Chin Up Old Boy!

rubadub

• Pushups
  x8 BW+20kg
  x9 BW+20kg

• Dumbbell Press
  x10 27kg using both hands
  x7 27kg 2.25"
  x8 27kg 2.25"

• Chinups
  x10 BW 2.4"
  x8 BW 2.4"

rubadub

I am not looking at my past posts as much as I used to do. I will only add current best every week or so and add notes on any changes.
in the last week

• Dumbbell Press
  x10 27kg

• V Bar Dips
  x25 BW

• P Bar Dips
  x22 BW

• Pullups
  x14 BW

rubadub

Begin iso extremes which are basically isometrics held for up to 5mins.
BW 88kg
bicep 14.75"
Forearm 12.5"
Waist at belt 37"
Calf 14"
Thigh 23"

rubadub

Tried the isos and they are very tough. Read up more and see it is probably trying to get the same effect as Kaatsu/occlusion training, which seems to have amazing results. I will be trying to do these every day, you only use 20-50% of your 1RM for 3-4sets of 15reps. In studies people usually do squats, bench, bicep curls, leg curls. One occluded area at a time.

I figure dumbbell thruster squats would give me the most efficient workout, put straps on the upper thighs and upper arms. I am using bicycle inner tubes as the straps, the rubber friction means they sort of stick to themselves easily and you tuck them under themselves when at the end to keep them in place. Did some goblet squats, dumbbell presses and 41kg deadlifts.

I will use 2x12kg dumbbells and also do some curls & tricep extensions along with the thrusters. I am trying to lose weight too but will not be on much of a deficit -if at all, I have read Kaatsu training is good for fat loss too.

This is probably the most impressive study I have read on it.
http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ijktr/1/1/6/_pdf

This was only a 2 week study, working out twice a day.

Changes in MRI-measured muscle CSA and volume
Mid-thigh muscle CSA increased (p<0.01) by 8.5%
in the LIT-Kaatsu but not (1.8%, p>0.05) in the LIT.
Quadriceps and biceps femoris muscle volumes
increased (both p<0.01) 7.7% and 10.1%,
respectively in the LIT-Kaatsu but only 1.4% and
1.9% (p>0.05), respectively in the LIT. Gluteus
maximus muscle volume increased (p<0.01) 9.1% in
the LIT-Kaatsu, but did not change in the LIT (-0.6%)

Changes in absolute and relative strength
Squat strength increased in both LIT-Kaatsu
(16.8%, p<0.01) and LIT (8.9%, p<0.05). However,
leg curl strength increased (22.6%, p<0.01) in the
LIT-Kaatsu but not (1.3%, p>0.05) in the LIT. The
relative percentage changes in squat and leg curl
strength were larger (p<0.05) in the LIT-Kaatsu
compared to the LIT (Figure 3). The 1-RM squat
strength per unit quadriceps muscle CSA was similar
(p>0.05) at baseline and at post-testing in both
groups. The 1-RM leg curl strength per unit
hamstrings muscle CSA was also similar (p>0.05) at
baseline and post-training in both groups

DISCUSSION
The major finding of the present study was that
two weeks of twice daily LIT-Kaatsu produced
increases in skeletal muscle size (7-8%) that were
similar in magnitude to those reported in traditional
HIT of 3-4 months:eek: [Abe et al., 2000; Jones and
Ratherford, 1987]. Previous published studies [Jones
and Ratherford, 1987; Staron et al., 1991; Staron et
al., 1994] have reported that a substantial increase in
skeletal muscle and fiber CSA in the thigh is not
observed earlier than six weeks of HIT. To the best of
our knowledge, there are no published data that have
reported a significant increase in thigh muscle size
following only two weeks of HIT [Akima et al., 1999].
In most of the previous studies, subjects exercised 2-3
times per week during the study, thus only 4-6
sessions are completed during the first 2 weeks of the
training. Our subjects, however, performed 24
sessions of resistive exercises during the 2 weeks of
training. Optimal training frequency is based on the
theories of “supercompensation” and “over-training”
which attempt to generate the greatest growth
stimulus while still allowing for sufficient rest
between exercise sessions [Kraemer, 2000]. Since a
training intensity of 20% of 1-RM produces minimal
muscle damage [Takarada et al., 2000a], less recovery
time is necessary [Abe, 2004], and therefore training
frequency may be increased.

An interesting and surprising finding of the present
study was that LIT-Kaatsu training-induced muscle
hypertrophy occurred not only in the thigh muscle
but also in the gluteus maximus muscle. During the
squat exercise, mainly the knee and hip extensor
muscles are activated. Since a training intensity of
20% of 1-RM was used in the present study, it would
seem reasonable that the load on the gluteus
maximus muscle during the squat would be
insufficient to produce the muscle hypertrophy.
However, this was not the case as significant
hypertrophy was observed in the gluteus maximus.

rubadub

Cycling occluded to work now, which is very tough, have to take the bands off half way -it is like you have done a proper leg workout. Measured upper arm flexed and unpumped a few days ago and was 15 up from 14.75"

Some tests -these are best results, there were warmup sets along with these, I have not done anything above 50% 1RM in over 2 weeks now, think I should start doing more.

• Dumbbell Press
  x11 27kg 2.25"

Up 1 rep, might have got the 12 but didn't want to push it.
Have been doing 12kg presses occluded.

• Chinups
  x9 BW +20kg

No increase.
Have been doing ring rows occluded, body at about 45 degrees to the ground at midway, had been doing curls, but will ditch the curls since I copped on I could do rows.

• Ring Dips
  x6 BW+20kg

Up 1, but just barely.
Have not done dips, have done tricep pushups on rings and rollouts and overhead tricep extensions.

I have no doubt the occlusion is working. I think the legs are the best bang for your buck, it is probably harder to over tighten the straps on the legs, also I kill 2 birds with one stone as I would be cycling anyway. Also I have not been doing any decent leg work in ages which might have triggered upper body growth. I would presume at 50% RM perfect form is not as important which is a worry for lots of people doing deadlifts & squats, esp. at home.

I have read you can mimic the blood restriction by lifting 40% 1RM at a slow pace for an extended time, as long as you are flexed enough the blood flow is meant to be restricted. There was also talk of lactic acid build up and why 1 min rests are best for hypertrophy.

Magic Eight Ball

Have ya tried weighted muscles up yet?

rubadub

Magic Eight Ball wrote: »

Have ya tried weighted muscles up yet?

Weighted!?! I can't even do normal ones, nowhere close, neither on rings or a bar. I can't even kip:o No co-ordination and too fat at the moment to even bother trying.

rubadub

rubadub wrote: »

BW 88kg
bicep 14.75"
Forearm 12.5"
Waist at belt 37"
Calf 14"
Thigh 23"

Today -72 days later,
BW 88kg (same)
Bicep 15.25" (+.5")
Forearm 12.5" (same)
Waist at belt 37" (same)
Calf 14.5" (+.5")
Thigh 23.75" (+.75")

Some decent gains, these are flexed measurements but cold, i.e. no "pump" I have not trained in a few days. The leg gains are not too surprising as I had neglected them in the past, but quite surprised at the upper arm.

I have not trained anything to failure, I did some chins the other day and figures were down, I tried some the next day and was a lot better -I think it is just being out of practise in the movement as I have done only body rows on ropes. I have done no other training above 40%RM after my tests posted above, besides a few ring dips one day and a few pullups on 2 other days, both times probably 3-4reps before failure. I have been eating junk like a pig and drinking like a fish too. If I was eating properly with less carbs & booze I could well have lost more fat, belly is smaller even though waist measurement is the same.

I was reading about this study where lean people on a deficit lost fat and gained muscle over 42 days.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1373635/

Volek et al. investigated the effects of a six-week VLCARB on body composition in healthy normal-weight men [5]. Twelve subjects switched from their habitual diet (48% carbohydrates) to a VLCARB (8% percent carbohydrates) for six weeks and eight men served as controls, consuming their normal diet. Although subjects were encouraged to consume adequate dietary energy to maintain body mass during the intervention, the results revealed that fat mass was significantly decreased (-3.4 kg) and lean body mass significantly increased (+1.1 kg) at week six (as measured by DEXA). There were no significant changes in composition in the control group. The authors concluded that a VLCARB resulted in a significant reduction in fat mass and an accompanying increase in lean body mass in normal-weight men. In other words, the entire loss in bodyweight was from body fat. A subsequent study by Volek et al. using a VLCARB during energy-restriction noted a greater decrease in lean body mass in men who consumed a VLCARB than in men won consumed a high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet. However, resting energy expenditure was maintained in men consuming the VLCARB but decreased on the high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet, strongly suggesting that the VLCARB group did not lose muscle mass.

Others mention the effect of GH which is probably happening with the occluded training.

This study was showing no muscle lost on just 800kcal per day for 12 weeks for the group doing resistance training.
http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/2/115

Other interesting ones
http://www.ergo-log.com/muscleproteindiet.html
http://www.ergo-log.com/lowcarbwithouttraining.html

rubadub

Been doing the Kaatsu cycling since last post, and upper body, tried walking one day with calves occluded and it was a killer after ~10mins. Still eating junk & drinking but was down 1kg yesterday to 87kg, have only measured bicep and calves no real difference, bicep up a tiny bit, forgot to measure waist, jeans are looser.

Did maybe 10 chinups a week after the last post (not to failure) and nothing past 40% 1RM since then. Tried chins last night and only managed 10, well out of practise, but managed 12 first thing in the morning so I expect figures will go up quick, managed only 6 ring dips. I am going to do at least 1 normal upper body workout from now on and see how I go.

Have read a BBer called Layne Norton does occluded work when deloading

rubadub

89kg in Jan, down to 87kg now.

Made a "Professor Schmidt automatic exerciser"

It is like a T-bar, but you lift near the pivot point so the lever effect means a small weight can give massive resistance, used for very short ROM lifts. Put a 6ft barbell into it with 2x5kg plates on the end and was unable to deadlift it! I would expect it to be at least 150kg for this short ROM. Was able to do a hip lift with the 10kg using a dip belt.

No welding just a bunch of holes drilled out. Photos




The fulcrum is at the back where the spinlock is, the hole at the front is an elongated slot so it can move up and down. The adjustable webbing allows you to change between exercises very quickly.

A commercial one.

rubadub

Dodgy shoulder improving, able to do negative ring dips no bother but getting up is still hard, can do 5 V bar dips now.

Am using a second chinup bar for negatives now which hangs from 2 adjustable webbing straps on my original. They are both telescopic bars, on sits about a foot below the top from the straps then you twist the bar ends so it is just supported by the walls to stop it moving (mine is between narrow walls not a doorframe). This also allows you to do other chinup movements, like one hand high and one on the lower bar. You can also do a chin on the lower one and when at the top explosively move one arm to the higher bar and then pull up to the higher one. It might be good for training the transition of a muscleup.

This is similar to my setup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQCxeoK3h5E

rubadub

• Overhead Dumbbell Press
  x13-14 27kg each arm separately
  x6-7 29.5kg each arm

Just noting this exercise progress, shoulders still feel a little niggly. Have 2x10kg plates on a 2kg dumbbell with 2x2.5kg and 2x1.25kg plates. The 10kg plates are on the outside and the wide diameter is not as much of a hindrance as I would have thought, they just look really weird.