T Nation

First day on EDT

Bodybuilding
#1

Well I did my first workout using EDT today. My first 20 mins were Strive Bench and Cable curls, and my 2nd 20 were Hammer Incline presses and Preacher Hammer Curls. I’m still a little confused about this workout. I pretty much went up 5 pounds every set, starting w/ sets of 10. Eventually I only got 1-4 reps. For instance:

Started at 50lbs for the incline, went to 60, then 70, 75, 80 (5/10 depending on difficulty) finally maxed out at 150x4. Is this okay aslong as I get 155 atleast next time? Also using the Strive Bench, it was ALOT harder than regular flat bench w/ a barbell. I barely got 90 for 4, where I can get 135 for 4 on flat, maybe 5. Is that normal? It just felt awkward. Anyways my Hot-Rox came today, going to start them up tomarrow, wish me luck.

#2

With EDT, you should be taking your 10rm or 12rm and only doing half of that. In other words, you shoud be starting out doing 5-6 reps and ending with sets of 2-3 reps. Your first sets shouldn’t be close to failure while your last sets should. Hope this helps.

#3

Ah, thanks for clarifying.

#4

Yeah. Find your 10RM, keep the weight same the entire time and do what you can. As Jason said – When you first start, don’t go anywhere near failure.

Count up your reps at the end and beat that next week. When you beat it by 10%, increase the weight.

#5

Infinity, I hate to say this, but you have not understood the EDT concept AT ALL.

With EDT, you take one weight and stick with it the whole workout. You do not go up each set, or any set. You stay at the weight and count the total number of reps at that weight, then try to beat that number during your next workout.

So if you got, say, 80 reps at a given weight during your first workout, you would again choose the same weight for your second workout, and try to get at least 81 reps. When you can get 10% more than that original 80 reps (which would beeeee…let’s see…carry the five…okay, 88 reps!) still at the original weight, then and only then do you go up and start the process all over again.

#6

Yes, Charles Staley awg is correct? use the same weight for all sets and reps. This means you need to find an equal level of difficulty on each exercise.

Also, Starting with sets of 5 with a 10-12RM weight is only a rule of thumb suggestion…what REALLY matters is getting more and more reps from workout to workout (without exceeding the time limit)…I really couldn’t care less HOW you get more reps, as long as you get them.

Hope that helps

#7

Ahhhh. Much more sense now. Thanks Char-dawg and Charles. This whole time I’m thinking “Hmm, I still don’t quite get it, but okay”. Stupid me =x

#8

Methinks that the good Coach Staley has one of those typing expander programs set up in his computer, and the expansion sequence is c-h-a-r.

Well, Coach? Do I get a prize? :wink: