I do this exact program when the mood hits, and yes, use higher loads, but it floors me every time. This gal never fails to impress me with her strength and willingness to give it her all what ever gets thrown at her, which is a quality I demand of people when I work with them.

Whole Body Conditioning/GPP Day With Kelly D! is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness

Leg Day With Leah Gifford! is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness

You can slowly ramp up the difficulty by increasing the physical difficulty, and or increasing the shooting difficulty, or both.

Might start with 10 push ups, five tire flips, engage target at 7 yards.
Progressions might be 1 min of pushups, 10 tire flips, 10 rear sled drags, and add stress/difficulty to the shooting; on the move, from cover, or other.

My focus is on the exercise component and don’t make claims to being a BTDT firearms instructor, but a performance trainer who works with tac LE on ways of improving stress training and I enjoy ad hoc “functional” style range days such as found in this vid.
Programming should still attempt to balance volume of antagonist muscles , such as pushups followed by sled rows, etc. which can reduce potential for injuries and improve training effects long term.
However, you have to work with what you have, which in this case was a truck tire, length of phone pole, sled, and a few 25lb plates.

Yes, a pumpkin was injured during the filming of this vid. My apologies in advance to all pumpkin lovers out there

And what is this Fein stuff mentioned in the vid? I cover that in my article “What You Need To Know About Caffeine!” if interested.

Functional Range Day II! is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness

On looking at the vid, she’s doing more or a KB high pull (which is what I wanted) vs a KB swing, and I should have written it as such in the vid workout write up. Oh well….

Chest & Shoulders with Pam M! is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness

As you can see, Ariadna is in great condition, and next time I train her, will need to step up the difficulty and intensity for her!

Panama Fitness Training at PowerClub! is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness

For more info on the Prowler, go the BrinkZone Store page

The Ultimate Prowler Highlight Vid! is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness

Don’t forget folks, first annual BrinkZone Prowler Charity event is next week!!!!!!

Christina and Kelly All Prowler Leg Day! is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness

Are you one of those old school gym rats who believe heavy and low 6-10 rep resistance training the best stimulus for muscle growth? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us (yours truly included, so I’m not pointing any fingers) believe that the best stimulus for muscle growth is heavy lifting in the 6-10 rep range. However, recent scientific findings show that the classical heavy and low 6-10 rep training might not be the best way to induce muscle anabolism…

More reps might be better

The classic weight lifting recommendation for building muscle is to lift relatively heavy (over 70% of 1RM), or within the 6-10 rep range (1, 2). However, a recent study has shown that a training mode with lower weight and higher reps actually is more effective at inducing muscle anabolism and muscle growth (3).

This study had subjects perform 4 sets of leg extension at different loads and volumes (reps):

90% of 1RM to failure: corresponding to 180 lb for 5 reps     (90 FAIL)

30% of 1RM to failure: corresponding to 62 lb/24 reps             (30 FAIL)

30% of 1RM with a total work output similar to the 90% 1RM protocol:  corresponding to 62lb for 14 reps

The scientists measured myofibrillar protein synthesis (the type of muscle protein synthesis that makes the muscles grow) and several anabolic signalling pathways in the trained muscles.

This is the first study to show that low-load high volume resistance exercise (30FAIL) is more effective at increasing muscle protein synthesis than high-load low volume resistance exercise (90FAIL). Specifically, the 30FAIL protocol induced similar increases in myofibrillar protein synthesis to that induced by the 90FAIL protocol at 4 h post-exercise but this response was sustained at 24 h only in 30FAIL protocol. The 30FAIL protocol also stimulated the anabolic signalling pathways to a greater degree than the other exercise modes.

What does this mean?

This finding counters previous recommendations that heavy loads (i.e., high intensity) are necessary to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis (1, 2, 4, 5). It is now apparent that the extent of muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise is not entirely load dependent, but is also related to exercise volume (that is, number of reps in this case). Thus, the total volume of contractions (number of reps), independent of load (intensity) apparently results in full motor unit activation and muscle fibre recruitment

Now, probably you’re thinking “am I supposed to start lifting like a chick” to build muscle? I want to point out that this study only investigated the effect of one bout of resistance exercise, comprising four sets) on muscle (myofibrillar) protein synthesis. In order to get a definite answer, long-term training studies need to be conducted. According to a personal communication with the head researcher (6), one such training study has been done and is now awaiting publication. With the reply “we are very confident in the short-term data”, at least I will start to throw in some high rep sets here and there in my training program. But in order for this to work, you have to train until complete failure. No sissies!

References:

1 American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine and science in sports and exercise. 2009 Mar;41(3):687-708.

2 Kraemer WJ, Fleck SJ. Optimizing Strenght Training: Designing Nonlinear Periodization Workouts: Human Kinetics; 2007.

3 Burd NA, West DW, Staples AW, et al. Low-load high volume resistance exercise stimulates muscle protein synthesis more than high-load low volume resistance exercise in young men. PloS one. 2010;5(8):e12033.

4 Campos GE, Luecke TJ, Wendeln HK, et al. Muscular adaptations in response to three different resistance-training regimens: specificity of repetition maximum training zones. European journal of applied physiology. 2002 Nov;88(1-2):50-60.

5 Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA. Fundamentals of resistance training: progression and exercise prescription. Medicine and science in sports and exercise. 2004 Apr;36(4):674-88.

6 Phillips SM. Long term effects of high repetition resistance exercise training – Personal communication. 2011; July.

About Monica Mollica > www.trainergize.com

Monica Mollica has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Nutrition from the University of Stockholm, Sweden, and is an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer. She works a dietary consultant, health journalist and writer for www.BrinkZone.com, and is also a web designer and videographer.

Monica has admired and been fascinated by muscular and sculptured strong athletic bodies since childhood, and discovered bodybuilding as an early teenager. Realizing the importance of nutrition for maximal results in the gym, she went for a major in Nutrition at the University.

During her years at the University she was a regular contributor to the Swedish bodybuilding magazine BODY, and she has published the book (in Swedish) “Functional Foods for Health and Energy Balance”, and authored several book chapters in Swedish publications.

It was her insatiable thirst for knowledge and scientific research in the area of bodybuilding and health that brought her to the US. She has completed one semester at the PhD-program “Exercise, Nutrition and Preventive Health” at Baylor University Texas, at the department of Health Human Performance and Recreation, and worked as an ISSA certified personal trainer. Today, Monica is sharing her solid experience by doing dietary consultations and writing about topics related to bodybuilding, fitness, health and anti-aging.

Training for maximal muscle growth – is heavy low-medium reps really the best way to go? is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness

Enjoy!

Killer Whole Body Day With Michelle F! is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness

The Prowler uses virtually every muscle in your body, either directly or indirectly, and is as basic as it gets. Why do so many people put a few little weights on it and run the thing around like some aerobic toy?! But seriously, the Prowler is great for conditioning (using lighter weights and pushing for speed) but it’s also great for strength and hypertrophy. If you have access to one, load that bitch up with all the weight you can stand, and push it 75-100’ for 2-3 cycles with 3-5 minutes between sets. Tell me if it’s not one of the most brutal leg workouts you have ever experienced! I find heavy Prowler work translates very well into other areas of strength training and or conditioning work.

Finally, don’t forget about my First Annual Prowler Charity push off. Great prizes, fun time, and for a great cause!!!

Info on the competition HERE

Below is a recent max Prowler day for yours truly. My new personal best on the Prowler sled O death…did that weight for 3 cycles (75′) with 3 – 5 mins between “sets.” I had serious case of Prowler flu by the end of the last cycle.

Max Prowler Day! is a post from: The Final Frontier In Bodybuilding , Fat Loss, Health & Fitness