Body by Science / HIIT Experiment

[genero81]

I think every ten days works better for me, too.

Yes! I agree wholeheartedly. This has been my feeling for a little while now. My thought was that the seven day recommendation was more so they wouldn't 'lose' the people who were enthusiastic about getting after it, but I definitely sensed that they were really saying to rest longer than that.

 

[Seamus]

Here's a little inspiration for when you don't feel like exercising.... Keep at it!

 

[genero81]

So I worked out for the first time in two weeks. I was out of town last week. It went fantastic! I did the big 5 in about nine minutes. I increased the weight on every exercise but one which was underhand lat pull downs. I set most of the machines before I started, so I was able to go straight to the next machine, and the next without really stopping. I noticed when I first started the routine that I was kind of holding my breath. So I corrected that right away. It's interesting getting to complete muscle failure and then starting right away on the next exercise and being plenty strong because you are of course working different muscles. My heart was pounding but as long as I was breathing enough I was okay.

I ran into the fitness instructor on Saturday. He was really excited to see me. I haven't been to his class in a while (whoops)
I do kind of want to go back to those classes. I'm thinking maybe Body by Science big five workout every other week. And a couple of his classes on the opposite weeks. I do miss seeing the people in the class.

 

[Zar]

I just finished my 3rd session and I'm in love. Although I've tried all manner of exercises and physical activities over the years I've never been a fan of spending loads of time on the physical body. So 10-15 mins every 10 days is just surreal. Although I've only done 3 sessions, I've been listening to my body and around day 9 I felt this sense/drive to work out which is great because now I don't have to pay too much attention to counting the days and just work out when my body tells me it's ready.

 

[SMM]

So, it's been about 5 weeks since I started the Body by Science HIIT workouts. I got the book on Kindle. For the first two weeks, I did home workouts consisting of push ups, squats, etc. using only my body weight, roughly the set in the video I posted here before. I felt the difference immediately.

The biggest difference came when I went to the gym over the weekend and used the weight training machines. I did one set of the Big Five workout with a warm-up and cool down after, plus a few muscle conditioning and strength training sets. I was at the gym for about 5 hours, more out of looking to see if I liked the gym enough to go there frequently.

I felt the trembling immediately after. Before this gym session I had not been to a gym for a few months at least, so for the next few days my body felt it for sure! It is still feeling it to a minor extent.

Yesterday I went swimming and took cold showers and that seems to have helped. After the gym it forced me to catch up on sleep, I was too tired and achy to do much, even my concentration and thinking were affected.

At the gym, I did the Time Under Load Excel sheet format posted previously in this thread, and hopefully in the next weeks I can use the app after sorting through the memory card and storage on my phone.

The following two weeks since the gym and swimming I resumed with home workouts. There is a noticeable difference in muscle capacity and strength. I am still weighing out the free weights option and/or ideal gym visits frequency, pun intended. So far, it’s going good without.

 

[Oxajil]

I went to the gym yesterday which I thought would be good since it's a small gym and they don't work with more than 8-10 people there. It also has a regular sauna, infrared sauna, some kind of UV sauna which can boost vitamin D levels, and a Finnish sauna (none of them were being used in the morning when I was there), which was a plus also. I'll probably go there several weeks (once a week), and then continue doing the exercises at home.

Once I arrived, the trainer asked me what I wanted and I told him about the book and which exercises I wanted to do and that I preferred to do them with the machines. He then said okay and told me he'll teach me his own version, saying that by using free weights instead of machines, 'you'll use and train more muscles'. For example, he let me do a Walking Lunge (for each leg) with dumbbells instead of a Leg Press.

Today, I do feel achy all over, so I think the exercises did work. I did reach muscular failure, but it took longer, probably because the weight was lower. I went through the book again, and the authors clearly explain that machines are not less effective:

Before getting under way with the movements, it is beneficial to address the type of equipment to use—if a choice exists. A comprehensive campaign initiated by the manufacturers of free weights (which also tend to own the majority of bodybuilding and fitness publications) has been in progress since the late 1970s and has many people believing that free weights are much better than machines. The fact of the matter is that your muscles deal only with force-production requirements, which, in turn, are determined by the resistance to which the muscles are exposed—whether that resistance comes in the form of a free weight, a Nautilus machine, or a bucket of rocks. The scientific literature backs this up: according to the few properly performed studies that measured the effects of free weights versus machines, both are equally effective.'

Here, McGuff says in an interview:

12. Your Big 5 Routine is built around the use of machines. I understand that with a properly designed cam there are advantages in terms of delivering variable resistance. However is there any truth to the argument that is often made that machines do not sufficiently stress the synergists and the supporting muscles that would be worked with free weights? Or it is more appropriate to train those muscles as part of “skill conditioning”.

McGuff: There is probably some advantage to the involvement of the muscles that must be involved in a static/stabilizing manner to carry out lifting with free weights. However, this must be weighed against safety issues and biomechanical issues.

There are some specificity issues as well. The argument is frequently made that strength that is gained on machines does not translate to barbells. Leg Pressing 1000 pounds on a MedX machine does not mean that you will squat well with 315 pounds. However, what is often forgotten is that this argument works both ways. Squatting with 315 does not mean you will use 1000 pounds on the MedX machine. Building strength involves aggressively loading and fatiguing the musculature. Demonstrating strength will always require skill rehearsal in the modality that you will use to demonstrate strength.

One final point, the “Big 5” is not a magical or optimal routine. I simply have selected 5 movements that are simple to perform and cover the major musculature of the body.

My next one is next week, and then I will use the machines (with more weight)! Otherwise I'll see if I can do them with a barbell and free weights. Fwiw.

 

[maiko]

Just a little anecdote how this 15 minutes of effort can make simple things so much easier.
I went grocery shopping the other day and as I my shopping list didn't look to long I skipped the idea of taking a cart and just took the big shopping bag with me. At the cashier station I was loading my stuff on the conveyor belt and waited to put it back in the bag when I noticed that my normal chatting with the cashier was missing. She was sitting there looking at me with big eyes and asked if I had been carrying the heavy bag around. It was then that I realised that I really gained strength since starting the workout and that it is something that makes little everyday routines much easier. Feeling stronger is a pretty nice feeling.

 

[Ocean]

Keyhole, I have one word: pentoxifylline. It's a freaking miracle for circulation.

I absolutely second that! Pentoxifylline has eradicated the constant pain in my legs, caused by the flowing down of toxins from my shattered kidney. Couldn't live without it.

 

[Oxajil]

My next one is next week, and then I will use the machines (with more weight)!

Just noting that I did the above last time, and the day of training and more so the day after I noticed more muscle pain than my previous session, and much more in my legs. I'm noticing that so far it's making me more energized, and I feel a bit more stronger. For me, the 7 days of rest is just right for the moment, and I'm looking forward to the next one!

Also, after the session, I do just a few extra abdominal exercises for fun, and wow, are they difficult! One shown by the trainer was the Plank Exercise. They're not necessarily needed though, as the "Pull Down exercise ... loads the musculature of the frontal torso, including the abdominal muscles", as the author wrote.

 

[Harmony99]

I had such great interest in body building, however,I had put it on hold over the past four years.I had read somewhere not to waste energy at the gym and instead focus on yoga and morning walks . I am overjoyed when I read through this thread to hear such great information on high intensity training.I will get hold of a copy of the book and get cracking on improving my overall strength. I knew something was missing and am so glad I have found it here. Body will now be balance with BBS.

 

[Thebull]

I’ve decided to buy the book and give it a try. Thanks to the thread and changes in my work it makes sense to have a go. I’ll read the book first and use the thread as reference. I’ll probably use the spreadsheet that someone kindly organised here.

I think that my mind can’t beleive that it will work doing 10 minutes trading a week. Proof is in the pudding they say so here we go. I suppose training to exhaustion/complex muscle fatigue worries me when training on my own.

Thanks for all the input on this thread. Not sure how long it will take to get through the book but i’ll Look to start the program mid July.

 

[genero81]

I’ve decided to buy the book and give it a try. Thanks to the thread and changes in my work it makes sense to have a go. I’ll read the book first and use the thread as reference. I’ll probably use the spreadsheet that someone kindly organised here.

I think that my mind can’t beleive that it will work doing 10 minutes trading a week. Proof is in the pudding they say so here we go. I suppose training to exhaustion/complex muscle fatigue worries me when training on my own.

Thanks for all the input on this thread. Not sure how long it will take to get through the book but i’ll Look to start the program mid July.

I watched a short video and started right away before the book arrived. There was, however, a couple of adjustments I had to make once I had more info. But it's ridiculously effective. I had been working out consistently for several years and hit a plateau for sure. I caught myself in the mirror without a shirt on a couple of times this morning and went; "holy sh*t!" Monday I did the workout without timing the exercises. I think I went through the big five in about eight minutes. I know what I'm doing and can really push it to failure. So yeah, I'm happy with the results!

 

[Scottie]

I caught myself in the mirror without a shirt on a couple of times this morning and went; "holy sh*t!"

Well, I can't say my exclamation the other day was quite so enthusiastic, but I also noticed that "things are happening" - altho I certainly won't ever win the Mr. Universe competition.

 

[Thebull]

I watched a short video and started right away before the book arrived. There was, however, a couple of adjustments I had to make once I had more info. But it's ridiculously effective. I had been working out consistently for several years and hit a plateau for sure. I caught myself in the mirror without a shirt on a couple of times this morning and went; "holy sh*t!" Monday I did the workout without timing the exercises. I think I went through the big five in about eight minutes. I know what I'm doing and can really push it to failure. So yeah, I'm happy with the results!

I’ll check out the videos just found a number of them on you tube. My wife just doesn’t believe it will work so we’ll see if she’s in for a shock.

 

[loreta]

definitely I am stronger since I started this program (around 2 and half months).. I can bring more weight at home, go out with 3 dogs without problem and not just this. I feel more calm. Also feel more positive. And sleep much much better. So these exercises are no joke.