Royce on Kin Shi-Hai Do
Jun 4, 2018 3:45:34 GMT
BigBruvOfEnglandUK, kraut ᚲᚱᚨᚢᛏ, and 1 more like this
Post by Bruce Tackett on Jun 4, 2018 3:45:34 GMT
Royce:
Presently, I am continuing to experiment with power flexing WITH INTENT—essentially agonist/antagonist based isometrics. It is a great approach to training. Although such exercise can easily be combined with other kinds of progressive resistance, it can be a “stand alone” program.
The various pulls and pushes may be performed for long or short durations. I have my Qi Gong students experimenting with different times—the times range anywhere from eight to 25 seconds. Pulls and pushes are always done in four positions.
As you suggest, VRT also works very well with isometrics. Personally, I’m especially fond of “power flexing” with INTENT which I think nicely compliments VRT.
When doing extended duration power flexing, we usually work at around 50% of maximum.
The general scheme is to do DVRs twice a week in a HIT format and to do the power flexing on all of the other days. I won’t go into all of the specifics in this post, but suffice to say that you have to be very careful not to over do it with the power flexing. It’s easy to over train.
skinny-fat advice: My suggestion is to train heavy and hard! And I repeat—put on some muscle!
Most of your time is going to be spent in street clothes, and as you develop the big muscles of your legs and back, you belly will naturally look more in proportion.
However, generally speaking, I find that putting forth a maximum effort with DVRs/VRTs for one set of ten repetitions works best for building maximum size and power. Obviously, to develop more endurance, more repetitions might be desired.
But obviously one should experiment and determine what is best for them individually.
I think the first thing that anyone embarking on a VRT program needs to get it through his or her head is that VRT exercises, when done at near maximum tension, are HARD work.
Unfortunately, some people just cruise along without really challenging themselves. That is all too frequent a problem with VRT. So be on the lookout!
For instance, if a person who is on a HIT program can bound up a set of steps after doing his VRT squats, he isn’t working hard enough. You have to be putting out a powerful effort in order to make outstanding gains.
Obviously, a person who can’t learn to contract his muscles properly—and there are some— won’t make much progress.
As I have said many, many times, the secret to gaining maximum muscular size and strength is to work out briefly, intensely and infrequently. Remember I’m talking about increasing your size and strength, not endurance. While various apparatus will work, regimens incorporating VRTs/DVRs, isometrics and power flexing are superb.
Certainly, there are variables, such as training for muscle vascularity and endurance. That has a place, too, and it requires more sets and higher repetitions. But that is secondary to what we are talking about.
When doing VRT/DVR exercises for size and strength, I suggest putting forth a maximum effort for one set of ten repetitions once or twice a week for each major muscle group. If you follow that protocol, all the rest will fall into place.
If you were having your muscular output electronically monitored while doing your VRT/DVR exercises, you would find that your maximum output would vary from workout to workout. But when doing VRT/DVR exercises you are training subjectively. And that is a great advantage since it releases you from the psychological pressure of putting more weight on a bar at each workout or registering more muscular activity on a monitoring system.
With VRT/DVR you just do you just make your best effort each time that you train. This would also be true when doing power flexing and conventional isometrics.
And all of the aforementioned protocols—VRTs/DVRs, isometrics and power flexing-- are easier on one’s joints than many other forms of progressive resistance exercises. There are no weights to slip or springs to snap, so it is very easy to train alone in perfect safety.
The greatest majority of people who train with VRT/DVRs find it to be a remarkably effective protocol. But you have to learn to tense your muscle in a powerful fashion. And some people never seem to learn to do it effectively. Also, VRT/DVRs are hard work and they can cause you to develop very deep muscle fatigue. Some folks find that very disconcerting. They would rather do their pushups and pull ups. So just be aware.
For hard gainers—and they are frequently ectomorphs-- there are lots of different kinds of progressive resistance training to choose from. But hard gainers do best with short, brief, intense and infrequent, routines. And the heavy, compound movements are recommended—the ones that work the chest, back and legs to the maximum.
The general rule is to do no more than one set of ten repetitions. The Mighty Mite program I posted earlier is a great approach, but my original HIT program also does a great job. And it is a favorite with a lot of people because it features a lot of power cals.
Personally, I’m not a great fan of power cals, but they do work; make no mistake about that.
In my view, ectomorphs can’t do better that combing VRT, isometric and power flexing for building maximum size and strength.
Even when endeavoring to build endurance on “off days”- –those days when one isn’t doing pure strength work-- one should give serious consideration to short and explosive exercises. Hitting the heavy bag and running sprints are both good approaches.
Those less than enamored with endurance work might want to consider hard style Qi Gong movements as supplementary work. That is, incidentally, my favorite approach.
Hard style Qi Gong features a lot of smooth, low tension power flexing isometrics and VRTs.
The Mighty Mite Routine!
Here's a program that has worked well for many people.
Are you just plain tired of long boring routines? Do you want to build size and strength and still have time for your girlfriend/boyfriend and other activities.
Then consider the briefest of brief routines. I call it the Mighty Mite Workout.
I have always advocated tightly scripted workouts. This is especially important for anyone doing HIT.
As I have said for years, you can never work out too hard, but you can workout too much. Brief, intense and infrequent workouts are the rule.
But choosing the right exercises is vital. There are only a few key exercises and they must not be neglected if you want maximum power and size.
And here are the key exercises:
Dead lifts
Leg press
Squats
Bench press
Rows
And here are some combinations that will net maximum size and strength:
Combination 1
Dead lifts
Bench press
Rows
Combination 2
Squats
Bench press
Rows
Combination3
Leg press
Bench press
Rows
Sure you can add lot’s of other stuff. But don't do it. Just perform one set of ten repetitions at maximum tension.
Take one of the above combinations and do each exercise with one set of DVRs at maximum tension.
And do some "High Stepping" on your "off days". Do at least twenty high steps a day with each leg while applying moderate DVR tension.
if one workout less frequently the muscle tend to get smaller within few days due to inactivity from rest if one is doing max tension. however, strength is stronger due to muscles not being fatigue.
Royce replies:
Here’s my view on the matter:
If you want to build maximum size and strength through the use of progressive resistance training, then you should give consideration to making brief, intense and infrequent workouts the norm.
Muscle size increases in two major ways: first, by increasing vascularity; second, by increasing the size of the muscle fibers.
Heavy training has its greatest impact on the muscle fibers. Volume training has its greatest impact on vascularity.
Certainly, there is a degree of overlap.
If your muscles are getting smaller after only a couple of days of rest, it is because you aren’t “pumping” them. Certainly, there is no shrinking of muscle fibers in such a short period of time. Many HIT advocates train only once every nine days, and it is during the rest period that they experience muscle growth.
It’s axiomatic that muscle growth takes place during the rest period. That’s when the body repairs itself and adapts for ever heavier work loads.
Among old timers, butchers were frequently the strongest men in town. If beef was delivered on, say, Monday, the butcher would have to wrestle heavy carcasses into the cooler. It was hard, heavy work--but then for the rest of the week he did light chores around the store. During the days, when he was only dong light work, his muscles could grow.
DVR/VRT training can be adapted for either volume or high intensity training—heavy training is frequently called HIT.
High intensity training is easily carried out with DVR/VRT exercise. High intensity training is especially good for building size, since it is so nicely adaptable to working the big muscles of the back, and legs.
Over the years, I have posted a variety of HIT programs that have served many people, both here and elsewhere, very well, indeed. Keep in mind, however, that no program is optimal for everyone, if for no other reason that varying psychological profiles. However, it goes deeper than that. Our physiologies vary, and it has been my experience that different people are just best suited for different approaches.
My advice is to experiment until you find what suits you best as an individual.
high stepping: Over the past year or so, many people here and in my Qi Gong classes have benefited from “high stepping.” And it might be right for you. Well………you won’t know until you try!
Here’s one of my previous posts about this great exercise:
As most of you know, I’m an enthusiastic advocate of HIT—high intensity training—and, in the minds of most people, that style is usually not considered to be synonymous with endurance training.
But what about those who desire to do some endurance training? It goes with out saying that some of you are very talented runners and turn to running for endurance training; others skip rope, swim, etc.
I’m not convinced that endurance training is necessary to gain and maintain good health and I have expressed that feeling in the past. I do, however, subscribe to the notion that a half hour of brisk walking per night is an outstanding practice that combines nicely with HIT.
Nonetheless, walking isn’t everyone’s proverbial “cup of tea.” Although I really enjoy getting out and walking, bad weather can be an obstacle. I mean who likes tromping on sloppy streets? I’m talking about the way things are when the snow on the street has nearly melted and cars are spraying off their tires a disgusting slop consisting of slushy snow mixed with black grit and grime? Ugh.
Frankly, any street with a lot of car and truck traffic, regardless of the weather, is less than idyllic to me. Anyway, it’s nice to have substitutes for walking and/or running.
As I mentioned, swimming can be good, but not everyone has access to a pool. A jump rope routine can be very good, and for a time, I really got into skipping rope. Sadly, a lot of people have sore knees that won’t tolerate much jumping of any sort.
Tread mills and “Stairmaster” exercises can work, but they are costly and take up a lot of space. So for those who want or need endurance because of our participation in various sports, what’s a good way to attain it? One such way is to start a “high stepping” program with VRT/DVR resistance.
So how is this done? It’s simple yet effective. You start taking high, long steps while applying anywhere from 25% to 40% of maximum tension. Move around an area-- even a small room will do-- for five full minutes. Draw your knees up high with each step. Some folks may not make a full minute. You have to give the process some time in order to judge just how hard you want to tense your muscles. And here is a word of warning: you can end up with some very sore muscles, so go slowly. Want to try an additional five minutes? Sure be my guest.
If done correctly, “high stepping” becomes high intensity training in its own right—a bit like sprinting.
And do keep in mind that you are to be applying tension in both directions. I usually don’t suggest that, but for this exercise that is the plan. If you want to make the exercise even more interesting, practice throwing punches with VRT/DVR resistance as you make your way across the room.
I suggest doing “high stepping” as a substitute for walking on your “off days.” This can be a very demanding exercise if you choose to make it so. Really, it is all a question of how hard you choose to tense your muscles.
April asks:
Royce,
Is high stepping like marching except bringing your knees higher?
Royce replies:
Yes, you have it right, April. But of course it is the DVR tension that makes it special. And you can you can, and should, add various kicks, lateral and backward movements to keep it interesting--all done with DVR resistance.
You can, certainly, do the High Stepping around a track or football field. I like to move in all directions. Incidentally, walking backwards with the High Stepping action seems to work the “glutes” especially well.
Let me tell you my favorites:
DVR squats.
Power Flexing squats in three positions.
Isometric squats in three positions.
High Stepping.
Marching under a load.
The aforementioned exercises are, to my way of thinking, at the top of the heap. I’ve often spoken about DVR squats, isometrics and Power Flexing, so in this missive, let me focus on High Stepping and marching under a load:
The High Stepping is my wildcard exercise. I do the exercise with DVR resistance while moving around my training area. Sometimes, I combine various arm sand leg striking movements. Performing a slow kick with DVR resistance forces one to maintain one’s balance on one leg while performing the kick with the other. Give it a try!
Understand that I don’t do the High Stepping on the same days that I do my regular HIT routine. Instead, the High Stepping is mixed in with various Qi Gong exercises.
High Stepping combined with DVR resistance is dynamic in nature and lends itself to a huge variety of variations. It’s especially good for sports conditioning. Presently, it is integral to my preparations for heavy, backpacking. Normally, I do multiple sets of 40 repetitions—that means 20 movements per leg.
Finally, there’s the real life of activity of marching under a load. This is the work of a combat shoulder, and it is a tremendous conditioner.
My pack averages out to around 52 pounds and carrying that baby over hill and dale provides me with a blistering workout.
If you have never backpacked, I suggest that you give it a try. But don’t try going on a hiking marathon until you are in condition. Start off with a 25 pound pack and hike for a half hour. You can gradually build up to 50 pounds and beyond.
Personally, I don’t have the chance to hike nearly as much as I would like, but DVR squats, Power Flexing, isometrics and High Stepping nicely fill in the void.
What an elegant way to train! So what are you waiting for team? Let’s get it on!
The “high stepping” works remarkably well for me and my Qi Gong students. It can greatly enhance one’s endurance. Light to moderate tension will work fine with this DVR/VRT exercise. It’s fine to vary the tension as you exercise. I have students throw DVR/VRT punches as they do the high stepping. That can really get a trainee huffing and puffing!
Give it a try. I think you will be very pleased. Normally, I do the “high stepping” on days when I’m not doing HIT.
Actually, if you embrace the HIT—high intensity training—method, forty minutes is not a short workout. Twenty is more than enough time to get in a very hard workout.
And for those who like power flexing, a full body workout can be done in only ten minutes. Are such workouts demanding? You bet they are. But you have to be willing to go all out and adopt the correct the mindset for doing so.
Over many years, it has been my observation that a high percentage of people fail to progress on high volume exercise. And this is true regardless of the kind of progressive resistance one uses: power cals, cables, weights, DVRs, isometrics. These are the “hard gainers”. And, make no mistake, there are a lot of hard gainers.
I might also mention that people who do acceptably well on volume when they are young, often do less well as they age.
It's is very hard for some people to accept my assertion, since they have boundless energy and quickly recover from their workouts. These skeptics are the people do make progress on volume training and wonder why everyone isn’t following the same path.
Now before you start to conclude that HIT is primarily for the less athletically gifted among us, let me say that the best athletes can make great progress with HIT. From my perspective there’s nothing quite like HIT for developing maximum size and strength.
High intensity training allows even hard gainers to pack on muscle and gain strength at a rapid rate. Here’s my frequent analogy: When one adopts a HIT routine, she is training like a sprinter-- whereas when she trains with moderate to high volume routines, she is emulating the training of a middle to long distance runner.
Incidentally, I think most folks will agree that, as a group, the sprinters have better physiques than do the middle to long distance runners. Check out my observation the next time you see a track meet on TV that features world class runners and see if you agree with me. Remember, this is a general rule; there are, of course, exceptions.
Keep in mind that you need to be going all out when doing HIT. If you can’t manage to flex in hard fashion, you won’t progress as you should.
Now those among us who are concerned about cardiovascular issues will likely protest that HIT doesn’t provide the necessary cardio vascular protection. Some will say that any program that doesn’t feature “cardio training” is incomplete. I disagree. I think that HIT provides a profoundly positive impact on the cardio vascular system.
But, personally, I disagree with the notion that “cardio” training is necessary for maintaining one’s health, but I do think that some “high stepping” exercise is appropriate to add to just about anyone’s regimen. And when high stepping is added, there will be no question that one’s entire cardiovascular system is being worked.
I have posted frequently about “high stepping” and I think it can play a major roll in an overall fitness program. All one needs to do is to travel around a room, lifting one’s legs high while applying DVR resistance. “High stepping” as a lone protocol provides an awesome workout! And if you wish, it can be modified to incorporate various martial arts moves, which can make the technique infinitely more interesting.
Presently, I perform two heavy, full body workouts per week with DVRs, isometrics and Power Flexing. That’s all anyone needs for building maximum size and strength if the training session is intense.
My motto is that you can never workout too hard, but you can work out too much. So when it comes to building maximum size and strength, we are looking to do brief, intense and infrequent workouts.
My two full body workouts, incidentally, feature DVRs, isometrics and power flexing.
But what about the “off days”? In my case, I do a lot of hard style, Qi Gong. That’s a great mix for me, but it’s not everyone’s proverbial cup of tea. For those not into Qi Gong or other kinds of formalized programs, I suggest doing power flexing at moderate tension.
Although I am very hesitant to recommend intuitive training to most folks, when it comes to doing moderate amounts of power flexing on off days it’s hard to go wrong. There are a range of Power Flexing moves for my off days that I find very good, but I will refrain from getting into all of that in this missive.
Anyway, the Power Flexing can be done even when one is working at their keyboard in a cubical. I will be posting some power flexing routines in the future that have worked well for me and some of my Qi Gong students.
Now let me talk a bit about “Negatives”:
From my perspective, there really is no such thing as a negative DVR. On the other hand, there are, assuredly, negatives when we do barbell exercises.
Consider a barbell curl:
You start with your arms at full length. The barbell is resting just below your belt. As you begin to curl the barbell, you are doing what is called the concentric—positive--part of the movement. After the concentric part of the movement in the curl exercise is completed, the barbell is just below your chin level. Now you are ready to lower the barbell to the start position. As you begin lowering the barbell, you are now doing the eccentric part of the exercise, or the “negative.”
As you lower the barbell, you are applying a braking action. You are controlling the lowering of the barbell, rather than just dropping it.
Some people argue that this is the most valuable part of the exercise. However, here is precious little evidence to support the idea that it is the best part of the exercise. Yes, it does provide some benefit, but it assuredly isn’t anything earth shaking.
Now let’s review the same exercise when dong a DVR curl. You have no apparatus in this case. Your antagonistic muscles provide the resistance to your biceps as your biceps perform the concentric—positive—part of the exercise; you are, once again, moving your arms from the extended arm position. As in the case of the barbell exercise, the positive part of the exercise, once again, ends with your imaginary barbell curled to a position just under your chin.
So now we are ready for a negative DVR, curl? No! There is no counter force with witch to contend as you lower your arms. You may, indeed, flex your muscle for resistance as we do for all DVR exercises, but that WILL NOT be a negative. Instead, you will, actually, be doing a reverse grip press down that will be exercising your triceps instead of your biceps. It’s an O.K. thing to do, but it simply isn’t the same as a negative.
If you are still unclear about this, you might want to do some reading about isokinetics, which are a form of DVRs.
Douglis presented a fine abbreviated program. But I’m going to also post my original Mighty Mite Workout.
Here is the original post:
Are you just plain tired of long boring routines? Do you want to build size and strength and still have time for your girlfriend/boyfriend and other activities.
Then consider the briefest of brief routines. I call it the Mighty Mite Workout.
I have always advocated tightly scripted workouts. This is especially important for anyone doing HIT.
As I have said for years, you can never work out too hard, but you can workout too much. Brief, intense and infrequent workouts are the rule.
But choosing the right exercises is vital. There are only a few key exercises and they must not be neglected if you want maximum power and size.
And here are the key exercises:
Dead lifts
Leg press
Squats
Bench press
Rows
And here are some combinations that will net maximum size and strength:
Combination 1
Dead lifts
Bench press
Rows
Combination 2
Squats
Bench press
Rows
Combination3
Leg press
Bench press
Rows
Sure you can add lot’s of other stuff. But don't do it. Just perform one set of ten repetitions at maximum tension.
Take one of the above combinations and do each exercise with one set of DVRs at maximum tension.
It’s been my observation that most of the people who are successfully doing progressive resistance exercises observe a predetermined number of sets and repetitions. But, certainly, there are plenty of exceptions.
As I stated in a previous post, some people choose to work for a pump and then stop once it is achieved. That’s when a muscle feels completely congested. For some, that can be an important sort of feedback. It’s most popular among people who are bodybuilding. Bob Hoffman of the York Barbell Company endorsed that sort of training, although he never claimed that it was the only way to train.
Then there are those who train intuitively. That system can work, but it takes a lot of discipline, since most people seem to either over train or under train.
Among the older guys, in particular, intuitive training often seems to be the prelude to cutting way back on their training regimen.
I have an acquaintance who still lifts weights. He has been doing so for many years. These days he doesn’t do much more than a few curls and dumbbell presses. His various aches and pains preclude his training heavy. In his case, I’m not convinced this is because of injury. No……………….he is just getting older. And he finds it both painful and exhausting to do heavy leg and back work.
Well……………I have suggested DVRs, but the idea doesn’t appeal to him. So he just pokes along. But I guess any exercise is better than none--even his casual weight training.
Some of the young guys who train intuitively train very hard-- doing set after set of exercises. That’s O.k. for some. But it’s my opinion that a lot of them would do better with a far more structured routine.
POWERFLEXING: Although I posted the following some time ago, lot’s of people have come and gone, so It think it might be time to revisit a protocol that I call Power Flexing with limited movement.
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Power flexing with limited movement.
In effort to evolve new applications for VRTs/ DVRs and related protocols, I have been experimenting with a variety of DVR modifications and sharing them with a few folks in my Qi Gong group, along with a couple of my PM correspondents.
One technique that we are discovering to be quite productive is a combination of power flexing and VRT/DVR based resistance.
Here’s the essence of the procedure, which can be modified for a wide range of exercises.
To illustrate the protocol, let’s focus on a VRT/DVR pull-up and plan on establishing three static points within the course of the movement. We start with our arms above our heads, which is position one. We will be combining movement with power flexing—that is, static holds.
In fact, the first part of the exercise will be a static hold. Hers’ how it goes:
In position one—hands above your head--create absolute maximum VRT/DVR tension—that is, so much tension that you simply can’t get your arms moving. Keep that tension for six seconds and then let up ever so slightly so that you can pull your arms down to the second position.
As soon as you reach the second position, relax you muscles, but hold the arm position. (Take a breath.) Now apply six seconds of maximum tension at the number two position. Let up ever so slightly, just enough to allow your arms to move slowly down to the position of a completed pull up. Relax your muscles again; then do a final six second flex.
A few comments:
Some people seem to have trouble creating maximum tension with VRTs/DVRs. They just don’t seem to be generating adequate resistance. Starting from a static position gives them time to more slowly increase the tension. And when they finally start to add movement, the mental feedback is ideal. The body “knows” what maximum tension feels like due to the feedback from the static hold and keeps high tension even when the arms start to move.
How many reps are necessary? Just do one rep! That’s right just do one rep. Now I know that a lot of you won’t be satisfied with that, so let’s figure on some leeway. If you are an advanced man and itching to turn on your “afterburners,” do three repetitions of each exercise.
This is an outstanding technique and I’m anxious to hear how some of the rest of you like this sort of exercise. Now I, obviously, intend to use this technique within the parameters of a HIT regimen. It’s just as obvious that some of you will want to do it with a volume approach. That’s all right, but let’s shares the results and compare notes.
Royce replies:
Over a period of time a number of points about this routine have became apparent. First of all, it helps people learn to flex properly. Make no mistake, some people do have trouble learning to flex their muscles when doing either Power Flexing or VRT/DVR exercises.
And this inability on the part of some people to flex properly has caused a cadre of people to wrongly assume that VRT/DVR resistance can’t supply heavy resistance. Simply stated, since they have failed, they assume everyone must fail.
There is, clearly, a lot of tactile feedback involved when performing Power Flexing With Limited Movement. When one is putting forth sufficient tension to block all movement of the limbs and then, ever so slightly, reduces the tension to permit slow movement to the next static hold position, a powerful feedback loop is put into effect. Over a relatively short period oftime, one will improve his ability to do both VRT/DVR exercises AND Power Flexing. We have a great deal of synergism involved here.
The static holds—Power Flexing-- are a kind of isometrics that feature antagonist/agonist muscle action. So they can certainly substitute for conventional isometrics—that is, where a person works against an immoveable object.
When properly done, Power Flexing With Limited movement compresses a huge amount of exercise into a compact routine.
What follows is a sample routine that combines Power Flexing With Limited Movement and standard VRT/DVR exercises:
Start with “bent over rows” utilizing Power Flexing With Limited Movement:
Do one repetition.
(This single rep will take approximately 40 to 60 seconds. You will hold in a static fashion for eight seconds at each position. And it will serve as the pattern for all of the rest of the Power Flexing With Limited Movement. Now follow the rows with the rest of the routine.)
Bench press with Power Flexing With Limited Movement:
Biceps curl with Power Flexing With Limited Movement: one repetition.
Triceps pushdown with Power Flexing With Limited Movement: one repetition.
Squat or dead lift with Power Flexing With Limited Movement: one repetition.
After you have completed the aforementioned Power Flexing With Limited Movement exercises, you will finish your workout with conventional VRT/DVR exercises:
VRT/DVR military press: one set of eight repetitions.
VRT/DVR pull downs: one set of eight repetitions.
VRT/DVR hammer curls: one set of eight repetitions.
VRT/DVR dead lift or squat: one set of eight repetitions.
Do this full body workout twice a week and on the off days either walk or do “High Stepping exercises.” The amount of walking or “high stepping” needed will vary from person to person and is to be determined by various factors.
If you are doing manual labor, you may not need any additional exercise at all. The same would hold true if you are a regular participant in a strenuous sport, such as basketball or boxing. Power Flexing With Limited Movement, in fact, nicely melds with the kind of endurance training associated with strenuous sports.
Incidentally, if you are doing either Yoga or Qi Gong, you may or may not need the
“high stepping” or walking. My present Qi Gong routine is quite strenuous and gives me all the endurance training that I need. It features a lot of sub maximal isometrics and VRT like resistance performed over a relatively long workout.
If you are just endeavoring to develop great size and strength, no walking or “High Stepping” will be required.
I should add that if you feel over taxed by this program, it is all right to turn it into a split routine and do the upper body one day the lower body on another day. That will work, too. The important thing is not to overstress your system.
Many years ago, back in the early seventies, I was doing a lot of Power Rack work with weights. And I followed a program that took only twenty minutes to perform. It was a program endorsed by Bob Hoffman of the York Barbell Company. Bill March, one of the premier lifters of that era, was, reportedly, a great fan of the routine. The best aspects of that program are replicated in the sample Power Flexing With Limited Movement routine that I have posted.
So I encourage you to give this program a try. It has worked for many others.
April’s post got me to thinking about a number of points. So I’m going to ramble on a bit and, in the end, not really answer April’s question.
In fact, I want to start off by asking yet another question.
How many of the Transformetrics protocols does a person have to be doing in order to be a Transformetrics trainee?
Does a person have to do them all--power cals, DSRs, DVRs, power flexing and isometrics? Or can she do any combination of the Transformetrics protocols and still be doing Transformetrics?
I’m not sure.
In my view, if one is just doing calisthenics, she isn’t doing anything that can even be considered to be novel. Such exercises are part and parcel to high-school gym classes around the United States.
It’s my impression that a lot of people use Transformetrics in a cafeteria style—that is, they take what they want and leave the rest. And that is fine.
I know some people here who almost solely practice calisthenics. Then there are others who exclusively practice what I like to call the “Big Three”—isometrics, power flexing and DVRs.
If you read John Peterson’s fine book, PYTP, you will find that he focuses on the training methods of two men from the past: John McSweeney and Charles Atlas.
McSweeney believed that the Tiger Moves—DVRs--were the ultimate. And he discarded calisthenics. I’m not sure what he thought of power flexing, DSRs and isometrics. Charles Atlas, on the other hand, primarily focused on calisthenics and DSRs.
Anyway with Transformetrics we can choose from the following:
Power cals
Isometrics
Power flexing
DSRs
DVRs (Tiger Moves.)
All of the these protocols work. But different people make use of different combinations. And all of the protocols listed above are ancient. For instance, John McSweeny modified ancient Kung Fu exercises in order to develop his set of Tiger Moves. From what I can ascertain, Atlas knew about and liked DVRs, but for reasons that aren’t entirely clear decided to feature calisthenics.
April, what combination of the protocols do you use? Personally, I pretty much focus on DVRs, isometrics and power flexing.
Real resistance vs Imaginary resistance.
Let’s talk about VRT/DVR resistance.
As I have said many times before, everyone has an opinion about such exercise. But far fewer among us have informed opinions. It’s certainly true that there are plenty of critics and debunkers who choose to belittle VRT/DVR training at every opportunity.
They harp on about one thing or another but one of their continuing criticisms is the claim that VRT/DVR resistance isn’t real resistance—that it is, instead, imaginary resistance.
Does VRT/DVR provide real resistance? The answer is a resounding yes.
However, there’s no wonder that there’s confusion. Consider what the initials VRT and DVR stand for:
DVR--dynamic visualized resistance.
VRT--Visualized Resistance Training.
Although I have no problem with the nomenclature, some people choose to make the words as a kind of target for their debunking efforts.
So what is really going on with VRT/DVR exercises?
It is much more accurate to say that visualization triggers the resistance—which is to say that mental commands causes the agonist muscles to push or pull while the antagonist muscles resist. But once the action is triggered, once the muscles start pulling and resisting in the appropriate fashion, there’s real work going on.
If you are doing a VRT/DVR biceps curl your triceps is acting as a braking force. That same triceps which, in another exercise, might be pushing up a 500 pound barbell is, in this instance, the antagonist muscle that is braking the action of the biceps—holding it back.
Folks, that is not imaginary force! The mind may be using imagination to trigger the action, but the force and counter force is real—absolutely real.
So keep in mind what I’m saying when someone wants to suggest that only pulling a cable or lifting a weight can provide real resistance. It jus isn’t so.
From my perspective, we have too many terms that mean the same thing: DVR, VRT, dynamic tension, dynamic strength exercises, flowing isometrics, KSHD, isokinetics, Miracle Seven, etc.
It’s clear that a lot of people are confused.
And the same terms are used differently by different promoters. For example, Dynamic Tension as defined by Charles Atlas is, primarily, a series of calisthenics. But Dynamic Tension as defined by Harry Wong is all about moving one’s limbs while the muscles are strenuously flexed. There’s a big difference, to say the least.
So now it is time for me to confuse matters further. There is, in fact, a kind of exercise that I believe can legitimately be called “imaginary resistance.” It is a kind of Qi Gong exercise called Wai Dan.
I have been a Qi Gong practitioner for quite a number of years now, and now teach. You long time readers know that, of course. Visualization is an important part of the course I teach.
In order to expand the debate, I will repost a missive that I composed some months ago
Jon writes:
I'm new to Transformetrics and DVR's so a couple of questions.
1. How fast should you perform a DVR exercise?
2. When you say Moderate, Heavy & Very Heavy any idea how to tell which level you are working at?
3. Do you maintain tension between reps? I seem to be flexing constantly during the entire set?
4. How long should you rest between sets?
Any advice is appreciated.
Royce replies.
Jon
I’m a strong believer in HIT—high intensity training. HIT provides a means for achieving maximum size and strength.
The mantra for HIT practitioners is that “ you can never train too hard, but you can train too much.” That means a particular muscle group should not be worked more than twice per week.
Each exercise should be done for one set of ten repetitions at absolute maximum tension. It should take you around eight to ten seconds to complete a repetition.
To be sure, there are variations on this theme. For instance, HIT can nicely incorporate super slow movements where a single rep, lasting anywhere from 30 to sixty seconds. And if a person is wedded to power cals, I suggest one set of as many repetitions as one can muster.
Although you can rest as long as you like between sets, I prefer to move quickly through my routine. On average, I rest around ten to thirty seconds between exercises. I have explained all of this in various routines that I have posted over the years. They have worked for many, many people.
In sum, the central theme of HIT is to build a program that features brief, intense and infrequent workouts. For some cardio effects, “high stepping” with DVR resistance works very well, along with about a half hour a day of brisk walking.
MTS writes:
From what my understanding of DVRs/VRTs with some added weight, the mind is still responsible for the majority of the resistance, so a light weight would be much lighter than for strict weight lifting purposes.
Royce replies:
You are correct. But I would like to expand the debate, if I may.
I am becoming a bit uncomfortable with the term “visualized resistance” as it pertains to DVRs. I am uncomfortable since it doesn’t take into account an important style of Qi Gong work that, to my mind, comes closer to true visualized resistance.
With DVRs—assuming you don’t have any sort of barbell or dumbbell in hand-- the antagonistic muscles are totally responsible for the resistance. The mind simply signals the antagonistic muscles to perform a breaking action.
There is, however, a kind of Qi Gong exercise that requires one to simply relax and without any tensing of the muscles to imagine lifting a heavy weight. In that case, we have true visualized resistance. (Please see the end of this post for more information about true, visualized resistance—Wai Dan exercises.
On to another question:
What constitutes a heavy weight? Any weight or resistance that limits a person to only one to five repetitions is a heavy weight for that person.
Let me finish up with a post I wrote about a year ago concerning visualization:
I have been a Qi Gong practitioner for quite a number of years now, and now teach. You long time readers know that, of course. Visualization is an important part of the course I teach.
Anyway, since we have some new folks, I will repost something I discussed some months ago.
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Visualization and Wai Dan exercises.
I would like to talk some about visualization.
The whole topic of visualization in general and visualized progressive resistance exercise in particular is fascinating. I have used visualization for practicing a wide range of activities, including the playing of musical instruments.
Because of my Qi Gong practice, I also use a series of exercises known in Qi Gong circles as Wai Dan exercises.
These are not DVR/VRT exercises.
Wai Dan involves only visualized exercise. There is no tensing of muscles involved, such as is the case with DVRs/VRTs and power flexing. What I’m talking about is exclusively a mind control exercise.
Imagine that you are doing a biceps curl. Let your arm hand at your side in the position it would be in at the start of a dumbbell curl. There will be no physical movement involved. Without consciously tensing your muscle, imagine lifting the weight through the curling motion. When you get to the completed position in your imagination, do the exercise for more imaginary repetitions. Yes, I know………..for some of you this process may seem nonsensical.
Now in the last couple of weeks, discussions about this kind of exercise have even ensued on the late night talk shows. Jay Leno of the Tonight Show recently made some humorous remarks about fat Americans to looking for the easiest exercise possible. So notions of just imagining exercising instead of actually doing exercises brought on a round of laughter.
Undoubtedly, there is some entrepreneur who has just recently come onto the scene endeavoring to make hay with the technique. I’m confident that someone will soon by on Oprah heralding a new, magical way of exercising.
Well it is kind of humorous to think of chubby folks getting their exercise sessions in while sitting in front of the TV. Certainly, we can do DVRs in front of the TV, but it still involves a lot of effort.
But do Wai Dan exercises really work? The positive results of scientific recent research has now been added to thousands of years of anecdotal evidence from various Qi Gong schools.
And Wai Dan exercise seems to be at least 50% as effective as regular progressive resistance exercises—such as DVRs/VTRs-- for building strength. Some Qi Gong practitioners say it works much better than that. It’s difficult to really know, since most of us do a wide assortment of exercises. And this can of exercise won’t work as well for people with poor visualization powers.
Personally, I’m not going to stop doing DVRs and power flexing in favor of Wai Dan, but I am using it as another kind of supplemental exercise. And I’m still experimenting.
My school of Qi Gong isn’t focused on martial arts or Wai Dan. But in the past few years, I have found myself adopting more and more martial arts protocols. And my students seem to really like the addition of these new variations.
There are a number of questions about this Wai Dan exercise. For example,
it’s not entirely clear how much energy is expended with this sort of exercise, some would say it is minimal. I tend to agree. That means you can nicely combine these exercises with virtually any other protocols. These exercises appear to greatly improve chi flow to the muscles involved and to increase one’s mental links to those muscles.
I have a Qi Gong student who is physically compromised in many ways, including osteoporosis. To her great credit, she has fully embraced DVRs. And she is delighted with the progress she is making.
When I first started her on her program, all of her exercises except one were DVRS. The one exception was a DSR sequence for her neck. When I first got her started with the program I had her apply hand resistance for the neck in the front, back and side positions.
Unfortunately, when doing the exercise, she experienced some pain in her neck.
Her physical therapist felt that she should discontinue the exercise due to the stress it put on the neck. Not only are my student’s bones in a weakened condition, she has issues with the disks in her spine.
The warning from the therapist, I think, made my student apprehensive. I considered substituting a DVR exercise, but, instead, opted for Wai Dan neck exercises. She likes the approach and does the neck exercises on a daily basis. I wound not favor during DVRs or DSRs that often. I will keep you informed about the mounting evidence supporting the effectiveness of such exercises.
For the moment, let’s put aside talk about Wai Dan exercises and direct our attention to more conventional forms of visualization. These techniques are not specifically designed to make you stronger; rather, they are more attuned to improving you mind body connection and improve muscle reaction time to various stimuli.
Regardless of what sort of physical activity you might like to do, visualization can, usually, be of help.
Many years ago, I had an uncle who loved to watch boxing. When the fights were on TV, he would sit in his chair bobbing and weaving and throw punches at an imaginary opponent. Only he knew just how effective his punches were against his imaginary opponent. Just how many knockouts did he score? ? One has to wonder.
Sure it was kind of a hoot to watch him. But, if we choose to reflect seriously on the matter, I think we have to conclude that he probably was getting some worthwhile exercise and developing significant hand eye coordination.
Some of you, like me, enjoy watching the Le Parkour practitioners jump from one building to another. Many of the moves are extremely dangerous and, in a lot of cases, setting up an effective practice site for Le Parkour training can be daunting. So what is the answer? Yes, you guessed it: the answer is imaginary practice that utilizes visualization in a variety of forms. David Belle the originator of Le Parkour strongly advocates such visualization techniques.
Imagining going through the various moves at full speed is on of the widely accepted methods.
Applications are many and varied, and are not limited to athletic endeavors.
Here’s yet another example:
I’m associated with some folks who have been focusing on ways to survive various crisis situations: natural disasters, terrorist attacks, etc. It became apparent to me that everyone should know how to tie an assortment of knots--knots for securing camp gear, rescue lines, boats, etc. Consequently, I procured a book on knots some weeks ago and started practicing tying a variety of knots. My progress was good. But I did find that finding a time and place to practice was a bit of a challenge. Therefore, I started practicing tying the knots mentally. It worked like a charm.
My notes today just barely scratch the surface of what is possible So I hope some of you will choose to relate some of your own experiences with visualization.
Quote:
Originally Posted by THESUPERBEAST
do you think VRT alone could carryover to ability to grapple with no other form of gravity induced excerecise?
Please keep in mind that VRT/DVR resistance as advocated by such people as the late, great John McSweeney is designed specifically for those pursuing the martial arts. A great martial artist, McSweeney was unequivocal when he said that exercises such as the Tiger Moves could entirely replace other forms of progressive resistance exercise.
He didn’t claim that other systems didn’t work; rather, he clearly stated that the VRT/DVR resistance offered profound advantages. Personally, I think one attains a synergistic advantage when other closely related, self resistance exercises are added, such as power flexing and isometrics. But VRT/DVRs resistance alone will do a fine job of developing maximum speed and strength—two vital attributes for any martial artist or wrestler.
Here are two of my favorite clips of Iron Wire action. To state the obvious, the two featured martial artists are doing a form of VRT/DVR exercise:
chiu chi wai performs. 90 year old Hung Kuen Master Leung Daiyau performs the Snake guiding the crane - Duration: 3:57. Taiping Dao 274,214 views
And here is a great article about John McSweeney. Many of the old hands here have already read it. But it merits reposting, I think.
www.kungfu.org/messagegm7.shtml
ACCS / Message from Grandmaster: John McSweeney
www.kungfu.org
Gene took a liking to John's skills and his determination to learn and master his art. He taught John long and hard until he finally realized he had shown him all he could.
And for those of you who are into Sanchin, here’s something you might enjoy watching:
Sanchin Kyokushinkai kata - YouTube
www.youtube.com
Karate Female Team Kata Bronze Medal - Serbia vs Italy - WKF World Championships Belgrade 2010 (1/2) - Duration: 7:41. World Karate Federation 8,861,846 views
I suspect that a lot of new people are, once again, becoming confused about all of this.
But let's keep trying to make this matter clear.
Toward that end, let’s focus on the peculiarities of VRT/DVR exercise. Please don’t start thinking about a barbell or dumbbell, since I’m going to touch for a moment on the special aspects of what goes on with a VRT/DVR.
If you decide to do a curl with DVR/VRT resistance, the biceps power the curling action—that is the concentric or positive movement. So where does the resistance come from? It primarily comes from the triceps.
As we have established, the triceps are working in opposition—that is, providing the braking action.
That means that during the curling action the triceps are being exercised eccentrically. The act of braking with them exercises them. The resistance supplied by the triceps is not imaginary, it is quite real.
And keep in mind that muscles are always stronger when called upon to do a negative—that is, eccentric movement—than they are when called upon to perform a positive or concentric movement.
At age sixty, my strength program is all about HIT—high intensity training—with DVRs, isometrics and power flexing. It’s a great approach. I might add that my workouts are quite demanding even on the “off” days from strength training.
On my “off” days, I do a lot of Qi Gong, which features a lot of meridian tapping. And that is combined with “stick and blade” work.
t’s been my experience that going all out with isometrics more than twice a week puts a considerable amount of stress on ones muscles and central nervous system. Certainly, light flexing and sub maximal training can be used on more than two days. But I remain a staunch advocate of HIT—high intensity training. That means one should be focused on brief, intense and infrequent strength training.
Incidentally, while I use a lot of isometrics, I think it is a mistake for someone to try and develop an entire strength building program around isometrics. That’s my considered opinion. I do believe that DVRs, CIC and power flexing with INTENTION can constitute a complete and effective program.
And when it comes to building strength, a muscle group needs to be exercised but once every seven to eight days in order to build maximum size and strength.
That’s my conclusion after training for over 45 years.
Believe anything you want. But I should hope that folks reading the material in this thread will take the time to practice the various approaches to see what works for them individually. Don’t take someone’s word for anything.
If you buy into the idea of training everyday and the practice works for you, then you are all set. Your are as they say in the vernacular “good to go.” But if you try such a regimen and eventually see your progress stall, I suggest that you rethink matters and abbreviate your training.
HIT vs vol
Let me start by saying to all of the newcomers that the HIT—high intensity training-- I’m talking about must not be confused with the sort of HIT program advocated by weight trainees. This is about training intensely with self resistance.
Is there a sure way to know whether a person should start with a HIT or a volume approach? The short answer is no; there is no surefire way.
A coach or trainer has to use his intuition when evaluating a prospective student.
When someone first starts out with progressive resistance training, just about any routine will work for the first month or so—usually longer than that. But then most people reach a kind of performance plateau. Of course, if you are on a truly radical regimen—that is, working super hard--you might reach the plateau even sooner.
The plateau is the point at which people stop progressing. And a lot of folks actually start to lose strength and/or muscle size. Either of those two events signals over training.
This is the point where decisions have to be made. But you first need to get to the initial plateau. I’m not the one to tell you about optimal volume programs, since volume programs have never worked well for me…………never. But that in no way means that they don’t work for other people—they clearly do.
So if I suspect that a person likes volume approach and can adapt to it, I suggest that he adopt such a program. Should he tire of it; he can always try HIT. I like to work with people who really intend to stick with a routine—to give it a fair chance. Many people here at the forum are like kids in a candy store—they want to try everything. I think that is great. It’s fun. But that attitude often slows progress.
A person’s appearance tells a lot. But to the untrained eye, a person’s looks can be very deceiving. Anyone who has been around the muscle game for awhile can usually spot a person who is or isn’t training successfully.
Among weightlifters or people mimicking conventional weight training by using DVRs, I look for the muscles bunched at the bottom of the spine—the spinal erectors. If that person’s spine seems to be situated in a ravine of muscle, you can pretty much assume that he is doing heavy exercise and that that exercise is causing his body to adapt to intense work.
So there are obvious and not so obvious things to look for. An NFL lineman might simply look fat to a lot of people, but anyone who is a football fan knows better.
Obviously, the size and shape of a person’s arms tell a lot, too. And the arms are often exposed for everyone to see. Even a person’s skin color tells a story. How many times have you heard someone say that someone’s “color doesn’t look good”? Obviously, a lot of this is just common sense.
If a person is on a good program, the tell tale signs will be apparent.
The point is, when someone “stalls”—fails to make progress-- you have to make changes.
A short skillful interview can help a lot. You need to know how his appetite is and how well he is sleeping. It helps to know if he is suffering from joint and tendon pain.
High energy types reach plateaus, too. But they have more options than do low hard gainers.
If a person claims to feel unduly fatigued, irritable, or mildly depressed, it’s a safe bet he is over trained. Such a person will be better off cutting back on his number of training days per week and seek to increase the intensity of his workouts—that’s the HIT formula.
Of course, the aforementioned traits could be signs of some medical problems, so you must proceed with caution. If in doubt, have him check with his doctor.
For a high energy types, things are a lot simpler. You can either radically increase the intensity of their training or the volume. Such fellows will likely gain size and strength with either approach.
When deciding what sort of training to adopt one should take into account a person’s mental attributes. Some people simply don’t like to work out intensely. My workouts are extremely intense. When I’m done with my leg work, I literally can’t go up a set of steps until I have rested. One of my students was working out with me, and after he finished his leg work, he bounded up the stairs to get a drink. Well……………….that meant that he was not working out in the HIT mode. Intentionally or unintentionally, he was loafing.
When it comes to doing HIT with DVRs, I must concede that those who don’t learn to flex in an optimal fashion will have problems. I concluded some years ago that those who have difficulty in flexing tend to become dissatisfied with DVRs, along with isometrics and power flexing. And when the premium is on generating maximum tension, as is the case with HIT, the problem becomes especially acute.
Then we have those who say that they must train everyday in order to stay in the habit of exercising. To such people, I suggest that they take up some other sort of training, such as Yoga or Qi Gong, to satisfy that need on the days when they aren’t doing progressive resistance exercises. Even walking on an off day can nicely suffice.
Try to find something that won’t be in the realm of heavy strength training.
Hank, you brought of the question of how one’s muscle makeup influences training.
Discussions about the predominance of red or white fibers in a person’s muscles are interesting, but from the standpoint of the individual, they are kind of meaningless. If there are good, non invasion, ways to find out about the proportion of red to white, I don’t know of them.
Anyway, I hope this missive helps clarify a few important points about HIT.
With every cycle of new people coming to this forum, I see a lot of people doing way too much in the way of progressive resistance training.
Even though high volume, daily, progressive resistance training works for some of you; for others it is a recipe for failure.
A lot of you are penalizing yourseleves. When it comes to training for size and strength, only a few sessions of progressive resistance sessions per week are needed.
Certainly, you can do other things in addition to strength training on other days, and that is recommended. But for many of you, HIT—high intensity training is the way to go.
The motto is: you can never train too hard, but you can train too much. HIT focuses on brief, intense and infrequent training.
I am all for you guys trying everything under the sun, but some of you—I won’t name names—have been struggling and struggling without making good gains. Don’t blame the protocols; blame your application of the protocols.
According to one wag, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. I’m paraphrasing, but you get my drift.
I have posted some HIT programs. Please give them a try. But understand that they differ radically from the routines sometimes advocated by weight training enthusiasts.
Have a look at a few unsolicited testimonials for HIT as practiced with self resistance.
Praise for HIT
Brigade writes on September 16, 2007
Hello Everyone,
I just wanted to tell everyone about some of the great improvements I have made as of late with Royce’s HIT program.
Let’s see where to start; okay first off I have completely toned up and gained muscle. I have gained a full inch on both of my biceps to bring me up to 16”. My thighs have the nice tear drop shape which is quite nice. My calves have always been the lagging part so much so that I hated going out in public in shorts because would literally make fun of me. Since I have been on Royce’s HIT program my calves have gained an inch of mass which is awesome. My waistline has toned up very nicely and my uniform fits so loose on me that I have to shorten my belt a lot.
This past Saturday I had an 8.5 mi race and did way better than expected, I knocked 6 minutes off my training time which is very astounding to me. The funny thing is I felt great like I could have run another couple of miles.
My wife is constantly commenting on my more shapely arms which makes me crack a smile every time. The list goes on and on, but the majority of the credit goes to Royce, John Peterson, and Greg Mangan and his VRT protocol. I had to modify Royce’s program a tad because I am required to work out with my squadron in the military but not too much I just added in a ton of running and some various calisthenics. I also threw in some powerflexes on Saturday to get some striations going. I love Transformetrics and its principles and I can’t wait to see what the rest of my life has in store for me as far as working out goes.
I hope all of yall have a great day and peace out.
V/R,
Brig
Newyork student writes:
Hey Everyone,
Even though I have only practiced the routine posted by Royce for 4 weeks, I can safely say it is the most productive routine I've practiced. I have gained in strength and size faster than I was before. It is a very efficient routine in terms of the time required, so it leaves my schedule open for other things such as Qigong, Yoga, and cardiovascular exercises. Now that I am joining the hockey team in two weeks, I am confident that HIT will not overtax my recovery abilities despite the added demands. I urge everyone to give it a try if are strapped for time or even if they just want to spice things up. I find the intensity of the routine to be quite enjoyable, and always look forward to my workouts. Take care
P.S. Give volume a try first if you are a beginner. Volume can be much extremely effective for some individuals, like John and Marlon. You could be one of them. For other people, try this routine.
Peterson responds:
Great post NewYorkerStudent. Once the mind/muscle connection is fully developed I can see where HIT would be incredibly efficient as well as productive.
---John Peterson
Gordon- Best of luck
Canuckfan- Keep up the good work, and hopefully soon we can compare results of our training.
Royce- The kudos have to go to you, my friend. You've turned me and others onto HIT training and Qigong training. Both practices have positively affected my life in many ways. Many thanks for your great contributions.
Take care everyone
Tigerowong says to Greg M
remember the photos you put up previously and noticed your avatar. Was your avatar taken when you were still training with iron? Regardless of the method your build is fantastic. I still enjoy the weights but after reading stuff by you and Royce I have a "on the road" routine setup in an HIT style. I will be out of the country for a month and I keep good records of my current lifts (yes I went back to the iron, I really enjoy it and feel great) Were you ever into HIT like Royce? always curious and finally have an apporpriate place to ask. take care and keep going. BTW they are makin a New Incredible Hulk movie, we could always paint you green!
I have never been a fan of DSRs.
The problem with DSRs from my perspective is that they don’t work the big muscles of the body sufficiently: the back and legs.
Those big muscle more radically impact the whole body. And if you learn to tense your muscles correctly, the tension can be cranked up to equal the results of heavy lifting.
Really, the only way to learn to flex your muscles to the max is through practice.
So I would advise you to get to it. Of course, that’s just one man’s opinion, but it’s based upon a lifetime of experience with weights and other progressive resistance protocols.
Here is what John Peterson has to say about DVRs and DSRs.
John Peterson writes:
Thanks Friends,
But the truth is that Martial Arts Master John Mc Sweeney deserves all the credit. He truly inspired me to realize that properly applied DVR/VRT could be every bit as effective as DSRs in the amount of tension applied once they were mastered. BUT he believed they were vastly superior to DSR exercises once they were mastered because the angles at which one could implement DVR/VRT exercises was without any sort of limit. Thus he stated as a matter of fact that no form of exercise with any form of apparatus or non-apparatus was as effective as DVR/VRT tension exercises. Not only that but Mc Sweeney himself believed that they had curative powers. And he even used them himself to heal his shoulder.
Bottom Line: there is far more to DVR/VRT than just strength and muscle building. Not that that would not be fantastic in itself, but the overall benefits in muscle control and building and increasing one's Nerve force makes them the master method of Physical Culture Health Building Exercise since they maximize strength and fitness without any damage to joints, tendons, ligaments or the nervous system.
Here is a HIT program that has been used with good results over the years.
Pod 1
A month or so ago, I promised to post some hard-gainer programs utilizing the HIT concept—that is, high intensity training. It has taken me a bit longer than I anticipated to publicly post one of these programs, but now we have one ready to go. I guess it’s better late than never!
Unlike the traditional HIT programs, we won’t be using any weights.
I think that hard-gainer training is an area that needs to be extensively explored. Understand that what follows isn’t designed to be the all and end all of HIT style training. It is just one of many possible approaches. Certainly, the Miracle 7 can be nicely applied to HIT training. We will talk about that wonderful series of exercises at a future date.
I’m certainly not knocking high volume training. I encourage those of you who flourish with high volume training to continue doing what you are doing. In fact, everyone should experiment with high volume training in order to determine if it works for them.
My experience in gyms over many years suggests that a significant number of people are hard-gainers who easily overtrain on high volume routines. Hard gainers make their best gains when training only a few days a week while doing brief but intense workouts. I should add that it is possible to overtrain with virtually any method: weights, cables, bodyweight training, DVRs, Isometrics, etc.
If you are regularly training yet find that your strength levels are falling, you are probably overtrained.
Remember that you can never train too hard, but you can train too often.
This routine is a good solid plan that will allow a hard-gainer to pack on plenty of muscle and also develop dynamic strength that will hold him in good stead regardless of his age.
I believe that training should be fun, and in order to make it fun, we need to provide a wide range of exercises. As many of you know, I love DVRs and I have included a heavy mix of them. Here are my rules for doing DVRs in this routine:
ALL DVRs IN THIS ROUTINE ARE TO BE DONE AT MAXIUM TENSION! Do not do negative DVRs. In all cases, do only one set of ten repetitions.
Incidentally, I put this regimen together, in part, for a good friend who wants to experience an increase in pull-up power.
Although anyone can benefit from this routine, it is especially designed for individuals whose pull-up capacity ranges from 0 to 10 repetitions. If you are someone who can knock out super high repetitions, you should work toward doing one-armed pull-ups.
Here’s the plan: Take a full minute to psyche yourself up. You want to feel that you and everyone and everything dear to you will be destroyed if you don’t successfully do one or more pull-ups. Next, visualize yourself doing one or more pull-ups. This mental approach can do wonders for enhancing your workouts.
Now comes the physical part. Go to the bar; take a firm shoulder width grip and then explode into the pull-up movement. If you only move a quarter of an inch, that is O.k.
Do as many repetitions as possible until you reach the point of failure; then, on your final repetition—this is the point at which you can’t complete another pull-up--DO A FIVE SECOND ISOMETIC PULL BEFORE LOWERING YOUSELF TO THE START POSITON.
DO NOT TRY TO DO ANOTHER SET OF CONVENTIONAL PULLUPS. Instead, immediately proceed to do one set of ten repetitions of DVR pull-ups. Do these at maximum tension. And don’t do any DVR negatives.
Upon completing the DVRs, go to the pull-up bar and step up onto a stool that will allow you to assume the completed pull-up position. Now slowly lower yourself to the start position. Try to take ten seconds on the downward movement. Don’t try to do a second negative style pull-up. If this proves to be very easy for you, switch to a one arm negative movement during your next workout.
And that is it for pull-up training!
Next do pushups between chairs:
Do one set of as many of these pushups that you can. Upon completion, do one set of ten repetitions of DVR bench presses. All this amounts to is standing up and pushing your arms straight out from your body. These should be done at maximum tension.
Next do a set of DVR, side, laterals. Once again, do only 10 repetitions. These should be followed by a set of DVR, front, laterals.
I like to add various isometrics as the spirit moves me. But in order to carefully define our procedures for this specific routine, let’s make the decision to use isometric holds after our DVR biceps curls, French curls, laterals and hand squeezes.
Here is the summary of our upper body workout, which should be done on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Pull-ups (Conventional)
Pull-ups (DVR)
Pull-ups (Negatives)
Pushups (Do one set of as many repetitions as possible between two chairs.)
Pushups (DVR)
Side Laterals ( DVR)
Side Laterals (Isometric, in doorway, 70% of maximum for sixty seconds)
Front Laterals (DVR)
Front Laterals (Isometric. Use opposite hand for resistance. Make it a sixty second hold.)
Curls (DVR, palms up)
Curls (Isometric, one position, 70% of maximum for sixty seconds)
French Curls (DVR)
Wrist Windups (DVR)
Hand squeeze (DVR)
Now, we will turn to the lower body. For this particular routine, you will only work the legs once a week. Don’t gasp in horror. Once a week is all right, at least for an interim period. I’m going to assume that you will add a significant amount of walking to this routine, and I don’t want anyone exhausting his or her energy reserves. How much walking should you do? I suggest a half-hour a day. Now let’s focus on the lower body:
Legs (Work out on Saturday.)
One-legged squats are a key exercise in this part of the routine. Go as far down as you can. You are only to do one set of as many reps as possible. You may hold your non-exercising leg in a curl position. But to make the exercise tougher, try doing “pistols.” That means putting your non-exercising leg straight out in front of you as you do the squat. These squats will really put a “burn” on your thighs!
Now do DVR Squats—the two-legged variety. As with all DVRs, do one set of ten reps at full tension.
Continue by doing DVR knee extensions and leg curls. Finish off with isometric holds with both of those exercises.
And that does it! Give this program at least eight weeks, preferably 12. .
Let me know how you do!
Summary:
One Legged Squats (Do one set of as many repetitions as you can manage.)
DVR Squats (Do one set of DVR style squats.)
DVR Leg curls (Do one set of DVR style leg curls.)
DVR Knee extensions (Do one set of DVR style knee extensions.)
Isometric Leg Curls (Do these at 70% of maximum for sixty seconds.)
Isometric Knee Extensions (Do these at 70% of maximum for sixty seconds.)
If so a possible idea could be to have an isometric or dvr pre exhaust routine. (not too long I hope) Or even split the cals in to sets and do iso's or dvr's in between.
My reply:
Personally, I like a more brief and intense workout than power cals normally supply. But I would suggest that you do an eight second pre-exhaust, isometric before each power cal.
But do the isometrics at full tension.
As for DVRs, If they are done correctly—at maximum tension—the DVRs can develop maximum size and strength sans any power cals at all.
Also, if you really go all out with a single set of ten repetitions of DVR bench presses at maximum tension, you won’t be able to do a single pushup until after you take a rest.
Isometrics done for short durations --5 to 10 seconds--have never given me much of a pump. Now…..if you choose to do aerobic isometrics for thirty to sixty seconds at sub maximal levels, you can, indeed, get a good pump.
As a high intensity training advocate, I usually don’t make aerobic isometrics a cornerstone of my training, but I do have such moves worked into various Qi Gong routines. And they have proved productive.
If you crank up the intensity, the answer is yes. Now I can’t claim that you will necessarily have the full range of endurance that accompanies twice a week training, but if you master the trick of developing maximum contractions during your training, you can expect to develop great explosive power with a one day a week training regimen.
Hi Tony,
First of all, my training varies quite a lot over the course of a year. For maintaining muscle size and strength, I’m doing a split routine: Upper body on Monday, lower body on Friday.
Without going into all of the specifics here are the DVR exercises, along with one DSR. I do one set of ten repetitions at maximum intensity.
Upper body:
Rows
Military press
Curls
Triceps extension
Prayer press
Side laterals
Hand grip exercise
Flys
Neck DSRs (Front, sides, back.)
I finish off with a three position, isometric bench press against a wall. I put forth about 69% of maximum for a full minute in each position.
Then I do all of the above DVR movements, except the neck exercise, in a power flex mode. In other words, I flex with intention for ten seconds at maximum tension in three positions.
Lower body:
Here are the DVRs:
Squats or Deadlifts
Knee extensions
Leg curls
The DVRs are followed by power flexing for the legs.
I use the same exercises as I do for the DVRs, but I power flex with INTENTION in three positions for ten seconds in each position.
All of the above is combined with fairly intense Qi Gong work on the other days of the week.. All my Qi Gong work fairly intuitive and spontaneous, but, nonetheless, intense. It includes a lot of sparring and high stepping, along with a fair amount of medium tension power flexing.
After a few more weeks, I will probably go to a four day a week split routine. For me, varying my approach to strength and fitness is important.
John Peterson’s book PYTP is excellent, and I highly recommend it. But it isn’t dedicated to HIT. Nonetheless, all of the exercises there can be put into a HIT format.
I have put together a number of HIT routines utilizing various exercises.
Here is the original HIT program:
Pod 1
A month or so ago, I promised to post some hard-gainer programs utilizing the HIT concept—that is, high intensity training. It has taken me a bit longer than I anticipated to publicly post one of these programs, but now we have one ready to go. I guess it’s better late than never!
Unlike the traditional HIT programs, we won’t be using any weights.
I think that hard-gainer training is an area that needs to be extensively explored. Understand that what follows isn’t designed to be the all and end all of HIT style training. It is just one of many possible approaches. Certainly, the Miracle 7 can be nicely applied to HIT training. We will talk about that wonderful series of exercises at a future date.
I’m certainly not knocking high volume training. I encourage those of you who flourish with high volume training to continue doing what you are doing. In fact, everyone should experiment with high volume training in order to determine if it works for them.
My experience in gyms over many years suggests that a significant number of people are hard-gainers who easily overtrain on high volume routines. Hard gainers make their best gains when training only a few days a week while doing brief but intense workouts. I should add that it is possible to overtrain with virtually any method: weights, cables, bodyweight training, DVRs, Isometrics, etc.
If you are regularly training yet find that your strength levels are falling, you are probably overtrained.
Remember that you can never train too hard, but you can train too often.
This routine is a good solid plan that will allow a hard-gainer to pack on plenty of muscle and also develop dynamic strength that will hold him in good stead regardless of his age.
I believe that training should be fun, and in order to make it fun, we need to provide a wide range of exercises. As many of you know, I love DVRs and I have included a heavy mix of them. Here are my rules for doing DVRs in this routine:
ALL DVRs IN THIS ROUTINE ARE TO BE DONE AT MAXIUM TENSION! Do not do negative DVRs. In all cases, do only one set of ten repetitions.
Incidentally, I put this regimen together, in part, for a good friend who wants to experience an increase in pull-up power.
Although anyone can benefit from this routine, it is especially designed for individuals whose pull-up capacity ranges from 0 to 10 repetitions. If you are someone who can knock out super high repetitions, you should work toward doing one-armed pull-ups.
Here’s the plan: Take a full minute to psyche yourself up. You want to feel that you and everyone and everything dear to you will be destroyed if you don’t successfully do one or more pull-ups. Next, visualize yourself doing one or more pull-ups. This mental approach can do wonders for enhancing your workouts.
Now comes the physical part. Go to the bar; take a firm shoulder width grip and then explode into the pull-up movement. If you only move a quarter of an inch, that is O.k.
Do as many repetitions as possible until you reach the point of failure; then, on your final repetition—this is the point at which you can’t complete another pull-up--DO A FIVE SECOND ISOMETIC PULL BEFORE LOWERING YOUSELF TO THE START POSITON.
DO NOT TRY TO DO ANOTHER SET OF CONVENTIONAL PULLUPS. Instead, immediately proceed to do one set of ten repetitions of DVR pull-ups. Do these at maximum tension. And don’t do any DVR negatives.
Upon completing the DVRs, go to the pull-up bar and step up onto a stool that will allow you to assume the completed pull-up position. Now slowly lower yourself to the start position. Try to take ten seconds on the downward movement. Don’t try to do a second negative style pull-up. If this proves to be very easy for you, switch to a one arm negative movement during your next workout.
And that is it for pull-up training!
Next do pushups between chairs:
Do one set of as many of these pushups that you can. Upon completion, do one set of ten repetitions of DVR bench presses. All this amounts to is standing up and pushing your arms straight out from your body. These should be done at maximum tension.
Next do a set of DVR, side, laterals. Once again, do only 10 repetitions. These should be followed by a set of DVR, front, laterals.
I like to add various isometrics as the spirit moves me. But in order to carefully define our procedures for this specific routine, let’s make the decision to use isometric holds after our DVR biceps curls, French curls, laterals and hand squeezes.
Here is the summary of our upper body workout, which should be done on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Pull-ups (Conventional)
Pull-ups (DVR)
Pull-ups (Negatives)
Pushups (Do one set of as many repetitions as possible between two chairs.)
Pushups (DVR)
Side Laterals ( DVR)
Side Laterals (Isometric, in doorway, 70% of maximum for sixty seconds)
Front Laterals (DVR)
Front Laterals (Isometric. Use opposite hand for resistance. Make it a sixty second hold.)
Curls (DVR, palms up)
Curls (Isometric, one position, 70% of maximum for sixty seconds)
French Curls (DVR)
Wrist Windups (DVR)
Hand squeeze (DVR)
Now, we will turn to the lower body. For this particular routine, you will only work the legs once a week. Don’t gasp in horror. Once a week is all right, at least for an interim period. I’m going to assume that you will add a significant amount of walking to this routine, and I don’t want anyone exhausting his or her energy reserves. How much walking should you do? I suggest a half-hour a day. Now let’s focus on the lower body:
Legs (Work out on Saturday.)
One-legged squats are a key exercise in this part of the routine. Go as far down as you can. You are only to do one set of as many reps as possible. You may hold your non-exercising leg in a curl position. But to make the exercise tougher, try doing “pistols.” That means putting your non-exercising leg straight out in front of you as you do the squat. These squats will really put a “burn” on your thighs!
Now do DVR Squats—the two-legged variety. As with all DVRs, do one set of ten reps at full tension.
Continue by doing DVR knee extensions and leg curls. Finish off with isometric holds with both of those exercises.
And that does it! Give this program at least eight weeks, preferably 12. .
Let me know how you do!
Summary:
One Legged Squats (Do one set of as many repetitions as you can manage.)
DVR Squats (Do one set of DVR style squats.)
DVR Leg curls (Do one set of DVR style leg curls.)
DVR Knee extensions (Do one set of DVR style knee extensions.)
Isometric Leg Curls (Do these at 70% of maximum for sixty seconds.)
Isometric Knee
I thought you might like to experiment with one of the many routines I have used over the years. I created the following program a few years ago, and it has worked very well for many people.
DVR/VRT Primer
The following program will net results. Most of the exercises are DVRs, although there are a couple of DSRs and one power cal. This program can be done in a relatively short period of time under just about any circumstances that I can conceive of. However, there are two vitally important things to remember if you are to get the most out of this program.
First, you must apply maximum tension in all of these exercises.
Second, you must not do more sets or repetitions than suggested. Certainly, you should not add extra training days with other kinds of exercises, such as weights, DSRs, calisthenics, etc.
Anyway, let’s focus on some exercises:
Let’s start out with a four day per week training program. You will work the upper body twice a week and the lower body twice a week.
(Important note: Many people like to turn this into a two day a week, split routine. In that case, you would do work the upper body once per week and the lower body once per week. For high percentage of people this is more effective than a four day program!)
Although the “tiger moves” are great in their own right, I think it will be more productive to focus on simulated barbell exercises. In short, you will, in most instances, be replicating standard barbell exercises with DVRs. In plain terms, you will be pretending to lift a barbell while generating DVR tension.
All exercises must be done at maximum tension. You will do but one set of each exercise for ten repetitions. You will not attempt to do a negative contraction after the concentric—that is, tension will be applied going in only one direction.
Here’s the basic routine:
Upper Body
Monday and Thursday: (The same for both days except that I suggest you alternate between the bench press and the overhead press.)
Neck: Hand resistance. Push forwards, backwards and to both sides using your hands for resistance. Do one set of ten repetitions for each movement. ( This is, of course, a DSR, the only one listed here.)
Back: Bent over rows-- one set of ten repetitions.
Biceps and lats: Pull downs—one set of ten repetitions.
Biceps: Curls (Palms up) one set of ten repetitions.
Triceps: French curls—one set of ten repetitions.
Chest: Bench press on Monday. (Vary the hand positions from week to week.) One set of ten repetitions.
Upper shoulders: Overhead press on Thursday. One set of ten repetitions
Chest:Flies-- One set ten repetitions.
Deltoids: Side lateral raises—One set ten repetitions.
Deltoids: Front raises—one set ten repetitions.
Wrists: wrist curls (Imagine winding a weight attached to a handle and piece of rope.” One set ten repetitions.
Traps: Shoulder shrug—One set ten repetitions.
Lower body:
Tuesdays and Fridays
Tuesday:
Flat footed Squats: One set and ten repetitions
Knee extensions: One set ten repetitions
Leg curls: One set ten repetitions.
Hindu squats: one set of as many as you can do.
Friday:
Lunges: One set of ten repetitions for each leg
Knee extensions: One set ten repetitions
Leg curls: One set ten repetitions
On your off days make sure you take a brisk half hour walk.
If you aren’t sure how to do the exercises listed, you can find them illustrated here:
www.thetrainingstationinc.com/exercises.html
Animated Exercise Examples - TheTrainingStationInc.- Exercises
www.thetrainingstationinc.com
Animated Exercise Examples, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Back, Biceps, Traps, Forearms, Legs, Hams, Glutes, Calves, Calf, Incline, Decline, Dumbbell, Barbell, Machine, Universal, Exercise Examples, Exercises
Training variations for the legs, including power flexing:
Anyway, let’s get to the issue of power flexing for the legs.
Standard DVR leg presses and power flexing are combined in my current workout. I do the leg press while lying on my back. I do each leg separately.
My first flex is done with the knee of my leg pulled close to my chest.
If I were standing, this would equate to the full squat position.
I apply full DVR braking action to keep my leg from moving. After a ten second count, I release the tension just enough to allow my leg to be straightened. I then do nine more regular leg press movements with DVR resistance.
After that, I do the same with my other leg.
This is a most important exercise, since many people are weak in this deep position. I have tried doing a flex from a very deep squat position, but I found that it caused me some discomfort in my knee. And my motto has always been: “If it hurts, don’t do it!”
This is followed by DVR squats-- one set of ten reps. After the squats, I do power flexes for a ten second count in three positions. I choose to do them at the half position, three quarter position and then the third at a point just a little before a full standing position. I guess we could call it the 7/8ths position. Ha, ha!
At that last position, I take care to get an extremely hard flex in my “glutes”—that is, my butt. Interestingly, one gentleman has suggested that flexing the butt very hard has had a beneficial effect on his urinary function. He says it helps reduce his need to run to the bathroom at night. Consequently, he flexes throughout the day at various tension levels. I was a bit surprised to hear his claim about the flexing impacting urinary function, but hey…………………we will take whatever benefits we are offered! Right?
Anyway, all of the above exercises are done with INTENTION. And they are done on in one direction. In recent months, I usually make a point to send a message of INTENTION to my muscles during the flexing.
Although the DVR braking action is sufficiently intense to prevent any movement, my mental message to my limbs is to move. That constitutes INTENTION.
I have also found the knee extension movements and leg curl movements to be very useful, and in some routines add them. Like the other movements listed here, I flex in three positions at maximum tension for a ten second count.
INTENTION is added to both the knee extension and leg curl. If you think about it, you will understand that a flexing routine for the leg curl and knee extension would be indistinguishable if one weren’t differentiating with INTENTION. That’s a neat subtlety.
All readers should keep in mind that all of these exercises put an extreme work load on one’s muscles. So it is easy to “burn out” if you do them too often. Once or twice a week should suffice.
Although not absolutely necessary, I like to add a few “pistols” to my workouts, primarily because they require good balance. And working on balance is important to all of us.
Bruno,
I’m pretty much in agreement with your missive about HIT done with weights. Arthur Jones has been pretty thoroughly discussed here at the forum over the years.
There are some misconceptions circulating here at this forum that I want to clear up for people who might like to try HIT training as I envision it—that is, HIT utilizing Transformetrics.
First of all, high intensity training that I advocate doesn’t have to follow any set of rules set up by others—not even the rules advocated by Arthur Jones. For those of you who have never heard of him, the late Arthur Jones is considered by many to have been the leading authority on HIT.
In fact, I have never followed a lot of Jone’s advice.
For example, I love utilizing DVRs, which are a form of isokinetics. Arthur Jones and his prize pupil, Mike Mentzer, would roll over in their graves if they read what I’m advocating since they attacked isokinetics or, for that matter, any form of progressive resistance exercise that lacked an eccentric component. So right out of the gate, I’m violating their definition of HIT.
The suggestion has been raised that there is no variation in intensity in the various HIT—high intensity training—programs that I advocate. But that is emphatically not true.
It is true that some of the old style training programs advocated by people like Jones and Mentzer failed to adjust intensity. And people burned out on such programs.
It’s not a situation that exists with HIT as practiced with Transformetrics. This is true for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the mainstay of the routines that I advocate use DVRs, isometrics and power flexing. What is unique about all three of these protocols is the fact that the amount tension that one uses with these exercises is subjective.
And that is an important point. Let me expand upon it.
One of the main tenets of HIT training that utilizes weights is the rule that you are supposed to add weight at each and every workout. That action, particularly over a long period of time, generates a lot of psychological tension.
Lifting a weight is a very objective activity, and adding an additional bit of weight at each workout is a real “mind bender.” But contrast that with doing DVRs. DVRs are subjective. All that one can really be sure of when trying to do a maximum tension DVR is that one is putting forth the best effort possible on that given day. It is impossible to know if more force is being exerted on Monday than on Tuesday. That fact removes a huge amount of psychological tension.
So from workout to workout, one simply does the best he can.
Then there is the matter of working to “failure” which is another central tenet of conventional HIT programs. In practical terms, that means lifting a weight that you can only handle for a single set of ten repetitions. You are supposed to be at the very edge of failure with the last rep.
Well, pray tell, how does one do that with DVRs or isometrics as practiced in the Transformetrics mode? You can do DVRs until you are just lifting the weight of your arms. Practically speaking, there is no point of failure.
Additionally, the various routines that I advocate vary in the amount of workload applied. If you examine the Mighty Mite routine, you will see that it is a minimalist approach consisting of relatively few exercises, whereas other programs I suggest are much more ambitious.
I advocate brief, intense and infrequent training when it comes to progressive resistance. The fact that one doesn’t work out too frequently protects one against over training.
I should also add that one can learn to tell when over training is becoming a problem. Fatigue that stretches from workout to workout and sore tendons are signs that one is over worked. When such symptoms arise, I advocate a layoff from seven to ten days, or, in some cases, even a longer layoff.
I seldom advocate anyone doing progressive resistance exercises more than three times per week. And no muscle group should be worked at maximum tension more than twice per week. Other protocols, such as walking, can be done each day, but it is counter productive to work muscle groups more than twice when one is using maximum tension.
I hope this clears up any misunderstandings. To paraphrase an old refrain: "Mine is not your father's HIT!"
The Tiger Moves, which were created by the late great John McSweeney and are a prominent part of John Peterson’s book, Pushing Yourself To Power, have their origins in the ancient Kung Fu practices.
John McSweeney took elements of the Iron Wire exercises and wove them into his Tiger Moves. Assuming that you can learn to get a good flex with your muscles in order to supply resistance, the Tiger Moves will build great strength, since they are a form of isokinetics sans apparatus.
Tiger Moves will help you jump higher and hit harder, and provide all round conditioning.
Get John Peterson’s book, PYTP. That’s my advice.
Here are some original, Iron Wire Moves:
fu hok/iron wire - YouTube
www.youtube.com
Hung Gar Form by Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling - Kung Fu Hustle - Duration: 6:48. Bay Area Natural Health 10,310 views
From my perspective, practical self-defense usually means employing weapons of one sort or another. A good course featuring the use of the kubaton—palm stick—is a great way to gain quick proficiency.
Learning to use a “tactical folder”—a folding knife designed for self defense—is an option. If you are proficient with the Kubaton, you should be able to quickly adapt to “point driven” knife techniques.
If you are really serious, then you might want to explore escrima, a martial art that puts heavy emphasis on both stick and blade work.
Personally, I teach martial arts Qi Gong—the “hard style.” And that form features a wide range of tension exercises not unlike the Tiger Moves. And I chose to combine that with a lot of “stick and blade” work.
The about questions whether or not DVRs build tendon strength has come up repeatedly.
I?m going to re-post my previous post on this matter.
From a previous post by Royce:
You can?t exercise a muscle without its tendons coming into play. Conversely, you can?t exercise tendons without the muscle coming into play. They work as a unit.
As I have pointed out in the past, when people have had a little too much stimuli given to a muscle during electro shock therapy, a number of things have happened: tendons have been torn from their attachment points on the bone; the bones have broken, or the muscles have torn.
Assuredly, the tendons have been involved once the muscles have been stimulated. We concur that DVRs work the muscle; therefore, they also work the tendon. If you stress the tendon, it will grow stronger as will the muscle to which it attaches. Both the tendons and the muscles are stressed. Under strong enough stress muscles sometimes are injured; at other times, tendons are injured. Some folks appear more prone to muscle injury, while others tend to incur more tendon injuries. Others are pretty much injury free. It?s hard to know all of the factors involved.
The assertion that you have to pick up heavy things if your are going to develop the power to move or lift heavy things simply isn?t true. Both DVRS/isokinetics and isometrics train your body to move or lift heavy things.
Consider the various isokinetic, mechanical exercise apparatus: Exergeni, Mini gym, Kaiser machines. All of these devices have proven themselves.
Then, although they aren?t isokinetic devices, we have various elastic apparatus and steel cables. Train with any of these devices, and you will be able to move heavy things.
But let?s continue to focus on DVRs/isokinetics. There are endless numbers of studies to prove their efficiency. Certainly, if the only thing you want to do is pick up iron, you can make a valid argument that some specificity advantages comes into play when using a barbell. I will grant that. I used weight training for many years, and it has its good points. If we are talking about boxing, wrestling and other sports the training effect of weights may well be inferior to isometrics and DVRs, because in those sports DVRs/isokinetics provide more specificity. Example: resistance supplied by a DVR/isokinetic straight jab is more like a real punch than one in which resistance is supplied by a dumbbell. I invite folks to try and then tell me the results.
However, as I have mentioned, Jon Cole used isokinetics/DVRs and broke deadlift records. Isokinetics/DVRs supply the power to compete in the ?iron game?. All sorts of rehabilitation has been done with isokinetics, and after rehab, those who wish to go back to weights find their strength levels high. To a very large extent, resistance is resistance.
I can tell you from my own experience that I have not lost strength over the past year and a half since stopping all weight training save for a few brief tests that I have run on myself.
It?s also worth noting that no one has come up with a way to solely test tendon strength. All we have is the assertion that someone?s tendons are or are not strong. Certainly, the fact that someone injures a tendon isn?t solid proof that it was weak; rather, it is simply evidence that it was in some manner over stressed.Tendon strength
Bruno,
Perhaps the following will be of help to you:
Tactile sensing for VRT/ DVRs
In my view, DVRs are not dependent upon visualized resistance. Resistance in DVRs is real and provided by the braking action supplied by antagonistic muscles.
In order to learn to do DVRs properly, I believe it is necessary to focus upon tactile sensations. And how, you might ask, does one accomplish that? Let me explain:
If you take a dumbbell that is too heavy to curl for more than, say, half of the required movement and then focus your mind on the feelings generated within your body just as the weight becomes too heavy to move another millimeter, that feeling will be feeling that you need to emulate in order to do DVRs successfully. That’s the important feedback.
A set of cable strands or a device such as the Exergenie could also provide that same sort of resistance.
In Qi Gong schools, you will find both DVR style exercises AND visualized resistance exercises. They differ in method and application.
Visualized resistance exercises have various oriental names, but I will avoid the various nomenclatures and simply describe the exercises.
Let’s, once again, go back to the curl exercise. When doing the visualized exercise, you simply imagine your arm curling a heavy weight. You don’t tense your arm muscles or move your arm; you just imagine everything. Like DVR style exercises, visualized exercises are ancient in origin and have served practitioners well for many eons.
I have worked with visualized exercises, but not nearly as much as I have worked with DVR style exercises.
I have said many times in the past, VRT/DVRs build size, strength and power. I have been off weights for some years now, and I have gained size and strength with only DVR routines. Frankly, I am weary of trying to prove that DVRs work as well as weights. But they do.
Presently, I am continuing to experiment with power flexing WITH INTENT—essentially agonist/antagonist based isometrics. It is a great approach to training. Although such exercise can easily be combined with other kinds of progressive resistance, it can be a “stand alone” program.
The various pulls and pushes may be performed for long or short durations. I have my Qi Gong students experimenting with different times—the times range anywhere from eight to 25 seconds. Pulls and pushes are always done in four positions.
As you suggest, VRT also works very well with isometrics. Personally, I’m especially fond of “power flexing” with INTENT which I think nicely compliments VRT.
When doing extended duration power flexing, we usually work at around 50% of maximum.
The general scheme is to do DVRs twice a week in a HIT format and to do the power flexing on all of the other days. I won’t go into all of the specifics in this post, but suffice to say that you have to be very careful not to over do it with the power flexing. It’s easy to over train.
skinny-fat advice: My suggestion is to train heavy and hard! And I repeat—put on some muscle!
Most of your time is going to be spent in street clothes, and as you develop the big muscles of your legs and back, you belly will naturally look more in proportion.
However, generally speaking, I find that putting forth a maximum effort with DVRs/VRTs for one set of ten repetitions works best for building maximum size and power. Obviously, to develop more endurance, more repetitions might be desired.
But obviously one should experiment and determine what is best for them individually.
I think the first thing that anyone embarking on a VRT program needs to get it through his or her head is that VRT exercises, when done at near maximum tension, are HARD work.
Unfortunately, some people just cruise along without really challenging themselves. That is all too frequent a problem with VRT. So be on the lookout!
For instance, if a person who is on a HIT program can bound up a set of steps after doing his VRT squats, he isn’t working hard enough. You have to be putting out a powerful effort in order to make outstanding gains.
Obviously, a person who can’t learn to contract his muscles properly—and there are some— won’t make much progress.
As I have said many, many times, the secret to gaining maximum muscular size and strength is to work out briefly, intensely and infrequently. Remember I’m talking about increasing your size and strength, not endurance. While various apparatus will work, regimens incorporating VRTs/DVRs, isometrics and power flexing are superb.
Certainly, there are variables, such as training for muscle vascularity and endurance. That has a place, too, and it requires more sets and higher repetitions. But that is secondary to what we are talking about.
When doing VRT/DVR exercises for size and strength, I suggest putting forth a maximum effort for one set of ten repetitions once or twice a week for each major muscle group. If you follow that protocol, all the rest will fall into place.
If you were having your muscular output electronically monitored while doing your VRT/DVR exercises, you would find that your maximum output would vary from workout to workout. But when doing VRT/DVR exercises you are training subjectively. And that is a great advantage since it releases you from the psychological pressure of putting more weight on a bar at each workout or registering more muscular activity on a monitoring system.
With VRT/DVR you just do you just make your best effort each time that you train. This would also be true when doing power flexing and conventional isometrics.
And all of the aforementioned protocols—VRTs/DVRs, isometrics and power flexing-- are easier on one’s joints than many other forms of progressive resistance exercises. There are no weights to slip or springs to snap, so it is very easy to train alone in perfect safety.
The greatest majority of people who train with VRT/DVRs find it to be a remarkably effective protocol. But you have to learn to tense your muscle in a powerful fashion. And some people never seem to learn to do it effectively. Also, VRT/DVRs are hard work and they can cause you to develop very deep muscle fatigue. Some folks find that very disconcerting. They would rather do their pushups and pull ups. So just be aware.
For hard gainers—and they are frequently ectomorphs-- there are lots of different kinds of progressive resistance training to choose from. But hard gainers do best with short, brief, intense and infrequent, routines. And the heavy, compound movements are recommended—the ones that work the chest, back and legs to the maximum.
The general rule is to do no more than one set of ten repetitions. The Mighty Mite program I posted earlier is a great approach, but my original HIT program also does a great job. And it is a favorite with a lot of people because it features a lot of power cals.
Personally, I’m not a great fan of power cals, but they do work; make no mistake about that.
In my view, ectomorphs can’t do better that combing VRT, isometric and power flexing for building maximum size and strength.
Even when endeavoring to build endurance on “off days”- –those days when one isn’t doing pure strength work-- one should give serious consideration to short and explosive exercises. Hitting the heavy bag and running sprints are both good approaches.
Those less than enamored with endurance work might want to consider hard style Qi Gong movements as supplementary work. That is, incidentally, my favorite approach.
Hard style Qi Gong features a lot of smooth, low tension power flexing isometrics and VRTs.
The Mighty Mite Routine!
Here's a program that has worked well for many people.
Are you just plain tired of long boring routines? Do you want to build size and strength and still have time for your girlfriend/boyfriend and other activities.
Then consider the briefest of brief routines. I call it the Mighty Mite Workout.
I have always advocated tightly scripted workouts. This is especially important for anyone doing HIT.
As I have said for years, you can never work out too hard, but you can workout too much. Brief, intense and infrequent workouts are the rule.
But choosing the right exercises is vital. There are only a few key exercises and they must not be neglected if you want maximum power and size.
And here are the key exercises:
Dead lifts
Leg press
Squats
Bench press
Rows
And here are some combinations that will net maximum size and strength:
Combination 1
Dead lifts
Bench press
Rows
Combination 2
Squats
Bench press
Rows
Combination3
Leg press
Bench press
Rows
Sure you can add lot’s of other stuff. But don't do it. Just perform one set of ten repetitions at maximum tension.
Take one of the above combinations and do each exercise with one set of DVRs at maximum tension.
And do some "High Stepping" on your "off days". Do at least twenty high steps a day with each leg while applying moderate DVR tension.
if one workout less frequently the muscle tend to get smaller within few days due to inactivity from rest if one is doing max tension. however, strength is stronger due to muscles not being fatigue.
Royce replies:
Here’s my view on the matter:
If you want to build maximum size and strength through the use of progressive resistance training, then you should give consideration to making brief, intense and infrequent workouts the norm.
Muscle size increases in two major ways: first, by increasing vascularity; second, by increasing the size of the muscle fibers.
Heavy training has its greatest impact on the muscle fibers. Volume training has its greatest impact on vascularity.
Certainly, there is a degree of overlap.
If your muscles are getting smaller after only a couple of days of rest, it is because you aren’t “pumping” them. Certainly, there is no shrinking of muscle fibers in such a short period of time. Many HIT advocates train only once every nine days, and it is during the rest period that they experience muscle growth.
It’s axiomatic that muscle growth takes place during the rest period. That’s when the body repairs itself and adapts for ever heavier work loads.
Among old timers, butchers were frequently the strongest men in town. If beef was delivered on, say, Monday, the butcher would have to wrestle heavy carcasses into the cooler. It was hard, heavy work--but then for the rest of the week he did light chores around the store. During the days, when he was only dong light work, his muscles could grow.
DVR/VRT training can be adapted for either volume or high intensity training—heavy training is frequently called HIT.
High intensity training is easily carried out with DVR/VRT exercise. High intensity training is especially good for building size, since it is so nicely adaptable to working the big muscles of the back, and legs.
Over the years, I have posted a variety of HIT programs that have served many people, both here and elsewhere, very well, indeed. Keep in mind, however, that no program is optimal for everyone, if for no other reason that varying psychological profiles. However, it goes deeper than that. Our physiologies vary, and it has been my experience that different people are just best suited for different approaches.
My advice is to experiment until you find what suits you best as an individual.
high stepping: Over the past year or so, many people here and in my Qi Gong classes have benefited from “high stepping.” And it might be right for you. Well………you won’t know until you try!
Here’s one of my previous posts about this great exercise:
As most of you know, I’m an enthusiastic advocate of HIT—high intensity training—and, in the minds of most people, that style is usually not considered to be synonymous with endurance training.
But what about those who desire to do some endurance training? It goes with out saying that some of you are very talented runners and turn to running for endurance training; others skip rope, swim, etc.
I’m not convinced that endurance training is necessary to gain and maintain good health and I have expressed that feeling in the past. I do, however, subscribe to the notion that a half hour of brisk walking per night is an outstanding practice that combines nicely with HIT.
Nonetheless, walking isn’t everyone’s proverbial “cup of tea.” Although I really enjoy getting out and walking, bad weather can be an obstacle. I mean who likes tromping on sloppy streets? I’m talking about the way things are when the snow on the street has nearly melted and cars are spraying off their tires a disgusting slop consisting of slushy snow mixed with black grit and grime? Ugh.
Frankly, any street with a lot of car and truck traffic, regardless of the weather, is less than idyllic to me. Anyway, it’s nice to have substitutes for walking and/or running.
As I mentioned, swimming can be good, but not everyone has access to a pool. A jump rope routine can be very good, and for a time, I really got into skipping rope. Sadly, a lot of people have sore knees that won’t tolerate much jumping of any sort.
Tread mills and “Stairmaster” exercises can work, but they are costly and take up a lot of space. So for those who want or need endurance because of our participation in various sports, what’s a good way to attain it? One such way is to start a “high stepping” program with VRT/DVR resistance.
So how is this done? It’s simple yet effective. You start taking high, long steps while applying anywhere from 25% to 40% of maximum tension. Move around an area-- even a small room will do-- for five full minutes. Draw your knees up high with each step. Some folks may not make a full minute. You have to give the process some time in order to judge just how hard you want to tense your muscles. And here is a word of warning: you can end up with some very sore muscles, so go slowly. Want to try an additional five minutes? Sure be my guest.
If done correctly, “high stepping” becomes high intensity training in its own right—a bit like sprinting.
And do keep in mind that you are to be applying tension in both directions. I usually don’t suggest that, but for this exercise that is the plan. If you want to make the exercise even more interesting, practice throwing punches with VRT/DVR resistance as you make your way across the room.
I suggest doing “high stepping” as a substitute for walking on your “off days.” This can be a very demanding exercise if you choose to make it so. Really, it is all a question of how hard you choose to tense your muscles.
April asks:
Royce,
Is high stepping like marching except bringing your knees higher?
Royce replies:
Yes, you have it right, April. But of course it is the DVR tension that makes it special. And you can you can, and should, add various kicks, lateral and backward movements to keep it interesting--all done with DVR resistance.
You can, certainly, do the High Stepping around a track or football field. I like to move in all directions. Incidentally, walking backwards with the High Stepping action seems to work the “glutes” especially well.
Let me tell you my favorites:
DVR squats.
Power Flexing squats in three positions.
Isometric squats in three positions.
High Stepping.
Marching under a load.
The aforementioned exercises are, to my way of thinking, at the top of the heap. I’ve often spoken about DVR squats, isometrics and Power Flexing, so in this missive, let me focus on High Stepping and marching under a load:
The High Stepping is my wildcard exercise. I do the exercise with DVR resistance while moving around my training area. Sometimes, I combine various arm sand leg striking movements. Performing a slow kick with DVR resistance forces one to maintain one’s balance on one leg while performing the kick with the other. Give it a try!
Understand that I don’t do the High Stepping on the same days that I do my regular HIT routine. Instead, the High Stepping is mixed in with various Qi Gong exercises.
High Stepping combined with DVR resistance is dynamic in nature and lends itself to a huge variety of variations. It’s especially good for sports conditioning. Presently, it is integral to my preparations for heavy, backpacking. Normally, I do multiple sets of 40 repetitions—that means 20 movements per leg.
Finally, there’s the real life of activity of marching under a load. This is the work of a combat shoulder, and it is a tremendous conditioner.
My pack averages out to around 52 pounds and carrying that baby over hill and dale provides me with a blistering workout.
If you have never backpacked, I suggest that you give it a try. But don’t try going on a hiking marathon until you are in condition. Start off with a 25 pound pack and hike for a half hour. You can gradually build up to 50 pounds and beyond.
Personally, I don’t have the chance to hike nearly as much as I would like, but DVR squats, Power Flexing, isometrics and High Stepping nicely fill in the void.
What an elegant way to train! So what are you waiting for team? Let’s get it on!
The “high stepping” works remarkably well for me and my Qi Gong students. It can greatly enhance one’s endurance. Light to moderate tension will work fine with this DVR/VRT exercise. It’s fine to vary the tension as you exercise. I have students throw DVR/VRT punches as they do the high stepping. That can really get a trainee huffing and puffing!
Give it a try. I think you will be very pleased. Normally, I do the “high stepping” on days when I’m not doing HIT.
Actually, if you embrace the HIT—high intensity training—method, forty minutes is not a short workout. Twenty is more than enough time to get in a very hard workout.
And for those who like power flexing, a full body workout can be done in only ten minutes. Are such workouts demanding? You bet they are. But you have to be willing to go all out and adopt the correct the mindset for doing so.
Over many years, it has been my observation that a high percentage of people fail to progress on high volume exercise. And this is true regardless of the kind of progressive resistance one uses: power cals, cables, weights, DVRs, isometrics. These are the “hard gainers”. And, make no mistake, there are a lot of hard gainers.
I might also mention that people who do acceptably well on volume when they are young, often do less well as they age.
It's is very hard for some people to accept my assertion, since they have boundless energy and quickly recover from their workouts. These skeptics are the people do make progress on volume training and wonder why everyone isn’t following the same path.
Now before you start to conclude that HIT is primarily for the less athletically gifted among us, let me say that the best athletes can make great progress with HIT. From my perspective there’s nothing quite like HIT for developing maximum size and strength.
High intensity training allows even hard gainers to pack on muscle and gain strength at a rapid rate. Here’s my frequent analogy: When one adopts a HIT routine, she is training like a sprinter-- whereas when she trains with moderate to high volume routines, she is emulating the training of a middle to long distance runner.
Incidentally, I think most folks will agree that, as a group, the sprinters have better physiques than do the middle to long distance runners. Check out my observation the next time you see a track meet on TV that features world class runners and see if you agree with me. Remember, this is a general rule; there are, of course, exceptions.
Keep in mind that you need to be going all out when doing HIT. If you can’t manage to flex in hard fashion, you won’t progress as you should.
Now those among us who are concerned about cardiovascular issues will likely protest that HIT doesn’t provide the necessary cardio vascular protection. Some will say that any program that doesn’t feature “cardio training” is incomplete. I disagree. I think that HIT provides a profoundly positive impact on the cardio vascular system.
But, personally, I disagree with the notion that “cardio” training is necessary for maintaining one’s health, but I do think that some “high stepping” exercise is appropriate to add to just about anyone’s regimen. And when high stepping is added, there will be no question that one’s entire cardiovascular system is being worked.
I have posted frequently about “high stepping” and I think it can play a major roll in an overall fitness program. All one needs to do is to travel around a room, lifting one’s legs high while applying DVR resistance. “High stepping” as a lone protocol provides an awesome workout! And if you wish, it can be modified to incorporate various martial arts moves, which can make the technique infinitely more interesting.
Presently, I perform two heavy, full body workouts per week with DVRs, isometrics and Power Flexing. That’s all anyone needs for building maximum size and strength if the training session is intense.
My motto is that you can never workout too hard, but you can work out too much. So when it comes to building maximum size and strength, we are looking to do brief, intense and infrequent workouts.
My two full body workouts, incidentally, feature DVRs, isometrics and power flexing.
But what about the “off days”? In my case, I do a lot of hard style, Qi Gong. That’s a great mix for me, but it’s not everyone’s proverbial cup of tea. For those not into Qi Gong or other kinds of formalized programs, I suggest doing power flexing at moderate tension.
Although I am very hesitant to recommend intuitive training to most folks, when it comes to doing moderate amounts of power flexing on off days it’s hard to go wrong. There are a range of Power Flexing moves for my off days that I find very good, but I will refrain from getting into all of that in this missive.
Anyway, the Power Flexing can be done even when one is working at their keyboard in a cubical. I will be posting some power flexing routines in the future that have worked well for me and some of my Qi Gong students.
Now let me talk a bit about “Negatives”:
From my perspective, there really is no such thing as a negative DVR. On the other hand, there are, assuredly, negatives when we do barbell exercises.
Consider a barbell curl:
You start with your arms at full length. The barbell is resting just below your belt. As you begin to curl the barbell, you are doing what is called the concentric—positive--part of the movement. After the concentric part of the movement in the curl exercise is completed, the barbell is just below your chin level. Now you are ready to lower the barbell to the start position. As you begin lowering the barbell, you are now doing the eccentric part of the exercise, or the “negative.”
As you lower the barbell, you are applying a braking action. You are controlling the lowering of the barbell, rather than just dropping it.
Some people argue that this is the most valuable part of the exercise. However, here is precious little evidence to support the idea that it is the best part of the exercise. Yes, it does provide some benefit, but it assuredly isn’t anything earth shaking.
Now let’s review the same exercise when dong a DVR curl. You have no apparatus in this case. Your antagonistic muscles provide the resistance to your biceps as your biceps perform the concentric—positive—part of the exercise; you are, once again, moving your arms from the extended arm position. As in the case of the barbell exercise, the positive part of the exercise, once again, ends with your imaginary barbell curled to a position just under your chin.
So now we are ready for a negative DVR, curl? No! There is no counter force with witch to contend as you lower your arms. You may, indeed, flex your muscle for resistance as we do for all DVR exercises, but that WILL NOT be a negative. Instead, you will, actually, be doing a reverse grip press down that will be exercising your triceps instead of your biceps. It’s an O.K. thing to do, but it simply isn’t the same as a negative.
If you are still unclear about this, you might want to do some reading about isokinetics, which are a form of DVRs.
Douglis presented a fine abbreviated program. But I’m going to also post my original Mighty Mite Workout.
Here is the original post:
Are you just plain tired of long boring routines? Do you want to build size and strength and still have time for your girlfriend/boyfriend and other activities.
Then consider the briefest of brief routines. I call it the Mighty Mite Workout.
I have always advocated tightly scripted workouts. This is especially important for anyone doing HIT.
As I have said for years, you can never work out too hard, but you can workout too much. Brief, intense and infrequent workouts are the rule.
But choosing the right exercises is vital. There are only a few key exercises and they must not be neglected if you want maximum power and size.
And here are the key exercises:
Dead lifts
Leg press
Squats
Bench press
Rows
And here are some combinations that will net maximum size and strength:
Combination 1
Dead lifts
Bench press
Rows
Combination 2
Squats
Bench press
Rows
Combination3
Leg press
Bench press
Rows
Sure you can add lot’s of other stuff. But don't do it. Just perform one set of ten repetitions at maximum tension.
Take one of the above combinations and do each exercise with one set of DVRs at maximum tension.
It’s been my observation that most of the people who are successfully doing progressive resistance exercises observe a predetermined number of sets and repetitions. But, certainly, there are plenty of exceptions.
As I stated in a previous post, some people choose to work for a pump and then stop once it is achieved. That’s when a muscle feels completely congested. For some, that can be an important sort of feedback. It’s most popular among people who are bodybuilding. Bob Hoffman of the York Barbell Company endorsed that sort of training, although he never claimed that it was the only way to train.
Then there are those who train intuitively. That system can work, but it takes a lot of discipline, since most people seem to either over train or under train.
Among the older guys, in particular, intuitive training often seems to be the prelude to cutting way back on their training regimen.
I have an acquaintance who still lifts weights. He has been doing so for many years. These days he doesn’t do much more than a few curls and dumbbell presses. His various aches and pains preclude his training heavy. In his case, I’m not convinced this is because of injury. No……………….he is just getting older. And he finds it both painful and exhausting to do heavy leg and back work.
Well……………I have suggested DVRs, but the idea doesn’t appeal to him. So he just pokes along. But I guess any exercise is better than none--even his casual weight training.
Some of the young guys who train intuitively train very hard-- doing set after set of exercises. That’s O.k. for some. But it’s my opinion that a lot of them would do better with a far more structured routine.
POWERFLEXING: Although I posted the following some time ago, lot’s of people have come and gone, so It think it might be time to revisit a protocol that I call Power Flexing with limited movement.
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Power flexing with limited movement.
In effort to evolve new applications for VRTs/ DVRs and related protocols, I have been experimenting with a variety of DVR modifications and sharing them with a few folks in my Qi Gong group, along with a couple of my PM correspondents.
One technique that we are discovering to be quite productive is a combination of power flexing and VRT/DVR based resistance.
Here’s the essence of the procedure, which can be modified for a wide range of exercises.
To illustrate the protocol, let’s focus on a VRT/DVR pull-up and plan on establishing three static points within the course of the movement. We start with our arms above our heads, which is position one. We will be combining movement with power flexing—that is, static holds.
In fact, the first part of the exercise will be a static hold. Hers’ how it goes:
In position one—hands above your head--create absolute maximum VRT/DVR tension—that is, so much tension that you simply can’t get your arms moving. Keep that tension for six seconds and then let up ever so slightly so that you can pull your arms down to the second position.
As soon as you reach the second position, relax you muscles, but hold the arm position. (Take a breath.) Now apply six seconds of maximum tension at the number two position. Let up ever so slightly, just enough to allow your arms to move slowly down to the position of a completed pull up. Relax your muscles again; then do a final six second flex.
A few comments:
Some people seem to have trouble creating maximum tension with VRTs/DVRs. They just don’t seem to be generating adequate resistance. Starting from a static position gives them time to more slowly increase the tension. And when they finally start to add movement, the mental feedback is ideal. The body “knows” what maximum tension feels like due to the feedback from the static hold and keeps high tension even when the arms start to move.
How many reps are necessary? Just do one rep! That’s right just do one rep. Now I know that a lot of you won’t be satisfied with that, so let’s figure on some leeway. If you are an advanced man and itching to turn on your “afterburners,” do three repetitions of each exercise.
This is an outstanding technique and I’m anxious to hear how some of the rest of you like this sort of exercise. Now I, obviously, intend to use this technique within the parameters of a HIT regimen. It’s just as obvious that some of you will want to do it with a volume approach. That’s all right, but let’s shares the results and compare notes.
Royce replies:
Over a period of time a number of points about this routine have became apparent. First of all, it helps people learn to flex properly. Make no mistake, some people do have trouble learning to flex their muscles when doing either Power Flexing or VRT/DVR exercises.
And this inability on the part of some people to flex properly has caused a cadre of people to wrongly assume that VRT/DVR resistance can’t supply heavy resistance. Simply stated, since they have failed, they assume everyone must fail.
There is, clearly, a lot of tactile feedback involved when performing Power Flexing With Limited Movement. When one is putting forth sufficient tension to block all movement of the limbs and then, ever so slightly, reduces the tension to permit slow movement to the next static hold position, a powerful feedback loop is put into effect. Over a relatively short period oftime, one will improve his ability to do both VRT/DVR exercises AND Power Flexing. We have a great deal of synergism involved here.
The static holds—Power Flexing-- are a kind of isometrics that feature antagonist/agonist muscle action. So they can certainly substitute for conventional isometrics—that is, where a person works against an immoveable object.
When properly done, Power Flexing With Limited movement compresses a huge amount of exercise into a compact routine.
What follows is a sample routine that combines Power Flexing With Limited Movement and standard VRT/DVR exercises:
Start with “bent over rows” utilizing Power Flexing With Limited Movement:
Do one repetition.
(This single rep will take approximately 40 to 60 seconds. You will hold in a static fashion for eight seconds at each position. And it will serve as the pattern for all of the rest of the Power Flexing With Limited Movement. Now follow the rows with the rest of the routine.)
Bench press with Power Flexing With Limited Movement:
Biceps curl with Power Flexing With Limited Movement: one repetition.
Triceps pushdown with Power Flexing With Limited Movement: one repetition.
Squat or dead lift with Power Flexing With Limited Movement: one repetition.
After you have completed the aforementioned Power Flexing With Limited Movement exercises, you will finish your workout with conventional VRT/DVR exercises:
VRT/DVR military press: one set of eight repetitions.
VRT/DVR pull downs: one set of eight repetitions.
VRT/DVR hammer curls: one set of eight repetitions.
VRT/DVR dead lift or squat: one set of eight repetitions.
Do this full body workout twice a week and on the off days either walk or do “High Stepping exercises.” The amount of walking or “high stepping” needed will vary from person to person and is to be determined by various factors.
If you are doing manual labor, you may not need any additional exercise at all. The same would hold true if you are a regular participant in a strenuous sport, such as basketball or boxing. Power Flexing With Limited Movement, in fact, nicely melds with the kind of endurance training associated with strenuous sports.
Incidentally, if you are doing either Yoga or Qi Gong, you may or may not need the
“high stepping” or walking. My present Qi Gong routine is quite strenuous and gives me all the endurance training that I need. It features a lot of sub maximal isometrics and VRT like resistance performed over a relatively long workout.
If you are just endeavoring to develop great size and strength, no walking or “High Stepping” will be required.
I should add that if you feel over taxed by this program, it is all right to turn it into a split routine and do the upper body one day the lower body on another day. That will work, too. The important thing is not to overstress your system.
Many years ago, back in the early seventies, I was doing a lot of Power Rack work with weights. And I followed a program that took only twenty minutes to perform. It was a program endorsed by Bob Hoffman of the York Barbell Company. Bill March, one of the premier lifters of that era, was, reportedly, a great fan of the routine. The best aspects of that program are replicated in the sample Power Flexing With Limited Movement routine that I have posted.
So I encourage you to give this program a try. It has worked for many others.
April’s post got me to thinking about a number of points. So I’m going to ramble on a bit and, in the end, not really answer April’s question.
In fact, I want to start off by asking yet another question.
How many of the Transformetrics protocols does a person have to be doing in order to be a Transformetrics trainee?
Does a person have to do them all--power cals, DSRs, DVRs, power flexing and isometrics? Or can she do any combination of the Transformetrics protocols and still be doing Transformetrics?
I’m not sure.
In my view, if one is just doing calisthenics, she isn’t doing anything that can even be considered to be novel. Such exercises are part and parcel to high-school gym classes around the United States.
It’s my impression that a lot of people use Transformetrics in a cafeteria style—that is, they take what they want and leave the rest. And that is fine.
I know some people here who almost solely practice calisthenics. Then there are others who exclusively practice what I like to call the “Big Three”—isometrics, power flexing and DVRs.
If you read John Peterson’s fine book, PYTP, you will find that he focuses on the training methods of two men from the past: John McSweeney and Charles Atlas.
McSweeney believed that the Tiger Moves—DVRs--were the ultimate. And he discarded calisthenics. I’m not sure what he thought of power flexing, DSRs and isometrics. Charles Atlas, on the other hand, primarily focused on calisthenics and DSRs.
Anyway with Transformetrics we can choose from the following:
Power cals
Isometrics
Power flexing
DSRs
DVRs (Tiger Moves.)
All of the these protocols work. But different people make use of different combinations. And all of the protocols listed above are ancient. For instance, John McSweeny modified ancient Kung Fu exercises in order to develop his set of Tiger Moves. From what I can ascertain, Atlas knew about and liked DVRs, but for reasons that aren’t entirely clear decided to feature calisthenics.
April, what combination of the protocols do you use? Personally, I pretty much focus on DVRs, isometrics and power flexing.
Real resistance vs Imaginary resistance.
Let’s talk about VRT/DVR resistance.
As I have said many times before, everyone has an opinion about such exercise. But far fewer among us have informed opinions. It’s certainly true that there are plenty of critics and debunkers who choose to belittle VRT/DVR training at every opportunity.
They harp on about one thing or another but one of their continuing criticisms is the claim that VRT/DVR resistance isn’t real resistance—that it is, instead, imaginary resistance.
Does VRT/DVR provide real resistance? The answer is a resounding yes.
However, there’s no wonder that there’s confusion. Consider what the initials VRT and DVR stand for:
DVR--dynamic visualized resistance.
VRT--Visualized Resistance Training.
Although I have no problem with the nomenclature, some people choose to make the words as a kind of target for their debunking efforts.
So what is really going on with VRT/DVR exercises?
It is much more accurate to say that visualization triggers the resistance—which is to say that mental commands causes the agonist muscles to push or pull while the antagonist muscles resist. But once the action is triggered, once the muscles start pulling and resisting in the appropriate fashion, there’s real work going on.
If you are doing a VRT/DVR biceps curl your triceps is acting as a braking force. That same triceps which, in another exercise, might be pushing up a 500 pound barbell is, in this instance, the antagonist muscle that is braking the action of the biceps—holding it back.
Folks, that is not imaginary force! The mind may be using imagination to trigger the action, but the force and counter force is real—absolutely real.
So keep in mind what I’m saying when someone wants to suggest that only pulling a cable or lifting a weight can provide real resistance. It jus isn’t so.
From my perspective, we have too many terms that mean the same thing: DVR, VRT, dynamic tension, dynamic strength exercises, flowing isometrics, KSHD, isokinetics, Miracle Seven, etc.
It’s clear that a lot of people are confused.
And the same terms are used differently by different promoters. For example, Dynamic Tension as defined by Charles Atlas is, primarily, a series of calisthenics. But Dynamic Tension as defined by Harry Wong is all about moving one’s limbs while the muscles are strenuously flexed. There’s a big difference, to say the least.
So now it is time for me to confuse matters further. There is, in fact, a kind of exercise that I believe can legitimately be called “imaginary resistance.” It is a kind of Qi Gong exercise called Wai Dan.
I have been a Qi Gong practitioner for quite a number of years now, and now teach. You long time readers know that, of course. Visualization is an important part of the course I teach.
In order to expand the debate, I will repost a missive that I composed some months ago
Jon writes:
I'm new to Transformetrics and DVR's so a couple of questions.
1. How fast should you perform a DVR exercise?
2. When you say Moderate, Heavy & Very Heavy any idea how to tell which level you are working at?
3. Do you maintain tension between reps? I seem to be flexing constantly during the entire set?
4. How long should you rest between sets?
Any advice is appreciated.
Royce replies.
Jon
I’m a strong believer in HIT—high intensity training. HIT provides a means for achieving maximum size and strength.
The mantra for HIT practitioners is that “ you can never train too hard, but you can train too much.” That means a particular muscle group should not be worked more than twice per week.
Each exercise should be done for one set of ten repetitions at absolute maximum tension. It should take you around eight to ten seconds to complete a repetition.
To be sure, there are variations on this theme. For instance, HIT can nicely incorporate super slow movements where a single rep, lasting anywhere from 30 to sixty seconds. And if a person is wedded to power cals, I suggest one set of as many repetitions as one can muster.
Although you can rest as long as you like between sets, I prefer to move quickly through my routine. On average, I rest around ten to thirty seconds between exercises. I have explained all of this in various routines that I have posted over the years. They have worked for many, many people.
In sum, the central theme of HIT is to build a program that features brief, intense and infrequent workouts. For some cardio effects, “high stepping” with DVR resistance works very well, along with about a half hour a day of brisk walking.
MTS writes:
From what my understanding of DVRs/VRTs with some added weight, the mind is still responsible for the majority of the resistance, so a light weight would be much lighter than for strict weight lifting purposes.
Royce replies:
You are correct. But I would like to expand the debate, if I may.
I am becoming a bit uncomfortable with the term “visualized resistance” as it pertains to DVRs. I am uncomfortable since it doesn’t take into account an important style of Qi Gong work that, to my mind, comes closer to true visualized resistance.
With DVRs—assuming you don’t have any sort of barbell or dumbbell in hand-- the antagonistic muscles are totally responsible for the resistance. The mind simply signals the antagonistic muscles to perform a breaking action.
There is, however, a kind of Qi Gong exercise that requires one to simply relax and without any tensing of the muscles to imagine lifting a heavy weight. In that case, we have true visualized resistance. (Please see the end of this post for more information about true, visualized resistance—Wai Dan exercises.
On to another question:
What constitutes a heavy weight? Any weight or resistance that limits a person to only one to five repetitions is a heavy weight for that person.
Let me finish up with a post I wrote about a year ago concerning visualization:
I have been a Qi Gong practitioner for quite a number of years now, and now teach. You long time readers know that, of course. Visualization is an important part of the course I teach.
Anyway, since we have some new folks, I will repost something I discussed some months ago.
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Visualization and Wai Dan exercises.
I would like to talk some about visualization.
The whole topic of visualization in general and visualized progressive resistance exercise in particular is fascinating. I have used visualization for practicing a wide range of activities, including the playing of musical instruments.
Because of my Qi Gong practice, I also use a series of exercises known in Qi Gong circles as Wai Dan exercises.
These are not DVR/VRT exercises.
Wai Dan involves only visualized exercise. There is no tensing of muscles involved, such as is the case with DVRs/VRTs and power flexing. What I’m talking about is exclusively a mind control exercise.
Imagine that you are doing a biceps curl. Let your arm hand at your side in the position it would be in at the start of a dumbbell curl. There will be no physical movement involved. Without consciously tensing your muscle, imagine lifting the weight through the curling motion. When you get to the completed position in your imagination, do the exercise for more imaginary repetitions. Yes, I know………..for some of you this process may seem nonsensical.
Now in the last couple of weeks, discussions about this kind of exercise have even ensued on the late night talk shows. Jay Leno of the Tonight Show recently made some humorous remarks about fat Americans to looking for the easiest exercise possible. So notions of just imagining exercising instead of actually doing exercises brought on a round of laughter.
Undoubtedly, there is some entrepreneur who has just recently come onto the scene endeavoring to make hay with the technique. I’m confident that someone will soon by on Oprah heralding a new, magical way of exercising.
Well it is kind of humorous to think of chubby folks getting their exercise sessions in while sitting in front of the TV. Certainly, we can do DVRs in front of the TV, but it still involves a lot of effort.
But do Wai Dan exercises really work? The positive results of scientific recent research has now been added to thousands of years of anecdotal evidence from various Qi Gong schools.
And Wai Dan exercise seems to be at least 50% as effective as regular progressive resistance exercises—such as DVRs/VTRs-- for building strength. Some Qi Gong practitioners say it works much better than that. It’s difficult to really know, since most of us do a wide assortment of exercises. And this can of exercise won’t work as well for people with poor visualization powers.
Personally, I’m not going to stop doing DVRs and power flexing in favor of Wai Dan, but I am using it as another kind of supplemental exercise. And I’m still experimenting.
My school of Qi Gong isn’t focused on martial arts or Wai Dan. But in the past few years, I have found myself adopting more and more martial arts protocols. And my students seem to really like the addition of these new variations.
There are a number of questions about this Wai Dan exercise. For example,
it’s not entirely clear how much energy is expended with this sort of exercise, some would say it is minimal. I tend to agree. That means you can nicely combine these exercises with virtually any other protocols. These exercises appear to greatly improve chi flow to the muscles involved and to increase one’s mental links to those muscles.
I have a Qi Gong student who is physically compromised in many ways, including osteoporosis. To her great credit, she has fully embraced DVRs. And she is delighted with the progress she is making.
When I first started her on her program, all of her exercises except one were DVRS. The one exception was a DSR sequence for her neck. When I first got her started with the program I had her apply hand resistance for the neck in the front, back and side positions.
Unfortunately, when doing the exercise, she experienced some pain in her neck.
Her physical therapist felt that she should discontinue the exercise due to the stress it put on the neck. Not only are my student’s bones in a weakened condition, she has issues with the disks in her spine.
The warning from the therapist, I think, made my student apprehensive. I considered substituting a DVR exercise, but, instead, opted for Wai Dan neck exercises. She likes the approach and does the neck exercises on a daily basis. I wound not favor during DVRs or DSRs that often. I will keep you informed about the mounting evidence supporting the effectiveness of such exercises.
For the moment, let’s put aside talk about Wai Dan exercises and direct our attention to more conventional forms of visualization. These techniques are not specifically designed to make you stronger; rather, they are more attuned to improving you mind body connection and improve muscle reaction time to various stimuli.
Regardless of what sort of physical activity you might like to do, visualization can, usually, be of help.
Many years ago, I had an uncle who loved to watch boxing. When the fights were on TV, he would sit in his chair bobbing and weaving and throw punches at an imaginary opponent. Only he knew just how effective his punches were against his imaginary opponent. Just how many knockouts did he score? ? One has to wonder.
Sure it was kind of a hoot to watch him. But, if we choose to reflect seriously on the matter, I think we have to conclude that he probably was getting some worthwhile exercise and developing significant hand eye coordination.
Some of you, like me, enjoy watching the Le Parkour practitioners jump from one building to another. Many of the moves are extremely dangerous and, in a lot of cases, setting up an effective practice site for Le Parkour training can be daunting. So what is the answer? Yes, you guessed it: the answer is imaginary practice that utilizes visualization in a variety of forms. David Belle the originator of Le Parkour strongly advocates such visualization techniques.
Imagining going through the various moves at full speed is on of the widely accepted methods.
Applications are many and varied, and are not limited to athletic endeavors.
Here’s yet another example:
I’m associated with some folks who have been focusing on ways to survive various crisis situations: natural disasters, terrorist attacks, etc. It became apparent to me that everyone should know how to tie an assortment of knots--knots for securing camp gear, rescue lines, boats, etc. Consequently, I procured a book on knots some weeks ago and started practicing tying a variety of knots. My progress was good. But I did find that finding a time and place to practice was a bit of a challenge. Therefore, I started practicing tying the knots mentally. It worked like a charm.
My notes today just barely scratch the surface of what is possible So I hope some of you will choose to relate some of your own experiences with visualization.
Quote:
Originally Posted by THESUPERBEAST
do you think VRT alone could carryover to ability to grapple with no other form of gravity induced excerecise?
Please keep in mind that VRT/DVR resistance as advocated by such people as the late, great John McSweeney is designed specifically for those pursuing the martial arts. A great martial artist, McSweeney was unequivocal when he said that exercises such as the Tiger Moves could entirely replace other forms of progressive resistance exercise.
He didn’t claim that other systems didn’t work; rather, he clearly stated that the VRT/DVR resistance offered profound advantages. Personally, I think one attains a synergistic advantage when other closely related, self resistance exercises are added, such as power flexing and isometrics. But VRT/DVRs resistance alone will do a fine job of developing maximum speed and strength—two vital attributes for any martial artist or wrestler.
Here are two of my favorite clips of Iron Wire action. To state the obvious, the two featured martial artists are doing a form of VRT/DVR exercise:
chiu chi wai performs. 90 year old Hung Kuen Master Leung Daiyau performs the Snake guiding the crane - Duration: 3:57. Taiping Dao 274,214 views
And here is a great article about John McSweeney. Many of the old hands here have already read it. But it merits reposting, I think.
www.kungfu.org/messagegm7.shtml
ACCS / Message from Grandmaster: John McSweeney
www.kungfu.org
Gene took a liking to John's skills and his determination to learn and master his art. He taught John long and hard until he finally realized he had shown him all he could.
And for those of you who are into Sanchin, here’s something you might enjoy watching:
Sanchin Kyokushinkai kata - YouTube
www.youtube.com
Karate Female Team Kata Bronze Medal - Serbia vs Italy - WKF World Championships Belgrade 2010 (1/2) - Duration: 7:41. World Karate Federation 8,861,846 views
I suspect that a lot of new people are, once again, becoming confused about all of this.
But let's keep trying to make this matter clear.
Toward that end, let’s focus on the peculiarities of VRT/DVR exercise. Please don’t start thinking about a barbell or dumbbell, since I’m going to touch for a moment on the special aspects of what goes on with a VRT/DVR.
If you decide to do a curl with DVR/VRT resistance, the biceps power the curling action—that is the concentric or positive movement. So where does the resistance come from? It primarily comes from the triceps.
As we have established, the triceps are working in opposition—that is, providing the braking action.
That means that during the curling action the triceps are being exercised eccentrically. The act of braking with them exercises them. The resistance supplied by the triceps is not imaginary, it is quite real.
And keep in mind that muscles are always stronger when called upon to do a negative—that is, eccentric movement—than they are when called upon to perform a positive or concentric movement.
At age sixty, my strength program is all about HIT—high intensity training—with DVRs, isometrics and power flexing. It’s a great approach. I might add that my workouts are quite demanding even on the “off” days from strength training.
On my “off” days, I do a lot of Qi Gong, which features a lot of meridian tapping. And that is combined with “stick and blade” work.
t’s been my experience that going all out with isometrics more than twice a week puts a considerable amount of stress on ones muscles and central nervous system. Certainly, light flexing and sub maximal training can be used on more than two days. But I remain a staunch advocate of HIT—high intensity training. That means one should be focused on brief, intense and infrequent strength training.
Incidentally, while I use a lot of isometrics, I think it is a mistake for someone to try and develop an entire strength building program around isometrics. That’s my considered opinion. I do believe that DVRs, CIC and power flexing with INTENTION can constitute a complete and effective program.
And when it comes to building strength, a muscle group needs to be exercised but once every seven to eight days in order to build maximum size and strength.
That’s my conclusion after training for over 45 years.
Believe anything you want. But I should hope that folks reading the material in this thread will take the time to practice the various approaches to see what works for them individually. Don’t take someone’s word for anything.
If you buy into the idea of training everyday and the practice works for you, then you are all set. Your are as they say in the vernacular “good to go.” But if you try such a regimen and eventually see your progress stall, I suggest that you rethink matters and abbreviate your training.
HIT vs vol
Let me start by saying to all of the newcomers that the HIT—high intensity training-- I’m talking about must not be confused with the sort of HIT program advocated by weight trainees. This is about training intensely with self resistance.
Is there a sure way to know whether a person should start with a HIT or a volume approach? The short answer is no; there is no surefire way.
A coach or trainer has to use his intuition when evaluating a prospective student.
When someone first starts out with progressive resistance training, just about any routine will work for the first month or so—usually longer than that. But then most people reach a kind of performance plateau. Of course, if you are on a truly radical regimen—that is, working super hard--you might reach the plateau even sooner.
The plateau is the point at which people stop progressing. And a lot of folks actually start to lose strength and/or muscle size. Either of those two events signals over training.
This is the point where decisions have to be made. But you first need to get to the initial plateau. I’m not the one to tell you about optimal volume programs, since volume programs have never worked well for me…………never. But that in no way means that they don’t work for other people—they clearly do.
So if I suspect that a person likes volume approach and can adapt to it, I suggest that he adopt such a program. Should he tire of it; he can always try HIT. I like to work with people who really intend to stick with a routine—to give it a fair chance. Many people here at the forum are like kids in a candy store—they want to try everything. I think that is great. It’s fun. But that attitude often slows progress.
A person’s appearance tells a lot. But to the untrained eye, a person’s looks can be very deceiving. Anyone who has been around the muscle game for awhile can usually spot a person who is or isn’t training successfully.
Among weightlifters or people mimicking conventional weight training by using DVRs, I look for the muscles bunched at the bottom of the spine—the spinal erectors. If that person’s spine seems to be situated in a ravine of muscle, you can pretty much assume that he is doing heavy exercise and that that exercise is causing his body to adapt to intense work.
So there are obvious and not so obvious things to look for. An NFL lineman might simply look fat to a lot of people, but anyone who is a football fan knows better.
Obviously, the size and shape of a person’s arms tell a lot, too. And the arms are often exposed for everyone to see. Even a person’s skin color tells a story. How many times have you heard someone say that someone’s “color doesn’t look good”? Obviously, a lot of this is just common sense.
If a person is on a good program, the tell tale signs will be apparent.
The point is, when someone “stalls”—fails to make progress-- you have to make changes.
A short skillful interview can help a lot. You need to know how his appetite is and how well he is sleeping. It helps to know if he is suffering from joint and tendon pain.
High energy types reach plateaus, too. But they have more options than do low hard gainers.
If a person claims to feel unduly fatigued, irritable, or mildly depressed, it’s a safe bet he is over trained. Such a person will be better off cutting back on his number of training days per week and seek to increase the intensity of his workouts—that’s the HIT formula.
Of course, the aforementioned traits could be signs of some medical problems, so you must proceed with caution. If in doubt, have him check with his doctor.
For a high energy types, things are a lot simpler. You can either radically increase the intensity of their training or the volume. Such fellows will likely gain size and strength with either approach.
When deciding what sort of training to adopt one should take into account a person’s mental attributes. Some people simply don’t like to work out intensely. My workouts are extremely intense. When I’m done with my leg work, I literally can’t go up a set of steps until I have rested. One of my students was working out with me, and after he finished his leg work, he bounded up the stairs to get a drink. Well……………….that meant that he was not working out in the HIT mode. Intentionally or unintentionally, he was loafing.
When it comes to doing HIT with DVRs, I must concede that those who don’t learn to flex in an optimal fashion will have problems. I concluded some years ago that those who have difficulty in flexing tend to become dissatisfied with DVRs, along with isometrics and power flexing. And when the premium is on generating maximum tension, as is the case with HIT, the problem becomes especially acute.
Then we have those who say that they must train everyday in order to stay in the habit of exercising. To such people, I suggest that they take up some other sort of training, such as Yoga or Qi Gong, to satisfy that need on the days when they aren’t doing progressive resistance exercises. Even walking on an off day can nicely suffice.
Try to find something that won’t be in the realm of heavy strength training.
Hank, you brought of the question of how one’s muscle makeup influences training.
Discussions about the predominance of red or white fibers in a person’s muscles are interesting, but from the standpoint of the individual, they are kind of meaningless. If there are good, non invasion, ways to find out about the proportion of red to white, I don’t know of them.
Anyway, I hope this missive helps clarify a few important points about HIT.
With every cycle of new people coming to this forum, I see a lot of people doing way too much in the way of progressive resistance training.
Even though high volume, daily, progressive resistance training works for some of you; for others it is a recipe for failure.
A lot of you are penalizing yourseleves. When it comes to training for size and strength, only a few sessions of progressive resistance sessions per week are needed.
Certainly, you can do other things in addition to strength training on other days, and that is recommended. But for many of you, HIT—high intensity training is the way to go.
The motto is: you can never train too hard, but you can train too much. HIT focuses on brief, intense and infrequent training.
I am all for you guys trying everything under the sun, but some of you—I won’t name names—have been struggling and struggling without making good gains. Don’t blame the protocols; blame your application of the protocols.
According to one wag, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. I’m paraphrasing, but you get my drift.
I have posted some HIT programs. Please give them a try. But understand that they differ radically from the routines sometimes advocated by weight training enthusiasts.
Have a look at a few unsolicited testimonials for HIT as practiced with self resistance.
Praise for HIT
Brigade writes on September 16, 2007
Hello Everyone,
I just wanted to tell everyone about some of the great improvements I have made as of late with Royce’s HIT program.
Let’s see where to start; okay first off I have completely toned up and gained muscle. I have gained a full inch on both of my biceps to bring me up to 16”. My thighs have the nice tear drop shape which is quite nice. My calves have always been the lagging part so much so that I hated going out in public in shorts because would literally make fun of me. Since I have been on Royce’s HIT program my calves have gained an inch of mass which is awesome. My waistline has toned up very nicely and my uniform fits so loose on me that I have to shorten my belt a lot.
This past Saturday I had an 8.5 mi race and did way better than expected, I knocked 6 minutes off my training time which is very astounding to me. The funny thing is I felt great like I could have run another couple of miles.
My wife is constantly commenting on my more shapely arms which makes me crack a smile every time. The list goes on and on, but the majority of the credit goes to Royce, John Peterson, and Greg Mangan and his VRT protocol. I had to modify Royce’s program a tad because I am required to work out with my squadron in the military but not too much I just added in a ton of running and some various calisthenics. I also threw in some powerflexes on Saturday to get some striations going. I love Transformetrics and its principles and I can’t wait to see what the rest of my life has in store for me as far as working out goes.
I hope all of yall have a great day and peace out.
V/R,
Brig
Newyork student writes:
Hey Everyone,
Even though I have only practiced the routine posted by Royce for 4 weeks, I can safely say it is the most productive routine I've practiced. I have gained in strength and size faster than I was before. It is a very efficient routine in terms of the time required, so it leaves my schedule open for other things such as Qigong, Yoga, and cardiovascular exercises. Now that I am joining the hockey team in two weeks, I am confident that HIT will not overtax my recovery abilities despite the added demands. I urge everyone to give it a try if are strapped for time or even if they just want to spice things up. I find the intensity of the routine to be quite enjoyable, and always look forward to my workouts. Take care
P.S. Give volume a try first if you are a beginner. Volume can be much extremely effective for some individuals, like John and Marlon. You could be one of them. For other people, try this routine.
Peterson responds:
Great post NewYorkerStudent. Once the mind/muscle connection is fully developed I can see where HIT would be incredibly efficient as well as productive.
---John Peterson
Gordon- Best of luck
Canuckfan- Keep up the good work, and hopefully soon we can compare results of our training.
Royce- The kudos have to go to you, my friend. You've turned me and others onto HIT training and Qigong training. Both practices have positively affected my life in many ways. Many thanks for your great contributions.
Take care everyone
Tigerowong says to Greg M
remember the photos you put up previously and noticed your avatar. Was your avatar taken when you were still training with iron? Regardless of the method your build is fantastic. I still enjoy the weights but after reading stuff by you and Royce I have a "on the road" routine setup in an HIT style. I will be out of the country for a month and I keep good records of my current lifts (yes I went back to the iron, I really enjoy it and feel great) Were you ever into HIT like Royce? always curious and finally have an apporpriate place to ask. take care and keep going. BTW they are makin a New Incredible Hulk movie, we could always paint you green!
I have never been a fan of DSRs.
The problem with DSRs from my perspective is that they don’t work the big muscles of the body sufficiently: the back and legs.
Those big muscle more radically impact the whole body. And if you learn to tense your muscles correctly, the tension can be cranked up to equal the results of heavy lifting.
Really, the only way to learn to flex your muscles to the max is through practice.
So I would advise you to get to it. Of course, that’s just one man’s opinion, but it’s based upon a lifetime of experience with weights and other progressive resistance protocols.
Here is what John Peterson has to say about DVRs and DSRs.
John Peterson writes:
Thanks Friends,
But the truth is that Martial Arts Master John Mc Sweeney deserves all the credit. He truly inspired me to realize that properly applied DVR/VRT could be every bit as effective as DSRs in the amount of tension applied once they were mastered. BUT he believed they were vastly superior to DSR exercises once they were mastered because the angles at which one could implement DVR/VRT exercises was without any sort of limit. Thus he stated as a matter of fact that no form of exercise with any form of apparatus or non-apparatus was as effective as DVR/VRT tension exercises. Not only that but Mc Sweeney himself believed that they had curative powers. And he even used them himself to heal his shoulder.
Bottom Line: there is far more to DVR/VRT than just strength and muscle building. Not that that would not be fantastic in itself, but the overall benefits in muscle control and building and increasing one's Nerve force makes them the master method of Physical Culture Health Building Exercise since they maximize strength and fitness without any damage to joints, tendons, ligaments or the nervous system.
Here is a HIT program that has been used with good results over the years.
Pod 1
A month or so ago, I promised to post some hard-gainer programs utilizing the HIT concept—that is, high intensity training. It has taken me a bit longer than I anticipated to publicly post one of these programs, but now we have one ready to go. I guess it’s better late than never!
Unlike the traditional HIT programs, we won’t be using any weights.
I think that hard-gainer training is an area that needs to be extensively explored. Understand that what follows isn’t designed to be the all and end all of HIT style training. It is just one of many possible approaches. Certainly, the Miracle 7 can be nicely applied to HIT training. We will talk about that wonderful series of exercises at a future date.
I’m certainly not knocking high volume training. I encourage those of you who flourish with high volume training to continue doing what you are doing. In fact, everyone should experiment with high volume training in order to determine if it works for them.
My experience in gyms over many years suggests that a significant number of people are hard-gainers who easily overtrain on high volume routines. Hard gainers make their best gains when training only a few days a week while doing brief but intense workouts. I should add that it is possible to overtrain with virtually any method: weights, cables, bodyweight training, DVRs, Isometrics, etc.
If you are regularly training yet find that your strength levels are falling, you are probably overtrained.
Remember that you can never train too hard, but you can train too often.
This routine is a good solid plan that will allow a hard-gainer to pack on plenty of muscle and also develop dynamic strength that will hold him in good stead regardless of his age.
I believe that training should be fun, and in order to make it fun, we need to provide a wide range of exercises. As many of you know, I love DVRs and I have included a heavy mix of them. Here are my rules for doing DVRs in this routine:
ALL DVRs IN THIS ROUTINE ARE TO BE DONE AT MAXIUM TENSION! Do not do negative DVRs. In all cases, do only one set of ten repetitions.
Incidentally, I put this regimen together, in part, for a good friend who wants to experience an increase in pull-up power.
Although anyone can benefit from this routine, it is especially designed for individuals whose pull-up capacity ranges from 0 to 10 repetitions. If you are someone who can knock out super high repetitions, you should work toward doing one-armed pull-ups.
Here’s the plan: Take a full minute to psyche yourself up. You want to feel that you and everyone and everything dear to you will be destroyed if you don’t successfully do one or more pull-ups. Next, visualize yourself doing one or more pull-ups. This mental approach can do wonders for enhancing your workouts.
Now comes the physical part. Go to the bar; take a firm shoulder width grip and then explode into the pull-up movement. If you only move a quarter of an inch, that is O.k.
Do as many repetitions as possible until you reach the point of failure; then, on your final repetition—this is the point at which you can’t complete another pull-up--DO A FIVE SECOND ISOMETIC PULL BEFORE LOWERING YOUSELF TO THE START POSITON.
DO NOT TRY TO DO ANOTHER SET OF CONVENTIONAL PULLUPS. Instead, immediately proceed to do one set of ten repetitions of DVR pull-ups. Do these at maximum tension. And don’t do any DVR negatives.
Upon completing the DVRs, go to the pull-up bar and step up onto a stool that will allow you to assume the completed pull-up position. Now slowly lower yourself to the start position. Try to take ten seconds on the downward movement. Don’t try to do a second negative style pull-up. If this proves to be very easy for you, switch to a one arm negative movement during your next workout.
And that is it for pull-up training!
Next do pushups between chairs:
Do one set of as many of these pushups that you can. Upon completion, do one set of ten repetitions of DVR bench presses. All this amounts to is standing up and pushing your arms straight out from your body. These should be done at maximum tension.
Next do a set of DVR, side, laterals. Once again, do only 10 repetitions. These should be followed by a set of DVR, front, laterals.
I like to add various isometrics as the spirit moves me. But in order to carefully define our procedures for this specific routine, let’s make the decision to use isometric holds after our DVR biceps curls, French curls, laterals and hand squeezes.
Here is the summary of our upper body workout, which should be done on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Pull-ups (Conventional)
Pull-ups (DVR)
Pull-ups (Negatives)
Pushups (Do one set of as many repetitions as possible between two chairs.)
Pushups (DVR)
Side Laterals ( DVR)
Side Laterals (Isometric, in doorway, 70% of maximum for sixty seconds)
Front Laterals (DVR)
Front Laterals (Isometric. Use opposite hand for resistance. Make it a sixty second hold.)
Curls (DVR, palms up)
Curls (Isometric, one position, 70% of maximum for sixty seconds)
French Curls (DVR)
Wrist Windups (DVR)
Hand squeeze (DVR)
Now, we will turn to the lower body. For this particular routine, you will only work the legs once a week. Don’t gasp in horror. Once a week is all right, at least for an interim period. I’m going to assume that you will add a significant amount of walking to this routine, and I don’t want anyone exhausting his or her energy reserves. How much walking should you do? I suggest a half-hour a day. Now let’s focus on the lower body:
Legs (Work out on Saturday.)
One-legged squats are a key exercise in this part of the routine. Go as far down as you can. You are only to do one set of as many reps as possible. You may hold your non-exercising leg in a curl position. But to make the exercise tougher, try doing “pistols.” That means putting your non-exercising leg straight out in front of you as you do the squat. These squats will really put a “burn” on your thighs!
Now do DVR Squats—the two-legged variety. As with all DVRs, do one set of ten reps at full tension.
Continue by doing DVR knee extensions and leg curls. Finish off with isometric holds with both of those exercises.
And that does it! Give this program at least eight weeks, preferably 12. .
Let me know how you do!
Summary:
One Legged Squats (Do one set of as many repetitions as you can manage.)
DVR Squats (Do one set of DVR style squats.)
DVR Leg curls (Do one set of DVR style leg curls.)
DVR Knee extensions (Do one set of DVR style knee extensions.)
Isometric Leg Curls (Do these at 70% of maximum for sixty seconds.)
Isometric Knee Extensions (Do these at 70% of maximum for sixty seconds.)
If so a possible idea could be to have an isometric or dvr pre exhaust routine. (not too long I hope) Or even split the cals in to sets and do iso's or dvr's in between.
My reply:
Personally, I like a more brief and intense workout than power cals normally supply. But I would suggest that you do an eight second pre-exhaust, isometric before each power cal.
But do the isometrics at full tension.
As for DVRs, If they are done correctly—at maximum tension—the DVRs can develop maximum size and strength sans any power cals at all.
Also, if you really go all out with a single set of ten repetitions of DVR bench presses at maximum tension, you won’t be able to do a single pushup until after you take a rest.
Isometrics done for short durations --5 to 10 seconds--have never given me much of a pump. Now…..if you choose to do aerobic isometrics for thirty to sixty seconds at sub maximal levels, you can, indeed, get a good pump.
As a high intensity training advocate, I usually don’t make aerobic isometrics a cornerstone of my training, but I do have such moves worked into various Qi Gong routines. And they have proved productive.
If you crank up the intensity, the answer is yes. Now I can’t claim that you will necessarily have the full range of endurance that accompanies twice a week training, but if you master the trick of developing maximum contractions during your training, you can expect to develop great explosive power with a one day a week training regimen.
Hi Tony,
First of all, my training varies quite a lot over the course of a year. For maintaining muscle size and strength, I’m doing a split routine: Upper body on Monday, lower body on Friday.
Without going into all of the specifics here are the DVR exercises, along with one DSR. I do one set of ten repetitions at maximum intensity.
Upper body:
Rows
Military press
Curls
Triceps extension
Prayer press
Side laterals
Hand grip exercise
Flys
Neck DSRs (Front, sides, back.)
I finish off with a three position, isometric bench press against a wall. I put forth about 69% of maximum for a full minute in each position.
Then I do all of the above DVR movements, except the neck exercise, in a power flex mode. In other words, I flex with intention for ten seconds at maximum tension in three positions.
Lower body:
Here are the DVRs:
Squats or Deadlifts
Knee extensions
Leg curls
The DVRs are followed by power flexing for the legs.
I use the same exercises as I do for the DVRs, but I power flex with INTENTION in three positions for ten seconds in each position.
All of the above is combined with fairly intense Qi Gong work on the other days of the week.. All my Qi Gong work fairly intuitive and spontaneous, but, nonetheless, intense. It includes a lot of sparring and high stepping, along with a fair amount of medium tension power flexing.
After a few more weeks, I will probably go to a four day a week split routine. For me, varying my approach to strength and fitness is important.
John Peterson’s book PYTP is excellent, and I highly recommend it. But it isn’t dedicated to HIT. Nonetheless, all of the exercises there can be put into a HIT format.
I have put together a number of HIT routines utilizing various exercises.
Here is the original HIT program:
Pod 1
A month or so ago, I promised to post some hard-gainer programs utilizing the HIT concept—that is, high intensity training. It has taken me a bit longer than I anticipated to publicly post one of these programs, but now we have one ready to go. I guess it’s better late than never!
Unlike the traditional HIT programs, we won’t be using any weights.
I think that hard-gainer training is an area that needs to be extensively explored. Understand that what follows isn’t designed to be the all and end all of HIT style training. It is just one of many possible approaches. Certainly, the Miracle 7 can be nicely applied to HIT training. We will talk about that wonderful series of exercises at a future date.
I’m certainly not knocking high volume training. I encourage those of you who flourish with high volume training to continue doing what you are doing. In fact, everyone should experiment with high volume training in order to determine if it works for them.
My experience in gyms over many years suggests that a significant number of people are hard-gainers who easily overtrain on high volume routines. Hard gainers make their best gains when training only a few days a week while doing brief but intense workouts. I should add that it is possible to overtrain with virtually any method: weights, cables, bodyweight training, DVRs, Isometrics, etc.
If you are regularly training yet find that your strength levels are falling, you are probably overtrained.
Remember that you can never train too hard, but you can train too often.
This routine is a good solid plan that will allow a hard-gainer to pack on plenty of muscle and also develop dynamic strength that will hold him in good stead regardless of his age.
I believe that training should be fun, and in order to make it fun, we need to provide a wide range of exercises. As many of you know, I love DVRs and I have included a heavy mix of them. Here are my rules for doing DVRs in this routine:
ALL DVRs IN THIS ROUTINE ARE TO BE DONE AT MAXIUM TENSION! Do not do negative DVRs. In all cases, do only one set of ten repetitions.
Incidentally, I put this regimen together, in part, for a good friend who wants to experience an increase in pull-up power.
Although anyone can benefit from this routine, it is especially designed for individuals whose pull-up capacity ranges from 0 to 10 repetitions. If you are someone who can knock out super high repetitions, you should work toward doing one-armed pull-ups.
Here’s the plan: Take a full minute to psyche yourself up. You want to feel that you and everyone and everything dear to you will be destroyed if you don’t successfully do one or more pull-ups. Next, visualize yourself doing one or more pull-ups. This mental approach can do wonders for enhancing your workouts.
Now comes the physical part. Go to the bar; take a firm shoulder width grip and then explode into the pull-up movement. If you only move a quarter of an inch, that is O.k.
Do as many repetitions as possible until you reach the point of failure; then, on your final repetition—this is the point at which you can’t complete another pull-up--DO A FIVE SECOND ISOMETIC PULL BEFORE LOWERING YOUSELF TO THE START POSITON.
DO NOT TRY TO DO ANOTHER SET OF CONVENTIONAL PULLUPS. Instead, immediately proceed to do one set of ten repetitions of DVR pull-ups. Do these at maximum tension. And don’t do any DVR negatives.
Upon completing the DVRs, go to the pull-up bar and step up onto a stool that will allow you to assume the completed pull-up position. Now slowly lower yourself to the start position. Try to take ten seconds on the downward movement. Don’t try to do a second negative style pull-up. If this proves to be very easy for you, switch to a one arm negative movement during your next workout.
And that is it for pull-up training!
Next do pushups between chairs:
Do one set of as many of these pushups that you can. Upon completion, do one set of ten repetitions of DVR bench presses. All this amounts to is standing up and pushing your arms straight out from your body. These should be done at maximum tension.
Next do a set of DVR, side, laterals. Once again, do only 10 repetitions. These should be followed by a set of DVR, front, laterals.
I like to add various isometrics as the spirit moves me. But in order to carefully define our procedures for this specific routine, let’s make the decision to use isometric holds after our DVR biceps curls, French curls, laterals and hand squeezes.
Here is the summary of our upper body workout, which should be done on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Pull-ups (Conventional)
Pull-ups (DVR)
Pull-ups (Negatives)
Pushups (Do one set of as many repetitions as possible between two chairs.)
Pushups (DVR)
Side Laterals ( DVR)
Side Laterals (Isometric, in doorway, 70% of maximum for sixty seconds)
Front Laterals (DVR)
Front Laterals (Isometric. Use opposite hand for resistance. Make it a sixty second hold.)
Curls (DVR, palms up)
Curls (Isometric, one position, 70% of maximum for sixty seconds)
French Curls (DVR)
Wrist Windups (DVR)
Hand squeeze (DVR)
Now, we will turn to the lower body. For this particular routine, you will only work the legs once a week. Don’t gasp in horror. Once a week is all right, at least for an interim period. I’m going to assume that you will add a significant amount of walking to this routine, and I don’t want anyone exhausting his or her energy reserves. How much walking should you do? I suggest a half-hour a day. Now let’s focus on the lower body:
Legs (Work out on Saturday.)
One-legged squats are a key exercise in this part of the routine. Go as far down as you can. You are only to do one set of as many reps as possible. You may hold your non-exercising leg in a curl position. But to make the exercise tougher, try doing “pistols.” That means putting your non-exercising leg straight out in front of you as you do the squat. These squats will really put a “burn” on your thighs!
Now do DVR Squats—the two-legged variety. As with all DVRs, do one set of ten reps at full tension.
Continue by doing DVR knee extensions and leg curls. Finish off with isometric holds with both of those exercises.
And that does it! Give this program at least eight weeks, preferably 12. .
Let me know how you do!
Summary:
One Legged Squats (Do one set of as many repetitions as you can manage.)
DVR Squats (Do one set of DVR style squats.)
DVR Leg curls (Do one set of DVR style leg curls.)
DVR Knee extensions (Do one set of DVR style knee extensions.)
Isometric Leg Curls (Do these at 70% of maximum for sixty seconds.)
Isometric Knee
I thought you might like to experiment with one of the many routines I have used over the years. I created the following program a few years ago, and it has worked very well for many people.
DVR/VRT Primer
The following program will net results. Most of the exercises are DVRs, although there are a couple of DSRs and one power cal. This program can be done in a relatively short period of time under just about any circumstances that I can conceive of. However, there are two vitally important things to remember if you are to get the most out of this program.
First, you must apply maximum tension in all of these exercises.
Second, you must not do more sets or repetitions than suggested. Certainly, you should not add extra training days with other kinds of exercises, such as weights, DSRs, calisthenics, etc.
Anyway, let’s focus on some exercises:
Let’s start out with a four day per week training program. You will work the upper body twice a week and the lower body twice a week.
(Important note: Many people like to turn this into a two day a week, split routine. In that case, you would do work the upper body once per week and the lower body once per week. For high percentage of people this is more effective than a four day program!)
Although the “tiger moves” are great in their own right, I think it will be more productive to focus on simulated barbell exercises. In short, you will, in most instances, be replicating standard barbell exercises with DVRs. In plain terms, you will be pretending to lift a barbell while generating DVR tension.
All exercises must be done at maximum tension. You will do but one set of each exercise for ten repetitions. You will not attempt to do a negative contraction after the concentric—that is, tension will be applied going in only one direction.
Here’s the basic routine:
Upper Body
Monday and Thursday: (The same for both days except that I suggest you alternate between the bench press and the overhead press.)
Neck: Hand resistance. Push forwards, backwards and to both sides using your hands for resistance. Do one set of ten repetitions for each movement. ( This is, of course, a DSR, the only one listed here.)
Back: Bent over rows-- one set of ten repetitions.
Biceps and lats: Pull downs—one set of ten repetitions.
Biceps: Curls (Palms up) one set of ten repetitions.
Triceps: French curls—one set of ten repetitions.
Chest: Bench press on Monday. (Vary the hand positions from week to week.) One set of ten repetitions.
Upper shoulders: Overhead press on Thursday. One set of ten repetitions
Chest:Flies-- One set ten repetitions.
Deltoids: Side lateral raises—One set ten repetitions.
Deltoids: Front raises—one set ten repetitions.
Wrists: wrist curls (Imagine winding a weight attached to a handle and piece of rope.” One set ten repetitions.
Traps: Shoulder shrug—One set ten repetitions.
Lower body:
Tuesdays and Fridays
Tuesday:
Flat footed Squats: One set and ten repetitions
Knee extensions: One set ten repetitions
Leg curls: One set ten repetitions.
Hindu squats: one set of as many as you can do.
Friday:
Lunges: One set of ten repetitions for each leg
Knee extensions: One set ten repetitions
Leg curls: One set ten repetitions
On your off days make sure you take a brisk half hour walk.
If you aren’t sure how to do the exercises listed, you can find them illustrated here:
www.thetrainingstationinc.com/exercises.html
Animated Exercise Examples - TheTrainingStationInc.- Exercises
www.thetrainingstationinc.com
Animated Exercise Examples, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Back, Biceps, Traps, Forearms, Legs, Hams, Glutes, Calves, Calf, Incline, Decline, Dumbbell, Barbell, Machine, Universal, Exercise Examples, Exercises
Training variations for the legs, including power flexing:
Anyway, let’s get to the issue of power flexing for the legs.
Standard DVR leg presses and power flexing are combined in my current workout. I do the leg press while lying on my back. I do each leg separately.
My first flex is done with the knee of my leg pulled close to my chest.
If I were standing, this would equate to the full squat position.
I apply full DVR braking action to keep my leg from moving. After a ten second count, I release the tension just enough to allow my leg to be straightened. I then do nine more regular leg press movements with DVR resistance.
After that, I do the same with my other leg.
This is a most important exercise, since many people are weak in this deep position. I have tried doing a flex from a very deep squat position, but I found that it caused me some discomfort in my knee. And my motto has always been: “If it hurts, don’t do it!”
This is followed by DVR squats-- one set of ten reps. After the squats, I do power flexes for a ten second count in three positions. I choose to do them at the half position, three quarter position and then the third at a point just a little before a full standing position. I guess we could call it the 7/8ths position. Ha, ha!
At that last position, I take care to get an extremely hard flex in my “glutes”—that is, my butt. Interestingly, one gentleman has suggested that flexing the butt very hard has had a beneficial effect on his urinary function. He says it helps reduce his need to run to the bathroom at night. Consequently, he flexes throughout the day at various tension levels. I was a bit surprised to hear his claim about the flexing impacting urinary function, but hey…………………we will take whatever benefits we are offered! Right?
Anyway, all of the above exercises are done with INTENTION. And they are done on in one direction. In recent months, I usually make a point to send a message of INTENTION to my muscles during the flexing.
Although the DVR braking action is sufficiently intense to prevent any movement, my mental message to my limbs is to move. That constitutes INTENTION.
I have also found the knee extension movements and leg curl movements to be very useful, and in some routines add them. Like the other movements listed here, I flex in three positions at maximum tension for a ten second count.
INTENTION is added to both the knee extension and leg curl. If you think about it, you will understand that a flexing routine for the leg curl and knee extension would be indistinguishable if one weren’t differentiating with INTENTION. That’s a neat subtlety.
All readers should keep in mind that all of these exercises put an extreme work load on one’s muscles. So it is easy to “burn out” if you do them too often. Once or twice a week should suffice.
Although not absolutely necessary, I like to add a few “pistols” to my workouts, primarily because they require good balance. And working on balance is important to all of us.
Bruno,
I’m pretty much in agreement with your missive about HIT done with weights. Arthur Jones has been pretty thoroughly discussed here at the forum over the years.
There are some misconceptions circulating here at this forum that I want to clear up for people who might like to try HIT training as I envision it—that is, HIT utilizing Transformetrics.
First of all, high intensity training that I advocate doesn’t have to follow any set of rules set up by others—not even the rules advocated by Arthur Jones. For those of you who have never heard of him, the late Arthur Jones is considered by many to have been the leading authority on HIT.
In fact, I have never followed a lot of Jone’s advice.
For example, I love utilizing DVRs, which are a form of isokinetics. Arthur Jones and his prize pupil, Mike Mentzer, would roll over in their graves if they read what I’m advocating since they attacked isokinetics or, for that matter, any form of progressive resistance exercise that lacked an eccentric component. So right out of the gate, I’m violating their definition of HIT.
The suggestion has been raised that there is no variation in intensity in the various HIT—high intensity training—programs that I advocate. But that is emphatically not true.
It is true that some of the old style training programs advocated by people like Jones and Mentzer failed to adjust intensity. And people burned out on such programs.
It’s not a situation that exists with HIT as practiced with Transformetrics. This is true for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the mainstay of the routines that I advocate use DVRs, isometrics and power flexing. What is unique about all three of these protocols is the fact that the amount tension that one uses with these exercises is subjective.
And that is an important point. Let me expand upon it.
One of the main tenets of HIT training that utilizes weights is the rule that you are supposed to add weight at each and every workout. That action, particularly over a long period of time, generates a lot of psychological tension.
Lifting a weight is a very objective activity, and adding an additional bit of weight at each workout is a real “mind bender.” But contrast that with doing DVRs. DVRs are subjective. All that one can really be sure of when trying to do a maximum tension DVR is that one is putting forth the best effort possible on that given day. It is impossible to know if more force is being exerted on Monday than on Tuesday. That fact removes a huge amount of psychological tension.
So from workout to workout, one simply does the best he can.
Then there is the matter of working to “failure” which is another central tenet of conventional HIT programs. In practical terms, that means lifting a weight that you can only handle for a single set of ten repetitions. You are supposed to be at the very edge of failure with the last rep.
Well, pray tell, how does one do that with DVRs or isometrics as practiced in the Transformetrics mode? You can do DVRs until you are just lifting the weight of your arms. Practically speaking, there is no point of failure.
Additionally, the various routines that I advocate vary in the amount of workload applied. If you examine the Mighty Mite routine, you will see that it is a minimalist approach consisting of relatively few exercises, whereas other programs I suggest are much more ambitious.
I advocate brief, intense and infrequent training when it comes to progressive resistance. The fact that one doesn’t work out too frequently protects one against over training.
I should also add that one can learn to tell when over training is becoming a problem. Fatigue that stretches from workout to workout and sore tendons are signs that one is over worked. When such symptoms arise, I advocate a layoff from seven to ten days, or, in some cases, even a longer layoff.
I seldom advocate anyone doing progressive resistance exercises more than three times per week. And no muscle group should be worked at maximum tension more than twice per week. Other protocols, such as walking, can be done each day, but it is counter productive to work muscle groups more than twice when one is using maximum tension.
I hope this clears up any misunderstandings. To paraphrase an old refrain: "Mine is not your father's HIT!"
The Tiger Moves, which were created by the late great John McSweeney and are a prominent part of John Peterson’s book, Pushing Yourself To Power, have their origins in the ancient Kung Fu practices.
John McSweeney took elements of the Iron Wire exercises and wove them into his Tiger Moves. Assuming that you can learn to get a good flex with your muscles in order to supply resistance, the Tiger Moves will build great strength, since they are a form of isokinetics sans apparatus.
Tiger Moves will help you jump higher and hit harder, and provide all round conditioning.
Get John Peterson’s book, PYTP. That’s my advice.
Here are some original, Iron Wire Moves:
fu hok/iron wire - YouTube
www.youtube.com
Hung Gar Form by Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling - Kung Fu Hustle - Duration: 6:48. Bay Area Natural Health 10,310 views
From my perspective, practical self-defense usually means employing weapons of one sort or another. A good course featuring the use of the kubaton—palm stick—is a great way to gain quick proficiency.
Learning to use a “tactical folder”—a folding knife designed for self defense—is an option. If you are proficient with the Kubaton, you should be able to quickly adapt to “point driven” knife techniques.
If you are really serious, then you might want to explore escrima, a martial art that puts heavy emphasis on both stick and blade work.
Personally, I teach martial arts Qi Gong—the “hard style.” And that form features a wide range of tension exercises not unlike the Tiger Moves. And I chose to combine that with a lot of “stick and blade” work.
The about questions whether or not DVRs build tendon strength has come up repeatedly.
I?m going to re-post my previous post on this matter.
From a previous post by Royce:
You can?t exercise a muscle without its tendons coming into play. Conversely, you can?t exercise tendons without the muscle coming into play. They work as a unit.
As I have pointed out in the past, when people have had a little too much stimuli given to a muscle during electro shock therapy, a number of things have happened: tendons have been torn from their attachment points on the bone; the bones have broken, or the muscles have torn.
Assuredly, the tendons have been involved once the muscles have been stimulated. We concur that DVRs work the muscle; therefore, they also work the tendon. If you stress the tendon, it will grow stronger as will the muscle to which it attaches. Both the tendons and the muscles are stressed. Under strong enough stress muscles sometimes are injured; at other times, tendons are injured. Some folks appear more prone to muscle injury, while others tend to incur more tendon injuries. Others are pretty much injury free. It?s hard to know all of the factors involved.
The assertion that you have to pick up heavy things if your are going to develop the power to move or lift heavy things simply isn?t true. Both DVRS/isokinetics and isometrics train your body to move or lift heavy things.
Consider the various isokinetic, mechanical exercise apparatus: Exergeni, Mini gym, Kaiser machines. All of these devices have proven themselves.
Then, although they aren?t isokinetic devices, we have various elastic apparatus and steel cables. Train with any of these devices, and you will be able to move heavy things.
But let?s continue to focus on DVRs/isokinetics. There are endless numbers of studies to prove their efficiency. Certainly, if the only thing you want to do is pick up iron, you can make a valid argument that some specificity advantages comes into play when using a barbell. I will grant that. I used weight training for many years, and it has its good points. If we are talking about boxing, wrestling and other sports the training effect of weights may well be inferior to isometrics and DVRs, because in those sports DVRs/isokinetics provide more specificity. Example: resistance supplied by a DVR/isokinetic straight jab is more like a real punch than one in which resistance is supplied by a dumbbell. I invite folks to try and then tell me the results.
However, as I have mentioned, Jon Cole used isokinetics/DVRs and broke deadlift records. Isokinetics/DVRs supply the power to compete in the ?iron game?. All sorts of rehabilitation has been done with isokinetics, and after rehab, those who wish to go back to weights find their strength levels high. To a very large extent, resistance is resistance.
I can tell you from my own experience that I have not lost strength over the past year and a half since stopping all weight training save for a few brief tests that I have run on myself.
It?s also worth noting that no one has come up with a way to solely test tendon strength. All we have is the assertion that someone?s tendons are or are not strong. Certainly, the fact that someone injures a tendon isn?t solid proof that it was weak; rather, it is simply evidence that it was in some manner over stressed.Tendon strength
Bruno,
Perhaps the following will be of help to you:
Tactile sensing for VRT/ DVRs
In my view, DVRs are not dependent upon visualized resistance. Resistance in DVRs is real and provided by the braking action supplied by antagonistic muscles.
In order to learn to do DVRs properly, I believe it is necessary to focus upon tactile sensations. And how, you might ask, does one accomplish that? Let me explain:
If you take a dumbbell that is too heavy to curl for more than, say, half of the required movement and then focus your mind on the feelings generated within your body just as the weight becomes too heavy to move another millimeter, that feeling will be feeling that you need to emulate in order to do DVRs successfully. That’s the important feedback.
A set of cable strands or a device such as the Exergenie could also provide that same sort of resistance.
In Qi Gong schools, you will find both DVR style exercises AND visualized resistance exercises. They differ in method and application.
Visualized resistance exercises have various oriental names, but I will avoid the various nomenclatures and simply describe the exercises.
Let’s, once again, go back to the curl exercise. When doing the visualized exercise, you simply imagine your arm curling a heavy weight. You don’t tense your arm muscles or move your arm; you just imagine everything. Like DVR style exercises, visualized exercises are ancient in origin and have served practitioners well for many eons.
I have worked with visualized exercises, but not nearly as much as I have worked with DVR style exercises.
I have said many times in the past, VRT/DVRs build size, strength and power. I have been off weights for some years now, and I have gained size and strength with only DVR routines. Frankly, I am weary of trying to prove that DVRs work as well as weights. But they do.