Built For Bad and Lactate Production?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

CT, I have a question that I was wondering if you’d be kind enough to answer.

I’m currently cutting body fat after returning from a 3 month forced layoff due to a digestive health issue. I’ve always used some form of full-body training when training for fat loss. So, I modified your Built For Bad strength circuits as folows:

A1) Dead/Squat: X5, X5, X3, X3

A2) D.B. incline bench: X5, X5, X3, X3

A3) SGHP: X5, X5, X3, X3

A4) Standing D.B. Shoulder Press: X5, X5, X3, X3

A5) Lat Pulldown (pronated grip): X5, X5, X3, X3

I would do a warm-up first consisting of Kettlebell swings, empty bar SGHP, Dead/Squat (225X3, 275X2, 295-315X1) This would take about 5 min. max.

I then proceeded to do the 4 circuits as fast as possible–with a 5-6 sec. eccentric on the first rep of each set. So, my last workout (6 weeks in, increasing weight each week) looked like:

Dead/Squat: 335 for the sets of 5; 355 for sets of 3

D.B. bench: 95lb. d.b. for sets of 5; 100 for sets of 3

High Pull: 195 for sets of 3; 205 for set of 1

Shoulder Press; 65lb. d.b. for sets of 5; 70 for sets of 3

Lat Pulldown: 210 for sets of 5; 220 for sets of 3

I completed this in 28 min., including the warm-up.

I’m running about a 500Kcal deficit and the “recomp” effect from this was fantastic! It was absolutely brutal (so much so, in fact, that I was asked by one of the gym owners to please try and not be so loud!), and I was breathing like a freight train most sessions. These may not be huge loads, but for a guy about to turn 53 it was truly at my limit.

So, here’s my long winded question: does this type of training induce a significant lactate load due to the very short rest periods, or does one need to contract muscles continuously for 30-60 sec. in order to stimulate significant lactate production?

Finally, what exactly is the relationship between EPOC and lactate production. I assume that the greater the EPOC, the greater the lactate production? if that’s the case then wouldn’t intensity (load RELATIVE to rest) have an important effect on lactate production?

Thanks for the help,

Crowbar

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Yeah, I’d think anytime you incorporate very short rest periods with relatively heavy lifting you’re going to get a significant rise in lactate. I’d also like to hear CT’s take on this.