Why You Should Do Gironda Strength Training

8 sets of 8 is a high volume, fast tempo, size building workout. It is not designed for strength development – it’s purely for bodybuilding or “cosmetic” improvements. 8 sets of 8 will also help you get leaner.

The short rest intervals stress the cardiovascular system to the point where calories are burned, the metabolism is stimulated, hormones are stirred up and fat is melted away.

Here’s how it works: You will select three or four exercises per muscle group and perform 8 sets of 8 on each exercise. That’s 24 to 32 sets per body part. You will work two or three muscle groups per session and rest only 15 to 30 seconds between sets.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

  • Improve cardiovascular performance
  • Promote a lean body
  • Can be time efficient
  • Boosts mood and mental health
  • Can promote weight loss
  • Good for motivation
  • Effective for burning calories and building size

Why You Should Do Tabata Training

Developed by Izumi Tabata, Ph.D., at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Tabata is based on timed interval method.

Tabata is a type of HIIT workout that aims to yield the most benefits in a short amount of time. For each exercise, you do eight rounds of 20 seconds of maximal strenuous exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest x 8 cycles through.

This equates to a 4-minute workout. This can be done with just one exercise i.e., burpees OR combined with a few different exercises to make a ‘Tabata Circuit’.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

  • Improves fitness
  • Maximum results in minimal timeframe
  • EPOC effect – ‘afterburn’ so the body continues to burn calories after the session
  • Good fat burner
  • Convenient and flexible sessions – you can perform a Tabata workout anywhere doing any exercise
  • Increased anaerobic and aerobic fitness

Upper Back

The muscles in the group are:

TRAPEZIUS

This is broad, flat and triangular in shape. It is responsible for elevating and retracting the scapula (shoulder blade) and when the arm abducts (moves away from the body’s centre line), it rotates the scapula.

LATISSIMUS DORSI

The latissimus dorsi muscles, known as the lats, are the large V-shaped muscles that connect your arms to your vertebral column. They help protect and stabilize your spine while providing shoulder and back strength. Your lats also help with shoulder and arm movement and support good posture.

LEVATOR SCAPULAE

This is a smaller muscle attached between the neck and scapula. Its main function is to elevate the scapula.

RHOMBOIDS

As shown in the diagram, there are two muscles, major and minor. Both muscles are responsible for the retraction and rotation of the scapula.