Starting EDT Next Week

I’m excited about starting this program since this is the true mass gaining program i will enbark on soon. I just finished doing shotgun and after a 2 week rest period i decided to give EDT a test run. The only thing im not clear on so far is the rest period which must be taken …are those supose to be taken b/w each set or after you perform the 2 different exercises for exaple: curls, lying tricep extension ‘rest’ OR
curls ‘rest’ lying tricep extensions ‘rest’.

Hopefully I’m understanding your question correctly. During the PR zone, you rest whenever you want. So, you can rest after each set (curl, rest, extension, rest, curl, rest) or do both exercises and then rest (curl, extension, rest, curl, extension, rest). It doesn’t mater. The total number of reps in the time period is all that matters.

Hopefully this is the answer you’re looking for.

There are no prescribed rest periods. You could do both exercises and then rest, or you could rest after each one. The point of EDT is that you keep track of the reps in the specific time limit. And the next time you do more reps. (This may come from resting less the next time, or doing more reps per set)

In general though, when you do EDT you should move at a pretty fast pace (especially if you are doing the original EDT for hypertrophy or fat loss plan)

You will be using a 10rm weight but starting with only 5 reps per set. Even on a superset like squats/pullups I would often go back and forth with only the time it took me to walk from one to the other. As the time rolls on you’ll have to start to do less than 5 reps per set, and you’ll probably start resting longer as well. ((((Just make sure you aren’t turning this into Cardio)))) No need to rush things, just work hard, record your reps, and follow the progression.

And make sure to eat enough!

Yeah that’s pretty much how i saw it, i just wish i could do more compound movements like deadlifts and squats. I’m worried my torso will lose some of it’s strengh after dropping those 2 big movements.

Are you starting with EDT, phase one? The one that uses a fair amount of machine exercises? If so, don’t worry about it too much. Get accustomed to EDT first, then add in the exercises that you want. Good to see that you are taking it step by step. I think you will progress faster this way.

Ive always been a little curious about the Compound EDT workout/article.

yeah its the one that includes plenty of machine based exercises, i changed the hammer preacher curl to hammer preacher curl(w/ dumbell) bcuz i just feel theres way too many machines in this work out. I’m afraid the little traps that i’ve gained doing deadlifts will disapear with this shitty excersises. Hopefully not i’m hoping i get some decent size on this routine.

good luck! I’ve used it w/several clients who have loved it. These are folks in their 40’s and not really concerned w/mass increases, but the definition and numbers within each zone improve in leaps and bounds so enthusiasm stays high.

On the other hand, I tried using it w/my wife who was a NGA pro bodybuilder and she hated the lack of variety.

[quote]twilight wrote:
good luck! I’ve used it w/several clients who have loved it. These are folks in their 40’s and not really concerned w/mass increases, but the definition and numbers within each zone improve in leaps and bounds so enthusiasm stays high.

On the other hand, I tried using it w/my wife who was a NGA pro bodybuilder and she hated the lack of variety.
[/quote]

Ya, can be really fun or really boring. EDT is definately one of the hardest workouts you’ll ever do if you do it correctly. I haven’t done it in a while, but if I were to do it again, it would probably be 1-2 pr zones for big movements, and then 15-20 minutes of “free time” to do whatever else you wanna do for fun.

Alright, i’m starting my 4th week of edt and have concerns with pull ups (palms out) and cable rows. These 2 movements are giving me a hell of a time to advance in, you could say that i’m not making any improvements at all with them. I was thinking possibly because i used my bodyweight to start off which i thought would be as easy as pull ups with palms facing in and this resulted in too much too soon ? Should i use the assisted pull ups(palms out) now bfore things get any worse?

i think i’ll just move to assisted pulls.

If you have access to bands, then these work great. Otherwise try knocking out singles, or switch to rack chins. Assisted pulls aren’t in the same league as pulls ups and rack pulls for effectiveness.

[quote]Damner wrote:
i think i’ll just move to assisted pulls.[/quote]

How many pull ups did you do last time? Remember all you want to do is try and beat that number by at least one.

What ex. are you pairing w/the p-ups?

with skull crushers, the actual program says to pair them up w/ lying tricep extensions but skull scrushers are pretty much the same. But you know what instead of going to assisted pulls i’ll just keep in mind what u said beat that number by at least one. It slipped my mind that this is no starting streght or shotgun program.

How many pullups can you do with good form in one set?

And how many did you do in your PR zone?

And how long was the PR zone?

well like i said earlier i made the mistake of thinking that palms out are as easy as palms in (in which i can do more than 10)but i never maxed out so i dont know the exact number. So anyway i think probably like 8 with good form in one set i’m just guessing though, but here’s what my 20 mins of pulls up with skullcrushers look like. This was on monday my most recent session…
Pull ups (palms out)
Rest 30 secs, 5x5, 4x2,Rest 45-55 sec 3 1/2x3, 3x3.
SCrushers not listed cuz i dont have any problems with them now.

Just stick with it. If you can do about 8, then start with about 4 reps per set. You dont need to record rest breaks either. Just get as many as you can in the time limit allowed, and try to increase that number each time.

Make sure you are only counting “good form” reps, otherwise it is going to be much harder to increase your number.