Re: Not much progress

[Guest guest]

>

> I did no other exercise during that time, apart from walking.

> The numbers on the BW scale crept up week on week but then I

> tested again with the dumbells after the three months were up

> using the same weight and found I had increased the reps in

> the lateral raise from 12 to 17, the forward raise from 9 to 13,

> curl 13 to 15 and overhead press from 14 to 19. My measurements

> were exactly the same.

Considering that you did no other exercise except walking, I would

say that your increase in reps is quite impressive (that is, if

the counts before the program were your max). That is, impressive

for the single isometric hold workout.

As for your measurements, were they only on your chest and upper

arm? How about your waist? If you were even a little on the obese

side before the program, then arm and chest measurements may not

change, and may even decrease. (I assume you wanted increases in

these measurements?) Were/are you on the obese side or the thin

side?

Some suggestions I would give (in case you're still not doing

them):

Go beyond the single isometric hold. The X5 chart shows that by

the fifth week, we should be able to proceed with the advanced

training: 6 no-hold reps plus 1 isometric hold for each movement.

The no-hold reps mimic isotonic exercise and contribute to gaining

muscle mass.

Watch your diet. If you want to lose fat, control your insulin

levels with diet. If you want to gain muscle, increase your

protein intake.

The 1980 Bullworker X5 manual gives a thorough program which

you can follow. You can download copies of it from the Files

section of this group, or you can read it starting at this

web page:

http://tinyurl.com/33kwvj

To your greater progress,

Gerry

[Guest guest]

You have already figured out part of the issue, reps vs strength

changes. Work for strength, test for reps. Bad Design.

Also, it depends on what BW exercises you did vs what movements you

are doing with the dumbell tests..

IE, If you did not work your deltoids in largely the same motion as

lateral raises, you should NOT have seen much improvement.

Exercise one set of muscles in one motion, test in another. Not the

best way to do it.

Lastly, % wise, what was the improvement in reps over what period of

time?

For example, in the lateral raise, you went from 9 to 13, or an

improvement of 4/9ths.

That is about 45%.

Not bad for 12 weeks of training.

>

> I'm 58 years old and though I used to train with light dumbells and

> do bodyweight exercises to keep fit, I'd done very little for a

> couple of years.

>

> Then three months ago I decided I needed to get back in shape.

First,

> I tested my strength with my old dumbells and measured my chest and

> upper arm and then followed the BW2 program religiously with an X5

> ie. training 5 days a week, isometrically for 7-10 seconds at 70%-

80%

>

> I did no other exercise during that time, apart from walking. The

> numbers on the BW scale crept up week on week but then I tested

again

> with the dumbells after the three months were up using the same

> weight and found I had increased the reps in the lateral raise from

> 12 to 17, the forward raise from 9 to 13, curl 13 to 15 and

overhead

> press from 14 to 19. My measurements were exactly the same.

>

> I realise in this rep range I may be testing endurance rather than

> strength but I was still a bit disappointed by the results and also

> surprised that my measurement didn't change.

>

> Any thoughts/suggestions/interpretations?

>

> Bob

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for all the help. To clarify:

I only measured my chest and upper arm relaxed. For the last couple

of months I've been watching my diet and have lost about a stone so

this could account for the measurements being about the same ie.

muscle gains being cancelled out by fat losses. I didn't take my

waist measurement at the beginning of this little experiment but my

trousers are slacker and my wedding ring has slipped off a couple of

times!

Plus, I come from a long line of stringy ish coalminers and have

never gained weight easily.

I take the point about testing what you have been practising so

considering I haven't actually been doing this, my results, as you

pointed out, aren't too bad.

Maybe I'll try some isotonic moves as suggested, for variety.

The most important thing is I definitely feel stronger and will carry

on with this test and keep you posted.

Bob

> > >

> > > I'm 58 years old and though I used to train with

> > light dumbells and

> > > do bodyweight exercises to keep fit, I'd done very

> > little for a

> > > couple of years.

> > >

> > > Then three months ago I decided I needed to get

> > back in shape.

> > First,

> > > I tested my strength with my old dumbells and

> > measured my chest and

> > > upper arm and then followed the BW2 program

> > religiously with an X5

> > > ie. training 5 days a week, isometrically for 7-10

> > seconds at 70%-

> > 80%

> > >

> > > I did no other exercise during that time, apart

> > from walking. The

> > > numbers on the BW scale crept up week on week but

> > then I tested

> > again

> > > with the dumbells after the three months were up

> > using the same

> > > weight and found I had increased the reps in the

> > lateral raise from

> > > 12 to 17, the forward raise from 9 to 13, curl 13

> > to 15 and

> > overhead

> > > press from 14 to 19. My measurements were exactly

> > the same.

> > >

> > > I realise in this rep range I may be testing

> > endurance rather than

> > > strength but I was still a bit disappointed by the

> > results and also

> > > surprised that my measurement didn't change.

> > >

> > > Any thoughts/suggestions/interpretations?

> > >

> > > Bob

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

If I take that you developed strength but not muscle mass then I would say you should not depend on just tape to monitor muscle increase. Use body fat scale instead of tape, which will give you an exact picture of what, is going on. I don’t know how accurate these scales are but when I measure my body fat first thing in the morning it gives me consistent result. You can use the following formula. Total body mass excluding fat = weight – (weight * % of body fat

/100) Here is an Example from my notes: Date: 31-Jan-2007 Weight: 182 Body fat%: 22 Date:

30-Apr-2007 Weight: 183 Body fat%: 21 Muscle mass gained = (183-(183*21/100))- (182-(182*22/100)) which is 2.5 lbs. Total body mass excluding fat is nothing but the weight of your bones and muscles. If you are over 20

only the muscle mass can increase. You can move more weight only with your muscle not with bones so if your strength is increased it should be through the muscles you have gained. I have seen the body fat scale reading fluctuates based on hydration level. --Kumarwhasamarra wrote: I'm 58 years old and though I used to train with light dumbells

and do bodyweight exercises to keep fit, I'd done very little for a couple of years. Then three months ago I decided I needed to get back in shape. First, I tested my strength with my old dumbells and measured my chest and upper arm and then followed the BW2 program religiously with an X5 ie. training 5 days a week, isometrically for 7-10 seconds at 70%-80% I did no other exercise during that time, apart from walking. The numbers on the BW scale crept up week on week but then I tested again with the dumbells after the three months were up using the same weight and found I had increased the reps in the lateral raise from 12 to 17, the forward raise from 9 to 13, curl 13 to 15 and overhead press from 14 to 19. My measurements were exactly the same.I realise in this rep range I may be testing endurance rather than strength but I was still a bit disappointed by the results and also surprised that my

measurement didn't change. Any thoughts/suggestions/interpretations?Bob

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