Weight gain (with regards to sports)

[lisward]

Hey Jordan,

I'm an ex competitive fencer (right now serving in the military in a support vocation). I used to strength train a while back, I've asked you a question like this a long time ago, but I've detrained since then due to form issues that I couldn't get a live coach to solve + life shit and depression.

I'm back on LP to get my lifts back to where they were S:265x5 B:140x1 D:290ishx5 press+PC:90lbs @176lbs. (28%bf in hindsight it was because I was mentally weak+ I had this form issue where I'd use one side of my body more than the other on every lift due to lack of kinesthetic sense + fencing being the only physical activity I did for 3 years)

I managed to find a coach who was familiar with the SS model of lifting and she helped correct all the neurological problems I had with cueing and now I feel really good about lifting again, but this time I want to lift to get back in shape for competitive fencing (make the national team again), in around 2-3 months.

With this in mind, should I try and rapidly gain weight while putting conditioning (?) behind, I remember you said I may fall somewhere around 180lbs by the end of my LP, I'm just worried that the fat gain will affect my fencing performance.

Right now I'm 5'7 150lbs (male)
S:180lbs
D:209lbs
B:104lbs
Press:77lbs (weird numbers cause kilos to lbs)

Lifts are weak but I'm feeling very good about getting stronger after learning to use both sides of my body.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I think that gaining weight as you go along in your LP such that you're squatting 300+ x 5x3 and benching 200+ x 5 x3 is a good idea. You shouldn't weigh 180 tomorrow, but 3 months from now, sure.

[lisward]

Ok got it!

Concept 2, 20 seconds on 140 seconds off on Saturdays? When I'm back to fencing training regularly, do you think that the concept 2 (perhaps with tweaked work ratios) is an adequate tool for getting into competition shape for my sport? Usually what we used to do is just run, run, run, but from what I've read on here that's a really stupid way to approach conditioning.

Also, do you adjust the resistance on the stationary bike when doing intervals, like setting it higher during the work periods and lower on the rest periods?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Ok got it!

Concept 2, 20 seconds on 140 seconds off on Saturdays? When I'm back to fencing training regularly, do you think that the concept 2 (perhaps with tweaked work ratios) is an adequate tool for getting into competition shape for my sport? Usually what we used to do is just run, run, run, but from what I've read on here that's a really stupid way to approach conditioning.

Also, do you adjust the resistance on the stationary bike when doing intervals, like setting it higher during the work periods and lower on the rest periods?

I probably wouldn't condition at all outside of doing some fencing work during the off season, then during the in season- you shouldn't have to supplement your conditioning for fencing with things outside of fencing unless you're not getting enough practice to be conditioned for your sport.

[lisward]

I probably wouldn't condition at all outside of doing some fencing work during the off season, then during the in season- you shouldn't have to supplement your conditioning for fencing with things outside of fencing unless you're not getting enough practice to be conditioned for your sport.

Yeah that's what worries me because with my schedule i'd probably only be able to get 2-3 days of training/sparring per week, it may not be enough conditioning for a competition setting (3x3 minute bouts, a days worth of Direct elimination rounds). There is no off season for fencing here, right now at the end of the year it's winding down, but in general there's a competition every 1-2 months.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Yeah that's what worries me because with my schedule i'd probably only be able to get 2-3 days of training/sparring per week, it may not be enough conditioning for a competition setting (3x3 minute bouts, a days worth of Direct elimination rounds). There is no off season for fencing here, right now at the end of the year it's winding down, but in general there's a competition every 1-2 months.

I just think that unless you have a serious deficit of general aerobic development that any time spent doing intervals or similar would be better spent sparring or doing something more practice related.

[lisward]

I just think that unless you have a serious deficit of general aerobic development that any time spent doing intervals or similar would be better spent sparring or doing something more practice related.

Ok that makes sense thanks. I've seen this mentioned before, that most of the conditioning should come from training not from dedicated conditioning, but i see high level MMA fighters include lots of rowing and rope swinging and running, is that all just a waste of time?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Ok that makes sense thanks. I've seen this mentioned before, that most of the conditioning should come from training not from dedicated conditioning, but i see high level MMA fighters include lots of rowing and rope swinging and running, is that all just a waste of time?

Hard to really know, but my general thoughts are that practice of the actual sport either becomes too fatiguing/taxing to be done at the requisite intensity in order to improve or there are logistical problems. Thus, additional conditioning stimulus must come from less taxing/fatiguing modalities. I doubt it's terribly useful outside of building a base of conditioning.