Originally posted by sgreger1
1. For building muscle mass generally a weight that allows you to do 8-12 reps before you hit total failure, total failure is you cannot possibly do another rep, period.
2. You only need one set for any muscle, the following sets do nothing but add to your fatigue, once you have worked that muscle the adaptive response process takes a good 48 hours. Let that muscle/muscle group rest and repair before the next session.
3. During that recovery time the muscle adapting will help with metabolism and caloric burn as well.
Here is what I do for my workouts. I have a total gym rip off thing and some free weights (dumbbells). Between those I can hit every muscle group through an HIT session in about 20 minutes with rapid transitions though the workout. Exercise to exercise little to no rest, and I make sure to try to do the whole body but space because as you hit one group it might also get another group so in the absence of total muscle isolation I try to give the secondary group to the exercise recovery before or after it is the primary group to an exercise.
On the off days from strength training days I do cardio. I do it at a fast pace, not plugging along for hours on end. I do a fast 20-30 minutes on the exercise bike these days. I would like an eliptical and would love to be back running again but running and the injuries with it are a pain. Oddly barefoot running is easier for me so I might slowly get back into that. I am one of those that has good form and no pronation issues, important if you run barefoot.
I basically alternate that in a 7 day cycle, weights, cardio, weights, cardio, weights, cardio, day of rest repeat. Now of course life always kicks in and getting the full 6 days any week rarely happens, so I try to mix in activities. I am a gigging musician so I count all the gear lifting and work of a gig (3 hour stage show) a good workout. My oldest is having a bully issue so now more of my time is spent in teaching him martial arts (more for the sake of upping his confidence). So that draws on my time. But ideally my goal is those 6 days a week.
After I got hurt as a runner 15 years ago I spent a good deal of time drinking and smoking and eating chips watching the tube. Never got bad heavy but was definitely not in shape. In the past year or two I have gone back to training and living a better life style. My results have managed to mitigate my reflux issues, and also my cardio and cholesterol stats look great, so much so the cardiologist now says I only need to come every two years to check up on my heart condition.
I share this all because I am not trying to be My Olympia, nor could I be as I am more of an ectomorph body type. But I am making sure I stay fit to play with my kids, fit enough to remain active as a stage musician and not a lump on stage.
You say your goal is to gain muscle in your upper body. Your genetics may never let you look like Arnold, many of us that is the case. But HIT is generally considered the safest way to muscle build.
Now to build pure strength there is even a higher level of HIT, that is going for max weight, 3 reps at the max weight you can do. That is getting into the domain of power lifters and as the opposite side of the spectrum has many injury risks. Putting your body under that weight can be very dangerous. Even with a spotter and being in great shape.
Ken
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