Q: You’ve said that the way you train now is because you’re older. I totally agree: limit the risk and build/maintain muscle without devoting tons of time to your workouts. With your experience and what you’ve learned, would you still train like you do now if you were in your 20s or 30s?
A: Yes and no. I would probably use my current limited-volume STX workout for each muscle once a week; BUT…
At my second workout for that muscle I would train heavier with longer rests. I’d also sprinkle in a few more compound exercises, like hack squats for quads.
My current STX workouts that emphasize the ideal exercise for each muscle have done tremendous things for my 60-plus physique with 35-minute workouts a few times a week…
Recently, STX-only training has proven that it works incredibly well for younger trainees as well. My son-in-law has started lifting regularly, and I’ve got him on a limited program—only six exercises—using STX (I’ll have more on him in future newsletters)…
After only a few months, he looks thicker and more muscular. Suddenly you can tell that he works out, which is a far cry from how he looked only a few months earlier…
I’m truly amazed at his progress with STX, and he’s a skinny ectomorph—unlike my other fireman son-in-law, a thick mesomorph who can gain muscle brushing his teeth…
So STX works for young and old. But I also think there are unique hypertrophy benefits to longer rests between sets, like 2 to 3 minutes. It’s a different animal, but takes a lot longer. I’m a big fan of change to gain, so I’m sure I’d put up with the extra time if I were young and motivated…
Mr. America and biomechanics expert Doug Brignole used to get longer rests by supersetting opposing muscle groups—for instance a set of chest with a set for back or a set of biceps followed by a set for triceps…
He would go back and forth, taking his time moving between exercises. That gives you longer rests while saving some time, but multiple back-to-back sets can be stressful on the nervous system, which may reduce gains. Every set depletes your nervous system, especially if you’re older. For young trainees, however, it can work well—if the gym isn’t crowded.
I loved the gym in my younger days, so I would probably NOT superset. As I said, I’d do a short STX workout at one session, and at the next I’d rest 2 to 3 minutes between sets and spend more time in the gym.
These days I’m not going to be stepping onstage to compete, so I train quickly at every workout—short rests between sets, hit as many fiber types as possible and max out the fast-twitchers in about 3 sets per muscle….
Plus, I’m not stressing my joints thanks to moderate poundages—and I’m getting good heart-rate work…
STX is safe, precise, fiber-array hypertrophy training with a heart-health side effect, perfect for the older, bolder bodybuilder…
In a future newsletter, I’ll outline an example of how my training might look if I were in my 20s or 30s. Ah, to be young again with no geezer neck flab or bald spots forcing gym-mirror avoidance.
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