1st powerlifting comp

[sanjuro_ronin]

When you're lifting heavy, you need the long rest periods(upwards of 5 minutes) in order to get your next set finished.

That's the thing. Every time you go in to the gym you're lifts should be trying for a new personal record at 5 reps. It should be that hard.

I do the 5x5 with 60 seconds between sets.
With 5 min rests I would spend half an hour on just one exercise and I don't have the schedule for it.
Heck, a 5 min rest would make me have to warm up all over again, LOL !!

[Frost]

I do the 5x5 with 60 seconds between sets.
With 5 min rests I would spend half an hour on just one exercise and I don't have the schedule for it.
Heck, a 5 min rest would make me have to warm up all over again, LOL !!

i normally rest when spotting for others, which means nice long rests when the gyms full, and fing fast workouts when theres only a few of us

[JamesC]

I do the 5x5 with 60 seconds between sets.
With 5 min rests I would spend half an hour on just one exercise and I don't have the schedule for it.
Heck, a 5 min rest would make me have to warm up all over again, LOL !!

If you can do that, sure.

I'd be more than a little scared to only rest 60 seconds when i'm doing a PR every workout without a spotter. Doesn't seem safe.

[JamesC]

Looked this up for you today Sanjuro.

This is an exerpt from "Practical Programming for Strength Training; Second Edition" by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore.

"Rest Between Sets

The time between sets is an important variable in workout configuration. Several exercise organizations recommend 30 seconds to 2 minutes between sets. This also varies with the goal of the training program. If strength gains are the primary training objective, rests of greater than 2 minutes are not only okay but necessary. While partial recovery from anaerobic exercise is rapid (50% of ATP/CP stores recover in 3 to 5 seconds), complete recovery doesn't occur for three to seven minutes, depending on several individual factors such as the intensity of the set, the fatigue and nutritional status of the lifter, as well as the trainee's age, the temperature of the facility, and injury status. Competitive strength and power athletes are often instructed to use rests of much greater than two minutes. In contrast, if muscle hypertrophy is the only concern, rests of 45 seconds or less are best. There seems to be a link (although not necessarily a causal relationship) between lactic acid production from resistance exercise, hormonal status, and increases in muscle mass. Between-set rests of about 45 seconds would be optimal in maintaining this relationship. If a training regimen is undertaken to increase muscular endurance, very little, if any, rest should be taken between the sets of different exercises."

Emphasis mine.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, in essence, if you're wanting to get into competitive strength training, you really should increase your rest times for optimal recovery for work sets.

Just some reading FYI. These two guys really know what they're talking about when it comes to strength training.

[YouKnowWho]

My teacher always said, "You should dominate the weight and don't let the weight to dominate you". He told me that there was a weight bar in his teacher's house. It was so heavy that everytime he saw it, he hated it. He also said that if I don't "enjoy" my work out, I may quit someday.

I don't work on heavy weight any more. I find the right amount of weight that make me feel challenge but still love to do it. I spend 3 hours and 3 times a week just on weight. As long as I can't find any fat on my body, that's good enough for me.

I still run 4 miles 3 times a week. Also I no longer care about my speed but enjoy the scenario along my jocking track.

[JamesC]

Heavy weight is more mental than physical, like Frost was saying. That's one of the best parts, though. You get stronger mentally as well as physically.

"If you want to get strong, do hard sh1t."

[YouKnowWho]

Will you still enjoy of doing it when you are 80 years old? What's the value that oneday you just quit what you are doing and never pick up weight again. I'm talking about life long commitment here and not just get excited about it of a short period of time. I have seen so many people got excited about weight training, push themselves to the limit, quite several years later, and then move into something else.

Another attitude that's also important is don't get total exhausted. You stop when your body still want to do more. This way, you will always look forward to your next day training session.

Try to "enjoy" while you are doing it is a very important attitude in TCMA training. You train because you "love" to do it and not because you "have" to do it. That's the Chinese way to look at weight training anyway. I have trained weight for the past 40 years and still "enjoy" of doing it. I must be doing something right.

[JamesC]

I never said you were doing anything wrong John.

There are different reasons for lifting weight, though. Just like anything else, there's a myriad of reasons for wanting to lift heavy.

A personal challenge, competition, increasing strength, etc.

Just because you stop lifting heavy one day doesn't you mean you stop lifting entirely. You can switch to a different program more suited to your needs. Endurance, size, specific exercises, sport-oriented lifting.

Just like in martial arts, your intentions can change over time. Heavy lifting is undoubtedly a young man's endeavor(to an extent, although they do have Masters lifting), but lifting is something you can do until the day you die.

Just ask Jack Lalanne.

[YouKnowWho]

Heavy lifting is undoubtedly a young man's endeavor.

I still have a huge rock that I used to lift that sits next to my driveway. After my wife had some spinal disk damage that's irreversible (she wrestled with a strong guy), I no longer play with that rock.

It's always good to be young.

[Frost]

one of my coaches is in his 70's beat cancer and still benches over body weight deadlifts over twice bodyweight and has been in the game for half a century, my other coach is 60 and recently deadlifted over 600 pounds in competition, just saying for some its a lifelong thing just as martial arts is for others

[IronFist]

Heavy lifting is undoubtedly a young man's endeavor

Disagree.

I think some of the world records are held by guys in their 40s (unless that's what you meant by "young").

but lifting is something you can do until the day you die.

Agreed.

And even so, it's about being stronger than you would otherwise be. A guy in this 50s who still lifts might not be as strong as he was when he was lifting in his 30s, but he's still stronger than he would be if he didn't lift.

At the end of the day, it's about competing with and improving yourself.

[JamesC]

I didn't mean that you can't lift heavy when you're older, only that it seems to be MOSTLY young guys that are even interested in it.

Besides, I DID mention the Masters division.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Looked this up for you today Sanjuro.

This is an exerpt from "Practical Programming for Strength Training; Second Edition" by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore.

"Rest Between Sets

The time between sets is an important variable in workout configuration. Several exercise organizations recommend 30 seconds to 2 minutes between sets. This also varies with the goal of the training program. If strength gains are the primary training objective, rests of greater than 2 minutes are not only okay but necessary. While partial recovery from anaerobic exercise is rapid (50% of ATP/CP stores recover in 3 to 5 seconds), complete recovery doesn't occur for three to seven minutes, depending on several individual factors such as the intensity of the set, the fatigue and nutritional status of the lifter, as well as the trainee's age, the temperature of the facility, and injury status. Competitive strength and power athletes are often instructed to use rests of much greater than two minutes. In contrast, if muscle hypertrophy is the only concern, rests of 45 seconds or less are best. There seems to be a link (although not necessarily a causal relationship) between lactic acid production from resistance exercise, hormonal status, and increases in muscle mass. Between-set rests of about 45 seconds would be optimal in maintaining this relationship. If a training regimen is undertaken to increase muscular endurance, very little, if any, rest should be taken between the sets of different exercises."

Emphasis mine.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, in essence, if you're wanting to get into competitive strength training, you really should increase your rest times for optimal recovery for work sets.

Just some reading FYI. These two guys really know what they're talking about when it comes to strength training.

Thanks dude

[JamesC]

No prob. Can't recommend that book enough. Should be a staple in every serious lifter's library.

[donbdc]

Another great book on power lifting!
http://www.dragondoor.com/shop-by-department/books/b37/

Purposefully Primative by Marty Gallagher. Lots of great stories from the legends and their training strategies.

Don Berry