My attempt at helping some of you. :) Please read.

Thanks for taking the time to type all of this out, Trevor. I love when people on this forum write about what works for them, especially when they've been at it for a while and have experimented and tweaked their routines.

I also appreciate the bluntness of many of your posts, whether or not I agree with them.:) (I like people who speak their mind.) You're an asset to this board!
 
Briee-
you've started HIIT? How are you liking it? What kinds of intervals have you been doing? Love to hear about it:)
Brendab
 
I have all of Cathe's weighted stuff, and Supersets isn't what you're describing...I just wanted to know if you have another approach. For a while (last Dec. thru this Feb.) I was mainly circuit training. I found I gained weight and lost strength by combining cardio with resistance. In March I switched to upper and lower body splits...it sounds close to what your doing...and I've definately lost weight and gained strength by, like you, separating cardio from weights. Thanks for your input and info.

CinDee
 
Yeah Bren - do one exercise and then the other for the same muscle group and that's one superset. I'm doing 3 sets heavy and one light although I will change it soon to maybe 2 and 2 or maybe add a heavy set. Not sure what you mean by double time. If you mean lifting speed I wouldn't lift real fast. In fact on the light weights you might want to go slower to get an unbelievable burn.
T. :)
 
Hi Nicole!
My HR monitor is a base polar monitor. It's their cheapest model and only does basic features like avg hr, time, time within my range and maybe a few others. Whatever you get I'd stick with Polar...they have a website with their models on it. Not too bad price - wise.
In your example....take 10 lbs and curl it using a 2 up and 4 on the negative count. Do that 8-9 times. Then, with no rest, do another bicep exercise, maybe hammer curls, and do that 8-9 times in the same manner. Take 1 min. rest. Repeat this cycle 2 more times. On 4th cycle, lighten the load and do both exercises 30 reps. Your arms will be cooked!! LOL! And if not, you can come kick my butt for lying to you. But you will be cooked and you will see results. Remember that what I do will have to be tweaked by alot of you to suit your needs and after some time you will observe your body and tailor the program even more as you see feet....adding exercises, deleting exercises, adding or deleting sets. I think you'll enjoy it!!
T.:)
 
Keep it up Briee!! And mix it up every month or month and a half. You will be happy with the results. INTENSITY is the key!!
T.
:)
 
Thanks Susan and everyone! I really want you all to succeed because I know everyone here is putting in the time and doing everything they can. I want you all to be the best you can be within the constraints we all have, like real life and genetics, for instance! LOL! And I want you all to have confidence in yourselves and what you are doing.
If something I am doing works for me then I am glad to share it. Really, experience with different routines and the sharing of that info between people is where you can glean a gold nugget or two of info every so often!
I am blunt by nature but I really am quite harmless! LOL! And I do care about everyone here and really hope everyone reaches their goals.
If what I am doing works for even one person here then I will be happy. And even if it doesn't, at least it allowed a change of routine for some, and I really think that's the key---mixing it up.
T. :)
 
Thanks so much Trevor for all this info plus encouragement! Reading your posts make me feel very motivated to improve my own workouts and routines, plus just very motivated in general. Isn't this exactly what we're looking for in these boards! Warm thank you to you!

Maria, pretty Newbie to Cathe, but getting more and more hooked...;))
 
Hi Trevor,

Thank you very very much for taking the time to share. Your words are music to my ears! I do not care for long cardio sessions and love weight training!

Also, congratulations on your progress & accomplishments! I don't know what it feels like to be unable to keep weight on, but I know a lot of men that do and have downed creatine and protein shakes like there's no tomorrow!

Gina
 
Hi Gina,
I have used creatine before but got cramping in my calves from it. I do eat high protein bars and egg whites for extra protein and that seems to help me.
Trevor :)
 
trevor
I am ok just trying to stay in the game grief can paralyze you. I do feel much better when I workout which i do at least 5-6 times aday
I can feel Spring coming we have gotten alot of rain this past week and now it looks like the sun is gonna shine so the flowers will be out too all of this will help. It is so very hard to lose someone so young and so suddenly we are all coping I appreciate your thoughts
Lisa
 
Thanks Trevor!

I too was a cardio junkie and WOW I can't believe the results since I've started doing say Boot Camp and Circuit Max for my cardio days and lifting the other 3-4 days. It seems to have really upped my metabolism. I printed off your workout experience plan just so that I can use it to tweak my own workouts.

I'm also one who wants results in an hour or less, five to six days a week and seem to be getting that with circuits vs. cardio. Of course, I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds so I'm going to use your info to tweak some more.

This is the type of information I'm always looking here for, what works for others and how I can use it to polish my own workouts.

Thanks Again for taking the time to write out such a detailed description!!!

Sami :D
 
Thanks so much Trevor!

I've been working so hard in the last year and have seen lots of results in my upper body and abs - but nothing in lower body. I think, for me what has been missing is cardio - i really haven't been doing any except for the cathe weight videos (sometimes my heart rate goes up.)

I haven't been doing any because i usually only have 1 hour to work out. So - to get rid of the extra fat, i've decided to start HIIT....it may help. I started last week and did 4 HIIT sessions for 15 minutes. I can do that on my lunch hour but I do sweat a lot! I'll probably increase to 20 max - that's all i have time for on my lunch. my weight workouts happen in the morning at 5am - Cathe gets up early for me. my kids are up and screaming by 6am and then its breakfast, daycare and work. Hopefully those HIIT sessions will help me lose that extra fat on my behind. I'll keep you posted and am encouraged by what I've read from you!
 
Thanks for the good advice. The only thing that i find hard to grasp is the 5lb weight increase per month. I myself try to add 1/2lb every two weeks. 5lb increase on biceps would mean a 130lb increase on the biceps curl in a year! That just ain't gonna happen!!! lol Platemates are perfect for me. 1/2lb every two weeks, constant improvement without feeling like i'm lifting anymore. But thanks again for the advice.
 
Thank you Trevor. This is very helpful although my goals are different than yours.(lose some body fat and maintain muscle mass)You as usual have provided quite helpful information.

Upon your recomemdation and others, I am adapting the HIIT method of cardio training. Infact this month I am using it with the Slow & Heavy seiries. I'll let you know how it goes!
 
Note that I...

said I try to move up about 5 pounds every two weeks. The key word is TRY. You have to keep pushing to move up or your muscles will get used to a certain weight. Weight training is about failure, really. Alot of times we try to go up in the weight we lift and we cannot do it. Or can only do it for a few reps. Also since I switch up exercises I am not likely to be doing certain exercises throughout the year or even long enough where I reach a point where the weight is so heavy I cannot budge it, like your 130 lb example. I can do 150 two handed on a cable machine but I will probably have switched up before I ever reach that point during supersetting.
Trevor :)
 
Thanks Trevor for sharing this info with us. I always enjoy reading your posts.

I've been doing BFL/EFL. I really like HIIT from BFL. Have your tried it? On a treadmill, what kind of HIIT have you tried? Have you added inclines, did a 1:1 minute ratio between pushing yourself and active rest, etc.? Please tell me what you have experimented with. I'm always up for ideas. Thanks!

Kristi
 
Hi Kristi!!

On the treadmill, let's see....yesterday I did 22 mins. of HIT work. It consisted of 2 mins "off" and 1 min. "on". My "off" phase was an 8:20 mile pace and my "on" phase was a 6:11 mile pace.
Some of my experiments running on a treadmill:
1. change the amount of time in "off" and "on" phases. Some days go longer in the "on" phase and shorter in the "off" phase, or vice versa.
2. change the pace in each phase.
3. mess with various inclines.
4. slow the paces in both the "on" and "off" phases and put a big incline on.
5. if you are using an HR monitor, let your HR dictate when you start and stop each phase. Some days give yourself less HR recovery time, other days more time.
On a stairmaster, try doing one pace, but alternate taking two steps for a time and then going back to taking one step at a time. Or do the "on" and "off" phase just like you do on a treadmill. Another good stairmaster workout is to "run" to the top of the steps on the machine, stand on the top, let the machine "carry" you to the bottom, and then "run" back up it again. This stuff is killer!! In fact, a stairmaster is one monster piece of equipment in my view.
Of course, you can do all of this above mentioned stuff outside too.
Want something else that'll shock your legs? Try running backwards! Just backpedal like a cornerback in football. Your legs will be so sore! I guarantee it! I ran 2 miles backwards one time and my legs were so sore for about a week! And I thought I was hitting everything in the gym! How wrong! LOL!!
Anyway, hope this helps some. Good luck!
Trevor

:)
 
Trevor?

Looks like a great way to train and I feel it would work well for me. One question though, do you do HIIT 2 days in a row or it is suggested that you have a rest day from HIIT between sessions as is usually recommended by most when doing general interval training (like what Cathe says in IMAX). I did not see anyone saying to rest in between sessions especially since it is recommended to be done 3 times per week.
I think I want to try this with doing probably doing 2-3 body parts per day and trying to hit each body part twice per week. ( or is that too much?)
 
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