I completely agree. 40 yo, High Intensity Body Weight training and never injured. I want strength and lean mass preservation while not being injured.Being healthy and injury free is a superpower.
Great video! I'm in my late 20s and I think it's important to pay attention to the long term damage you can incur by doing the things you talked about. Currently doing the Big 5 routine from the book, going strong.
Just to give you a ray of hope Dr. McGuff, I am 27 years old and have been training with your particular high intensity training modality for the last 2-3 years with better results than my previous 10 years using many other training types. Because of this I have stopped the excessive and repetitive usage of a particular muscle or joint and now look forward to being "functional" at age 50 and beyond. I am still trying to convince my father that roller blading does not constitute fitness and only serves to wear out his already "pre-knee replacement" knees!
I'm 75 and have been running for 61 years. I'm currently running about 4X/week, mostly HIIT intervals on the treadmill; 200m sprints with 100m walk recovery for about 40 min per session. Alternatively, I run on a local track, sprinting the straights and walking the turns, also for about 40 mins. I've recently started to add Body by Science workouts to that routine at the end of my treadmill workouts. I do 4 out of the 5 recommended machines in the book but had to eliminate the leg press because I injured my back doing those. I add the hip abductor to the 4 to make it 5 machines. In 61 years of running, I've only had one injury: plantar fasciitis. its interesting that I seem to be the only one at my local rec. center who is doing low reps and high weights on the machines. I'm getting some strange looks, LOL. Everyone else seems to be ripping it up with lots of reps and very light weights. Oh well.
I am 70 now, having survived my stupidity during my youth with a rotator cuff injury. But I have been able to turn it around the past four years, focusing on strength training, some HIIT on my bike, a Ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting as well as some four day fasting several times a year. I have lost 65 lbs of body fat, am seven lbs away from my ideal weight with a BMI of 23.5. I am so much healthier today than when I was 25 years of age. Zero meds, good dieting with organic natural foods from the earth and pastures, and no health issues whatsoever. We need many more physicians like yourself.
Strength is what's important and HIT is the way to go. An owner of a Box tried to convince me that box jumps, rope climbs, burpees, Tire flips, and Olympic lifts (done improperly) done as many rounds as possible were going to help me in my life as I grow older. Nah! Getting every major muscle group in my body as strong as my genetics will allow will help me as I get older. They can have the wall balls and muscle ups. I just need to get stronger without destroying my joints.
@@cbrown717 idk if you've researched epigenetics much, but it's fascinating how much your lifestyle can "turn on" or even "down regulate" certain genes! Regarding chronic disease... Genetics can only load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger. 💪
I'm 23 years old and I workout just as you do and many others like you who advocate like you said. Force controlled, high intensity resistance training. Just trying to keep that area under the curve nice and high.
Great Message! In our 20’s we never believe we will get injured and if we do we will heal. I’m here to tell you it will come back to haunt you! Being 67 OMG! Lol the first 5 minutes after getting out of bed in the morning!
Talking to me. In my thirties and early forties I took up Olympic lifting, and power lifting. It did not go well. Now I am in my upper-mid-fifties. I regret not being more alert to how wreckless I was being. Thank goodness I had beat myself up enough that I did not jump into the Crossfit movement. Like others here have posted, I started lfiting in my early teens. Back then aches and pains came and went. Now they stick around. I realize that "fitness" should be an addition to lifestyle, something that improves quality of life. At 57 retirement will be here before I know it, and I want to enjoy time with my grandchildren, take river cruises in Europe, sit comfortably at bridge club, and even take up Wing Chun again.
It’s said to see that the NFL and NCAA has gotten away from HIT training. I see some of these videos and the form. It’s terrifying. All ballistic, momentum based crazy so called functional training. Anyway, you earned my subscription. Well said.
If everyone watched this the world would be a better place. Less money spent on rehab and pain medication, less bullshit posts on Instagram and Facebook, less time wasted training redundant activities that distract you from a good recreational pursuit; stronger more healthy people that lived longer and happier.
Well said Doc . I’m 49 I train with Bodyweight only with very slow reps three times a week . And I walk for an hour a day. When I see cross fit I just cringe when I see them doing there form of chins ( kipping) countless times and doing power cleans for reps you will not be training like for very long because of strain it puts on your joints
It's a mentality. My friend is your age and just got hurt doing high volume 5 day 25 set workouts. He looks down on my lower volume time under tension style. But he sees himself as alpha and me as a lowly beta unworthy of listening too.
I'm 58 and have had multiple orthopedic surgeries due to sports related injuries when I was in my teens/twenties. I've been using techniques from the BBS book for about 6ish years, and have had zero injuries related to this protocol. I've had to modify certain things during post-op rehab and have used the same principals in PT. I've even educated more than a few physical therapists on this.
I'm doing the Super Slow using the Force USA Monster G3 rack. Just got it and have used it a few times for this. I had been using Precor multi-press, lat/row and leg press machines at work but it was hard to find a time of day when I had the room to myself. This Monster G3 is smooth enough, gives a variety of ways to do each of the Big 5, and has safety features. The leg press is vertical as part of the Smith Machine. I like it better than the Precor seated leg press. Please comment if the vertical leg press is not as safe/healthy as the seated one. Thanks for the work you've done to develop a muscle building program that is low risk. I put off weight training for over a year while searching for a way to do it that was risk free. Then I lucked out and found your info on youtube.
AJ wrote a lot about this over the years. A basketball player does not use a heavier ball to practice with so that he can get stronger shooting the ball. You strength train the body to gain muscle and lose fat and then go practice at whatever your sport might be.
Simple honest logical advice from experience....important to keep the body strong and balanced with eyes on the end game.......and dont neglect the mind ?? read books from the great thinkers and do a little stoic meditation etc
Hola buenas tardes.. Un placer comunicarme con ustedes .. Deseo hacerle una pregunta.. Sirve el ARX Alpha para atletas de alto rendimiento . Específicamente el atletismo? ..Gracias espero por favor su cooperación..
Question on Sleeping problems post workout. Hi Doug, I have been doing your protocol since January. Going great except I have trouble sleeping post workout. I do the protocol in the morning, I dropped back to the big 3 and still have trouble sleeping for 2-3 days. Any tips?
Stupidity in sport and fitness training is truly infinite! It is everywhere. Fighters throw heavy medicine ball to the wall in order to gain "explosiveness" in punching. They do lots of "road work" (running) in order to get endurance. Ice hockey players would do barbell squats on a "half ball balance trainer" in order to be "more balanced" on skates. And I am not talking about average gym Joe. This stuff is being practiced by top level professional athletes. So-called strength and conditioning coaches get paid big bucks for this nonsense. No wonder almost of the pros are on roids. But the absolute champ of all this garbage is ... CROSSFIT. A real gold mine for orthopedic surgeons!
In my late 30s I see how hard it is to do HIT with just bodyweight. It's great to have variety but knowing that all you may need is your bodyweight and maybe a weighted vest is eye opening. 💪
Doug, why do you think it is that high level NCAA athletes and Professional athletes are taught Olympic lifts and plyometrics by their strength and conditioning coaches?
The basis of most strength and conditioning coaches programs is the big five. Yes they add other things into it, but all of them focus on squats, deadlifts, or leg press for lower body and various push-pull on the vertical and horizontal plane for upper body.
If you want to do functional movements, at least do them unloaded. Maintaining the ability to get into a full squat, get down onto the ground, crawl around on the floor or do any fluid motion that you want is extremely functional, but as soon as you load those movements, the risk increases tremendously. Machine built strength transfers just fine to unloaded movements.
Mobility is definitely functional but I don't believe you need to have a deliberate practice for it. If you go to the ends of your range of motion in training and are able to do that pain free while still maintaining command of the weight you're working with, I believe that's enough. For example with a leg press, if you can go to the degree of hip flexion equivalent to that of a full squat then that's enough of an indication that you can still go to a full squat.
@@synergyrevolution2332 The majority of older people who can do a perfect leg press cannot get into a full squat position, that's my experience. They lose the skill because they don't ever do it.
@@synergyrevolution2332 As far as I can tell, it looks like deep squat amnesia to me. They typically do it "all-knees, no hips". If their joints are OK with it, they can be re-taught. My guess is if they'd practiced getting into a deep squat periodically over the years, they'd maintain the skill.
I am currently reading the built by science book; is this principle geared toward (no disrespect intended) older adults looking to work out? Just seems like a lot of the success stories or people advocating for it are in there 50's. I am 29 and am thinking about doing this for longevity and to get my body in good shape, but hesitant that it might not be enough for me.
Like John said , done properly it'll be more than enough. I'm 23, once a week in the gym and the rest I'm enjoying life knowing I'll be able to do this well into my 80s and 90s.
Pages 430 - 442 in the book, "Music & Dance: Critical Factors for Practice and Conditioning", presents Ken Hutchins' argument for why BFR/Occlusion Exercise is, "...just more jock nonsense dressed up as highbrow technique."
@@paulthomas5901 I appreciate your reply. I also don't think BFR would add much value, if any, to slo mo weight training, which does more than enough already. Thx again.
@@johnrimac3106 - Right. In another lecture he says exactly that. The tension of slow weight training provides all the occlusion needed. I can't remember which one now but it was in the Q&A at the end of one of his standard presentations.
I still think in terms of life some form of practical self defence is worth doing. We can’t hide from any form of potential injury, line has to be drawn somewhere and imo I think all people should learn to defend themselves.
One of the best forms of self-defense is prevention. Carrying one's self with a muscular frame, great posture, a strong chest, an upright gate, and physique which displays strength is a deterrent.
NICE. Good argument. "Youth is wasted on the young," and all that. A lavalier mic would be really appreciated. Having to strain to hear isn't great. The traffic & AC in the background.
Sorry. I have a "Church" of sorts next door. They were singing hymns/playing music quite loudly. Had to turn on the air and use the phone mic to drown them out. I have to drop these videos when I can. Sorry for the difficulty.
Most of what is being done today is NOT 'functional' training, and I'm really upset with HIT for accepting the other definitions used. I'm insult by it. I helped people with REAL functional training in rehab. What is being performed in modern times in SIMULATED LABOR. Functional training has NO benefit for a person prior to 200 years ago. Those activities were DAILY LIFE. True Exercise WOULD benefit anyone at anytime in history.
PLEASE stop calling what they do as ‘functional’. Functional must be ‘useful or practical’. What these places and programs are doing is simulating the labor humans USED to do. Nothing more.
Unfortunately "sexy" and "effective" are mutually exclusive, first one sells and the second one...meh. Of course by the time these sexy ballistic exercisers/crossfitters/powerlifters etc are injured and not walking well anymore at 55 they are kicked off the "influencer" bus and no one cares what they think anymore. Slow and controlled HIT gets the last laugh everytime.
I completely agree. 40 yo, High Intensity Body Weight training and never injured. I want strength and lean mass preservation while not being injured.Being healthy and injury free is a superpower.
Great video! I'm in my late 20s and I think it's important to pay attention to the long term damage you can incur by doing the things you talked about. Currently doing the Big 5 routine from the book, going strong.
I use all equipment. I am 53. Been lifting since I was 16. I will say this. I feel better when I use machines generally speaking!
Just to give you a ray of hope Dr. McGuff, I am 27 years old and have been training with your particular high intensity training modality for the last 2-3 years with better results than my previous 10 years using many other training types. Because of this I have stopped the excessive and repetitive usage of a particular muscle or joint and now look forward to being "functional" at age 50 and beyond. I am still trying to convince my father that roller blading does not constitute fitness and only serves to wear out his already "pre-knee replacement" knees!
I'm 75 and have been running for 61 years. I'm currently running about 4X/week, mostly HIIT intervals on the treadmill; 200m sprints with 100m walk recovery for about 40 min per session. Alternatively, I run on a local track, sprinting the straights and walking the turns, also for about 40 mins. I've recently started to add Body by Science workouts to that routine at the end of my treadmill workouts. I do 4 out of the 5 recommended machines in the book but had to eliminate the leg press because I injured my back doing those. I add the hip abductor to the 4 to make it 5 machines. In 61 years of running, I've only had one injury: plantar fasciitis. its interesting that I seem to be the only one at my local rec. center who is doing low reps and high weights on the machines. I'm getting some strange looks, LOL. Everyone else seems to be ripping it up with lots of reps and very light weights. Oh well.
I am 70 now, having survived my stupidity during my youth with a rotator cuff injury. But I have been able to turn it around the past four years, focusing on strength training, some HIIT on my bike, a Ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting as well as some four day fasting several times a year. I have lost 65 lbs of body fat, am seven lbs away from my ideal weight with a BMI of 23.5. I am so much healthier today than when I was 25 years of age. Zero meds, good dieting with organic natural foods from the earth and pastures, and no health issues whatsoever. We need many more physicians like yourself.
Strength is what's important and HIT is the way to go. An owner of a Box tried to convince me that box jumps, rope climbs, burpees, Tire flips, and Olympic lifts (done improperly) done as many rounds as possible were going to help me in my life as I grow older.
Nah! Getting every major muscle group in my body as strong as my genetics will allow will help me as I get older. They can have the wall balls and muscle ups. I just need to get stronger without destroying my joints.
By the way. The Body By Science audiobook is excellent! I am not just listening to it, I am studying it.
@@cbrown717 idk if you've researched epigenetics much, but it's fascinating how much your lifestyle can "turn on" or even "down regulate" certain genes!
Regarding chronic disease... Genetics can only load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger. 💪
Well said! Thank you for all the insightful, well-spoken content that you share!
Best rational commentary on the whole subject yet and in 5 minutes.
I'm 23 years old and I workout just as you do and many others like you who advocate like you said. Force controlled, high intensity resistance training. Just trying to keep that area under the curve nice and high.
Specificity. Build your strength generally, and then use that strength to improve how you function in your chosen sport or recreation. - Arthur Jones
Thank you Doctor!
Great Message! In our 20’s we never believe we will get injured and if we do we will heal. I’m here to tell you it will come back to haunt you! Being 67 OMG! Lol the first 5 minutes after getting out of bed in the morning!
Talking to me. In my thirties and early forties I took up Olympic lifting, and power lifting. It did not go well. Now I am in my upper-mid-fifties. I regret not being more alert to how wreckless I was being. Thank goodness I had beat myself up enough that I did not jump into the Crossfit movement. Like others here have posted, I started lfiting in my early teens. Back then aches and pains came and went. Now they stick around. I realize that "fitness" should be an addition to lifestyle, something that improves quality of life. At 57 retirement will be here before I know it, and I want to enjoy time with my grandchildren, take river cruises in Europe, sit comfortably at bridge club, and even take up Wing Chun again.
It’s said to see that the NFL and NCAA has gotten away from HIT training. I see some of these videos and the form. It’s terrifying. All ballistic, momentum based crazy so called functional training. Anyway, you earned my subscription. Well said.
If everyone watched this the world would be a better place. Less money spent on rehab and pain medication, less bullshit posts on Instagram and Facebook, less time wasted training redundant activities that distract you from a good recreational pursuit; stronger more healthy people that lived longer and happier.
Well said Doc . I’m 49 I train with Bodyweight only with very slow reps three times a week . And I walk for an hour a day. When I see cross fit I just cringe when I see them doing there form of chins ( kipping) countless times and doing power cleans for reps you will not be training like for very long because of strain it puts on your joints
It's a mentality. My friend is your age and just got hurt doing high volume 5 day 25 set workouts.
He looks down on my lower volume time under tension style.
But he sees himself as alpha and me as a lowly beta unworthy of listening too.
This was a great speech.....well done Doug!!!!
I'm 58 and have had multiple orthopedic surgeries due to sports related injuries when I was in my teens/twenties. I've been using techniques from the BBS book for about 6ish years, and have had zero injuries related to this protocol. I've had to modify certain things during post-op rehab and have used the same principals in PT. I've even educated more than a few physical therapists on this.
Thanks for the timely reminder, Doc!
Yes sir! Thank you for putting this info out there, would love for you to come give a seminar here at Appalachian State!
This makes a heckuva lot of sense. You want to build mobility, flexibility, strength, muscle mass and bone density. Functionality will come from that.
I'm doing the Super Slow using the Force USA Monster G3 rack. Just got it and have used it a few times for this. I had been using Precor multi-press, lat/row and leg press machines at work but it was hard to find a time of day when I had the room to myself. This Monster G3 is smooth enough, gives a variety of ways to do each of the Big 5, and has safety features. The leg press is vertical as part of the Smith Machine. I like it better than the Precor seated leg press. Please comment if the vertical leg press is not as safe/healthy as the seated one.
Thanks for the work you've done to develop a muscle building program that is low risk. I put off weight training for over a year while searching for a way to do it that was risk free. Then I lucked out and found your info on youtube.
Kindred spirits. I just got a used Monster G3 (first gen) & will be using it for modified HIT too.
Great point 👍🏼
Stay Strong Be Strong 💪🏼
Many thanks for this video 🙏🏼
AJ wrote a lot about this over the years. A basketball player does not use a heavier ball to practice with so that he can get stronger shooting the ball. You strength train the body to gain muscle and lose fat and then go practice at whatever your sport might be.
Simple honest logical advice from experience....important to keep the body strong and balanced with eyes on the end game.......and dont neglect the mind ?? read books from the great thinkers and do a little stoic meditation etc
Yes. I'm sure his years of being medic was neglecting his mind.
Hola buenas tardes.. Un placer comunicarme con ustedes .. Deseo hacerle una pregunta.. Sirve el ARX Alpha para atletas de alto rendimiento . Específicamente el atletismo? ..Gracias espero por favor su cooperación..
great advice, thanks. btw, i herniated a disc carrying a bag of cement. Since I took up RE it's hardly being an issue. i only use machines
I wish that someone would reproduce the original, plate-loaded Nautilus equipment. Most machines are not designed well.
Thank you
Question on Sleeping problems post workout. Hi Doug, I have been doing your protocol since January. Going great except I have trouble sleeping post workout. I do the protocol in the morning, I dropped back to the big 3 and still have trouble sleeping for 2-3 days. Any tips?
cross fit is excellent for injury
Stupidity in sport and fitness training is truly infinite! It is everywhere. Fighters throw heavy medicine ball to the wall in order to gain "explosiveness" in punching. They do lots of "road work" (running) in order to get endurance. Ice hockey players would do barbell squats on a "half ball balance trainer" in order to be "more balanced" on skates. And I am not talking about average gym Joe. This stuff is being practiced by top level professional athletes. So-called strength and conditioning coaches get paid big bucks for this nonsense. No wonder almost of the pros are on roids. But the absolute champ of all this garbage is ... CROSSFIT. A real gold mine for orthopedic surgeons!
How big is your space Doug and how many machines do you have in that space?
Mr Mcguff great videos but an external Mic would be great 😏
In my late 30s I see how hard it is to do HIT with just bodyweight. It's great to have variety but knowing that all you may need is your bodyweight and maybe a weighted vest is eye opening. 💪
Doug, why do you think it is that high level NCAA athletes and Professional athletes are taught Olympic lifts and plyometrics by their strength and conditioning coaches?
The basis of most strength and conditioning coaches programs is the big five. Yes they add other things into it, but all of them focus on squats, deadlifts, or leg press for lower body and various push-pull on the vertical and horizontal plane for upper body.
Dr. McGuff, could you post a good starting routine for a 55 yr old with no health problems?
If you haven't found a routine yet, he devotes a whole chapter to beginner routines for older people in the book Body by Science.
@@synergyrevolution2332 where? What chapter or page?
@@robertnelson2615 Chapter 11 page 239
If you want to do functional movements, at least do them unloaded. Maintaining the ability to get into a full squat, get down onto the ground, crawl around on the floor or do any fluid motion that you want is extremely functional, but as soon as you load those movements, the risk increases tremendously. Machine built strength transfers just fine to unloaded movements.
Mobility is definitely functional but I don't believe you need to have a deliberate practice for it. If you go to the ends of your range of motion in training and are able to do that pain free while still maintaining command of the weight you're working with, I believe that's enough.
For example with a leg press, if you can go to the degree of hip flexion equivalent to that of a full squat then that's enough of an indication that you can still go to a full squat.
@@synergyrevolution2332 The majority of older people who can do a perfect leg press cannot get into a full squat position, that's my experience. They lose the skill because they don't ever do it.
@@bigt9905 What usually stops them from getting into position? A lack of balance or are they just unable to go low enough?
@@synergyrevolution2332 As far as I can tell, it looks like deep squat amnesia to me. They typically do it "all-knees, no hips". If their joints are OK with it, they can be re-taught. My guess is if they'd practiced getting into a deep squat periodically over the years, they'd maintain the skill.
@@bigt9905 All knees, no hips, so do they squat up on their toes instead of doing it with feet flat on the ground?
Well said Doc
Oh so true.👍
God bless you
AMEN!!!!
I am currently reading the built by science book; is this principle geared toward (no disrespect intended) older adults looking to work out? Just seems like a lot of the success stories or people advocating for it are in there 50's. I am 29 and am thinking about doing this for longevity and to get my body in good shape, but hesitant that it might not be enough for me.
If you do it properly, it will be enough. You will be going to the limit of your strength. Try it!
@@johnwise7693 thanks John, I'm going to give it a go!
Like John said , done properly it'll be more than enough. I'm 23, once a week in the gym and the rest I'm enjoying life knowing I'll be able to do this well into my 80s and 90s.
What do you think of Blood Flow Restriction straps? Can they be used in slo mo resistance training?
Pages 430 - 442 in the book, "Music & Dance: Critical Factors for Practice and Conditioning", presents Ken Hutchins' argument for why BFR/Occlusion Exercise is, "...just more jock nonsense dressed up as highbrow technique."
@@paulthomas5901 I appreciate your reply. I also don't think BFR would add much value, if any, to slo mo weight training, which does more than enough already. Thx again.
@@johnrimac3106 - Right. In another lecture he says exactly that. The tension of slow weight training provides all the occlusion needed. I can't remember which one now but it was in the Q&A at the end of one of his standard presentations.
I still think in terms of life some form of practical self defence is worth doing. We can’t hide from any form of potential injury, line has to be drawn somewhere and imo I think all people should learn to defend themselves.
One of the best forms of self-defense is prevention. Carrying one's self with a muscular frame, great posture, a strong chest, an upright gate, and physique which displays strength is a deterrent.
@@cbrown717sometimes
NICE. Good argument. "Youth is wasted on the young," and all that.
A lavalier mic would be really appreciated. Having to strain to hear isn't great. The traffic & AC in the background.
Sorry. I have a "Church" of sorts next door. They were singing hymns/playing music quite loudly. Had to turn on the air and use the phone mic to drown them out. I have to drop these videos when I can. Sorry for the difficulty.
@@dr.dougmcguff282 Understood. Appreciate learning from you immensely.
Most of what is being done today is NOT 'functional' training, and I'm really upset with HIT for accepting the other definitions used. I'm insult by it. I helped people with REAL functional training in rehab.
What is being performed in modern times in SIMULATED LABOR.
Functional training has NO benefit for a person prior to 200 years ago. Those activities were DAILY LIFE.
True Exercise WOULD benefit anyone at anytime in history.
PLEASE stop calling what they do as ‘functional’. Functional must be ‘useful or practical’.
What these places and programs are doing is simulating the labor humans USED to do. Nothing more.
Injuries are a badge of honor for powerlifters and bros.
Most guys "go heavy or go home".
Crossfit. Olympic lifts for reps & time so you can look average. 😄
Unfortunately "sexy" and "effective" are mutually exclusive, first one sells and the second one...meh. Of course by the time these sexy ballistic exercisers/crossfitters/powerlifters etc are injured and not walking well anymore at 55 they are kicked off the "influencer" bus and no one cares what they think anymore. Slow and controlled HIT gets the last laugh everytime.
Please buy a microphone 😁
Doug is the man
If it doesn’t transfer, why could Michael Jordan get another 6 championship in baseball after he retired from NBA?
Because he’s a natural athlete
Circus training 😂
Read barbell prescription by Jonathan