This one follows up in the same style as what I have done with 2 previous articles to compare on Arms Training and Creatine. But with a different bodypart and a training method for benchpress called Myorepping, that I came to learn recently, from the youtube channel Renaissance Periodization.
What's the point? Like so many other training methods, often it is about slotting in a quick workout with the least amount of time involved. I have been experimenting with dropsets, supersets and trisets, the last of which is also a part of my current chest workout at the gym but based on bodyweight exercises as the finisher with the Round The World triples of Pullup, Dips and Push
Quick cap of MyoReps Not going into too much details here as it can be read up or watched with a search or the links above.
- Use a weight/ load that is approx 40-60% of your 1RM (1 Rep Max)
- Hit first set to 1-2 reps short of failure, rest 15-30 secs and continue repping out about half of the first set. repeat 4-5 times until last set is a rep shy of the last few or thereabout
for
- Quality volume
- Time saving
- Adding challenge to training-depth
So as it can be seen from the table above-- my specific Chest days with weights are pretty simple. I might add flies later on but for now based on post exercise fatigue and energy level and corresponding strength increase, it's is quite effective for me until time comes for further changes/ add-on.
KISS... Keep It Simple & Stupid. Very often we fall into the trap of being overly complex and adding on more and more stuff. I'm gravitating back to old school mentality for resistance training. Fundamentals is key and all it takes is 2-4 exercises... but just have to do it with sufficient intensity/ volume. HIT IT and hit them all hard--- Balls-to-the-Walls!
But why are your gaps in between training so long?
Ah... of course this is not all-- my daily (mainly) bodyweight workouts are all part of the equation... Remember, push, pull, dip, squats and more are still my daily go-to.
First column, 5th Oct 2023 of the comparison above is a little off. Had to wait for the bench press station to be vacated and did a number of machine press to kill time. Which in the calculations below kinda skewed things. Hence I'm concentrating on the difference between the second and third workout.
 |
"Analysis" Pullovers are not added into the numbers here as this is an auxillary exercise to stretch and open up the pecs and shoulders from all the pressing motions... consider it more as a mobility exercise-- and a damn effective one if you have shoulder issues like me.
Kgf exerted is based on the reps per exercise x weight lifted and for bodyweight exercises is based on fraction of bodyweight per bottom of table.
Again similar to the Arms comparison articles there is no perfect way to evaluate the actual load/ effort of each exercise. Everything's done according to my best guess estimate/ and simplistic formula.
It felt tougher yesterday than the previous session and thought maybe I was a little off. However, looking at the numbers now.. indeed the workout was of a higher intensity due to some pre-exhaustion, knocking out 35 Elbow Dips while walking to the gym.
Benchpress and Dumbbell Press were +/- about the same on both days. But I was pushing on with the finisher 5x triset of Round The World (RTW) harder yesterday... Effort and failure point also indicate these were slightly stronger yesterday. Although that wasn't how it felt...I felt weaker when doing it
Hence another thing about noting down all these data is it gives a much more "objective" view instead of relying on memory from gut feeling. Imagine trying to track all these from memory two weeks later!
Conclusion? Not enough data for now but myorepping + triset combo seems to be working so far in my Chest program. On average I'm in and out of the gym in an hour-ish. On the myorepping itself-- still trying to workout and optimize and the load/ sets and reps to be used. Not sure if I'm exactly doing it right and will warrant some further reading up on the topic and examples from others..
Together with training arms at the gym and this-- strength and size has definitely been on the increase the past 2 months (given that my daily bodyweight resistance training is treated as a constant with slow progressive increases by now). Next will need to program my back and legs gym day training for a more complete and structured approach
Shoulders?-- Still working on mobility and will be going with more shoulder specific bodyweight exercises like skull crusher and pike pushups first. One thing at a time... too many areas, too little time.