Best High Intentesity exercise

out if interest why are you mixing a strength protocal: 5 x 5, with a conditioning protocal, what are you looking to acheive?

 

Admittedly my routine is very varied at the moment (pending a session with a PT later this week) and I'm just adding bits and bobs - I was told that 5x5 would see better results, and I was also told that the swings help with the benches (opposite movements)

I do 10 swings rather than 5 because 20kg is the heaviest KB the gym has - which is why I mentioned possibly using 2 to up the weight...

My gym goals are a mix of weight loss and improved endurace/stamina/cardio.

Weight Loss to drop a weight category in competitions (and potential cage funsies once my shodan is out of the way)

And improved cardio/endurance/stamina (general fitness) so that I'm in good enough shape that my shodan grading isn't limted by my fitness - unlike my 1st kyu grading where my fitness held me back - I don't want my fitness to be a limiting factor for my shodan...

(if you want more info on what I'm doing I'll PM you, don't want to take the thread too off topic =p)

 

You seem to have thought it all out, I was just wondering why you were mixing strength and endurance, normally it simply leads to bad improvements in both, but if you are not looking to really increase your strength then I can see the benefit of adding in the swings, have fun with the PT

 

If I'm doing something wrong, do feel free to correct me lol, I'm by no means an expert, and I'm quite new to the idea of hitting the gym with an actual goal.

My plan was to hit my target weight, increase the general fitness and then see where I go from there, quite possibly up the strength while maintaining weight (I'm pretty sure my target weight will still be above -10% body fat type thing - but I don't think I want to try and drop 2 weight classes lol)

 

I doubt swings help much with bench. As an example I do 50 swings with a 20kg for warmup, and was adding weight to the heaviest in my last gym taking it upto 10 swings with a 32kg. my bench was improving but think it was down to other exercises and lots of bench/db bench. T bar rows, Pendlay rows, one arm DB rows would balance out. I was told tricep pulldowns and hammer curls are good bench assistance exercises

 

honestly if you want to increase strength 5 x 5 is great, but to really push the numbers you need to rest between sets, doing light aerobic activity between shadow boxing etc can help recovery, but if strength is a goal id leave the swings/harder conditioning until the end of the workout or a seperate session, but thats just the powerlifter in me talking lol

 

wide grip bench is also a good exercise for raw lifters, as are shoulder presses, triceps are used more in geared benching, shouldrs and chest more in raw, its neither either or, its more a case of both but to differing degrees depending on if you bench raw or not

 

I noticed a definite difference in my Press Up ability following the swings in the Jujitsu class I was shown the KB exercises.

I'm still a bit on the fence if the swings are helping the benches or not, my weight has gone up, but thats probably because I've started following your advice with the 5x5's, rather than just because of the swings.

The advantage I do find with the swings is that the KB can be right next to the Bench bench, most of the other stuff is the other end of the gym and I'd end up having to wait between sets on each >_<

 

Whoops i apoloigse i thought you were doing bench and swings alternatly, i think i misread sorry! just ignore me!!

 

I am doing them alternately? I do 5 bench, 10 swings, 5 bench, 10 swings etc (thats alternately no?)

 

it is yep, so im not to embarrassed now lol

Honestly if you want strength gains do the 5 x 5, rest between each set then do the swings at the end

 

okies! thanks for that ^_^

 

your a machine

 

^ that's the wrong your/you're but thanks.

Check out my Training Log for today. Lots of HIIT and KBs
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1074715757&postcount=507