Jeff Cavaliere: Optimize Your Exercise Program with Science-Based Tools | Episode 79
Main Takeaways
The Coach – Athlean-X website offers general guidelines for managing gym time to achieve health, aesthetics, and athleticism, with a 60/40 split leaning towards strength training.
The duration of workouts should be kept to an hour or less for overall health, with splits or heavy lifting taking longer due to load and rest between sets.
A good warm-up routine is important, especially as you age, to avoid injury and enable you to move heavier loads with a reduced risk of injury.
When designing splits and two-a-days, sustainability is key, and it is important to find a routine that is enjoyable and easy to stick to.
The two most common types of splits are bro splits, which focus on one muscle group per day, and push/pull splits.
Cardiovascular training is important for maintaining or gaining muscle and getting lean, with a minimum of two days per week recommended.
It is best to avoid doing cardio prior to lifting weights as it may compromise lift effort, while doing it at the end of the workout can still provide sufficient cardiovascular output for strength training goals.
Jump roping is a good way to improve cardiovascular fitness and is relatively easy on the joints.
Mind-muscle connection is important for hypertrophy or muscle growth, and certain muscles will grow bigger and stronger depending on your ability to contract them in the absence of load.
Sleeping position can affect movement while awake, with excessive extension of the lumbar spine and internal rotation of the hands and cranking of the neck on one side or the other being some reasons to avoid sleeping on your stomach. Passive stretching should be done after workouts or at the end of the day before bed, while active/dynamic stretching is done to increase the readiness of the muscle to perform. Lastly, upright rows should be avoided as they can cause damage to the rotator cuff.
