LOOKING FOR "PHASE II"?!?
YOU FOUND IT! READ BELOW!
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| Mad : 1. Temporarily or apparently deranged by violent sensations, emotions, or ideas.
ScIeNtiSt : A person having expert knowledge of one or more sciences, especially a natural or physical science.
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| | Dear Mad,
I have been following the XFL Program for the last 4-5 weeks. Although this program has worked well so far, I am getting a bit bored. What can I do next? At the end of the article, you suggested an "alternative program" to be placed in between 4-week block of XFL training. Could you give me an example of an "alternative program"? My ultimate goal is still to get my weight down, improve my health, and look better.
Thanks in advance,
Larry
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Good question.
While the XFL program is a terrific program for teaching proper exercise form, developing "weight-room coordination", introducing a beginner to the iron, and, especially, bodyfat loss, it can get rather boring quickly. In addition, always remember that in the short term, a given program's benefits will greatly outweigh the hazards; in the long term, the hazards will become more apparent and the benefits will dwindle. A simple example is a weight training program that prioritizes pressing movements. In the short term your press will improve. In the long term, the natural shoulder posture will come off neutral, the shoulders will round to the front, the rotator cuff complex will become more vulnerable to injury, and press strength will eventually stall or regress. What are the long term hazard(s) of continually applying the loading parameters of the XFL Program? I can think of several, but the most critical are maximal strength regression and loss of speed strength. If long term positive progress is your goal, training program periodization (planned changes) is a necessity.
How do we pick an "alternative" program to switch to? Well, first examine the program you are coming off of. In this case, on the XFL Program, it should be burned into your memory by now that each set is lasting about 60 seconds. It should be noted that this is in the optimal range for muscle hypertrophy and body composition changes; examine the chart below:
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Duration of Set (Time under Tension) EFFECT
0-20 seconds per set Neurological adaptations OPTIMAL for Strength Increases (Little to No Body Composition Changes)
20-40 seconds per set Compromise of Strength and Size Gains (Some Body Composition Changes)
40-70 seconds per set OPTIMAL for Muscle Hypertrophy (Growth) And Body Composition Changes (Example: XFL program)
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TIME UNDER TENSION
By looking at the time under tension rather than the number of repetitions per set, it is easier to compare one routine to another. When changing your training routine, it can be a mistake to simply switch the number of reps per set - this isn't always effective. I could make 5 reps at a given weight last 60 seconds. I could make 12 reps at a given weight last 60 seconds. If the time under tension is the same then the difference in the number of reps is largely insignificant - it doesn't really matter if I am doing 5 or 12 reps, if the duration of the set is 60 seconds, the net effect of this stimulus is still mostly hypertrophy and body composition changes.
DRAMATIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROGRAMS
To ensure that there is a significant difference between the XFL program and an alternative program, I suggest a program where the time under tension does not exceed 30 seconds. The more dramatic the difference in the training program (stimulus) the more dramatic the effect. What do you suppose muscle soreness represents? Muscle soreness or inflammation in general is the body's response to a significantly new stimulus or stressor. When you switch from the XFL Program to this alternative routine I have outlined below, you will notice significant soreness. The body requires energy to address this new soreness. So, despite the short term deviation in training objective, your original goals of losing bodyfat and improving health will be facilitated indirectly by the body's rush to address the new stimulus. All new stressors require an energy intensive response from the body. For example, what happens when you catch a cold? One of the first symptoms is... you're tired! New stressor = energy loss. Now why would we want a training program to cause an energy loss? To help with fat loss. Although energy loss may be a beneficial side effect of a training program, you still must be careful not to supercede your body's adaptive capacity (nor do you want to catch a cold to lose weight for obvious reasons).
Now let's provide you with the specifics needed to properly complete the next 3-4 weeks of training using this new, alternative program.
GUIDELINES
1. Each set should last less than 30 seconds. You are allowed to, and, in fact, encouraged to move the weight as quickly as possible for the specified number of reps. It is conceivable that some of your sets may last a little as 10 seconds! The only prerequisite to this is; you must control the weight - don't let the weight control you.
2. You rest between sets must be monitored. On the first exercise of the day, you may rest up to a maximum of 2 minutes between sets. Use this extra time for stretching between sets. On the rest of the exercises performed that day, rest only 1 minute between sets.
3. How much weight? Having come off the XFL Program, you should have a clearer picture of your strength levels. This experience will help you here. My set and reps prescription below are basically 4-7 sets x 4-6 reps and 3x10. A more thorough explanation is required. On the primary exercises of the day, I have given 4-7 sets x 4-6 reps. Four to seven (4-7) sets because some of these sets are warm-ups. Your warm-ups will lead right into your worksets. If you need more warming up, you may end up performing more than 7 sets here. Start as light as you need to and perform 6 reps. Rest. Increase the weight. Perform 6 reps. Rest. Increase the weight. Perform 6 reps. When you hit the weight you can't perform 6 reps with, you're done that exercise. You should have performed somewhere between 4-7 sets total and you should have picked a weight where you missed the 5th or 6th rep. If you are off, make notes and fine-tune this performance next time. This takes quite a bit of experience to master - so be patient! Move on to the next exercise. On the exercises where I have prescribed 3x10, you will follow a similar method. Pick the first weight based on a conservative estimation of your strength. Perform 10 reps. Rest 1 minute or less. Increase the weight. Perform 10 reps. Rest 1 minute or less. Increase the weight. If you can still perform 10 reps here you have to go to a fourth set. If you can still perform 10 reps on the fourth set, you must perform a 5th set - and so on. When you find the weight you cannot complete 10 reps with, you're done with that exercise. Rest 1 minute or less. Move on to the next exercise.
4. You should be training 4-6 days each week. Take your days off as needed. If you are feeling excessively tired, sore, or irritable, take an day off. These symptoms can be indicative of insufficient recovery. Simply taking a day off should provide the remedy. Remember training causes a temporary physical and mental depression. Try to perform the maximum 6 sessions per week, however, using a 4-on, 1-off schedule. Perform all "a" workouts, then perform all "b" workouts. Example:
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu (etc)
Day 1a 2a 3a 4a off 1b 2b 3b 4b off 1a
This training represents PHASE II of a training system I have developed meant to take someone from "green to lean". Most recently, I had a male subject, 45+ years old, with multiple nagging pains and an 60+ hours a week work schedule, drop from 245lbs to 207lbs in less than 16 weeks. PHASE I is the XFL Program performed for 4-5 weeks. I will be posting PHASE III in the weeks to come.
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4-DAY SPLIT ROTATION TRAINING PROGRAM (PHASE II)Day 1: Chest and Hamstrings Workout AIncline or Decline Barbell Press 4-6 sets x 4-6 repsIncline or Flat flyes 3x10Incline or Flat Dumbbell Press 3x10Straight-legged Deadlifts, with barbell or dumbbells 3x10Single Leg Curls 3x10 each legWorkout BLying Leg Curls 4-6 sets x 4-6 repsStraight-legged Deadlifts with barbell or dumbbells 2x10Single Leg Curls 2x10 each legIncline or Flat Dumbbell Press 3x10Incline or Flat Dumbbell Flyes 3x10Incline Barbell Press or Dips 3x10Day 2: Triceps and Back
Workout A Overhand Wide grip Pulldowns or Seated Cable Rows 4-7 sets x 4-6 repsStanding or Seated Rear Lateral Raises 3x10Single Dumbbell Rows or Triangle Attachment Pulldowns 3x10Pullovers or Dips 3x10Flat or Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 3x10Flat or Decline Closegrip Bench Press 3x10Workout BDecline or Flat Closegrip Bench Press 4-7 sets x 4-6 repsFlat or Decline Dumbbell Tricep Extensions 3x10Rope or Bar Pushdowns or Lying Barbell Extensions 3x10 Triangle Bar or Underhand Pulldowns 3x10Standing or Seated Rear Lateral Raises 3x10Overhand Wide-grip or Medium-grip Pulldowns 3x10Day 3: Shoulders and Biceps Workout ADumbbell Military press or Behind the Neck Press (no backing) 3x10Side Lateral Raises 2x10 each armStanding Barbell or EZ curl bar curls 3x10Incline Curls or Incline Hammer curls 3x10Standing or Preacher Bench Reverse Curls 3x10External Rotation on Knee or Cuban Press 2x10Workout BDumbbell shrugs or Barbell shrugs 4-7 sets x 4-6 repsBarbell shrugs or Dumbell shrugs 3x10Upright Rows with barbell or dumbbells 3x10Standing Reverse curls, with barbell or EZ-curl bar 3x10Incline Curls or Incline Hammer Curls 3x10Standing Hammer or Barbell curls 3x10Day 4: Quadriceps, Calves, Abs
Workout A Full Squats or Box Squats 4-7 sets x 4-6 repsBox squats or Full squats 3x10Split Squats, rear foot on floor or on box 2x10Standing Dumbbell calve raises medium or wide stance 3x10Standing Dumbbell calve raises medium or wide stance 2x10Decline situps or hanging knee raises 3x10Workout BSplit Squats, front foot on floor or on box 2x10Full squats or Box Squats 3x10Full squats or Box Squats 3x10Standing Calve Raises, medium or wide stance 3x10Decline Situps or Hanging Knee Raises 3x10Standing or Seated, Arched-back Good Mornings 2x10
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