I’ve been spending a lot of time in the gym, and I’ve come across a lot of conflicting information in my research. Because of the release of cortisol, in order to get the most out of your workout before your body releases an excessive amount of the hormone, it’s said you should keep it at most an hour. Someone once asked Ronnie Coleman the duration he thought and indeed he said around 45 minutes. Generally the more popular view is that two hours or even longer is fine in the gym. I’m fine with that if that’s what needs be. I generally enjoy my time in the gym, feeling satisfied and better about myself for having gone. Still, I’m not sure what I should do to get the most out of my workout based on this conflicting information. Do you have any ideas that could help me?
I have trouble with the science and the iron of musclebuilding. An hour in the gym never did it for me as a young, hardcore muscle-maniac. Sixty minutes? Fine for older folks and fitness-heads, but to arrange and focus and fight and pump and burn and blast the sets and reps and movements, I’m only half way home.
Never know what or who to believe: That’s why I never read any mags or how-to books along my cast-iron journey. We’re all different, with differing advantages and limitations — chemical, metabolic, genetic, structural, aptitude, affinity, attitude. Hence, our needs differ.
What one does in 60 minutes — exercises choices, exercise form, exercise volume, performance intensity, weight used, pace applied, methodology — is not what another might do.
Do what you need and want to do. They’ll probably match. I swap the science for good old instincts and commonsense. Call me dumb. Too much data and research and science and I wanna go home. Let me lift.
It’s complicated. Cortisol is a life-saving hormone created by stress within the body by our own hands (excessive system overloads) or from stressful circumstances surrounding us (war). Too much cortisol can certainly be damaging when produced to alter our cellular chemistry.
I see from your email address your military commitment, and I consider that a number one producer of cortisol. Toughest job in the world, for which we are deeply in debt, thank you.
I’d use the gym to build muscle and might, as best you can, while relieving the multitude of stresses around you. This means enjoy it, trust it and love it, and hate it only slightly. Dig in, but don’t bury yourself.
Rest as much as you can and eat as well as you can, often. Got some dough? Invest in some good supplements to fill the gaps. Protein powder, tuna and such…
Again, thanks for everything… God’s strength… Dave Draper