This year

[trikydik]

Last year I lost approximately 30 pounds.. I went from 255 down to 225 (gained 7 or so back at the end of the year though).
Been struggling through boring gym routines... and the lack of sustainable cardio...

I used to get on the treadmill and walk at a brisk pace for 45 minutes. Then go home and have my heart beat out of sequence (1 chamber) for the rest of the night.. Not terribly dangerous, just a pain in the ass as it feels like my heart is racing (due to the double beats) when it is not. Doc does not want me to do cardio like this anymore...

What I am looking at, is something akin to a combination weight training and cardio...

I would love to hear the pro's and cons of high intensity workouts. Do they work at burning fat? strength and definition???

Is there a workout routine that you suggest??

Thanks

Rick

[Docd187123]

Last year I lost approximately 30 pounds.. I went from 255 down to 225 (gained 7 or so back at the end of the year though).
Been struggling through boring gym routines... and the lack of sustainable cardio...

I used to get on the treadmill and walk at a brisk pace for 45 minutes. Then go home and have my heart beat out of sequence (1 chamber) for the rest of the night.. Not terribly dangerous, just a pain in the ass as it feels like my heart is racing (due to the double beats) when it is not. Doc does not want me to do cardio like this anymore...

What I am looking at, is something akin to a combination weight training and cardio...

I would love to hear the pro's and cons of high intensity workouts. Do they work at burning fat? strength and definition???

Is there a workout routine that you suggest??

Thanks

Rick

A combo of weight training and cardio to me would basically mean something like circuit training. Picking several different lifts and doing them one right after the other with little to no rest in between. This would not be considered a high intensity workout to me since intensity is a function if your 1RM. Doing circuit training you can't lift anywhere near your 1RM bc of accumulated fatigue from doing several exercises with no rest periods.

High intensity workouts are workouts where you're working with heavy weights in relation to your maxes, progressive overload (you increase the weights you use when possible), and you take sufficient rest periods so that you can do those weights for multiple sets across. They can help burn fat but so can any other type of lifting bc of the calories expended during and after. They can help increase strength for sure and definition would come from a reduction in body fat or increase in lean body mass.

What is your doctor advising you specifically?

[Buster Brown]

There is HIT style training. The Dorian Yates videos can be found on you tube titled "blood and guts". One of our elite members named Marcus has an on going thread titled just got back from the gym. It can be found in the Anabolic lounge and if you read the stickies you will find specific routines. Give the videos a watch and see if that is what you are looking for. Congratulations on your weight loss .....keep it up.

[zempey]

When I was cutting up for summer while also dealing with an injury, I was doing 5x15 with minimal rest between sets. This had my heart rate elevated for the whole workout and I would get a nice pump too. I would up the weight next time when I got 13-15 on the last two sets of the 5 so I was always pushing to failure on the last two sets.