Thank you for the detailed response i really appreciate it.
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Hey CT, thanks for the webinar! I have a few questions.
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is it possible to walk too much in the 110-120 range? Thinking 20-30 min morning, noon, and evening. I’d gradually work HIIT into the morning sessions. I have a sedentary remote job.
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referring to Paul’s scenario, how do you recommend handling cardio during gaining phases to keep it effective during cutting? Keeping LISS and dropping HIIT? Reducing frequency of HIIT? A combination?
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just out of curiosity, your “beast mode” phase kind of reminded me of the V diet - the intermittent protein during the day, with 6 oz of meat, cup of rice, and veggies dinner - could you walk me through what Im missing on how it differs?
No, you can’t walk too much. The only negative aspect is that you will become more efficient at walking and that you will burn less calories as you become more efficient.
TRUE HIIT, which actually feels like you are drowning and on fire at the same time, is not something you can do with a high frequency. So “working it into the morning sessions” isn’t a good idea, unless you mean once a week.
Cardio isn’t as problematic as walking. But I certainly would not use HIIT during gaining phases. No so much because it’s bad, but because of it’s high stress level (equivalent to a lifting workout). In fact, I try to avoid HIIT as much as possible.
I prefer to use stuff like loaded carries and other high intensity activities rather than HIIT.
During the gaining phases, I’d still keep cardio in, but do a lot less and at a lower intensity level.
Not really.
A square is a rectangle, but not all rectangles are squares.
What I mean by that is that the V-diet CAN be used during the Beast mode phase (it wouldn’t be m go-to in most cases) BUT the Beast mode diet doesn’t have to be the V-diet.
In fact, if someone needs to do the Beast mode phase (only physique competitors), I would likely not use the V-diet.
Not because the V-diet isn’t effective. It is.
But because the V-diet is designed as a stand-alone plan: you do a very intense 4 weeks diet and that’s it.
Those who reach the “Beast mode phase” have already been dieting for 9-12 weeks. I find that a mostly liquid diet at that point is a lot harder to sustain psychologically than one based almost exclusively on solid food.
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Super helpful! Thank you!
I think that’s what I was getting at with the too much walking question. More or less like a point of diminishing returns where it doesn’t make sense to incorporate more since I noticed most recommend walking 4-5x a week.
Regarding working HIIT into the morning sessions, I’m currently following your Get Lean program where phase 2 and 3 have intervals with the Ab Shredder to start. Though it sounds like there’s a distinction here between HIIT and intervals I’m missing.
Thank you again for the webinar and detailed responses here! Really appreciate the info.
I really enjoyed all the information from the seminar.
I’ve been doing the loaded carry for a while and really like them. I was wondering, as a change, since I like variety, can slow jogs be used instead?
I don’t want to elevate my cortisol so I aim to keep HR at 120 or less and will have 1/2 serving of Workout Fuel before. Thanks
That’s kinda like asking if you can substitute football for golf!
I mean, slow jogs and loaded carries are not in the same categories.
Both can be effective, and yes you can do jogging rather than loaded carries as a fat loss tool. But both are not similar. Jogging will have a better cardiovascular impact ut a lower muscular impact.
Well, the difference between HIIT and intervals is the same as between powerlifting and bodybuilding: the intensity level, and often the volume of work is/are not the same. In powerlifting the weights are heavier but the volume is lower than in bodybuilding, even though both use the same activity (lifting weights).
HIIT is an interval method. But not all interval methods are HIIT.
HIIT refers to HIGH INTENSITY intervals. Meaning that the “fast” interval is not just harder, it’s a maximal effort… you give absolutely all you got on each interval. It is extremely draining, which is why the volume and frequency has to stay low. It the the cardio equivalent to training to failure with loads of 90% of your 1RM.
Regular intervals are simply referring to alternating between periods of low and higher intensity. The intensity for the higher intensity sections is higher than the low intensity portion, but is not an all-out effort… something like an RPE (rate of perceived effort) of 80%. This allows for either longer durations for the intervals or a higher volume of work. It can also be done more frequently than HIIT.
Basically see regular intervals as an in-between steady state cardio and HIIT
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That makes complete sense. Thanks for the info and I should have been more specific in the carry’s I was doing. I’ve been doing long distance (3+ miles) with a light sandbag only for fat loss and was wanting to substitute some with a jog.
I was just curious if there was a % of HR that if one was to stay under they would see more of a cortisol lowering affect or at least not a huge spike. Seems like no more 120 bpm gets mentioned in some training programs.
I agree with that. No physical activity really lowers cortisol, as cortisol is an energy mobilization hormone. So when you need a lot of energy for your activity, cortisol will go up. Which is normal and actually useful for losing fat, and is not problematic as long as it comes back dow afterwards.
Hi CT,
I’m reposting my question for the first time. I don’t normally do this but this question is related to the cutting masterclass. That’s why I’m posting it here.
I’ll be honest. I’m not a T nation + member so if that means you can’t answer me, than that’s OK. It’s only fair to the + members and I understand.
I’ve recently read your cutting phase masterclass slides and got so motivated by long sandbag carries as a fatloss/conditioning tool that I decided to incorporate them into my own training regimen.
Even though the concept is simple (you carry a bag of sand for a set amount of time), I wanted to ask you if carrying the sandbag in different ways will lower the value of the session?
Let’s say for example you want to do a 20-minute session of long sandbag carries. Does that mean you have to do the entire session with the bag in the same position (bear, shoulder, zercher carry or farmers walk) or can you switch it up?
I’d like to hear your thoughts on the matter if you want to share them.
Thank you.
Actually, it does, on two levels.
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The muscles involved the most. While long carries are not a hypertrophy method per s, I do find that they can have an impact on muscle growth. And different types of carries involve different muscles.
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Some positions burn more calories than others. I don’t have data on the impact of sandbag position on energy expenditure, but there is a lot of research about the impact of load distribution during rocking on caloric expenditure. So yeah, harder positions (e.g. Zercher, overhead) will burn more energy than easier ones (e.g. yoke carry on your shoulders).
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Personally I do it as a form of interval… the base position is carrying the bag on both shoulders (yoke carry). This is the easiest position. And I include bouts of higher intensity by doing some distance with a harder hold (zercher, bear, overhead)
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This is the approach I naturally gravitated to. It’s a personal thing but I actually feel like this way the session becomes more fun and motivating.
Thank you for the explanation and validation. Hopefully some of the members here benefited from your answers as well.
Until the next one Coach.
Thank you so much for sharing this video it’s very informative.