Strength In Numbers: Unbreakable Mind , Unstoppable Strength
E11:Keep building ! You are Strength in Numbers
You're at a point where you want to transform your life. You want to sculpt that awesome body that's in there. From never lifting a weight in her life, she started from the beginning at the age of 40. She knows what it's like to start something new. Welcome to Strength in Numbers. Unbreakable Mind. Unstoppable Strength. Inspiring listeners to lift heavy, push boundaries, and create. And embrace the power within. We all have an unbreakable potential of our minds and bodies. We just need to find it. As a diehard tonal gym fan and advocate for training at home, Katie has witnessed firsthand the incredible transformations that can occur when we commit to our fitness goals. She knows what it's like to get jacked all with dedication and determination. Plus nutrition. It's so important. One word. Tacos Mm hmm together we'll embrace the mantra of being stronger not smaller. This is strength in numbers unbreakable mind Unstoppable strength and now your host Katie dunford Welcome back to Strength in Numbers, where we break down the power of community and personal growth one step at a time. Today, I'm diving deep into my own personal fitness journey, sharing how I navigate through a sea of training programs, filter out what's not serving me and staying strong without overtraining. So let's break it all down one program at a time and keep pushing towards our goals. together. So the first thing I want to get off the bat is something that's been going around on little Instagram world is strength training versus cardio with weights. So strength training and cardio with weights both have their place in a well rounded routine, no doubt, but they both serve different purposes. So I'm going to break down those differences. So strength training focuses primarily on building muscle mass and strength. So during the strength training exercises, you're like lifting heavy weights, using resistant bands and performing bodyweight exercises like drum roll, please pushups all day long, you create small tears in your muscle fibers. So as those muscle fibers repair, let me stress repair. So guess when those muscle. fibers repair. I'll wait. Are you saying it? You better. Rest and recovery. Okay. Rest and recovery. So that is leading to an increased muscle mass and overall strength. So the key to be an effective strength training is progressive overload, where you gradually increase the weight or resistance to continually challenging your muscles. Alright, so let's dive into cardio with weights. So, on the other hand, cardio with weights blends cardiovascular exercise with resistance training. This might involve, like, lighter weights, um, higher repetitions, often performed in like a circuit or interval style to keep your heart rate elevated. While you, while you do engage your muscles, the primary goal here is to boost your cardiovascular fitness, burn calories and your endurance. So this approach can lead to some muscle toning, but it's not as effective at building significant muscle mass. compared to just traditional strength training. So it's more focused on improving your cardiovascular health, health and building fat. Hopefully that makes sense. So let's break down the key differences so you can kind of see those out. The main differences lies in the outcome. Strength training is more focused on building muscle mass and increasing strength while cardio with weights is improving your heart health and endurance with some secondary muscle benefits. So if your goal is to build muscle, strength training should be your main focus. And can be complimented by some cardio to maintain your overall fitness. So, you know, if you wanted to add some conditioning days in, if muscle mass is your goal, but here's the, but if your lifts start to suffer. You need to drop out the cardio. Okay. So let's dive in to some of my phases. Um, I get asked this question a lot and we're going to dive into how I go about making my programming, my. each month, how I figure out what I'm going to do, kind of deciphering through all the programs. So the first thing we're going to talk about is the difference between what is called accumulation training and intensification training. So accumulation training is you're going to be in that 12 to 15 reps with moderate weight. So you want to think of this analogy, okay? It's like laying the bricks for a strong house. slow and steady. Okay. So intensification, you're going to be in that four to six rep range with heavier weights. It's like adding the final touches to that strong house, making sure it's rock solid. So I hope, I love those analogies. I thought of that the other night and I was like, I'm going to share that in my podcast. So why should you use both of those training styles? Using both is the best of both worlds. It helps your endurance and your strength. It helps builds, um, with your accumulation and with, uh, intensification makes you stronger, it's a smart way to keep progressing without getting stuck doing the same thing over time. So it keeps it interesting. Like Joe says, Joe really likes the idea of, he says is a very popular way is alternating between the two. Intensification and accumulation. Um, I recently tried that and it's not working for me. And it's totally fine because everything is not a one size fits all. Um, everything is not made for everybody. So just remember, this is how we learn. This is how we get better is trial and error. And just remember, strength training is like art. It is like all other forms of art. All you see is the finished results and not the work and dedication that is put in by the artists behind the scenes. So know that what you're doing is always a work in progress. And if something doesn't work, you try something else. So keeping an open mind is key. So let's talk about some of the programs that I've taken on tonal and what has helped me become a better lifter. I'm not an advanced lifter. Um, I do take advanced programs, but I take. All programs, because I think any program can be made hard. Um, any program you can challenge yourself, um, whether that be beginner or advanced, and sometimes those beginner programs are great for you to revisit form, you know, form cues. So we're going to dive into a couple of those things. So first thing and first things, when I first started lifting on tonal, I started when the New York coaches started. Um, so I really hit the ground running with training when they started, which I think is the most amazing thing because I remember taking all of their, uh, first live classes, which was incredible. So that was a key to my training was taking the live classes. I think seeing the coaches break down the moves in in the lives really help me build my confidence up. So when any beginner ever talks about, you know, starting strength training and stuff like that, I always suggest, pop in the live classes. Um, you know, and, stick with the live format programs to help you build your confidence up on your lifts. So you have those constant cues. You have those constant reminders coming from the coach in the class so I highly recommend for anybody starting strength training Is to take those live classes Because you won't be left to your own devices like in you know for me in the classic format It's very hard for me to stay locked in and live programs definitely help me stay more engaged So a couple of the programs that I've taken on tonal, I've taken a few, a lot of them I've taken repeated. 20 and 20 strength by squats. Um, I took with Joe that is a quads, hamstring glutes program, highly recommend this for beginners learning lower body moves. Joe breaks down the moves. It's my, it's my favorite. I am not a lower body person, but I love that program, uh, for learning, you know, your front squat, um, you know, learning how to, you know, stand and engage your lats, um, all that good stuff. So I highly recommend it. That's a, five day a week program. like I said, it's a great lower body focused program. So highly suggest that one push, pull max variety. This program I would recommend to anybody as a beginner. That's wanting to trickle in possibly doing an advanced starting advanced programs Um, I took mac that that was my first advanced program and that definitely built my confidence up to be able to attempt more advanced programs. that is a, like a four time a week program for three weeks. I, I remember the rep ranges, I think were eight to ten reps. So you're still on the lower end, but it is a little bit on the higher rep range. So, after that program, let's talk about the barbell burner. I only had, I could describe this like program in a couple of words. It literally is confidence building. Like it is literally like, I think that should just be like right next to it. Um, it does say, and it's an advanced program. Your rep ranges are in the fives. I just love this program. I've taken it three times. with Tim. And I, I think there has, there's been so many jokes in that program from, what are my favorites? Oh, I've never lost a friend from falling off a cliff because I've practiced my upright row. I'm like amazing at dodging zombies. Like zombies will never get me. I just love, see this is like, I, I, I absolutely love that stuff. Like, I love the corks. I love the jokes. It just like, I love having those little tidbit of memories of each program, you know, like in power build. So let's talk about power build. Okay. Power build one, power build two. Epic programs. Love it. Lower, upper, lower, upper, upper. That is my way to train. Full body. Y'all that love full body, I don't know about y'all. Okay? I just, I don't know why. I don't know why I don't like full body days. I just really don't. Um, so, uh, PowerBuild and PowerBuild 2, they have those dynamic effort days. PowerBuild 2 has an epic burner. At the, as, as in your fourth block, like I absolutely lose my mind in that program and I'm going to be in there soon, soon, soon, soon. So power build and power build two is that conjugate method. My favorite way to train explosive. You have your strength days, um, you know, your upper and lower, and then you have your dynamic effort days. I just see that program has like tons of like. memories in that program, because that is the one program where it's like, I remember messaging Joe being like, I can't do this. And now I'm like, should I say I'm sailing through it? I really shouldn't because that just eggs Joe on to make stuff. I'm at where I'm at with extreme accumulation because I've said shit's easy. Because I, because I keep, oh, I just, I just need to like keep my mouth quiet. So another program we're going to talk about is Pyramid Pump 2. This is my number two. Okay. This is my number two favorite. Pyramid Pump 2 has the best sequence, the kamikaze. Okay. The kamikaze. It is a closed grip bench press to a skull crusher to a bicep curl. Oh my God. Okay. I love this program and it is live format. It is only a two week program, but I took it for four weeks I was crazy and I did it twice and oh my god, I felt absolutely Strong as hell after that program Strong as hell after that program that program I hit 100 push ups in never in my life Did I ever think that that was possible and I hit 100 push ups in that program. It is still absolutely crazy to me You In my pushup journey from like how I started to where I'm at now, where I'm constantly in this, like the hamster wheel is going in my brain, trying to say, how can I make pushups harder for myself? How can I challenge myself harder? How can I learn another style of pushups? And I think that's just so amazing, especially with pushups, because you really don't need anything except for your body. To do them. To practice them. That's all you need. You can practice pushups anywhere. All right, me and my pushups. See how passionate I am about pushups? I'm nuts. All right, so the next program, divide and Conquer, level Up. This is where I learned about hypertrophy and the purposes of hypertrophy is in this program. This program has two leg days. So for you, leggy leg days, you leg you crazy leg lovers. As Katie will say, you're a stanky leg. Oh my god, that will never get old. So, leg day lovers, you are, in Katie's brain, called stanky legs. You're gonna be doing your stanky legs, like, all the time, during the leg day classes, just saying. Um, you have, you focus on one single muscle group, and, um, You're not supposed to feel taxed in this program. You're not supposed to feel like you have, you had your ass handed to you on each class. And I think that is like one of the things that I've stuck in my brain with doing hypertrophy is to know, okay, this is how you're supposed to feel. That's why it's so important when you go into programs that you know what your goal is and having that conversation with yourself. So going into a program like divide and conquer level up, you're going in being like, My goal here is not to push max weight. Like my goal is not to totally smash myself. My goal is at the end of this workout, I want to feel like I have more in the tank. So that is kind of like when you talk about strength training, this is a big difference between strength training and then cardio with weights. Okay. So like Joe talks about like hypertrophy is all about, you know, aesthetics. it's really just like blowing up that muscle and making it look bigger because don't we all want bigger muscles? I do. So the next program we're going to talk about is house of volume. This is an accumulation program. So believe it or not, accumulation is not my favorite way to train. It is not. I, it slows me down and I get very frustrated. but at the end of the day, you have to know that you can't. I can't take power build forever. You got to mix it up. you got to keep challenging your body. Um, house of volume. It has pushups. So that's one of the main reasons why I love it. And that program will stay as my. Accumulation program phase, when I need it as because it has pushups in it. Because it has bench to push up and it's an absolute epic program. So, um, yeah, so when I started taking accumulation programs, I, you know, I've never taken that style before. so I was all learning process on what accumulation was, how much of it do I need? and for me, I'm finding out that accumulation should only be as an as needed, uh, class. So for me, I just need to take accumulation when it is needed and not try to take it so many times because I feel like I'm not getting the benefits from it, So another program we're going to talk about is built by intensity. Now that program built by intensity, I took in recovery mode, so I took it as an extensive extended dealer. so when I've gotten to a point where I feel like I'm hitting walls and I'm just feeling more tired and tanked, than I normally am, then I'll add in a program, a shorter program. to be a longer extended deload. I will still take that week off. And this is another thing that I'd like to talk about is talking about deload. Um, some people, they like to lift during deload. I do not. I feel like I need that separation from tonal. I tell tonal, I need a break from you. I need a moment. You've literally kicked my ass. I need a moment from you. So me and tonal take a break for like a week. I mean, I do the, the mobility and stuff like that, but I do take that moment away from tonal to kind of regroup, calm down, calm the nerves and everything else, and then I'll, you know, sometimes I do need to take. recovery to kind of give my body some extra TLC. So the next program I want to talk to about is ultimate chest. So ultimate chest I had recently taken with pairing with power build. Um, now for me, I'm not a huge fan of myo reps. So that speaking of that it's I struggle with programs that have a lot of different, uh, training styles in them my body just doesn't seem to agree with it so much I don't know why I think it might be just something in my head But I just feel like my body Body is a lot more sore, because from, and it's like, like, it's kind of, that's why I say it's good to look back at your previous programs and always write down how you are feeling after that program. So it kind of keeps an idea of where you're at, especially with recovery and how well you're doing with recovery. So ultimate chest is a great program. Um, I enjoyed it. but again, it's that classic format in which I really struggle with. And if I was going to do a chess program, I would probably more or less just take Bauer build over again. Oh my God. I'm awful. So that's where I'm at with that. So I really hope you guys enjoy these little chit chats on, my little podcast here, because I truly feel that sometimes listening to somebody that It's a newbie and is learning stuff along with everybody. And, you know, I'm always not the most, uh, as I say, scientific speaker, and trying to explain things, but I truly enjoy. training and um, I truly enjoy taking all of these programs. I wish I could take all the programs with all the coaches because I so much appreciate all of them. They have all had a hand in my success and journey on tonal from day one. so kind of like where I'm going ahead forward, possibly. Uh, with my training next. I may take, Akeem has a new HIT program that just came out. And I may take that as a bridge into PowerBuild 2. I feel like going into PowerBuild 2 I would probably crash. coming out of extreme accumulation to, so I know my body is going to need a moment, especially my hands. because my grip is, I get so, such sweaty hands and holding on, it is, it takes a It takes a lot for me to hold on when my answer is wedding. So that's possibly what I'm going to do. coach Casey had a great program. It has pushup party galore in it. but I'm definitely going to take a program. of, power and, some endurance to build that up before I go into a power build too. So just know that training is, it can be adjusted. It's not written in stone. So just have an open mind and stick with, stick with your goals. I know a lot of programs come out, all, you know, on all kinds of, all platforms and stuff like that. But you have to remember and always stick to what your goals are. Is muscle mass a goal for you? Is leaning out a goal for you? what strength program did you take before? Are you taking too much? Of something of a certain style, excuse me. So are you taking too much like me? I feel like I'm taking too much accumulation in a short period of time. So you have to notice these things and know that it's, you're going to have peaks and valleys in your training. Um, so you can't always be like, I always say volume chaser. You can't be always chasing the highest volume. because you can't be at that max. All the time you have to adjust. So I truly appreciate you guys all listening to this podcast. And I, I know I should be posting more podcasts. I got asked to do another podcast, so I, I'm really trying to get better at doing these. just sometimes, you know, life, be life in. And, um, you know, the program that I'm in is very demanding. so I just wanted to thank you for tuning in to my podcast, Strength in Numbers. Remember, remember, I want you to really listen to this. Your strength journey is uniquely yours. There is no one size fits all approach. Even with everything that I said today, it's my journey. You know, it's my suggestions coming from my point of view. So it's about navigating those programs that fit you best at any given time. Finding a style you truly enjoy and continually pushing yourself to improve. Because that's all we all want. We all want to get better. We all want to get stronger. So we rise by lifting others. So stay focused on what will help you maximize your potential and achieve your results. Keep going. And I will always be here to support all of y'all. I will always be your biggest cheerleader every step of the way. So until next time, keep building. You are Strength in Numbers. You've been listening to Strength in Numbers. Unbreakable mind, unstoppable strength. Your mind and your body can do anything and our passion is to show you the unbreakable potential. Katie is a diehard tonal gym fan and she's all about training at home. She's proven that anything is possible with dedication and determination. Thanks for listening to the show. Make sure to like, rate, and review. Find Katie on Instagram. Instagram at katie underscore h underscore dunford and on tonal at strength underscore n underscore numbers questions or comments hit that email strength underscore n underscore numbers 82 at yahoo. com see you next time