from the mailbag, my grandma throws down the gauntlet

***QUESTION***

Hey, Chad. Let’s start working on reducing time between exercises this week!

Also, a question … You say the faster you exhaust your muscles the better, but isn’t there a minimum effective time? Otherwise why not just try and move more weight than you could possibly move for like 5 or 10 seconds and be done? Is there a lower limit?

Thanks. See you Thursday!

Michael

[This question is in reference to my last post. -Chad]

>>>MY COMMENTS

Great question, Michael.

I can tell that you not only read my last newsletter, but you really thought about it.

Yes, there is a lower limit.

Just 5 or 10 seconds of effort is insufficient to exhaust many of the fibers in a muscle–even if we talking about 100% effort.

The contractile fibers within a muscle fatigue at a certain RATE, and a muscle fiber won’t be fatigued until it has worked at it’s maximum effort for the duration required to fatigue it.

A muscle may not be strong enough to move a weight, but it still won’t be fatigued until it has exerted maximum effort for the duration of time required to become fatigued–movement or no movement.

Also, muscles are composed of many muscle fibers that can fatigue at many different rates.

Research suggests that the OVERALL greatest fatigue of a muscle happens when that muscle is working NO LESSthan 60-90 seconds, and NO MORE than 3 to 4 minutes.

For you, this means that 5-10 seconds might get your muscle to “failure to move” with a really heavy weight, but it will be sub-optimal exercise for the muscles involved, and it won’t get you the results you really want.

At Myogenics Fitness gym in LA I set my weights so that I last between 90 and 180 seconds before I hit “muscle failure.”

(And I set your weights this way, too!)

***QUESTION***

Hi Chad,

Yes, definitely would like to try this approach. I think my biggest challenge will be to stop drinking water in between exercises. How do I go about that? Perhaps we can talk before I start my workout on Monday.

Rita

[This question is in reference to my last post. -Chad]

>>>MY COMMENTS

Hi Rita,

If you need to, you can start by cutting back at first rather than eliminating rest cold-turkey. Plan one mid-workout break where you’ll stop and get water. Do two if you absolutely need it.

Also, anticipate that your mouth is going to feel dry and that will feel strange. Be okay with that.

As long as you go into your workout fully hydrated and your workout is less than 20 minutes start-to-finish, you should be fine with respect to hydration. It’s just that your mouth will feel dry from the water evaporating when you’re breathing a lot.

And after 5-6 workouts without water breaks, you probably won’t even notice dryness in your mouth any more.

We will find out…

***QUESTION***

Hi Chad,

You take my breath away. You challenge me to set up each machine before I start my exercise in the fitness room. I plan to try this Thurs. a.m. to see if I can finish in 1/2 hr. instead of 1 hr.

You do a wonderful job with your newsletter, Chad. Hope you have clients meet the challenge.
Thanks,

Love, Grandma

>>>MY COMMENTS

Thanks, Grandma Ruth! I will pass along to my clients that you told them they’d better rise to the challenge.

They won’t want to be put to shame by a 91 year-old, I’m sure.

If you couldn’t tell, my grandma is an amazing person. And if my grandma can do intense weight training, so can you!

Feel free to email me your questions/comments, and I’ll talk to you
again soon.

Next up, I’m going to answer questions about those vibrating platforms and the “ramping up” process of how to get from your current level to what’s ideal.

Stay tuned.

-Chad

P.P.S. If you like the tips in these posts, and you want a more lean, defined, strong body…but you’d rather have someone else take care of all the details for you, you might like personal training at Myogenics Fitness.

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