First of all I would like to thank you for the great work you have put into this site, its so refreshing to have a cool fitness site that doesn't push the pumped up steriod look!

I don't know if you have heard of a guy called David Gandy, he's a model for D&G and is in amazing shape. I've been using the visual impact course but was wondering if you think that way of training is the right way to go to attain that sort of physique?

Keep up the good work!

Shaun

I've really enjoyed reading your posts and have taken a fair bit of your advice on board (I bought Vis Impact for women last year). So while the idea of doing HIIT then steady state training makes a lot of sense I wondered what your opinion was of classes that use interval training, such as certain cycle/spin classes? They don't fit with your plan but I really enjoy them and the social aspect of training is part of the drawcard for me.

I also do bootcamp-style training, which I find very satisfying (and, again, it's a social thing) though I guess that's more a bodyweight circuit program. My goal is to do bootcamp 3 days a week; and on the other 2 or 3 days chuck in some cycle classes and weights, or HIIT and weights. Do you think this seems a reasonable plan?

Also, thanks for clarifying why training heavy but low rep is more beneficial than high rep and low weight. I'm new to lifting, and as a woman I don't want to add a heap of bulk, but certainly I noticed that Pump classes seemed to make me insanely sore but provided fewer gains than when I lifted heavier weights fewer times on my own, as you advised. It strikes me that I probably shouldn't bother with Pump at all.

Anyway, thanks again, happy new year and look forward to your advice.
Cara

A question came out the segment on Training in a Fasted State – what period of time must elapse before you can consider yourself 'fasted' for maximum benefit?

Also, I do a lot of kettlebell training and frequently incorporate ladders of cleans and presses in my circuit. Do ladders of cleans and presses produce a sarcoplasmic, or more myofibrillar muscle growth, or is the exercise itself less a factor than weight and reps?

Thanks again!

How long is "a long time" between sets?

Initially, after having done muscle-building for so long, I just found the long wait between sets to be really mind-numbing, so I brought a book to the gym, which probably just made me seem like a psycho… Now I fill the time doing kickboxing moves, stretches and more ab work to kill times between sets… some of which probably also makes me seem like a psycho.

Also, eventually, I want to go back to the basic, longer version of Visual Impact for Women (as opposed to the muscle-loss tweak) and I don't want to be killing any more time beyond what's necessary to avoid getting a pump. I can easily see myself spending the whole evening in the gym, randomly round-housing away my between-sets downtime as the sun sets in the distance.

Help?

Just wanted to ask some questions if thats ok? Little back-story…

Been sick for quite some time and put on a lot of weight (got up to 156kgs!) & was previously a weight lifter. Now not so sick (except for the recent spinal injury, though recovering) and have been using a routine I worked out myself to drop back down to 127kgs in the last 5mths. Im 5'11" and 130cm around the shoulders, so Im a big boy anyways…

Ive just discovered your routine Phases and am interested in starting but I get the impression I should maybe drop more fat before I begin with my own routine, or maybe do the Phase III for a little while before starting the program proper @ PhaseI?

What would you suggest? Should I continue to lose some more fat first, or through I power into PhaseI and follow the program as per you suggest.

If this works for me Rusty, I think I will have to become an Australian Disciple!

Cheers, Rick

Wish I knew then what I know now in terms of fitness. I was an aspiring bodybuilder at one time abck in the 80s, but frankly, I got tired of the politics, drugs (never took 'roids), the meathead mentality and the overall bad image many in bodybuilding have given to the fitness world overall. I thought lifting huge weights having "big guns" and "traps" were the only way to go. Meanwhile, I was not fit in any way, shape or form.

Incidentally, bodybuilders of past eras, (i.e. Reeves actually LOOKED good, as the look back then was more natural.

Thankfully, I have wised up in the last 10 years and on a simple, yet effective functional fitness program that doesn't involve weights.

I respect your outlook, Rusty and will check out your site further.

I also wanted to add that getting and staying in shape does not have to consist of torture, deprivation or pain. Getting in shape can be fun, yet effective and beneficial at the same time.

I'm 2 days into compound exercise overload. I'm using pull-ups, staring with 40lbs extra weight, going down to 130 lbs assist on the gravitron. A HUGE weight change.

I'll let you know the results.

Tim

I've purchased visual impact and I had a question.

This January I Was 210 (6'3"). I worked out and dieted hard to try to get a six-pack, and got down to 193 lbs in July, but I still had no definition.

I stopped dieting and I just worked out. My weight flew right back to 210, and now I'm at 215.

The thing is, I have more ab definition now than I've ever had in my life. Every day it gets more defined. But, at the same time, I have a big gut, that I notice a lot when I'm sitting down or bending over. It feels like my gut is about the same size as in January.

Whats going on, and do you have any tips to get rid of my extra body fat? To be honest, at this point I'd rather have a flat stomach than a six-pack (I know they're closely related but still…).

Yours,

Tim