Avila

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/supplements/tip-maximize-testosterone-with-two-minerals

If you're deficient in zinc and magnesium, as many athletes are, your natural production of the primary muscle-building male hormone will drop. Here are the reasons why and a solution to the problem:

Magnesium

Numerous studies have shown that magnesium is positively associated with overall levels of the primary muscle-building male hormone. Unfortunately, magnesium deficiency is widespread because people do not consume enough magnesium in their diet.

Magnesium increases the bioavailability of this hormone, which is so important for muscle building. As part of the natural ageing process - or as a result of a low-protein diet - the concentration of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) increases and this globulin binds the muscle-building hormone, which is so important for us, so that it is not available to the body. However, one study was able to show that testo is bound to magnesium rather than SHBG, so that the free levels of this hormone - and thus also its anabolic effects - are maintained.

In another study, 30 men (both physically active and inactive) aged between 18 and 22 years were given 10 mg of magnesium per kilogram of body weight per day over a period of four weeks. Following this, the free levels of the primary male muscle-building hormone were measured. Interestingly, greater increases in hormone levels were observed in the subjects who participated in intensive training activities in conjunction with magnesium supplementation.

Recommended intake: If you wanted to replicate the exact dosages from the study cited above, you would need to consume 10 mg of magnesium per kilogram of body weight per day, which would equate to 1,000 mg of magnesium per day for a 100 kilogram serving. This is a very large amount. It is therefore advisable to use more sensible dosages.

The official recommended intake for magnesium is around 400 mg for an adult male. So for an increase in hormone production, you could experiment with 750 mg per day for a few weeks and see how you feel.

Food sources of magnesium:

Dark green vegetables (spinach, broccoli, cabbage, chard)
Fish (halibut, salmon, mackerel, tuna, pollock)
Nuts (cashews, peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts)
Seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, linseed)
Pulses (black beans, edamame, kidney beans)
avocados
bananas
raisins

Zinc

Low levels of the primary male muscle-building hormone are usually associated with zinc deficiency, as androgen receptors are often altered in people suffering from zinc deficiency. Numerous studies have shown that increasing zinc intake increases levels of luteinizing hormone - a hormone that stimulates T production in the body. In addition, studies show that zinc is a potent aromatase inhibitor, which prevents the primary male muscle-building hormone from being converted into estrogen.

Recommended intake: 30 mg per day

Food sources of zinc:

Shellfish (oysters, crab, lobster, shrimp)
Beef
Pork
Chicken
Dairy products (Swiss cheese, yogurt, milk, cheddar cheese, mozzarella)
Pulses (baked beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, white beans, mung beans)
oat flakes
Nuts (cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, pecan nuts, walnuts)
Seeds (pumpkin, pine nuts, chia, linseed)

The supplement solution

If you don't feel like eating a lot of chard and mung beans, you can also use a ZMA product as an alternative.

Tip: Perform hand walkouts for stronger abs

You can do this challenging exercise anywhere.

By Ben Bruno

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-hand-walkouts-for-ab-strength

Hand walkouts are similar to ab wheel rollouts, but you don't need any equipment to perform them. The eccentric or lowering phase is much slower and more controlled than when using an ab wheel, so you'll be less likely to fumble the exercise execution. Walkouts are self-limiting in the sense that you can only go as far forward as you can control your core, which means you can't go beyond your capacity.

Hand Walkouts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijzfaXFEUCI

As you don't need any equipment for this exercise, it's a great option for days when you can't make it to the gym. You can also do this exercise from your knees if the standing version is too heavy for you. Is the exercise not heavy enough? Then use a weight vest.

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-dont-reach-for-the-bar-with-your-chin

By Eric Cressey

Previous 1 … 30 31 32 33 34 … 117 Next

Das könnte dir ebenfalls gefallen View all

Jul 23, 2026

Sind Blackrolls überhaupt noch sinnvoll?

Jul 19, 2026

Warum kleine aktive Pausen im Bürojob sinnvoll sind

Jul 16, 2026

Wofür benötigt der Körper gesättigte Fettsäuren?