HIT & Weight Machine

This topic contains 4 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by JC 6 years, 11 months ago.

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Hoppermom

4:29 pm
8 Feb 14
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Does anyone have suggestions for using a weight machine for HIT and fast strength activities? I have a weight machine that I would like to incorporate into my routine.

JC

1:02 pm
9 Feb 14
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Hi Hoppermom,

Absolutely! Get it involved. I’m assuming you mean that you have multi gym system? Incorporate it as using the exercises on that instead of, or in addition to, the exercises in the book. Set it at a weight that you’ll be able to do 30 seconds activity too, then blast through them.

I use this in the gym with my free weights. Go from one muscle group to a different one that wasnt used in the last exercise, eg. from a chest press to bicep curls, or lunges etc. Not chest press, press ups. You CAN do it that way, however if you’re starting out get used to the new routine before upping it. Enjoy!

Hoppermom

8:15 pm
9 Feb 14
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Hi JC,

Thanks for your advice! I guess you’d call what I have a multi gym system; it has a weight column with pulleys and can work upper and lower body. I’ve used it for years this way.

One thing I’m confused about: protocol I’ve read for weight training says slow is better than fast; that makes sense if you want to prolong the resistance time. Doing an exercise fast for 30 seconds will accomplish a different result, I expect. How long a rest time between each 30 second exertion? Are you tracking your heart rate as you do yours and could this be used as a guide, or is it strictly a matter of going up to whatever muscle burn you can tolerate? I had never used my heart rate monitor with the weight machine before trying it yesterday in my typical ‘slow’ workout, and found that my heart rate was staying at about 100 except when I did a standing leg press assisted by the machine – and that only raised it to about 115.

I’m going to give it a go with ‘fast’ on the weight machine next time I work out. It’s no doubt going to have some trial and error, but it’s going to be a fun new thing to try!

Any more advice will be appreciated!

Smeeagain

6:00 pm
11 Feb 14
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Just be careful that you have absolute control when doing weights at speed – high speed weights with absolute control is a very difficult, but not at all impossible, thing to do – otherwise you will definitely injure yourself (and possibly others)

Smee

Hoppermom

12:01 am
12 Feb 14
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Thanks, Smee. I’ll be careful.

JC

3:06 pm
16 Feb 14
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Hi Hoppermom, how have you been getting on?

What Smee said is definitely true, it does take some care to make sure you don’t injury yourself, but by the sounds of things you’ve been doing weights for a while so not a total newbie to it.

Doing ‘fast exercise’ doesn’t necessarily mean the speed of the exercise has to be flat out all the time. If you increase the intensity it will increase your heart rate up as well. So to answer your question you could cut out your rest, or just lower it to a level you can just about handle. By doing this I’m sure if you carry on pushing yourself you should find some nice results.

Having said that, one of the nice things about doing exercise with a fast tempo is that, as you said, the majority of people stay stuck doing slow careful exercise when lifting because its easier than having to do the hard work to stabilise yourself with faster lifting. They don’t change things up and keep the body guessing, and as a result it gets used to working at one tempo or intensity and doesn’t carry on changing.

When I’m working with my clients I mix up what speed they do their exercises with every workout, the same as the weight, repetitions, sets etc. I’ve found the more variety the better. So you could try doing one session at normal 2 sec up, 4 sec down pace, another at super slow pace, and another workout as fast as you can safely go. Give it a go for a month and see how you get on with it, you’ll only find out how your body responds by testing it out. Just bare in mind to keep good form throughout. See how you get on with it.