Franconian Beer Message Board

How much to weigh
Posted by Nick B. on 2017-04-15 07:12:50
"High intensity weight training" means focussing on working to exhaustion rather than a heavy weight. IOW, I lift lighter weights than I would if I were doing traditional weightlifting. And I do a set very long, with very slow, controlled motions. It combines cardiovascular training with strength training. The lower weights and slower motions involved (no swinging the dumbells around, rather, lifting/pushing/pulling them s-l-o-w-l-y, without using momentum) basically preclude the chance of injury. I know from experience, as I've injured myself slightly in the past.

So my sets tend to last 90 - 120 seconds, by the end of which I can not do another motion (rep) if I tried. And to be huffing and puffing, with pulse up towards 90% of theoretical maximum. Traditional weightlifting is to increase your weights so you can only do a few repititions. That's where the danger comes in.

I do equivalents of squats on a (German) machine.

The goal is increased muscle strength & mass, as it's medically proven that when it's greater, it increases your metabolism, and fends off problems associated with aging.

I've also learned that strength training leads to better fat loss than walking, hiking, jogging, or cycling does, through the greater metabolism of the muscle mass. And long term, such moderate / light exercise as those eventually drive muscle *loss*, which is an evil to be avoided at all costs. We humans lose muscle mass anyway after 30, and it accelerates after 50.
I used to think of my 90 minute slightly-hilly bike rides to the Bierkeller as enough exercise to warrant the resulting drinking. Nope, not really. I just got slightly fatter and fatter over the summer.

Anyway. Beer feels especially good on training days.