Nov. 23, 2011
Density Training
Chanhassen Boot Camp presents…
Density Training
We have a great month of new boot camp workouts locked and loaded for you this month at Look Great at the Lake Boot Camp
Each month, our team spends an inordinate amount of time researching and testing exercise variations and workout templates to best ensure that we bring the very best weight loss and fitness workouts your way each and every month.
Lots of other boot camps simply seek to just beat you down and get you tired with no rhyme or reason behind what they do. This results in limited results and lots of unwanted injuries. However, everything we do at Fitness Revolution is based on sound exercise science and battle-tested, in the trenches real world experience.
I’ve teamed up with BJ Gaddour of Workout Muse and a select handful of other top boot camp owners from around the country to design the very best and most cutting edge workouts possible for Look Great at the Lake Boot Camp and Look Great at the Lake Boot Camp ONLINE.
I have always felt that it’s important to know why you’re doing what you’re doing when it comes to fitness because it helps reinforce the implementation of the necessary habits to get into the best shape of your life. That’s why each month I provide this blog post – Method Behind the Madness – to briefly explain the incredible, cutting-edge interval training boot camp workouts coming your way this month…
DENSITY TRAINING
“Go hard or go home!” – this popular ego-boosting quote has been used by countless coaches, athletes and of course, hard-core gym rats all over the world. While it sounds cool for the serious trainee, it can be a bit scary when misunderstood by the general fitness enthusiast.
The reality is… it’s all relative. Our Chanhassen Boot Camp members understand this very well. What may be hard for one boot camp member may be really easy for another, and vice versa. The key to success is each boot camp member must train his/her hardest because training intensity is critical for stimulating muscle growth and maximizing fat loss to achieve that lean, sexy, athletic look – the number one goal for most of our boot camp members at Chanhassen Fitness Revolution.
To better understand this, we need to address another fact…
“You can either go hard or go long, but you can’t do both.”
Think about it… The harder and faster you drive your car the faster you’re going to empty the tank. There is only so much fuel available. This works exactly the same way when you exercise. You only have so much fuel (energy) available. The harder you workout the faster you’re going to run out of energy.
Unfortunately, most people trying to lose weight and get in shape are misinformed. They interpret “more is better” as “longer is better” so they do endless amounts of reps and sets or do bouts of long, slow, God-awful boring, cardio. But, they’re way off because studies show that the maximum training effect will occur in 30-45 minutes or less!
The truth is, the correct approach to exercise for weight loss is… “More work in the same period of time (or less) is better.”
While two workouts can be isocaloric, that doesn’t mean they’re isometabolic. Simply put, this means that just because two workouts burn the same number of calories (isocaloric) that doesn’t mean they’re going to have the same effect on your metabolism (isometabolic). This is where intensity comes into play and training harder is more beneficial for our goals than training longer. This is good news for those of us who are short on time….
Density Training
“Density” describes the amount of work completed in a certain period of time.
“Work” describes total training volume, which equals number of reps you perform for each exercise times the loads/exercise variations used to do so.
The more work you complete in the same amount of time the greater the density and the greater the metabolic effect – more muscle gain and more fat loss!
While the idea of density training has been around since Arnold’s day and we use different variations of it each month in our Chanhassen Boot Camp workouts, it has been recently brought back into the mainstream and taken to a whole new level by coach Charles Staley in his book “Muscle Logic.” Staley has popularized the concept of performing maximum rounds for time using repeated sets of sub-maximal effort vs. the more traditional approach of maximum effort (weight/reps) to failure.
|
Traditional Approach |
Density Training Approach |
|
Choose a weight you can perform for 10 reps maximum |
Choose a weight you can perform for 10 reps maximum |
|
Perform 10 reps |
Perform 5 reps |
|
Use a 4 second per rep tempo |
Use a 4 second per rep tempo |
|
Rest 2 minutes between sets |
Rest 30 seconds between sets (Note: required rest drops exponentially with decreased number of reps) |
|
3 total sets |
10 total sets |
|
Total Time = ~8 minutes |
Total Time = ~8 minutes |
|
Total Work Completed Assuming 100 pounds were lifted x 10 reps x 3 sets = 3000 pounds of total work |
Total Work Completed Assuming 50 pounds were lifted x 10 reps x 10 sets = 5000 pounds of total work |
As you can see, much more work is completed in the same given time with the Density Training Approach!
Let’s look at another approach where we make the total work completed the same:
|
Traditional Approach |
Density Training Approach |
|
Choose a weight you can perform for 10 reps maximum |
Choose a weight you can perform for 10 reps maximum |
|
Perform 10 reps |
Perform 5 reps |
|
Use a 4 second per rep tempo |
Use a 4 second per rep tempo |
|
Rest 2 minutes between sets |
Rest 30 seconds between sets (Note: required rest drops exponentially with decreased number of reps) |
|
3 total sets |
6 total sets |
|
Total Time = ~8 minutes |
Total Time = ~5 minutes |
|
Total Work Completed Assuming 100 pounds were lifted x 10 reps x 3 sets = 3000 pounds of total work |
Total Work Completed Assuming 50 pounds were lifted x 10 reps x 6 sets = 3000 pounds of total work |
As you can see, in the second example we did the same amount of work but it took us about 1/3 less time to complete. In a classic 5-exercise workout, we’re talking about shaving almost 15 minutes of total time off our training session!
We can compound the benefits of both these approaches when we perform alternating sets non-competing movements (supersets, trisets, circuits) like we do in our typical [boot camp name] class.
3 Unique Twists on Density Training
Let’s take a look at the workouts we’re going to perform this month…
Workout A: Escalating Density Circuit
Seek to maintain the same intensity (load/exercise variation) from cycle to cycle as the work periods get longer while the rest periods get shorter.
Cycle #1: 30-30 intervals
Cycle #2: 40-20 intervals
Cycle #3: 45-15 intervals
Cycle #4: 50-10 intervals
Station 1: Power Clean Variation
Station 2: 1-arm Rotational Chest Press Variation
Station 3: 1-arm Squat Row Variation
Station 4: Skier Swings Variation
Station 5: Band-Resisted Knee-in Variation
Workout B: Max Rounds for Time
Complete as many rounds as possible of each exercise (10 total reps per exercise) as you cycle through this 5-exercise circuit. Take rest as needed. Seek to increase the total number of rounds completed from week to week.
Station 1: Overhead Hand-to-Hand Pass Variation
Station 2: Pillar Pulldown Variation
Station 3: Sweeping Lateral Lunge Variation
Station 4: T Push-ups Variation
Station 5: Tuck Jump Variation
Workout C: Boxing Intervals – 3 minutes on, 1 minute off
Alternate between 3 minutes of work and 1 minute of rest. Take rest as needed. Seek to take less and less rest breaks during the work period from week to week with the goal of completing the entire 3 minutes of work with no rest. Perform 5 total rounds for a 20-minute workout.
Station 1: Jabs & Straights Variation
Station 2: Rear Elbow Strikes Variation
Station 3: Knee Smashes Variation
Station 4: Side Kicks Variation
Station 5: Roundhouse Kick Variation
Alternative Workout: We’ll be performing a very special “JAYME UNLEASHED” workout in our Chanhassen Boot Camp and our Online Boot Camp…
Final Thought
Density Training is one of those programs that simply has to work – it can’t fail…
The only way you can do more work in the same period of time (or less) is by your body adapting to the increased demand (i.e., increased muscle mass, strength and endurance and/or decreased body fat).
So, if you want to maximize results in the shortest period of time, density training is your answer – especially when your goal is building a lean, sexy physique that performs at the highest level…
Just remember, these workouts are not for the weak-minded. You have to be willing to push yourself to new limits each week. If you’re willing to do that, WATCH OUT… you’re going to be seeing some incredible changes in your physique this month!
HAVE FAITH & TAKE ACTION!
Justin Yule, BS, CPT
Justin Yule, BS, CPT is the owner of Fitness Revolution in Chanhassen, MN as well as the Director of Franchisee Support for Fitness Revolution International. Justin holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education with a Concentration in Adult Fitness. Justin is also a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, a Workout Muse Metabolic Training Expert, a Youth Fitness Specialist with the International Youth Conditioning Association, a Kettlebell Coach with Kettlebell Athletics, and a Resistance Band Training Specialist with PerforMax Performance Training. Justin has been helping clients achieve their health and fitness goals since 1997, and became a Best Selling Author in 2011 with his contribution to Total Body Breakthroughs. In addition, he has been nominated as one of the top Rising Stars in the Fitness Industry, and was featured in USA Today as a member of the World Fitness Elite. To contact Justin for training, education or to have him speak at an event please email Justin@justinyule.com.
P.S. – If you enjoyed this post please share it with your friends using the social media buttons below.
P.P.S. – Please ask a question or share a comment with us in the Leave a Comment section at the very bottom of the page. We love your feedback and will use it to develop future blog posts.
PLEASE CLICK THE “LIKE” BUTTON, POST A COMMENT AND SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS…
Powered by Facebook Comments
Posted in Boot Camp, Exercise, Method Behind the Madness, Weight Loss, Work Outs by |
