Body by Science / HIIT Experiment

Scottie

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Starting in January, a few of us began to do the Dr. Doug McGuff Body by Science workout. It's a type of High Intensity Interval Training that you can read more about in @ScioAgapeOmnis' post here.

For years, I had been doing various workouts, culminating in my once-a-week routine that was basically high intensity training, 1 set, blah blah blah. It was taking upwards of 40 minutes once a week.

Then, @Mark mentioned on FB that he had started the BBS workout, I think... And I realized I had purchased the book years ago but never finished reading it. At the time, it just seemed like "more of what I was already doing". Well, no...

I finished the book, and darn near fell of my chair.

So, as I said, a few of us guys here tried it. I began on 9 January 2018, and my plan was to give it 6 months and then report.

Well, son of a gun, suddenly darn near everyone here and at the Farm is doing it! And we're having some interesting results, so I figured I better report a bit early.

I'll report my results, and others can chime in if they want. Naturally, I am noticing muscle changes. Keep in mind this is a once a week workout for about 15 minutes if you do it alone. So, my workouts are ~3 times shorter and with more interesting effects.

The most interesting thing is the way I am sore after a workout. Immediately after, it's difficult to hold myself up - like, say, if I'm leaning on a table. I start wobbling crazily. By the next day, I'm usually fine. Sometimes, if I perform a repetitive low-intensity action like cleaning leaves out of the pool, my arms will ache very quickly, and then I have to rest for a minute or two. But I'm not incapable of doing stuff like before - IOW I'm not "sore" like I used to be.

This "weakness" is usually very short-lived, and it changes week to week (different muscles).

More interestingly, I'm noticing changes in certain muscles - doing only 5 exercises once a week instead of 12. For example, my arms are bigger in circumference... not because of my biceps (which is what guys usually look for) but because the triceps is larger and stronger. Who knew I even had those muscles?! :lol: I worked them before and nothing happened.

Also, I noticed increased tone, strength, and a feeling of "solidity" in my legs and in my body in general. It's difficult to explain, but I feel more "sturdy" or "solid". This is especially interesting to me as a skinny person. That's exactly what McGuff claims the workout does: it sort of "reconstructs" and strengthens your whole musculoskeletal structure - but whatever, man! I'll take it. I think most of this is just naturally improved posture and movement in general as formerly neglected structures are strengthened. That's my theory based on McGuff's book, anyway.

In terms of the workouts, I have been steadily increasing in strength.

As for other effects, a few of us have noticed certain curious phenomena, such as suddenly having 3 bowel movements within 48 hours - which is definitely not normal! It almost appears to be like a "house-cleaning" effect going on.

It's also interesting to note the changes in other people, which covers everything from increased mobility to more toned muscles to the extremely vague yet visible "looking healthier".
It's even more fun when somebody flexes their arm and says, "Look! My jelly arms are disappearing!" :lol2::cheer:

Since we're all doing neurofeedback at the same time, HIIT as described in Body by Science seems to be an interesting addition. We sort of fell into a kind of "holistic approach" to mind and body - in addition to diet and everything else we've been doing.

Well, the experiment is still ongoing, and it's difficult at this point to say who's on first for sure... But it's interesting enough that no one has quit yet. Given the intensity of the workout, I'd say that's a fairly good indicator that it's having a positive effect on everyone!

We have people ranging in age from the 20's to the 70's, and everybody is just chugging along nicely. So, anyone who visits in the near future, don't be shocked if we look like this:

xmen-18572.jpg

I'd be interested to hear about others' experiences with this workout!
 
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A few of the peeps over here started doing it, and I'm gonna join in. So I'll be able to report back at some point as well if this workout can tighten some things up
 
Thanks for posting Scottie, very interesting results so far. I'm going to order the book and try the experiment. I look forward to super-human strength:lol:
 
I have always hated working out, but this one is a keeper! I started in the beginning of February, and have already noticed some effects. Carrying a 20kg box in the past was hard, and now I do it quite comfortably. I feel stronger and straighter.

Other than that, the fact that it takes only 15minutes a week is a plus! I never thought I'd say this, but every time I look forward to the workout. It's better if you can do it with someone else watching/timing you, and assisting if the weight is too heavy at the end. But even better, read the book! (I keep meaning to...)

Not being sore for days after a heavy workout is also another plus! With this one, I tend to shake and feel super weak right afterwards for about 15 minutes, and then feel a bit of weakness the day after, but that's about it. That is nothing compared to the previous 48hs of soreness in the past! And increasing the weight so often is quite inspiring.

I've been doing Qi-Gong in the mornings too, for the past 2 months. I think it's a great combo, that plus the workout. Other than the physical benefits, it seems to be good for staying in the present more often. That started for me with Qi-Gong and this workout, and then, after Neurofeedback, it got even better.

:cheer:
 
Sounds indeed very promising! Thank you for sharing, Scottie. I gonna buy the book.
 
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Starting in January, a few of us began to do the Dr. Doug McGuff Body by Science workout.

My wife and I started doing this after I read your recommendation on FB and purchasing the book. I wanted to start a thread about it at some point and I'll go into detail later, because I still have to figure out some things (we're doing it with just a barbell), but one thing is for sure: it's AMAZING!!

Me too, I experimented with HIT training in the past, doing it for about 6 months or so. The results were good, but this is another world! I think the main difference to other trainings is the sloooow movements (repititions). This really kills you!

But I hate it and it's BRUTAL!
 
Well, I'm one of those in the age 'range' of 70's that is doing this BBS exercises (high intensity, low impact, in a short timespan). So far, I've done 4 sessions, although the first was just a checkout as to what the effect would be on my heart - all was clear. Of the 3 proper sessions done so far, I have increased the weight lifted (in each of the 5 exercises) each session - my lifting capacity had been severely depleted after a number of opertations last year. As a result of doing these exercises, I have noticed better muscle tone. It is early days yet, so not much else noticed. It does help to have a ''helper' trainer' with you, to take you fully to the point of failure, which is the whole point of the exercises, so that new tissue can be grown.

As for side effects, yes, I get the shakes afterwards, but the duration is getting less. The worst part, for me, up till now has been the third day after the session, when I feel as if I don't know which is more comfortable - sitting, standing, or lying down, I ache in each position, yet it is gone the next day.
...

As for other effects, a few of us have noticed certain curious phenomena, such as suddenly having 3 bowel movements within 48 hours - which is definitely not normal! It almost appears to be like a "house-cleaning" effect going on.

...
Yes, I'm one of those.
 
As a result of doing these exercises, I have noticed better muscle tone. It is early days yet, so not much else noticed.

That is excellent news!! It is so difficult to increase muscle mass after the 70s, yet it is the one thing that can make the whole difference in overall health.

I want to learn too! Specially if it is only a limited amount of time per week. I have to be able to carry my giant medical bag around the countryside with dignity :-[
 
I've been doing the workout about 2 weeks longer than the peeps in France, so far so good. I feel better overall, I sleep better, and my muscles are toning up a lot, I'm regaining tone and strength that I lost over the decades when I quit working in a manual labor job and starting working at a desk job.

What I really like about this workout is that it's short! I don't have to go to the gym a bunch. Just 15 to 20 minutes a week and done! So it's easy to stay regular and not dread an alternative workout like working out every other day.

I do the routine by myself and use the local gym's Cybex machines. And I use the Time Under Load app on Android (linked below), it has a series of 9 exercises, a timer, and tracks progress so I can see my ups and downs in terms of total time under load for any particular exercise. I do the exercises in the order listed, unless someone is already on the next machine I need to use in which case I skip it, go to the next exercise, then come right back to the one I skipped.

I'm getting a bit stronger overall, that varies week to week, sometimes I gain on the upper body, sometimes the lower. And yeah, there have been a few times when I was so completely exhausted after the workout that I'd sit at my desk feeling like I couldn't stand for long. After every workout I have soreness somewhere, it varies but usually in my lats and legs, sometimes my shoulders.

I haven't been upping my weight lifts yet, what I've been doing is working to increase the time under load of the same weight week to week. So my increases are in endurance. The goal being 45 to 90 seconds per exercise. I've gotten a couple exercises up to 2 minutes during my last workout so it's time for me to increase the weight on those.

As Scottie mentioned, I too feel a lot more solid. I was noticing this especially yesterday. My legs and gluts and back feel much more unified and solid. My posture is improving too.

Overall I think it's really good. I sure feel a whole lot better. If you're even slightly interested in this then get the book and read it, it's short and to the points. You'll learn how to do the routine, and why and how it works.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alwaystwirling.tul

Edit - official web site, but get the app from the Apple or Android store:

Track Your Time Under Load
 
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I am also doing this high-intensity training. I hate it with passion, and I am not looking forward to it, same way I feel about any type of gym workouts.

But....

I've had six sessions so far and I will keep going, because, despite my feelings for it, the workout has been treating me pretty good. I too feel more solid and stronger in my body (first time ever, since I have the body frame of a stick figure!), which also makes me feel emotionally and mentally stronger too. My posture seems better, my back is stronger and my skin tighter, and I can clearly see the shapes of muscles forming on my legs and arms. Better even, when I show them to other people, they see them too!
So, I will keep at it because this workout is treating me so very well, I just don't have the heart to quit it :love::perfect::cheer:
 
Overall I think it's really good. I sure feel a whole lot better. If you're even slightly interested in this then get the book and read it, it's short and to the points. You'll learn how to do the routine, and why and how it works.

Yeah, I ordered what showed to be the last used copy available from Amazon. Should be here in about a week.
 
I have always hated working out, but this one is a keeper! I started in the beginning of February, and have already noticed some effects. Carrying a 20kg box in the past was hard, and now I do it quite comfortably. I feel stronger and straighter.

Same here. It makes such a difference. Especially the first three days after the workout are really amazing. But honestly I always have to talk myself into it. In the beginning I cursed a lot, as I get used to lifting I get better at not doing so. As we are two people doing it, to assist and control, we bargained that profanities are allowed when working out.

It is somehow the worst and the best training I have ever done. And it helps me to avoid backpains when working in the garden.
 
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