Volume Training Issues

OatmealFitness · 06-22-2009, 07:58 AM

I have been following the NROL Hypertrophy I program and am having a great deal of trouble with the higher volume 3 sets or 15 reps lower body days. I currently loaned my book out to a friend at my gym and can not reference that at the moment. So I am doing the 3 sets of squats with only 30 seconds of rest between sets, followed by deadlift shrugs only 30 seconds of rest and alternating set of BSS and step ups with 30 seconds of rest. I believe that is the listed rest times. Doing this I feel as though I am going to die. My heart rate shoots up, I sweat like a fiend and get nauseus. My last workout 3x15 workout I used 165 pounds on set 1 and 2 and then dropped to 135 for my third set, sticking to the 30 second rest period and knocking out all 15 reps. However, following that I had to rest for about 6 minutes and collect myself before moving to deadlifts. And have a similiar result following them. The alternating sets of BSS and step ups is where I feel the need to extend the rest times between the sets, because I am basically getting wiped out. The main issue is that it is not my legs that are holding me back, it seems to be my cardiovascular conditioning that is the issue. I am a former athlete, but in the last year have done about no conditioning at all. What should I do about this problem in the mean time, until I get my conditioning back on par. I plan to move to the Fat Loss Program shortly to get ripped up for when I go back to grad school. A few additional pieces of information are I believe I my tempo is much to quick on my squats and slowing down may help me keep my breath and heart rate down a bit, while I am starting off with 165 on my 15 reps sets I start with 245 on my 5 rep sets and am likely going to jump that to 265 my next workout. Also I take a 200mg No-Dos before I lift, planning to stop that on high volume lower body days. I do not encounter nearly the same problems on my high volume upper body days. I know in short I should prob start doing to interval training, but until I improve my conditioning what should I do? Lower the weight used during exercise, increase my rest times, slow tempo? Any insight is appreciated.

chaddukes · 06-22-2009, 08:25 AM

Keep doing it until your fitness improves? You could even keep the weight the same but work on improving the time it takes to get your the sets done. I wouldn't lower the weight, and I wouldn't lower the tempo. That's going to lower the number of motor units (and therefore the amount of muscle fiber) that you recruit.

I have the same issue with higher rep lower body stuff, especially squats. It's like short burst of intense cardio.

By the way, I was born in Dublin, GA. My family still lives there but I live in MD now.

OatmealFitness · 06-22-2009, 09:14 AM

Thanks for the input. That is what I figured, just need to get my conditioning better. Transitioning to fat loss soon, so I will be implementing some various types of cardio and hopefully I can improve on my conditioning.

chaddukes · 06-23-2009, 03:30 PM

If it's any consolation I can't do 3x15 at 165lbs. with only 30 seconds of rest between sets. I did my squats last night with 3x10 at 165lbs. with about 90 seconds of rest. So, you aren't that out of shape! Not, that I should be anyones benchmark for conditioning.