To increase body-weight workout loads, I increase the number of sets done while maintaining the same number of reps.
One year ago, I was only doing 4 sets of 12 bar exercises (chin-ups, dips, pull-ups). Now I do 12 sets of 12 bar exercises — groups of 4 sets (X3). Each set done is followed by 3-min of No-Resistance pedaling. I take an 8-12 min break (seated without muscle activity) between each 4-set group to allow muscles to rest (clear lactic acid and recover). I am increasing the work muscles do overall by increasing the total number of reps done.
I do combinations of exercise reps, back-to-back, within a set. For example, one 12-rep, bar exercise “set” above is composed of 3 pull-ups/3 dips/3 chin-ups/3 dips.
The following links are scientific articles about angiogenesis:
So, if I understand you correctly, you do [3 pull-ups,3 dips, 3 chin-ups, 3 dips, 3-min pedaling] four times, and then take a 8-12 min break? Then you do this three times.
Is this part of your strategy to get your heart rate very high during exercise? Originally I thought you were saying that HIIT workouts (the step-ups you do) were what would give great benefits at the gene or cellular level. So I’m wondering what you’re trying to get your heart rate up high during these strength workouts. Or is this just a way to get in a lot of pull-ups and dips, but isn’t any better than just doing lots of pull-ups, then lots of dips, then lots of chin-ups, with rests in-between? What I’m wondering is if you’re trying to maximize HR, number of reps, or ??? One reason I’m curious about this is that recently I was told to try and lower my reps and increase my weight.
I’m very interested in what you wrote above about the benefits of HIIT for older people, and have been telling everyone I know about it. When I was young I tended to exercise at a much higher HR than recommended, but a couple of years ago I started forcing myself to go slower and longer at a lower HR. But now I’m thinking that I need to let my HR go high (which is easy for me) a couple of times a week. I haven’t been following the strategy of alternating hard and rest, but instead have just been biking or running up a hill for a long time, and then coasting home.
My 2017 Mayo (step-up) HIIT, 3x/week is my most important exercise, especially for the heart. Since most people can’t measure VO2, if you are healthy enough to do it, the target heart rate (HR) is 70-85% of maximum, ideally 85% of maximum. (Maximum HR is age related.). The 3-min N-R pedaling following each 4-min HIIT is equally important for improved resting cardiac output. (BTW my friend who is a martial arts teacher/master does the original 2017 Mayo stationary bike HIIT exercise based on an 85% of max HR.)
Beyond the benefits reported in the articles above. The 2017 Mayo HIIT exercise/workout also helps develop “collateral blood flow” in the heart.
Resistance training (RT) is important for increasing strength and muscle mass — helps minimize the sarcopenia of aging. I use bar exercises (pull-ups, dips and chin-ups) and push-ups/sit-ups for my RT. I do not use RT to increase my heart rate.
Bar exercises are among the most strenuous and demanding exercises you can do. I do them to avoid the potential spine injuries I began to notice when I was weight lifting (barbells) in my early 20s. I only do upper body training that does not compress the spine, using no more than my own body weight. My objective is maximum number of reps overall per session with no muscle failure – to increase muscle mass and upper body strength.
Yes. I do 3 pull-ups (P) + 3 dips (D) + 3 chin-ups (C) + 3 dips (D) + 3-min No-Resistance (N-R) pedaling (4 times), and then take an 8-12 min break. I repeat this 2 more times for a total of 3 times.
[4 x (3P + 3D + 3C + 3D, followed by 3-min N-R pedaling)] x 3
I also do combined push-up + sit-up reps following my bar exercises after an 18-min, seated, no-activity rest period. I do 4 sets. Each set is composed of 12 push-ups (PU) + 12 sit-ups (SU). Each set is 3PU + 4SU + 3PU + 4SU + 3PU + 4SU + 3PU, followed by 3-min N-R pedaling.
4 x (3PU + 4SU + 3PU + 4SU + 3PU + 4SU + 3PU, followed by 3-min N-R pedaling).
I do my resistance training (RT) 2x/week on alternate days to my HIIT workout. [I do one day/week of martial art (MA) training].
Weekly Routine = HIIT-RT-HIIT-MA-HIIT-RT.
It is my theory that Resistance Training done with 3-min N-R pedaling rest intervals – on alternate days to HIIT – helps “stimulate angiogenesis” in addition to increasing muscle mass/strength (to substantially minimize sarcopenia).
[BTW I do martial arts push-ups – done on closed fists rather than open hands.]
Take it slow and easy while bringing your shoulder back on-line.
When I rotate my shoulders, it sounds and feels like I have steel ball bearings in those joints. Result of street boarding in my late 50s to early 60s, US football in my teens and rugby in my twenties.
But my upper body workouts have kept them functional, with minimal pain, for decades. I can still swim and paddle.
A fairly gentle, low-resistance movement you could try is a seated, overhead swim stroke (simulating the crawl/surfboard paddling) for 3-min intervals (or for only as long as you can tolerate). Slow and gentle to start, slowly increasing as your shoulder improves. Don’t force it if the pain is bad.
I do this seated on a 24-inch bar stool with my feet propped up on a rectangular foot stool. It is my 3-min, low-resistance rest interval following my 4-min swim/row/kayak exercise intervals (weight-pulley machine).
