Another workout from the “simple in design, brutal in execution” files. Today I opted for a lower-body push, upper-body pull set-up; tomorrow I’ll switch it up with a lower-body pull, upper-body push. The volume here is relatively low; the intensity, though, is sky-high. Tomorrow’s workout will be followed by 5 or 6 days off — quite a long time for me.
rear foot elevated split squats (each leg): 95 x 6; 115 x 6; 135 x 5; 155 x 4, 4, 4
reverse-grip pull-ups:45 x 7; 70 x 5; 80 x 4, 4, 4, 4
The RFESS is a imparts a totally different feel in the legs than does, say pistols, single-leg box squats and such. Also, the RFESS motion hits the glutes in a different way than does other hip extension work. And I just can’t give enough positive kudos to single-leg work — both for athleticism and for overall health.
An RFESS example, from Mike Boyle and the boys –
Intermittent Fasting
As readers of TTP are undoubtedly aware, I practice infrequent bouts of prolonged fasting (i.e, roughly 24-hours between feed states), and it is my usual routine to workout in the mornings in an approximately 10-hours fasted state. Am I worried about this practice affecting my musculature, performance, or level of hypertrophy? Hardly. Empirically, I know that combining the Paleo lifestyle with bouts of prolonged fasting and exercising in a mini-fasted state has carved me into a much leaner athlete at roughly the same body weight as I was in my pre-paleo days. What I lost in retained water and body fat has been made up in lean mass.
For an in-depth discussion of this subject, check out Carl Lanore’s interview of DR. Stuart Phillips in this Super Human Radio Show podcast. And here’s a link to Dr. Phillips’ study, the subject of much of the interview discussion. The direction the interview takes is mostly physique-centric; it is interesting, though, and if you’re fairly Paleo adept, you can, at the appropriate moments, fill-in the underlying health benefits yourself.
DeVany, Interviewed on EconTalk –
I really appreciate Art DeVany’s intelligence, and all the wonderful information he’s bequeathed over the years to the “Paleo nation”; sometimes, though…sometimes I just have to ask, WTF? Sports-enhancing drugs don’t “enhance” sporting performance? I don’t care how you deconstruct the data, the proof is, as they say, in the puddin’. Technique? Sure, that remains unaltered by whatever (name your poison) pixie dust is utilized — and we have to have great athletic talent to begin with, and the positive pay-off leans heavier toward some sports than others (track & field vs baseball, for instance) –but, well, let’s just say I have to respectfully disagree with ADV on this one. Otherwise, this interview is worth the listen. No new ground being broken here (a good primer if you’re new to the game, though), but solid stuff none the less.
And thanks goes to Shaun, by the way, for the head’s up on this one.
Theory to Practice 