Wing it

[oldtimer1]

I've always plotted my workouts. I kept journals for many years. Using a pen and pad I'm always putting workouts down on paper prior to working out. Now on the other hand there are those that just wing it. They might know it's leg day but don't know what they will do nor the sets or even the reps. It sure seems like a great way to train if you are motivated and not lazy.

 Yates said something to the effect that intuitive training doesn't work because everyone's deep down desire is to take it easy. I was so structured at some points in my training that if I got 8 reps I would come close to death next training period to get 9. No one can get continuously stronger. If that was the case we would start benching using 100lbs and after 25 years be using 1000.

It seems the endurance model of volume leave a lot more parameters to improve upon than pure strength. Then again the HIT model of training to exhaustion of not being able to continue to one more rep isn't how the strongest men in the world train. Olympic lifters and power lifters cycle their training with most of the workouts aren't to failure. They get to that white hot red zone but not for every workout. I don't know how bodybuilders with HIT attempt that as the goal every workout. I know I'm guilty of it.

So my question is, do any of youse guys wing it when you workout? Maybe one chest day you use barbell inclines and the next time it's dumbbell inclines. Maybe one workout it feels good to do high reps but at other times low reps on a whim? I think it was Dave Draper that said if his workouts are too structured it never works for him.

[SweetDaddySiki]

Miss reading your logs OT.    Haven't posted in a few days.

It seems the "aestetic" (spelling?) guys follow the instinctive path than the larger mass guys. I know that I've winged it and added more upper chest exercises, for example, instead of my written workout of bench, incline, flyes, dips or whatever and I did it to improve symmetry. Years ago I followed the Bob Paris books and he stressed 'winging it' and I did get the beach body I wanted but not really the size. Now that I"m older and still natural, I find that I have to stick to my basic compounds routine and not deviate or I don't look like I've worked out.

[oldtimer1]

Miss reading your logs OT.    Haven't posted in a few days.

It seems the "aestetic" (spelling?) guys follow the instinctive path than the larger mass guys. I know that I've winged it and added more upper chest exercises, for example, instead of my written workout of bench, incline, flyes, dips or whatever and I did it to improve symmetry. Years ago I followed the Bob Paris books and he stressed 'winging it' and I did get the beach body I wanted but not really the size. Now that I"m older and still natural, I find that I have to stick to my basic compounds routine and not deviate or I don't look like I've worked out.

Haven't been feeling well. I'll be back, lol. Took some time off. Maybe too much time.

I will start lifting this coming Monday. Still thinking about volume but when I wake up in the darkness and force myself out of bed it seems the last thing I want to do is a long volume workout knowing I have a long day in the office in my retirement job.

Some guys that use volume state it doesn't take long if you use moderate weights and short rests between sets. If you use heavy weights and take it to rep failure you can't come back quickly for the next set or exercise. You should be keeled over breathing like a race horse. It might seem doing one or two set per exercise is a fast way to workout but using moderate weights for say 4 sets a body part can go just as fast.

My Yates inspired workouts that I have been doing lately seem to fit my life style. For example Chest and biceps takes me roughly 40-45 minutes. Leaves me enough time to get a little cardio after. Leg day takes a little over an hour. Back day about 45 minutes and delt/triceps day about 40 minutes. I'll talk more about this on Monday. Sometimes I wonder how guys balance a career, family and their 2 hour workouts? Throw in commuting time and how the hell can you have a family life? Sometimes I envy pure runners that do nothing else. Wake up before work and go for a 30-60 minute run then exercise is finished. Nice and simple.

[Donny]

Haven't been feeling well. I'll be back, lol. Took some time off. Maybe too much time.

I will start lifting this coming Monday. Still thinking about volume but when I wake up in the darkness and force myself out of bed it seems the last thing I want to do is a long volume workout knowing I have a long day in the office in my retirement job.

Some guys that use volume state it doesn't take long if you use moderate weights and short rests between sets. If you use heavy weights and take it to rep failure you can't come back quickly for the next set or exercise. You should be keeled over breathing like a race horse. It might seem doing one or two set per exercise is a fast way to workout but using moderate weights for say 4 sets a body part can go just as fast.

My Yates inspired workouts that I have been doing lately seem to fit my life style. For example Chest and biceps takes me roughly 40-45 minutes. Leaves me enough time to get a little cardio after. Leg day takes a little over an hour. Back day about 45 minutes and delt/triceps day about 40 minutes. I'll talk more about this on Monday. Sometimes I wonder how guys balance a career, family and their 2 hour workouts? Throw in commuting time and how the hell can you have a family life? Sometimes I envy pure runners that do nothing else. Wake up before work and go for a 30-60 minute run then exercise is finished. Nice and simple.

yes but what do most serious runners look like? I agree though on the low sets & today i did 3 sets per exercise & i could probably get the same end results with say 2 sets.
i have done a full body workout before with just 2 sets per exercise & because i was working the body 2-3 times a week it worked out fine.
concentration on say one exercise per bodypart is refreshing & giving 100% on just 2 sets.

[Donny]

I've always plotted my workouts. I kept journals for many years. Using a pen and pad I'm always putting workouts down on paper prior to working out. Now on the other hand there are those that just wing it. They might know it's leg day but don't know what they will do nor the sets or even the reps. It sure seems like a great way to train if you are motivated and not lazy.

 Yates said something to the effect that intuitive training doesn't work because everyone's deep down desire is to take it easy. I was so structured at some points in my training that if I got 8 reps I would come close to death next training period to get 9. No one can get continuously stronger. If that was the case we would start benching using 100lbs and after 25 years be using 1000.

It seems the endurance model of volume leave a lot more parameters to improve upon than pure strength. Then again the HIT model of training to exhaustion of not being able to continue to one more rep isn't how the strongest men in the world train. Olympic lifters and power lifters cycle their training with most of the workouts aren't to failure. They get to that white hot red zone but not for every workout. I don't know how bodybuilders with HIT attempt that as the goal every workout. I know I'm guilty of it.

So my question is, do any of youse guys wing it when you workout? Maybe one chest day you use barbell inclines and the next time it's dumbbell inclines. Maybe one workout it feels good to do high reps but at other times low reps on a whim? I think it was Dave Draper that said if his workouts are too structured it never works for him.

I have never really liked keeping a training log because i am very impulsive from nature. I might plan to do a certain exercise & totally change my mind when working out because it just didnīt feel right at that time.
I like to just go with the flow.. "be water my friend".. bruce Lee

[IroNat]

I keep a notebook with what I do.

Exercise done, weight used, sets and reps.

This is not to plan out my workout though.

I write it down as I go.

[CalvinH]

I wing it every time but I know that I'm not going to be lazy. Deads,Squats, Bench press all included.

[Humble Narcissist]

I used to have very structured routines and recorded everything but not anymore.