Fairly similar, there are some differences that I will present in a future article. I added one component this week which makes it even more fun and effective to build strength and that “hard” look
That’s why I have more strength lifts than olympic lifts. I also added partial/isometric days… so I now have 4 “circuit” days and 2 “partials/isometric” days. I also do some bodybuilding work for the muscles I want to amplify. Again I’m going for the assumption that I’m not likely to build a lot more overall muscle mass and that with the 6 big lifts and the iso/partials I do enough mechanical loading to maintain my muscle everywhere, while getting stronger. And I do the bodybuilding work to give me the look I want, If I was 15-20lbs under my max potential I would likely not train like that.
Well it’s different in many regards. Just look at the ratio… in my circuit sessions I have a 2 to 1 ratio of strength vs. olympic lifts. I also add about 10-15 min of bodybuilding work. So on those days it’s say to say that I have a 3 to 1 ratio of slow-strength or bodybuilding work vs. explosive work.
Then I have the partial / isometric day which is a great day to overload the muscles without draining the nervous system. All the work on that day is, by definition, slow-speed work which is better to create maximum tension in the muscle which will have a good impact on growth.
So over the whole week my volume ratio is likely 8 to 1 slow-strength/bodybuilding vs. explosive work… 8 to 2 if you count my activation jumps.
If you compare that to olympic lifters… Bulgarians and similar schools of training (Greeks, Azerbajhian, Armenia, Iran, Turkey, etc.) have a ratio of about 3 to 7 strength vs. technical work.
The Russian and Chinese systems are closer to 5 to 5, which is still a lot lower.
PLUS, although my technique is decent on the olympic lifts… it is nowhere as efficient as the elite lifters. How is that important? The more efficient you are the less relient on strength you are… the less efficient you are the more muscle force you must produce to do the movements.
http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/pdf/S1550-4131(16)30227-3.pdf
Look up the section on mTOR and aging
will do. Like I said, I simply don’t know enough about it. This was the first I heard of it. I will look into it now, once again thank you for the guidance.
CT,
I have an idea (REQUEST) for you. Any chance all of us who are north of 35 (I am 48) can convince you to do a Best Damn Natty Workout, for lifters of “advanced age.” Specifically looking for something that can maximize whatever growth potential we have left, while minimizing factors that work against us as we age (mTOR, joint problems, cortisol etc.). If you can put something out, I will nominate you for the coveted T-Nation writer of the year award! Seriously, it would be a very useful article for so many of us who still love training, but at the same time are in a life and death battle (literally) with father time.
Thanks in advance for your consideration.
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That would be a great program. I was trying to envision what it would look like earlier. I love the way the Best Damn workout is setup but now the mTOR thing scares me because right now in this point of my life I am looking for longevity and health.
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Same with me. Here I am trying to specifically increase mTOR in the Best Damn Natty workout and then I read this today. I guarantee if he produces a similar program but have it geared toward older lifters it would be a huge hit.
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I would love to see that as well, CT, as a 52-year-old. But, fellas, the “best damn workout” mTOR work can be replaced with one of the other intensifiers. You may want to change the movement pattern as well because you don’t want to do an all out heavy rest pause set of dumbbell flies…,At least I don’t. Too dangerous.
So I guess the key to a program like this for 40 and older would be maximal muscle gain with minimal mTOR activation.
Another take away point I see is that GENERALLY speaking, big guys do not live as long. So those who focus on getting larger (muscles or fat) most likely will suffer in the terms of longevity. Think about it. When you think of an OLD MAN, they are typically little old men. Asian men in particular seem to be walking around in their 90’s. When is the last time you saw a 6’4" guy who was 80+? When is the last time you saw a guy 6’0-230 at age 80? Dudes 80+ seem to be about 5’5" and 130 lbs. But we ALL have an expiration date. The question is, would you rather be big, strong and healthy for 60-70 years or small and on the frail side and live for 85-95 years? There is a trade off.
I agree. That’s why IMO trying to bulk up once you’re past your mid 30’s doesn’t make sense for most people. If my bench press and deadlift each went up by 50 lbs, but I gained 25 lbs in the process it’s just not a tradeoff that I’d make. Maybe when I was 20 but not now.
I also find it hard to believe that getting a lot of calories from supplements in any form is good for longevity. The longest living people eat simple, whole foods. Not chemical concoctions or isolated ingredients. My friend born and raised in Japan eats fish and rice with vegetables for breakfast. Also, when you see guys 30+ lbs overweight in the gym chugging calorie-rich intra-workout supplements makes no sense to me.
Another belief I have is that bodyweight exercises as a training staple are often underrated for those 35 and over. Getting good at progressively difficult moves means you are strong, flexible, and relatively lean. You never see a fat older dude cranking out pull ups and hand stand push ups, but you do see fat older dudes (I’m talking 45 or so plus) that can bench or DL a lot. Guess who will live longer?
I don’t know about this. How healthy are you if you die at 65? Look at Jack LaLanne, though. He was strong, but lean, and lived and worked out into his 90’s.
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My numbers were just random. My point was, if you maximize size and strength as a priority in your life, the trade COULD be (with exceptions) a shorter overall life span.
The bottom line is you have to decide for yourself. Is your goal in life to live as long as possible? If so, you should extremely restrict calories, stay small, and focus on health. But, since we all die (FATHER TIME IS UNDEFEATED), some have a goal of having a high quality life by being strong & more muscular even if it shaves a few years off. And then there are the extremists who ingest huge amounts of hormones, huge amounts of calories and live by the mantra of “die young but bury me in a big casket.” I find myself in the middle…I don’t want to live my life like a Buddhist monk eating a cup of rice per day in hopes of living to 100. Also, I don’t want use all my life energy on building big biceps and dying before I turn 50. For me, I want to be a relatively lean, muscular guy, with above average strength for however many years God will allow me to have. If that number is 60-70-80 or 100 so be it. Quality is just as important as quantity.
Is rest pause training high on Mtor? Im 30 and love rest pause training and want to continue doing it.
If it is… then what type of training is good to do to build muscle but not increase mtor?
Look at the legends of WWE (formerly WWF). This point hits home b/c I’m 6’5" and 235.
I agree with the idea of 60-70 high quality years over 90 low quality years. I look at this in terms of obesity. I’d rather stay strong, lean, and athletic and die at 60 than be fat and unhealthy and survive on prescriptions and oxygen till I’m 80. Quality over quantity.
I’m a firm believer that my lifestyle will outlast the fat American lifestyle but the reality is that healthy people fall over dead or die in accidents every day.
I’m 32 now but I’ve been the same weight for years. I keep comparing myself to my 23 year old self when I lived at an Olympic Training Center and was able to work out during my 8 hour work day. Maybe I’ve peaked and it’s time to optimize what I have instead of chasing the unattainable.
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OK I want to thank CT for bringing this up. The fact is, we can put a man on the moon, we can create a GPS system that can locate a penny on the bottom of the ocean but we cant cure cancer…or detect a heart attack until it happens. So this mTOR thing did not sit well with me as common sense would suggest that exercise (either concentric or eccentric) is generally GOOD. I researched mTOR and longetitity and found this study that indicates there are different types of mTOR and exercise does not have a negative impact:
Granted, this is just an opinion, but isn’t just about everything an opinion?
So, the smart manipulation of AMPK around training and/or during the day, it would be key?
Yes I actually mentionnes that study a while ago. But honestly there is not enough info to say that there isn’t any negative impact long terms. That’s why observations of real life examples can be useful.
As I mentioned earlier, mTOR in the exercise setting is not well enough researched over the long run to be sure that there is no negative impact. Which is why I like to also rely on real life examples.
And it is certain that mTOR activation through overeating is A LOT worse for aging.
But that having been said it is still my belief that the key to aging well is to focus on maintaining or improving the physical capacities that are lost the easiest when you get older: speed/explosiveness (power), strength, resistance and flexibility.
If you train only for muscle mass and you lose physical capacities I believe that you will not age as well and will likely age faster. And we can’t use the example of bodybuilders using steroids since this artificially maintain several hormonal elements that tend to get lower with age.
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As I mentioned, you can still get some around the workout but try to minimize it during the day. Which means NOT overeating and not consuming a lot of foods that make your body releases a lof of insulin.