Needless to say, Amber wasn’t happy about BMT Wednesday night. As soon as she got in the car she said, “I didn’t even sweat. Is every Wednesday going to be like this? Monday’s BMT was so much better.”
I responded to her question with a question of my own, hoping it would end the conversation. “How many times were you able to go all 30 seconds, and then perform the iso-hold for 20 seconds?”. The answer was not many.
She wasn’t satisfied, so I had to delve into a little science.
In the weight room, bodybuilders train muscles, athletes train movements, and Bad Men train energy systems. Three related, but separate variables. Assuming most of us already train muscles or movements during our workouts outside of BMT, we don’t incorporate loading schemes for those two variables during our BMT sessions. It would be redundant and a waste of time. Instead we focus on the energy systems, primarily the glycolytic and oxidative systems.
The Rhyme and Reason
So you probably noticed during Monday’s session that your heart rate was through the roof, and you were probably dripping with sweat. Your lungs may have even been burning too. That was the goal. We were stressing the aerobic energy system. The exercises we chose were not limited by your muscles as much as they were by the ability of your body to take in and use oxygen. Thus, your breathing was elevated to oxygenate the blood, and your heart was pumping like a banshee to get that oxygenated blood to your muscles.
Wednesday’s workout probably didn’t elevate your heart rate near as much, nor did you sweat as much. Once again, that was the goal. We were trying to stress the glycolytic energy system. Your muscles failed before your cardiovascular system did. That burning you felt in your muscles that didn’t allow you to complete those last few seconds of an exercise was due to the acid buildup. Lack of oxygen wasn’t the problem. A low pH was. Your muscles couldn’t buffer it quick enough, and eventually shut down.
So two different workouts primarily focusing on two different energy systems with two different results. That’s the goal.
Amber, like most females, has an impressive aerobic system. She’s a cardio machine. Her resting heart rate is probably in the high 40’s. Monday’s workout may elevate her heart rate more, and she may perceive it as being more difficult, but that’s just an illusion. Her weakness is her glycolytic energy system, strength endurance. She needs Wednesday’s workout much more than she needs Monday’s workout.
And after the entire explanation, do you think that changed her mind? Nope.
