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Other/Mixed Strength + Walking?

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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Georgiaoutdoors

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Any thoughts on walking during long rests in between strength sets? I’m not a purist/specialist, so I like to develop good all around fitness and was wondering about this combo. Any thoughts on walking on a treadmill during long rests between sets? I have a treadmill at home and can do heavy sets of kb presses, weighted pull-ups, pistols or single leg dead lifts. Any thoughts?
 
Any thoughts on walking during long rests in between strength sets? I’m not a purist/specialist, so I like to develop good all around fitness and was wondering about this combo. Any thoughts on walking on a treadmill during long rests between sets? I have a treadmill at home and can do heavy sets of kb presses, weighted pull-ups, pistols or single leg dead lifts. Any thoughts?

Pavel has always advocated active rest, shadowboxing, moving and releasing tension so I don't see why not. Just not at a fast past. The key would be to pay attention to your breathing and talk test to evaluate recovery. Another option would be passive rest for one min then walk.
 
For cardiovascular fitness, you need to be in the right HR range (180 - age is a rough formula) for long enough (30+ minutes, but I think there's some evidence you could break this up into smaller chunks - relevant for you).

If you're in even somewhat decent shape, walking won't get you there. You'll need to do something more intense, like running.

Also, you don't want to go too high in HR, because then you lose the specific adaptations you want for building cardiovascular fitness.

Strength work will definitely push you over that edge, but I'm not sure if doing - for example - a run, and every 5 minutes stopping to do a set of pistols would stop your body from getting the right adaptations still. At least, I'm not aware of any reasons why it wouldn't work, as long as you mostly stay in the target HR range.
 
Any thoughts on walking during long rests in between strength sets? I’m not a purist/specialist, so I like to develop good all around fitness and was wondering about this combo. Any thoughts on walking on a treadmill during long rests between sets? I have a treadmill at home and can do heavy sets of kb presses, weighted pull-ups, pistols or single leg dead lifts. Any thoughts?

The purpose of long rests between strength sets is recovery. A walk for "fitness" isn't the same as a walk for recovery.

As an aside, for me a treadmill isn't a walk, it's a session on a treadmill. Getting outside is park of the restorative nature of walking.

If you're looking to have it all, consider @Brett Jones' recently released Iron Cardio.

-S-
 
For cardiovascular fitness, you need to be in the right HR range (180 - age is a rough formula) for long enough (30+ minutes, but I think there's some evidence you could break this up into smaller chunks - relevant for you).
High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT

This method has been demonstrated to increase anaerobic and aerobic capacity at the same time; which is a Paradox.

"The moderate-intensity endurance training program produced a significant increase in V02max (about 10%), but had no effect on anaerobic capacity. The high-intensity intermittent protocol improved V02max by about 14%; anaerobic capacity increased by a whopping 28%." Source: Forget the Fat-Burn Zone

Dr Jamie Timmons HIIT Protocol

A HIIT Session of three 20 Second Sprints with approximately 2 Minutes of Active Recovery between Sprint is shown to elicit Cardivascular Fitness.

The Timmons' Protocol is 10 Minutes Total.

The Tabata Protocol

This is a Total of 4 Minutes composed of...

1) 20 Second Sprints

2) 10 Seconds of Rest

This cycle is completed after 8 Sets, which totals 4 Minutes.

Heart Rate Max with HIIT

With these HIIT Training Sessions and others, Heart Rate Max reach 90% of Heart Rate Max area or higher.

Karvonen Heart Rate Max Formula

This method is more precise in determining each individuals Heart Rate Training Zone; it is customized just for you.

The link above provide a information on it and a calculator to determine to customize it for each individual.\

30 Minutes of Cardio

While this will work. It is unnecessary to perform a 30 Minutes. \

,,,you don't want to go too high in HR, because then you lose the specific adaptations you want for building cardiovascular fitness.

Research

Reseach on HIIT has demonstrated that pushing Heart Rate into the 90% plus area with short Sprint Intervals is effective for increasing Cardiovascular Fitness.

HIIT is essentially "Strength Training" for your Heart and Lungs.
 
Any thoughts on walking during long rests in between strength sets? I’m not a purist/specialist, so I like to develop good all around fitness and was wondering about this combo. Any thoughts on walking on a treadmill during long rests between sets? I have a treadmill at home and can do heavy sets of kb presses, weighted pull-ups, pistols or single leg dead lifts. Any thoughts?

Active Recover

As guardian7 noted, it will slightly increase recover for you between your Reistance Training.

A walk for "fitness" isn't the same as a walk for recovery.

Recovery and Fitness Walks

As Steve stated, walking between Resistance Training Sets isn't going to do much for your Cardiovascular Fitness.

...consider @Brett Jones' recently released Iron Cardio.

Iron Cardio

Brett's book falls into "High Intensity Interval Resistance Training, HIIRT".

It's amount to a High Intensity Cardio Sprint Training, only with Resistance (weights).

High Intensity Interval Resistance Training elicits the same Training Effect; increasing anaerboic and aerobic capacity.

HIIRT metaphoically speaking, amount to, "Buy One, Get One Free". You get the best of both worlds.
 
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Iron Cardio

Brett's book falls into "High Intensity Interval Resistance Training, HIIRT".

It's amount to a High Intensity Cardio Sprint Training, only with Resistance (weights).

High Intensity Interval Resistance Training elicits the same Training Effect; increasing anaerboic and aerobic capacity.

HIIRT metaphoically speaking, amount to, "Buy One, Get One Free". You get the best of both worlds.
I didn't know that when I started, but this was exactly what happened to me.

I went from a max strict press of 32kg x15 to 40kg x2 strict press reps.
And, I was carrying the same growing toddler ~16kg in excess of - 2x the distance and time of any previous time.

For between 3-4 months, I was using 32kg strict press, 40kg Jerks, and 40kg push presses, and finally graduated to 40kg strict presses being able to do 2 reps R, and 1 rep L.

this was without any supplemental walking of any sort.
only 10-20 minutes of Iron cardio 3-5 days/week over about 100 days.
 
Any thoughts on walking during long rests in between strength sets? I’m not a purist/specialist, so I like to develop good all around fitness and was wondering about this combo. Any thoughts on walking on a treadmill during long rests between sets? I have a treadmill at home and can do heavy sets of kb presses, weighted pull-ups, pistols or single leg dead lifts. Any thoughts?
By all means do it. I walk a lap around our patio after each set I do with any of my kettlebell or bodyweight lifts.
 
Any thoughts on walking during long rests in between strength sets? I’m not a purist/specialist, so I like to develop good all around fitness and was wondering about this combo. Any thoughts on walking on a treadmill during long rests between sets? I have a treadmill at home and can do heavy sets of kb presses, weighted pull-ups, pistols or single leg dead lifts. Any thoughts?
I think it can have it's benefit. I like to walk around while getting my heart rate down or just to keep moving. I also try to loosen my arms as I do to keep myself loose and ready for the next set once my heart is at my desired rate. One nice thing with a treadmill is being able to adjust your stride. What I mean by that is maybe walk normally once, then on the next one try the same treadmill speed, but slow your walk so it forces long strides. I'm a short dude (5'7") and so I used that technique to train my stride when I was new in the Army. That way I wasn't taking two steps to every one of the tall guys, as we were carrying ridiculous weight. You can also try lateral movements thrown in, as well as farmer carries.
It's a tool and you have it, so...
 
Any thoughts on walking during long rests in between strength sets? I’m not a purist/specialist, so I like to develop good all around fitness and was wondering about this combo. Any thoughts on walking on a treadmill during long rests between sets? I have a treadmill at home and can do heavy sets of kb presses, weighted pull-ups, pistols or single leg dead lifts. Any thoughts?

I can't quantify it but I do a few minutes of treadmill walking after a deadlift session and it definitely helps with recovery.
 
High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT

This method has been demonstrated to increase anaerobic and aerobic capacity at the same time; which is a Paradox.

"The moderate-intensity endurance training program produced a significant increase in V02max (about 10%), but had no effect on anaerobic capacity. The high-intensity intermittent protocol improved V02max by about 14%; anaerobic capacity increased by a whopping 28%." Source: Forget the Fat-Burn Zone

30 Minutes of Cardio

While this will work. It is unnecessary to perform a 30 Minutes. \

Research

Reseach on HIIT has demonstrated that pushing Heart Rate into the 90% plus area with short Sprint Intervals is effective for increasing Cardiovascular Fitness.

HIIT is essentially "Strength Training" for your Heart and Lungs.
While some of that is true, it is only half the puzzle, not to mention hugely misleading and taken out of context the way you presented it.

It is really, really important to understand the underlying mechanisms of why HIIT simply isn't the end-all-be-all for cardiovascular training.

As far as your heart is concerned, the two main adaptations it has in response to exercise are:
  • increased ejection fraction (% of blood in your heart that gets pumped out in one beat)
  • increased ventricular chamber volume (how much blood your heart holds)
In order to increase the ventricular volume, you have to put a full stretch on the ventricles. That means you need full ventricular filling. There's a known HR range where this happens: 110 BPM to 150 BPM. This is known as the "zone of linearity," and it is called that because there is basically a perfectly linear increase in the cardiac output.

Here's what that means: below this rate, the ventricles have not been fully stretched out because blood is not falling into the ventricles fast enough to do so. We just aren't pumping the blood fast enough through the body, because we don't HAVE to yet. Every extra beat per minute is causing more blood to move, which is increasing the amount of blood entering the heart per second, which is increasing the amount of blood in the ventricle.

So, from resting heart rate up to about 110 BPM, every increase of one BPM (say 94 BPM to 95 BPM) actually adds a little MORE blood to circulation than the last. This is not a linear increase, because each increment of 1BPM does not add the same amount as the last.

From 110BPM to 150BPM, every beat of the heart adds a nearly identical amount of blood to the cardiac output, because the ventricles are already fully stretched. You're just getting one extra beat of a full ventricle with each 1 BPM increase within this range. This is the optimal range for stretching the ventricles.

Now, once we get past 150 BPM we are actually requiring the heart to beat just a bit BEFORE the ventricle is completely stretched out. This still gives us more blood flow at 180 BPM than we had at 150 BPM, but we are not stretching the ventricles anymore (which means this heart rate range will NOT increase ventricular filling volume) and each 1 BPM increase within this range actually reduces the amount of blood we move per beat because the ventricle is less full. The total blood flow per minute will increase, but the blood per stroke will actually decrease.

According to the research I'm familiar with, it takes at least a 30-minute session in that 110-150 zone to noticeably increase volume. Basically - long, slow distance (LSD).

So, what does that mean for HIIT in terms of getting a heart that can hold more blood?

If your intervals don't take you above 150 BPM, or if your heart rate stays at 110-150 BPM for the majority of the time then congratulations! Your intervals will absolutely stretch your ventricles quite effectively. But then again, that's not HIIT. ;)

Now, HIIT does have a place in training.

High-intensity training absolutely DOES increase stroke volume. One thing that is a guarantee is that you will be increasing ejection fraction by increasing the contractility of the heart, which is essentially training it to squeeze harder (indeed, "strength training for your heart"). This forces a higher percentage of the blood out with each beat, up to around 90%.

This is a much faster adaptation to achieve than stretching the ventricles because it is changing communication... not actual physical dimensions (for the most part). Over time you WILL develop thicker muscle around the ventricles as well, but that doesn't increase the amount of blood they will hold.

HIIT is also important because it increases your body's ability to process lactate.

OK, now that we understand all of that, let's put HIIT and LSD head to head.

Maximum increase in ejection fraction = up to around 90 % during exercise, 70 % at rest
Maximum increase in ventricular volume = over time, 2x the original size

Let's look at the table below to see the effects of HIIT vs LSD in action:

BaselineBest case increasing EF (HIIT)Best case increasing VV (LSD)
Ejection fraction (rest)55 %70 %55 %
Ejection fraction (exercise)75 %90 %75 %
Ventricular volume130 mL130 mL260 mL
Heart rate (rest)75 bpm75 bpm75 bpm
Heart rate (exercise)180 bpm180 bpm180 bpm
Stroke volume (rest)71.5 ml91 ml143 ml
Stroke volume (exercise)97.5 ml117 ml195 ml
Cardiac output (rest)5,4 L/m6,8 L/m10,7 L/m
Cardiac output (exercise)17.5 L/m21,1 L/m35,1 L/m

Stroke volume = how much blood leaves the heart each time it beats
Cardiac output = SV * Heart Rate (in Beats Per Minute, or BPM), in liters per minute

Of course, this is only an example, EF and VV are not developed in isolation, but you can clearly see which adaptation actually drives cardiac output more.

In practice, you would ideally do both to get all the benefits from both adaptations. In a training week, it could look something like this:
  • 2-3x 30-60 minute LSD sessions (110-150 bpm)
  • 2-3x 5-10 minute HIIT sessions (150+ bpm)
 
While some of that is true, it is only half the puzzle, not to mention hugely misleading and taken out of context the way you presented it.

It is really, really important to understand the underlying mechanisms of why HIIT simply isn't the end-all-be-all for cardiovascular training.

As far as your heart is concerned, the two main adaptations it has in response to exercise are:
  • increased ejection fraction (% of blood in your heart that gets pumped out in one beat)
  • increased ventricular chamber volume (how much blood your heart holds)
In order to increase the ventricular volume, you have to put a full stretch on the ventricles. That means you need full ventricular filling. There's a known HR range where this happens: 110 BPM to 150 BPM. This is known as the "zone of linearity," and it is called that because there is basically a perfectly linear increase in the cardiac output.

Here's what that means: below this rate, the ventricles have not been fully stretched out because blood is not falling into the ventricles fast enough to do so. We just aren't pumping the blood fast enough through the body, because we don't HAVE to yet. Every extra beat per minute is causing more blood to move, which is increasing the amount of blood entering the heart per second, which is increasing the amount of blood in the ventricle.

So, from resting heart rate up to about 110 BPM, every increase of one BPM (say 94 BPM to 95 BPM) actually adds a little MORE blood to circulation than the last. This is not a linear increase, because each increment of 1BPM does not add the same amount as the last.

From 110BPM to 150BPM, every beat of the heart adds a nearly identical amount of blood to the cardiac output, because the ventricles are already fully stretched. You're just getting one extra beat of a full ventricle with each 1 BPM increase within this range. This is the optimal range for stretching the ventricles.

Now, once we get past 150 BPM we are actually requiring the heart to beat just a bit BEFORE the ventricle is completely stretched out. This still gives us more blood flow at 180 BPM than we had at 150 BPM, but we are not stretching the ventricles anymore (which means this heart rate range will NOT increase ventricular filling volume) and each 1 BPM increase within this range actually reduces the amount of blood we move per beat because the ventricle is less full. The total blood flow per minute will increase, but the blood per stroke will actually decrease.

According to the research I'm familiar with, it takes at least a 30-minute session in that 110-150 zone to noticeably increase volume. Basically - long, slow distance (LSD).

So, what does that mean for HIIT in terms of getting a heart that can hold more blood?

If your intervals don't take you above 150 BPM, or if your heart rate stays at 110-150 BPM for the majority of the time then congratulations! Your intervals will absolutely stretch your ventricles quite effectively. But then again, that's not HIIT. ;)

Now, HIIT does have a place in training.

High-intensity training absolutely DOES increase stroke volume. One thing that is a guarantee is that you will be increasing ejection fraction by increasing the contractility of the heart, which is essentially training it to squeeze harder (indeed, "strength training for your heart"). This forces a higher percentage of the blood out with each beat, up to around 90%.

This is a much faster adaptation to achieve than stretching the ventricles because it is changing communication... not actual physical dimensions (for the most part). Over time you WILL develop thicker muscle around the ventricles as well, but that doesn't increase the amount of blood they will hold.

HIIT is also important because it increases your body's ability to process lactate.

OK, now that we understand all of that, let's put HIIT and LSD head to head.

Maximum increase in ejection fraction = up to around 90 % during exercise, 70 % at rest
Maximum increase in ventricular volume = over time, 2x the original size

Let's look at the table below to see the effects of HIIT vs LSD in action:

BaselineBest case increasing EF (HIIT)Best case increasing VV (LSD)
Ejection fraction (rest)55 %70 %55 %
Ejection fraction (exercise)75 %90 %75 %
Ventricular volume130 mL130 mL260 mL
Heart rate (rest)75 bpm75 bpm75 bpm
Heart rate (exercise)180 bpm180 bpm180 bpm
Stroke volume (rest)71.5 ml91 ml143 ml
Stroke volume (exercise)97.5 ml117 ml195 ml
Cardiac output (rest)5,4 L/m6,8 L/m10,7 L/m
Cardiac output (exercise)17.5 L/m21,1 L/m35,1 L/m

Stroke volume = how much blood leaves the heart each time it beats
Cardiac output = SV * Heart Rate (in Beats Per Minute, or BPM), in liters per minute

Of course, this is only an example, EF and VV are not developed in isolation, but you can clearly see which adaptation actually drives cardiac output more.

In practice, you would ideally do both to get all the benefits from both adaptations. In a training week, it could look something like this:
  • 2-3x 30-60 minute LSD sessions (110-150 bpm)
  • 2-3x 5-10 minute HIIT sessions (150+ bpm)
Just so that no one reading this gets the wrong idea… the heart rate ranges being quoted are for a range of individuals. What matters is a persons specific AeT and AnT (LT). For example LED (LSD) training would most certainly NOT be 150 bpm for many people; only those whose AeT occurs at or around 150 bpm
 
Just so that no one reading this gets the wrong idea… the heart rate ranges being quoted are for a range of individuals. What matters is a persons specific AeT and AnT (LT). For example LED (LSD) training would most certainly NOT be 150 bpm for many people; only those whose AeT occurs at or around 150 bpm
Absolutely. And for anyone wondering what their specific working HR for this kind of work should be, the Maffetone formula (180 - age) quoted above is a great starting point.
 
While some of that is true, it is only half the puzzle, not to mention hugely misleading and taken out of context the way you presented it.

It is really, really important to understand the underlying mechanisms of why HIIT simply isn't the end-all-be-all for cardiovascular training.

As far as your heart is concerned, the two main adaptations it has in response to exercise are:
  • increased ejection fraction (% of blood in your heart that gets pumped out in one beat)
  • increased ventricular chamber volume (how much blood your heart holds)
In order to increase the ventricular volume, you have to put a full stretch on the ventricles. That means you need full ventricular filling. There's a known HR range where this happens: 110 BPM to 150 BPM. This is known as the "zone of linearity," and it is called that because there is basically a perfectly linear increase in the cardiac output.

Here's what that means: below this rate, the ventricles have not been fully stretched out because blood is not falling into the ventricles fast enough to do so. We just aren't pumping the blood fast enough through the body, because we don't HAVE to yet. Every extra beat per minute is causing more blood to move, which is increasing the amount of blood entering the heart per second, which is increasing the amount of blood in the ventricle.

So, from resting heart rate up to about 110 BPM, every increase of one BPM (say 94 BPM to 95 BPM) actually adds a little MORE blood to circulation than the last. This is not a linear increase, because each increment of 1BPM does not add the same amount as the last.

From 110BPM to 150BPM, every beat of the heart adds a nearly identical amount of blood to the cardiac output, because the ventricles are already fully stretched. You're just getting one extra beat of a full ventricle with each 1 BPM increase within this range. This is the optimal range for stretching the ventricles.

Now, once we get past 150 BPM we are actually requiring the heart to beat just a bit BEFORE the ventricle is completely stretched out. This still gives us more blood flow at 180 BPM than we had at 150 BPM, but we are not stretching the ventricles anymore (which means this heart rate range will NOT increase ventricular filling volume) and each 1 BPM increase within this range actually reduces the amount of blood we move per beat because the ventricle is less full. The total blood flow per minute will increase, but the blood per stroke will actually decrease.

According to the research I'm familiar with, it takes at least a 30-minute session in that 110-150 zone to noticeably increase volume. Basically - long, slow distance (LSD).

So, what does that mean for HIIT in terms of getting a heart that can hold more blood?

If your intervals don't take you above 150 BPM, or if your heart rate stays at 110-150 BPM for the majority of the time then congratulations! Your intervals will absolutely stretch your ventricles quite effectively. But then again, that's not HIIT. ;)

Now, HIIT does have a place in training.

High-intensity training absolutely DOES increase stroke volume. One thing that is a guarantee is that you will be increasing ejection fraction by increasing the contractility of the heart, which is essentially training it to squeeze harder (indeed, "strength training for your heart"). This forces a higher percentage of the blood out with each beat, up to around 90%.

This is a much faster adaptation to achieve than stretching the ventricles because it is changing communication... not actual physical dimensions (for the most part). Over time you WILL develop thicker muscle around the ventricles as well, but that doesn't increase the amount of blood they will hold.

HIIT is also important because it increases your body's ability to process lactate.

OK, now that we understand all of that, let's put HIIT and LSD head to head.

Maximum increase in ejection fraction = up to around 90 % during exercise, 70 % at rest
Maximum increase in ventricular volume = over time, 2x the original size

Let's look at the table below to see the effects of HIIT vs LSD in action:

BaselineBest case increasing EF (HIIT)Best case increasing VV (LSD)
Ejection fraction (rest)55 %70 %55 %
Ejection fraction (exercise)75 %90 %75 %
Ventricular volume130 mL130 mL260 mL
Heart rate (rest)75 bpm75 bpm75 bpm
Heart rate (exercise)180 bpm180 bpm180 bpm
Stroke volume (rest)71.5 ml91 ml143 ml
Stroke volume (exercise)97.5 ml117 ml195 ml
Cardiac output (rest)5,4 L/m6,8 L/m10,7 L/m
Cardiac output (exercise)17.5 L/m21,1 L/m35,1 L/m

Stroke volume = how much blood leaves the heart each time it beats
Cardiac output = SV * Heart Rate (in Beats Per Minute, or BPM), in liters per minute

Of course, this is only an example, EF and VV are not developed in isolation, but you can clearly see which adaptation actually drives cardiac output more.

In practice, you would ideally do both to get all the benefits from both adaptations. In a training week, it could look something like this:
  • 2-3x 30-60 minute LSD sessions (110-150 bpm)
  • 2-3x 5-10 minute HIIT sessions (150+ bpm)
Everyone needs to read this. Outstanding post, I’m amazed at how little focus this gets on mainstream fitness media. I guess it’s because it’s not very sexy
 
I did not read every single post here, so apologies if I am repeating anything:

Any thoughts on walking during long rests in between strength sets? I’m not a purist/specialist, so I like to develop good all around fitness and was wondering about this combo. Any thoughts on walking on a treadmill during long rests between sets? I have a treadmill at home and can do heavy sets of kb presses, weighted pull-ups, pistols or single leg dead lifts. Any thoughts?
If you are specifically looking to increase your caridovascular capacities, there are probably more efficient routes, as I believe were outlined above. If you are just looking to get some good "all-around" fitness, especially under weekly time constraints, this is great. Walking, if you're not...erm.... doing it "super intensely," is great active rest between sets, and a good way to keep your heart rate up a bit throughout your sessions. Keeping your whole session at a level where you can maintain nasal breathing would be a nice touch.

So to reiterate: unless you are looking for specific adaptations (like acheiving certain goals within a timeframe, etc.) I think it's great. No need to overcomplicate it unless you like being very detail-oriented.
 
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