Higher Intensity vs More Exercises?

Sorry, but I just lifted this from my training log to hopefully get a response from a wider pool of peeps.

Life has been really testing my ability to focus on training these last couple of weeks but with a bit of positivity I’m determined to channel anything negative into lifting really heavy stuff up and down. Helps to distract me, as well as takes the guilt of not training off the list of negatives :slight_smile:

So I decided to up the intensity and really push for (relatively) heavy weights as I felt I was getting into a little comfort zone and maybe going through the motions a bit. Only prob is it means I am capable of doing less exercises per workout.

So a question to all you lovely people…

Tonight I managed my

Warmup - Stationary Cycle 50% resistance 5mins (2.1km - increases each time)

Romanian deadlift 1 x 12, 1 x 8, 5 x 5
Bent over row 1 x 10, 5x5
Squat 1 x 15, 1 x 8, 5x5

All at intensities that made me want to curl up and die, although I managed to complete them all. However, I was absolutely 100% fucked after that and so didn’t do the 1 arm rows, shrugs, and other things I would normally do afterwards.

For the sake of time, as I am sick of doing 1.5hr workouts, would I be better off just doing three big compound lifts per workout (3 per week) like this at my ‘100% cannot do another’ max, or keeping a little in the tanks and doing more exercises at a slightly lower intensity?

Goals are still to lose fat, have the bits that are supposed to be solid solid, and build a good base for the point where I outgrow what I have at home and want to throw some ‘grown up’ weights around - if any of that makes a difference.

Would appreciate any advice you people can offer. Thanks in advance.

Yes intensity should be damn high on your work sets for sure be it heavy low rep or high rep. If that is all you can handle then great do it your work capacity will raise and your very likely to see great progress as you had been half assing it.

The worst plan done INTENSE is better and will show more result then the Best/perfect plan done half assed

Phill

Cheers mate. All I wanted to know.

I have so much stuff in my routine that by the time I get around to it I almost have to do it half-arsed because I’m so shattered by what has gone before.

Gonna concentrate purely on the compund lifts then, going as heavy as I can.

Thanks again.

Keep in mind that on off days, you can hit some lagging body parts with high rep, low weight sets. That way, you get some extra work but it won’t drain you for your next intense workout.

Hi Arioch,

Plan for off-days is still to do some Hiit to burn the spare tyre, but as that doesn’t take up too much time I guess it would make sense to stick some resistence stuff in there too.

Nice one. :slight_smile: