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Other/Mixed Training for Longevity

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
Especially if you don't have specific competitive athletic or occupational needs, I wouldn't worry about any of this fiber type business. Just train for what you want to get better at, what makes you feel good, and what you enjoy.

Unpopular opinion:

Internet fitness forums are full of people who spend more time debating fitness than exercising.

Many would gain more if their time allocations were reversed.

Do more, theory-craft less.
 
I seem to remember Pavel describing the difference between his training and his father's training.

Pavel preferred to train explosively, while Mr. Tsatsouline preferred to lift heavy.

If I remember the discussion correctly, he said something like: train fast or train heavy. Avoid the no man's land in between.

I, personally, like the idea of alternating between cycles of training to increase strength, and training through expressing power.

Will it work?
Only one way to find out.
 
Note: I'm not saying it's not useful or beneficial to have *some* power training.
I think it's good and necessary, absolutely. One only needs read "The Quick and the Dead" to learn why. But power training is less "accessible" than strength training, and Q&D makes the point that before starting it, one ought be, if we'll forgive a turn of a phrase, StrongFirst.

-S-
 
I train the Olympic lifts all year round.

The difference by season is whether I'm training them 1x-2x a week (like I do in a strength or hypertrophy block for the off-season) or 4x a week (as I'm doing now, in-season).

In-season training for me is January - May, so for 5 months of the year I'm training the Olympic lifts 4x week, which includes squats, too, but very little hypertrophy. And the power to strength work ratio is about 3:1 in-season.

Dedicated hypertrophy work is a 3 month block, but that's only 25% of the year (and still includes Olympic lifts a minimum of once a week); when I'm in-season, hypertrophy work is limited to 15 min at the end of 90-120 min weightlifting practice sessions.

If you add up the volume across the year, I do a lot more power work than strength work, and a lot more strength work than hypertrophy work.
Thanks for sharing, it is very good to see an advanced planning like this for me. Not that I need such an approach but to get educated.
 
Unpopular opinion:

Internet fitness forums are full of people who spend more time debating fitness than exercising.

Many would gain more if their time allocations were reversed.

Do more, theory-craft less.
You are right.
But not everyone can.
If I try to do more - my joints and my body in general will disagree. I am not lazy - I know that for a fact.
 
That capacity only comes with long years of training… If I follow a decent hypertrophy protocol, almost nothing left to do anything except correctives and mobility.

Yeah; I first learned crew in university.

I've been doing it recreationally as an adult for 12 years.
 
I seem to remember Pavel describing the difference between his training and his father's training.

Pavel preferred to train explosively, while Mr. Tsatsouline preferred to lift heavy.

If I remember the discussion correctly, he said something like: train fast or train heavy. Avoid the no man's land in between.

I, personally, like the idea of alternating between cycles of training to increase strength, and training through expressing power.

Will it work?
Only one way to find out.

But the data now is that there really isn't a no-man's land.

Anything in the 5-30 rep range that is driven to within 2 reps or so of failure can stimulate hypertrophy.
 
--Power training isn't very good for hypertrophy
I think some of the studies on cluster training have indicated hypertrophy can come close if the density of the work is similar. I think one of the studies showed similar hypertrophy from 4x10 with 2min rest and 8x5 with 1min rest. The difference was the power increase was better with 8x5. The inverse juggernaut method prescribes similar for the hypertrophy block also.

I think they were all done with powerlifting lifts though and I'm curious if you have any experience or thoughts using density clusters with weightlifting lifts for hypertrophy?
 
I think some of the studies on cluster training have indicated hypertrophy can come close if the density of the work is similar. I think one of the studies showed similar hypertrophy from 4x10 with 2min rest and 8x5 with 1min rest. The difference was the power increase was better with 8x5. The inverse juggernaut method prescribes similar for the hypertrophy block also.

I think they were all done with powerlifting lifts though and I'm curious if you have any experience or thoughts using density clusters with weightlifting lifts for hypertrophy?


I don't like the idea of density clusters for the Olympic lifts because fatigue causes form to go to hell and then you get a lot of crappy form lifts at light weights and you're not really training max power anymore. You're doing a Crossfit metcon.

I never do it for reasons of technique pollution.

I have done ballistic density work with double KBs, though.

But I didn't think it was anything radical. IMHO, hypertrophy is mostly about getting enough hard sets in (however you like to do that) to stimulate growth, and then having a sleep surplus and a mild caloric surplus.

People focusing all their energy on finding the right exercise are sort of missing the bigger picture about rest and calories.
 
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I never do it for reasons of technique pollution.
I like the phase "technique pollution"

The idea behind clusters is to reduce technique pollution. By density, I only mean getting the same volume in the same time. For weightlifting could a person do singles with enough rest to have good technique but short enough rest to signal hypertrophy? I guess it would basically be like the C&J best training method article?
 
I like the phase "technique pollution"

The idea behind clusters is to reduce technique pollution. By density, I only mean getting the same volume in the same time. For weightlifting could a person do singles with enough rest to have good technique but short enough rest to signal hypertrophy? I guess it would basically be like the C&J best training method article?

Why bother?

Shortening the rest cycles will just gimp your power output and defeat the purpose of why you're training weightlifting in the first place, i.e. to maximize your total.
 
IMHO, hypertrophy is mostly about getting enough hard sets in (however you like to do that) to stimulate growth, and then having a sleep surplus and a mild caloric surplus.
That is a very good summary for Hypertrophy protocol. If you may, I might throw in my two cents and anybody can disagree and correct me, to take it one level down to detail. “Repeat, as often as you can” ( and this IMHO, summarizes the frequency and split and volume questions briefly) please express your disagreement, I don’t want to be the person who ruins this beautiful summary :)
 
That is a very good summary for Hypertrophy protocol. If you may, I might throw in my two cents and anybody can disagree and correct me, to take it one level down to detail. “Repeat, as often as you can” ( and this IMHO, summarizes the frequency and split and volume questions briefly) please express your disagreement, I don’t want to be the person who ruins this beautiful summary :)

There is a behavioral problem with "as often as you can".

I've seen people interpret that to mean "with as few days off as possible", which isn't good.

Muscles grow during recovery, not in the gym.
 
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