Bob50
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Do what you can do, listen to your body, feel your body, drive your body.
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Post by Bob50 on Apr 14, 2019 16:22:17 GMT
Testosterone level and muscle growth
Trying to naturally increase your testosterone levels will have very little, or no, impact on your muscle gains if you are already within the normal range. Studies show that whether you are on the lower side or higher side of normal, strength and muscle gains are almost equal. More important the sensitivity and the number of testosterone receptors in muscles. Therefore, the gains come when you move from low to normal, or normal to high testosterone levels until receptor adaptation will occur.
tonic.vice.com/en_us/article/qvqvpp/this-is-how-much-testosterone-actually-affects-muscle-growth
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Bob50
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Do what you can do, listen to your body, feel your body, drive your body.
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Post by Bob50 on Apr 25, 2019 18:44:23 GMT
One more isometric trick for dynamic self-resistanceIt looks that when we use self-resistance (SR), our brain continuously tries to cheat us and gradually decreases levels of our muscle tension in our workouts. At least, my "lazy" brain does it. Preliminary isometric holding for 3-5 sec before each dynamic set (see above) partially decreases this effect and helps to keep higher muscle tension through the full workout. However, the brain also wishes to decrease our SR tension inside the sets . In other words, we begin our set with higher muscle tension and finish it with a lower one. It may decrease the effectiveness of SR training. To minimize this effect, try to start each rep with very short (1-1.5 sec) max isometric holding and then perform the full ROM. Factually, you should initiate every single movements by focusing on contracting the target muscles in the lengthened and shortened positions. Do it for each rep inside the set, and you will feel that your muscles work with higher tension through the reps and sets.
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Bob50
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Do what you can do, listen to your body, feel your body, drive your body.
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Post by Bob50 on May 29, 2019 23:24:02 GMT
I've added the handle in the middle of T-end stick. This design is more versatile. Great for isometrics.
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Bob50
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Do what you can do, listen to your body, feel your body, drive your body.
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Post by Bob50 on Jun 11, 2019 0:12:12 GMT
Some people do not believe that pure self-resistance (SR) training can build strength and muscles comparable to weightlifting. Probably, for many of us it is a right conclusion because we do not have sufficient mind-muscle connection. Let’s consider our vision as the example. If we see through the frosted glass, we can see the object in general, without any important details. Clear glass allows us to see details, and we have clear understanding object and how to work with it. We have the similar situation with our muscle feeling. When we start SR training we feel our muscles as through the “frosted glass”. We do not have very clear and sharp feeling our muscle work. Self-resistance is a skill based training that makes our muscle feeling/awareness more clear and sharp. Using this feeling, we can increase our tension more and more, reaching our physiological limit. We can also increase our control of muscle antagonists and other muscle groups included in our exercises. More clear and sharper our feeling muscle tension/contraction, higher tension we can develop. Regular practice of concentration on working muscles allows the maintenance of this unique muscle feeling. Therefore, frequent SR training is preferable. Isometrics is an extremely helpful tool to develop the mind-muscle connection. Therefore, supplemental isometric exercises are very desirable for SR training. Also, isometrics has tremendous capability to increase our CNS tolerance to high muscle tension which is needed for our SR progress. The bottom line. Our attention/concentration is a key to our success in SR. No distractions, no music, no TV while you do SR exercises. Concentrate deeper, deeper, and deeper on muscle tension and movements. During the rest, concentrate on muscle relaxation and muscle growth. That is all that we need for our success. I would like to remind Arnold's advice again: "Biggest mistake is mechanical performance ...These people do not have their mind inside the muscles. They look like shit because they don't concentrate. They do not pay attention... You have to be inside the muscle. You train or you don't. If you do something, then do it. Go all out." This requirement is especially important for SR training where our mind should simultaneously create and overcome high muscle tension. I want to emphasize again the importance of two types of isometric "presets" or "pre-flexing" (max isometric holding) for successful SR training. The first type is the preset/pre-flexing for ~ 1 breathing cycle before starting any SR set (before the first rep). The second one is the short preset/pre-flexing for 1.5-2.0 sec before each rep inside the sets. During both presets, we should develop max possible isometric muscle tension. These presets will facilitate the development/keeping our highest dynamic tension during the following SR reps. Update 7-21-2019Supporting info about the effectiveness of isometric presets from "ISOMETRICS: THE MOST UNDERRATED TRAINING TOOL" thibarmy.com/isometrics-underrated-training-tool/Iso-dynamic 3 – Pre-fatigue: This is a great method to improve mind-muscle connection. It may not be the best pure hypertrophy method, but it is very effective to learn to recruit and stimulate a lagging muscle group. You start an exercise by holding the position where you can feel the greatest tension in the target muscle. That can either be the peak contraction position or the mid-range, depending on the exercise. During that hold, you must focus on contracting the muscle as hard as you can, not just on holding the position. Hold for 20-30 seconds, then do 6-12 reps. You will feel the target muscle a lot more than usual. Since this method is more about motor learning than lifting big weights, you can do up to 3 sets on an exercise.
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Bob50
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Do what you can do, listen to your body, feel your body, drive your body.
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Post by Bob50 on Jun 19, 2019 12:53:31 GMT
I am 69 years old today. High tension self-resistance still works! One observation:If we feel pumped on mornings, our morning self-resistance workouts will be more effective. Our "brain-muscle connection" is already prepared for tension.
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Bob50
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Do what you can do, listen to your body, feel your body, drive your body.
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Post by Bob50 on Jul 12, 2019 15:45:15 GMT
Muscle pumping facilitates body feeling and muscle control in SR. Try to take 1 drop of Halls with vitamin C and 1 glass of water before your morning SR workout. They will increase your pumping and energy during SR training.
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moxohol
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Biohacker
Si vis pacem, para bellum
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Post by moxohol on Aug 5, 2019 10:31:33 GMT
I found adding dynamic tension movements (sanchin kata) after an iso session improves motor skills, reduces DOMS, & improves VO2 Max. SR alone never did anything for me except make me exhausted.
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Bob50
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Do what you can do, listen to your body, feel your body, drive your body.
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Post by Bob50 on Aug 5, 2019 14:55:06 GMT
I found adding dynamic tension movements (sanchin kata) after an iso session improves motor skills, reduces DOMS, & improves VO2 Max. SR alone never did anything for me except make me exhausted. More tension, less reps/set should not drain energy. I follow this principle in SR training. "...because CNS fatigue will occur after each set in the workout, and it will accumulate gradually with each additional set. We can use moderate and heavy loads, since these involve performing fewer total reps to achieve the same hypertrophic stimulus as light loads."medium.com/@sandcresearch/why-does-central-nervous-system-cns-fatigue-happen-during-strength-training-e0af3f5e4989Note: Good option is to use circular movements to different directions to load the muscles under different angles during self-resistance/co-contraction training. It also increases the body flexibility. Sticks or belts are the best tools for that.
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Bob50
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Do what you can do, listen to your body, feel your body, drive your body.
Posts: 894
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Post by Bob50 on Nov 4, 2019 17:47:10 GMT
I tried to combine high tension SR with shallow breathing, using Buteyko's techniques (slight air shortage). This breathing substantially increases carbon dioxide level (hypercapnia) and slightly decreases oxygen concentration in tissues (hypoxia). According some studies, this combination significantly elevates concentration of growth hormone in the blood. physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/expphysiol.2003.026682www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28445110After two weeks of such training, I do not see any muscle gain, but my flexibility improved drastically, probably, due to the increased blood circulation evoked by carbon dioxide (vasodilator). P.S. The additional benefit is the weight loss (-8 lbs).
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Bob50
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Do what you can do, listen to your body, feel your body, drive your body.
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Post by Bob50 on Jan 5, 2020 1:19:36 GMT
OK. It looks that I've reached my age (69+) limit and do not gain muscles more, at least using self-resistance. Therefore, one week ago, I switched to my "maintaining protocol" with a plain stick (see the first log page) to increase my flexibility, endurance and reduce my body fat. These self-resistance exercises performed with moderate tension till intensive muscle ache resemble Sandow's approach. His system of training is more suitable to combine with hypoventilation that may positively affect different body systems. I will post my results.
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bob44
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Post by bob44 on Jan 7, 2020 19:51:11 GMT
I am going to try and keep up a journal for the purpose of missing fewer workouts. I am hoping to keep it going at least through the spring. I keep one on my PC in notepad but it gives me more incentive when it is online. I have no goals, other than to get my beach body purdy or at least get rid of my belly for the beach vacation our family is taking. It is getting harder to keep my gut sucked in all the way to the water.
Last year I did DDP Yoga 3 days a week working through the beginner and intermediate schedule. Then come summer I did a 10000 step challenge and time wise something had to give so I stopped the DDP Yoga. During the warmer months I like to hike and bike ride, but during the winter I slow down on my cardio workouts. I don’t do much high intensity cardio any more. I do more LSD type workouts (long slow distance). Now that I am retired I mainly do circuit training or GTG throughout the day.
My right shoulder has been giving me problems for the last couple of years and this may be the year I say it is not going to heal on its own and get to the doctor. I gave up pickleball and swimming because of it and I do not go to a gym anymore because of my shoulder.
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bob44
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Post by bob44 on Jan 7, 2020 19:55:12 GMT
1/1/2020 Shoulder joint exercises with pole
Holds 1 min Handstand on wall Pull-up hang Wall sit Ab plank Reverse plank Chin-up at top Ring hold at top Plank on rings Ring hold at bottom Side plank (L/R) Superman extension on glute-ham Reverse Back Extension Frogstand hold L-Sit Hold
70 FB pushups
1/2 Exercises Bobs Daily Exercises 25 Dragan DB lifts KS swings (2H/1H L/R) n*2 50 KS Goblet squat KSs calf lifts KS Get-up w windmill Saxon side bends w 2 KS Push-ups on rings / Dips on rings (5 reps) (double the daily amount by 2 for Dragan, KS swings)
1/3 Joint Exercises 7 reps Neck Neck circles Shoulder rolls Arm circles Elbow rotation Egyptian Wrist rotation Hands and fingers Torso twist Torso rotation Bend wall/floor Hip rotation Half knee bend Knee rotation Ankle rotation Toe raise
DVRs (10 max contraction) Pectoral Contraction Wrist Twist High Reach Abs Contraction Shoulder Roll (straight back) Tiger Move Squat 1 Arm Chin Atlas Biceps Flex and Press Calf Raise Deltoid Raise (arms shoulder height, arms up & out) Biceps/Triceps Contraction
Duffs DVRs Dip push down, row pull back Arnold Push forward, Pull back Pec Deck VRT Muscle up
Shoulder joint exercises with pole
1/4 Shoulder joint exercises with pole Assisted chin-ups (with resistance band) x20 Tucked front lever, back skin the cat on rings
1/5 Bullworker 24 Forearm grippers 4 X 25 (L&R) & 10 min putty
1/6 Shoulder joint exercises with pole 100 FB pushups
Exercises Bobs Daily Exercises 25 Dragan DB lifts KB swings (2/1) n*2 KB Goblet squat KB calf lifts KB Get-up w windmill 10
Abs Knee ab wheel rollout Glute Bridge with hands by neck Leg extension crunch Flutter kicks / scissors Saxon side bends w 2 KB
1/7 Off. My nose is running like a faucet. One of the rewards of holding my sick grandson.
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pierinifitness
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I do burpees, then I drink slurpees
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Post by pierinifitness on Jan 7, 2020 23:18:44 GMT
Hi Bob, Happy New Year 2020 and may all your dreams and desires be realized in the new year. Glad you're joining the middle-aged man "party" here and posting your training journals. I, too, use Notes on my iPhone to initially record my workouts if I'm not in my office. It's synced to my office computer so I have it both places. We go way way back to the gold old days at Bronze Bow. I remember the friendly competition we had there of Free, you, me and a few others. Parker was a no show. Remember it?
I'll be cheering you along as you chase your fitness, health and wellness goals in the new year. Hope you get some well-deserved healing with your shoulder thing.
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Michael
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He cuts down trees. He wears high heels, suspendies, and a bra?!
Winner of Twatformetrics Spartan Challenge
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Post by Michael on Jan 8, 2020 0:15:38 GMT
Bob44, Love the mix You use. Nice Work! Even though I don't have grandkids yet the same happened to me holding my nephews right before the New Year.
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pierinifitness
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I do burpees, then I drink slurpees
Posts: 2,718
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Post by pierinifitness on Jan 8, 2020 5:29:00 GMT
OK. It looks that I've reached my age (69+) limit and do not gain muscles more, at least using self-resistance. Therefore, one week ago, I switched to my "maintaining protocol" with a plain stick (see the first log page) to increase my flexibility, endurance and reduce my body fat. These self-resistance exercises performed with moderate tension till intensive muscle ache resemble Sandow's approach. His system of training is more suitable to combine with hypoventilation that may positively affect different body systems. I will post my results. Bob, I like your honesty and what you shared is like a breath of fresh air. I’m taking notes because soon I’ll be your age. Based on my experience, reducing body fat is best achieved with measured weight loss from a sensible average daily calories deficit. Are you working that side of the equation? Keep marching forward!
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