Q: A few weeks ago you mentioned using interval training on an exercise bike. How is that going? Is it working for you? Do you feel that it is increasing your anabolic hormones? I’m thinking about giving it a try on my elliptical machine if you give it a thumbs-up.
A: I’ve been using Phil Campbell’s S8 method for six weeks. For those unfamiliar, it’s 90 seconds of slow work followed by 30 seconds of all out work—in my case that work is pedaling on a recumbent bike…
I’m a minimalist, and my wife is somewhat of a hoarder, as you can see from the above garage photo. So not only am I getting stress from the sprint work, I get really pissed looking at all the junk stacked around me.
Luckily, I only endure this torture once a week. On my other cardio day I use a steady-state run of three miles with another half-mile of walking.
I’ve been monitoring my resting heart rate and VO2 Max on my Apple Watch. Those cardio-fitness markers did erode a bit at first due to my learning curve with sprint intervals. In fact, when I began, I could only do four 30-second sprints at level 9 on my bike…
I’m now up to six intervals at level 12, and those cardio markers are back in the excellent range: resting heart rate is 55 BPM and VO2 Max is 40.8. Remember, that’s according to my Apple Watch. I’m not sure how accurate it is, but it does provide me with comparison markers.
So it’s working from a cardio standpoint. As for the anabolics of it, my legs look more muscular, but I’m not sure if that’s from the intervals or from less running. I’m sure when I was running twice a week, I was smothering some hypertrophy.
My weight workouts do feel better since I started doing bike sprints once a week instead of running; however, my bodyweight has remained the same—no swings either up or down. I was hoping that I’d immediately pack on 10 pounds of muscle due to a growth hormone surge, but at 63, that’s probably not going to happen without some type of injection.
So to answer your question, I do give it a thumbs-up; however, even though my one session only lasts for 15 to 20 minutes, I look forward to it the least of all of my workouts. It’s brutal—the breathlessness, high heart rate, and muscle burn, not to mention staring at all of my wife’s crap everywhere.
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Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
www.X-Rep.com
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