Workout Q'n'A

"If what you are doing is not moving you toward your goals, then it's moving you away from your goals." - Brian Tracy

Q: Should I do intervals before weights?

Answer:
No.

If you go in that order, you will be too tired to perform your strength training well enough to make maximum changes in your body.

Do strength training before intervals. I can't think of a situation where you should do the reverse.


Q: I've read that I should be able to do the same weight for rows and chest presses. If I can't, does that mean I have a muscle imbalance?

Answer:
You can't expect to row the same weight as you bench. The reason you bench more is because your body is supported. It's not because of muscle imbalances.

It's difficult to compare your bench press weight and your barbell row poundages due to the nature of the movements. Same with the DB press and DB row.A better way to assess your program balance is to take a look at the number of exercises, sets, and reps that you do for pushing and pulling.

If you do nothing but chest presses and pulldowns, then you run a greater risk of shoulder injury. Instead, you should include a variety of rowing exercises (using different grips and methods of resistance) in your weekly workout plan.

For example, inverted bodyweight rows should be a staple in everyone's program - whether as a warm-up exercise or main workout exercise. DB rows, wide-grip seated rows, and barbell rows are just 3 of the many row exercises you could use.Of course, I like to think that I do a darn good job of balancing the pushes and the pulls in your TT workouts.

Q: Craig, are there any studies out there that shows that a body weight circuit like the one in your DB-BW manual can increase VO2max?

Answer:
Not that I know of, but resistance training can increase VO2 (a measure of aerobic fitness). So, it wouldn't surprise me if the bodyweight circuits can also increase your aerobic fitnessObviously, the less fit you are, the greater your chance of increasing your aerobic fitness using any method of exercise.Take note, interval training can greatly increase aerobic fitness (you don't need to do long cardio to increase your fitness, or fat loss, but you knew that).

Interval training increases aerobic fitness by increasing the aerobic metabolism enzymes in the muscle (peripheral factors), rather than increasing the performance of your central factors (heart, lungs). So if you did some bodyweight intervals that provided enough of a training response to overload the enzymes of the muscle, then yes, you could increase your aerobic fitness that way.

Long story, but yes it is possible. But would bodyweight circuits increase Lance Armstrongs VO2, I doubt it.

NOTE: Oct. 31st is your last day to get this workout.
Click HERE for the DB-BW Fusion Fat Loss Workout

Q: Can I use your TT for Mass at home with only dumbbells?

Answer:
No, sorry, any of the Mass or Muscle programs needs barbells and cable rowing stations.I will try and put together a TT for Mass program that can be done at home with only dumbbells, but right now, not sure if i have what you need.Sorry.

Another NOTE: Oct. 31st is the last day you can get the TT for Muscle 8-Week Muscle-Building Workout HERE.

Q: I've been running 4-5 days per week for a while now, mostly easy runs of 30-60 minutes. I'm very interested in trying the TT workouts because they seem to get a lot done in a short amount of time and with minimal equipment. However, I'm not sure how to combine them with my running.Should I still do the interval workouts after each strength workout, or maybe just do the strength portions alone along with my running? I'm thinking that 4-5 days of running with an additional 3 interval cardio workouts would be way too much for me.Any advice? Thanks.

Answer:
First, there are many ways you can structure this, it depends on a) The fat loss goals you haveb) Your fat loss response to interval training vs. aerobic trainingSince most people that use TT do so because they don't have a lot of time to exercise, I prefer to stick to the interval training done either after the strength workout, or on alternating days.

Intervals are more effective than slow cardio for fat loss. So unless you really, really, really need or want to do the longer runs on your off days, stick with the interval workouts.

Q: I don't have Olympic bars at my gym. Would you ever recommend sometimes using the Smith for any exercises (Squats, Split Squats, Bench Press) to switch things up or do you believe that dumbbells are always superior?

Answer:
Split squats are fine, every other exercise you mention is much better when done with a dumbbell.

Keep it simple,
CB

P.S. The September & October monthly programs are going, going, gone...
To the Member's section.

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Ji Jin Lim

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