Slow Burn - Fred Hahn

[rhbrand]

I got the Slow Burn book years ago, but cause I didn't have a gym close, or a gym set up, I never really gave it a go.

I'm going to see if I can find my book and read it again. I've got a nice gym set up, and I bet I could actually do this method for a while.

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by rhbrand

I got the Slow Burn book years ago, but cause I didn't have a gym close, or a gym set up, I never really gave it a go.

I'm going to see if I can find my book and read it again. I've got a nice gym set up, and I bet I could actually do this method for a while.

If you need help or guidance let me know!

[Sybilizedliving]

I did my 4th SB workout on Sunday - 12 exercises, increased the weights on about 1/2 of them, max of 6 reps. In and out in less than 30 minutes. It was wonderful!

I don't have any DOMS but I do have some 'muscle/body awareness'....especially in my chest and legs. I am becoming a firm believer in the need for the longer recovery period.

How's everyone else doing?

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by Sybilizedliving

I did my 4th SB workout on Sunday - 12 exercises, increased the weights on about 1/2 of them, max of 6 reps. In and out in less than 30 minutes. It was wonderful!

I don't have any DOMS but I do have some 'muscle/body awareness'....especially in my chest and legs. I am becoming a firm believer in the need for the longer recovery period.

How's everyone else doing?

Great job! Recovery is key. 12 exercises is a lot so at least 3 days rest is needed.

Remember if you don't raise the weight, you don't improve. Even a mere pound increase is good. Form must be good however too. Really try to FEEL the muscles being worked.

Go Sybil!

[gharkness]

Glad you mentioned the form. I have noticed that I am not feeling the right muscles when I do the sit-down exercise (which may explain why I can't do very many of them). All the stress seems to be on the muscles on the top of my thigh. From reading the book, it seems like it should be the butt muscles.....what am I doing wrong?

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by gharkness

Glad you mentioned the form. I have noticed that I am not feeling the right muscles when I do the sit-down exercise (which may explain why I can't do very many of them). All the stress seems to be on the muscles on the top of my thigh. From reading the book, it seems like it should be the butt muscles.....what am I doing wrong?

You mean the squat?

[gharkness]

Originally Posted by Slow Burn

You mean the squat?

Yeah, sorry. I left my book at home, and I just couldn't remember the name. The exercise where you use the doorknob to steady, and sit down to, but not actually ON, a stool.

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by gharkness

Yeah, sorry. I left my book at home, and I just couldn't remember the name. The exercise where you use the doorknob to steady, and sit down to, but not actually ON, a stool.

Really try to feel the muscles of the hips and thighs as you do the exercise. Squeeze the hips as you rise from the bottom. Concentrate. Mind on the muscles!

[gharkness]

OK, I'll give it several more tries. It just seems to be exercising the wrong muscles. I'll concentrate :-)

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by gharkness

OK, I'll give it several more tries. It just seems to be exercising the wrong muscles. I'll concentrate :-)

You're not. You can't. But it does help to focus on the target.

[Silver Spice]

.

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by Silver Spice

.

Silver Spice -

Q: are you strength training?

[Sybilizedliving]

Today's Slow Burn workout (weights in kilos, 4-6 reps each exercise):

Quads-27
Hamstring-15
Smith squat-bar plus 2.5k
Lat pulldown-35
tricep pulldown-25
assisted pullup-75
Smith chest press-bar plus 5
lunge-body weight
2 leg press-200
single leg press-140
Lat pull back-25
Chest press to front-60
shoulder raises (to front and side)-4
BB bicep curl-15

20 minute HIIT on bike (5 warmup, 10 alternating 20 sec sprint/40 sec recovery, 5 minute cool down)

5k beach walk (totally unplanned - just a beautiful day!)

I struggled today and only made it to 5 reps on most exercises - not sure if it was physical or mental. I really tried to focus on form and speed rather than numbers.

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by Sybilizedliving

Today's Slow Burn workout (weights in kilos, 4-6 reps each exercise):

Quads-27
Hamstring-15
Smith squat-bar plus 2.5k
Lat pulldown-35
tricep pulldown-25
assisted pullup-75
Smith chest press-bar plus 5
lunge-body weight
2 leg press-200
single leg press-140
Lat pull back-25
Chest press to front-60
shoulder raises (to front and side)-4
BB bicep curl-15

20 minute HIIT on bike (5 warmup, 10 alternating 20 sec sprint/40 sec recovery, 5 minute cool down)

5k beach walk (totally unplanned - just a beautiful day!)

I struggled today and only made it to 5 reps on most exercises - not sure if it was physical or mental. I really tried to focus on form and speed rather than numbers.

Sybil - good workout. Now, skip the lunges, single leg press, 2 leg press, lat pull back and chest press to front. This is WAY overkill. One major exercise for each body part. Then get the heck out of dodge city!

5 reps is perfect if you were giving the 6th rep a gut busting effort but failed (succeeded). Add a half a kilo or a kilo to everything next workout.

You also do not need the HIIT stuff. Don't over exercise especially if you are over 40.

[Songwriter]

How does this work after you have done it for many years... I mean, you can't keep adding weight indefinitely and you can't grow muscle indefinitely. After years of lifting, once you max out the weight, does it matter that you don't forever keep adding more weight?

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by Songwriter

How does this work after you have done it for many years... I mean, you can't keep adding weight indefinitely and you can't grow muscle indefinitely. After years of lifting, once you max out the weight, does it matter that you don't forever keep adding more weight?

Great question. After a time, even adding a pound or two will decease your reps or set time to failure. It can take 4-5 bouts or more with the same weight before you get that extra rep or more time. So, progress continues but at a snails pace.

Once you hit 70+ years young or so you might see slow declines in strength but by then your losing strength that took years to build and so by the time to reach 100 you'll be as strong as an untrained 60 year old.

[BrianSCohen]

Originally Posted by Songwriter

How does this work after you have done it for many years... I mean, you can't keep adding weight indefinitely and you can't grow muscle indefinitely. After years of lifting, once you max out the weight, does it matter that you don't forever keep adding more weight?

When you start out you should find that you can add weight every workout. Over time you will stall (can't get all your reps, form breaks down). When this happens, you can repeat the same weight for several workouts. If you still cannot increase the weight, drop the weight 5-10% and try to increase the weights again to break through your stall. You can also start increasing the weights in smaller increments, some people even start to use microweights.

If you get to the point where you have stalled and reset multiple times on all your lifts, you will have now graduated to being an intermediate lifter. You can look in the mirror and wonder exactly who is looking back at you. If you compare before and after pictures, you will wonder whether it is the same person.

You can use a linear progression of weights for quite some time, perhaps even several years. Your goal is to always increase the weight, or increase the reps (or perform at a slower speed). You will have some bad days, but always keep that goal in your mind.

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by BrianSCohen

When you start out you should find that you can add weight every workout. Over time you will stall (can't get all your reps, form breaks down). When this happens, you can repeat the same weight for several workouts. If you still cannot increase the weight, drop the weight 5-10% and try to increase the weights again to break through your stall. You can also start increasing the weights in smaller increments, some people even start to use microweights.

If you get to the point where you have stalled and reset multiple times on all your lifts, you will have now graduated to being an intermediate lifter. You can look in the mirror and wonder exactly who is looking back at you. If you compare before and after pictures, you will wonder whether it is the same person.

You can use a linear progression of weights for quite some time, perhaps even several years. Your goal is to always increase the weight, or increase the reps (or perform at a slower speed). You will have some bad days, but always keep that goal in your mind.

I don't suggest lowering the weight unless your form requires fixing up.

[Sybilizedliving]

I'd gladly give up lunges and the leg presses....they KILL me! So, the quad and hamstring machines are better than body weight lunges?

And yeah....I'm 49 so I don't want to overtrain - but I also don't want to undertrain. Plus, for the first time in my life - I've come to enjoy physical exercise! As my friends say..."who'd a thunk it?"

Also, I feel like I'm neglecting my core (and actually have increased over an inch on my waist over the last couple months since I've backed away from daily cardio). Any suggestions for that? I'm thinking you'll say diet - which I've really cleaned up and cut (by about 200 calories) in the last couple weeks. Open for opinions.....

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by Sybilizedliving

I'd gladly give up lunges and the leg presses....they KILL me! So, the quad and hamstring machines are better than body weight lunges?

And yeah....I'm 49 so I don't want to overtrain - but I also don't want to undertrain. Plus, for the first time in my life - I've come to enjoy physical exercise! As my friends say..."who'd a thunk it?"

Also, I feel like I'm neglecting my core (and actually have increased over an inch on my waist over the last couple months since I've backed away from daily cardio). Any suggestions for that? I'm thinking you'll say diet - which I've really cleaned up and cut (by about 200 calories) in the last couple weeks. Open for opinions.....

Fat loss = low carb, more water, better sleep.

Too much exercise, especially cardio = accelerated aging, orthopedic injuries, hunger.

[Silver Spice]

Originally Posted by Slow Burn

Silver Spice -

Q: are you strength training?

As much as I need to, and want to, I'm having trouble. I have fibromyalgia and MFP and having trouble finding something I can tolerate without becoming bedridden afterwards.

I erased my comments because I was just feeling sorry for myself and posted something I later felt was not appropriate.

[Sybilizedliving]

Originally Posted by Slow Burn

Fat loss = low carb, more water, better sleep.

Too much exercise, especially cardio = accelerated aging, orthopedic injuries, hunger.

I hear you Fred.....even with low carb though (typically under 20 net carbs) the weight doesn't budge very quickly (you can see a chart on my blog - link below) so that's why I've becoming willing to look at the carbs AND calories (and drop my calories - even though it's been a real struggle to becoming willing to do this).

As far as sleep.....the ol' menopause has struck and this has led to a serious sleep problem for me the last 3-4 months. I'm throwing everything at it but if I get 5-6 hours, I'm very fortunate. I try to supplement that with an hour of meditation/nap each afternoon.

I'd say I typically consume about 2L H2O daily between water & unsweetened herbal tea.

Thanks again for your participation and opinions!

[inatic]

Originally Posted by Sybilizedliving

I'd gladly give up lunges and the leg presses....they KILL me! So, the quad and hamstring machines are better than body weight lunges?

And yeah....I'm 49 so I don't want to overtrain - but I also don't want to undertrain. Plus, for the first time in my life - I've come to enjoy physical exercise! As my friends say..."who'd a thunk it?"

Also, I feel like I'm neglecting my core (and actually have increased over an inch on my waist over the last couple months since I've backed away from daily cardio). Any suggestions for that? I'm thinking you'll say diet - which I've really cleaned up and cut (by about 200 calories) in the last couple weeks. Open for opinions.....

you're using machines.. compound movements work your core. I can't see how a quad and hamstring machine is superior to squatting and deadlifting pending no health issues or course.

[Sybilizedliving]

some machine work, some barbell work, some dumbell work......I'd say I have a pretty good mix at this point. I've been with a Personal Trainer for the last year and we keep mixing it up. My question was specifically about the quad/hamstring machines though.

I haven't done deadlifting at this point though. Will do some reading on it.

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by inatic

you're using machines.. compound movements work your core. I can't see how a quad and hamstring machine is superior to squatting and deadlifting pending no health issues or course.

A few things here to clarify...

The 'core,' as it is commonly referred to these days, is a group of muscles that surround the trunk. The major muscles of the core are (in no particular order):

Rectus abdominus
Obliques
Erector spinae

These muscles flex, extend and rotate the spine. The best exercises for these are: ab crunches or ab machine, lumbar extension using a good machine that anchors the pelvis, and torso rotation (MedX makes the best version of this. Sitting twists with a bar does not strengthen the spinal rotators.

While the squat and deadlift are good exercises if you can perform them safely, they do not address any of the aforementioned functions. Contrary to popular belief dead lifts do not strengthen the lower back muscles very well. Dead lifting is a hip extension movement not a spinal extension movement. The two functions are important but are quite different.

The isometric or static contractions of these core muscles while squatting and dead lifting do indeed contribute to core strength but very little.

Knee extension and knee flexion machines strengthen the quads and hamstrings. That's it. They are not better than anything else. They are what they are. I have met many strong people who could squat 300+ pounds for reps but were quite weak in knee flexion. It's a great exercise for the hammys. Knee extension is a compliment to squats or leg presses. You don't really need them if you're doing squats but they do allow for greater overall quad development.

[ChrisNTX]

Ah, the lovely core. Everyone has their own interpretation of what it is and what is does. Instead of thinking of the core as a few superficial trunk muscles, think of the core as pretty much everything except the arms and legs. Lats, pecs, abs and the deep intrinsic muscles all form the core and work together to manage movement.

The biggest issue I see going around is not necessarily the muscles per se, but what it does. I think it depends on what approach you take to your "core" training. Does one take an isolated muscular approach or a movement approach? Well that depends on what you think the core does...to create movement(which implies muscular strength) or stability(implies resisting or controlling movement).

More importantly which should someone be training...core stability/isometric conctraction or core strength?

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by ChrisNTX

Ah, the lovely core. Everyone has their own interpretation of what it is and what is does. Instead of thinking of the core as a few superficial trunk muscles, think of the core as pretty much everything except the arms and legs. Lats, pecs, abs and the deep intrinsic muscles all form the core and work together to manage movement.

The biggest issue I see going around is not necessarily the muscles per se, but what it does. I think it depends on what approach you take to your "core" training. Does one take an isolated muscular approach or a movement approach? Well that depends on what you think the core does...to create movement(which implies muscular strength) or stability(implies resisting or controlling movement).

More importantly which should someone be training...core stability/isometric conctraction or core strength?

Well truth be told we don't get to vote on what the core muscles or other muscle for that matter) do or how they function. All muscles have functions specific to themselves. Gray's Anatomy (not the TV show) will give you all the functions the muscles perform.

As the muscles become stronger through proper strength training, they function better - move better. To strengthen muscles in the best way possible, perform their specific function with an appropriate resistance for the correct time frame to deep fatigue.

For example, there is no better way to strengthen the abdominals than by performing by spinal flexion.

Specific tasks are just that - specific tasks. Swinging a baseball bat or a golf club cannot and will not strengthen the torso rotators better than a MedX torso rotation machine. It is a physical impossibility.

The biggest problem I see is people formulating and advocating all kinds of kooky exercises that have nothing at all to do with the safe and proper function of the muscles.

I hope that was clear. I have had a glass of wine...

[inatic]

why does one need to train to deep fatigue? Is that the same as failure. I've always been taught NOT to train to failure except in a few exceptions.

[Slow Burn]

Originally Posted by inatic

why does one need to train to deep fatigue? Is that the same as failure. I've always been taught NOT to train to failure except in a few exceptions.

Yes deep fatigue means to muscle failure.

Whoever taught you to not train to failure may have meant well, but he'she doesn't fully understand the theory of orderly recruitment of muscle fibers.

If you don't train to failure or darn close to it, you will not engage the fast twitch muscle fibers to a great enough degree. You will short change full development.

Fast and slow twitch do not refer to the fibers ability to move fast or slow - it refers to the fibers fatigue characteristics.

If you do a set of ten reps when you could indeed to 15 reps you definitely shortchange full muscular development. But when yo train this intensely, you need to train less often. 3X a week tops. 2 might be better. Single sets of each exercise are then all that is needed. Not one set per body part - one set of each exercise.

[ChrisNTX]

Originally Posted by Slow Burn

Well truth be told we don't get to vote on what the core muscles or other muscle for that matter) do or how they function. All muscles have functions specific to themselves. Gray's Anatomy (not the TV show) will give you all the functions the muscles perform.

As the muscles become stronger through proper strength training, they function better - move better. To strengthen muscles in the best way possible, perform their specific function with an appropriate resistance for the correct time frame to deep fatigue.

For example, there is no better way to strengthen the abdominals than by performing by spinal flexion.

Specific tasks are just that - specific tasks. Swinging a baseball bat or a golf club cannot and will not strengthen the torso rotators better than a MedX torso rotation machine. It is a physical impossibility.

The biggest problem I see is people formulating and advocating all kinds of kooky exercises that have nothing at all to do with the safe and proper function of the muscles.

I hope that was clear. I have had a glass of wine...

True, we don't get to vote on what muscles are considered the core or how they function, but we do have a choice on how we train them. Yes, muscles do have specific functions into themselves, but they don't function in isolation.

Performing a movement such as a deadlift is a great example of how the core is supposed to function as an integrated unit(rectus abdominus, erectors, tva, obliques,lats etc). The brain doesn't care about the rectus abd and spinal flexion or any other single muscle, all it cares about is maintaining proper biomechanics with good core stability/ movement management while the prime movers do their job.