What Should I Do??

[WebboUK]

Sorry if I have posted this in the incorrect forum

Fellow Bodyweighters;

I have just completed my first week (you can view my log if you want.)

I feel stronger and fitter already so it must be working!

Can you assist with the following:

Whilst talking to a friend of mine, who does Triathlon to a decent standard he told me that I needed to work longer to burn off more fat. He lent me a heart rate monitor to assist and I did the following:

5 x sprints up 20 steps. heart rate 165 to 170

5 sets of

6 P/ups
6 Horizontal Pull/ups
6 Burpees
6 squats
The heart rate for the above maxed out at 182 once and kept between 175 and 180.

He is trying ot tell me to work at a lower HR about 140 for a longer time to burn off more fat. I argued that high intensity was the same and that I felt with time I would be fitter. Plus its a damn site more interesting thatn plodding along for an hour just running. I am 44, 15 stones and at the old 220 minus your age theory I was quite pleased.

I don't want to work out any longer and I really enjoy the challenge of bodyweight and want to build up to the 100 push ups and be able to do more than one chin up, 100 burpees without stopping and all that. Time is a factor as well as I dont want to spend hours at a gym either.

However if by training at too high an intensity it is stopoping progress then I need to change my overall plan. I think I have lost 2kg this week (weigh tomorrow morining) and plan to record a time for 100 burpees this week. I am training five on then two off and one dayof the five just strength.

I suppose what I am asking is am I doing too much intense training already and is there any advantage for a heart rate monitor in bodyweight training.

Also can someone guide me on how to start exercising to build up to to do handstand push ups, one armed push ups and planche's

Thanks for reading and all comments greatfully recieved

Webbo

[Erik]

The high-intensity, low time vs lower intensity longer time is a debate that has been raging on between explosive athletes and endurance athletes forever. There is no clear cut winner.

You lose excess fat when your body's caloric output in a day is higher than your body's caloric input. That's the basic. Whether you are burning calories fast at high intensity or slow at low intensity doesn't make a difference.

The question I have for you is, do you feel satisfied with the speed at which the weight is coming off? If so, stick to it. If not, find something new.

The heart rate monotor can be a good thing, if you're looking to workout at a specific intensity. It can also tell you of you're working out to hard. From the sounds of it, your workout did you just fine.

For HSPU, start doing pike pushups and slowly elevate your feet higher. Also, try going up into the handstand position and holding it for as long as possible, then doing slow negatives.

Good luck.

[Parth]

Webbo,

Erik is right. I lost about 15 pounds during the summer using both methods, and both methods work. However, right now I do majority high intensity training, with workouts lasting no more than 20 minutes. I personally enjoy training at a high intensity, and I feel high intensity training has great carry over to sports. So really it depends on one thing: what do you enjoy doing?

[silentassassin]

lower intensity for a longer period does generally burn more calories(it all relative) but high intensity exercise has more benefits that just burning calorie, one of them is it boosts grow hormone which will be good for you also you said you dont want to spend that much time working out so high intensity sounds like the right choice.

it dosent seem like its too intense, its all depends on what shape you are it, you judge yourself. if you feel good it is should be fine.

[WebboUK]

Thanks Erik. I will start the strength stuff in the handstands but it seems a mile away at the moment.

Monday is test day and I managed 39 p/u to fail form 33 last week, have dropped 1.5 kg. I also took on your advice and did 100 burpees as fast as I can. I so wanted to break 10 minutes but did it in 10.05. hopefully I will improve.

Cheers
Webbo