Escalating Density Training

[wal]

Using EDT with basic barbell exercises, a good idea or not?

[f4thpathway]

If you can get it done. Safely. I used to use something similar with 20 rep weights. Nothing more than speed sets with decreasing rest.

[wal]

Is it a legitimate type of training program? If you compare it to a 3X5 or 5X5 training program you actually lift more total weight in a given time and you also do more work. It appears to be low weight high reps over a set time with increasing rest periods to avoid muscle failure.

[DanO_123]

I did it for about 2 months give or take. Its works alright. You'll be surprised how many chins you will be able to do after a while.

I would avoid doing compound lifts for both exercises. Unless your conditioning is top notch.

I liked doing a main lift first then doing the EDT with accessory work. Squats, then RDL and leg presses etc..

Or Presses, then dips and curl.

[f4thpathway]

It's legit. Staley is a good trainer. The overall benefit is increasing work capacity, strength endurance, and shocking the body into compliance and growth. If you went with a phase of EDT and back into TM, 5x5, 5-3-1, or the like you will see some happy times.
+1 for Dano's post.

[DanO_123]

the one thing I needed to learn was to avoid failure and add more sets. Your work capacity takes a big nose dive once you hit failure. so if you have a 10rm weight start at 5 reps and decrease reps to avoid failure rather than trying to maintain 5 reps throughout. you'll end up getting more reps in the 15 min time span. think of it as rest pause with cluster sets. HST uses a lot of similar principles.

also if you are coming from a 5rm training background you will not have very good work capacity at 10rm weights so start lighter than a 10rm calculator would suggest.

[wal]

I tried EDT with barbell exercises such as DL, OHP, Squats and BP but with a lot lighter weight than a 3X3 or 5X5 program and over over 15 min period the total weight lifted is greater than a 5X5 program on the same lift even though the weight is less than the 10rm. However I feel the strain the next day, it sure knocks the stuffing out of you. If after two lifts with the same weight there is an increase of about 20% in the total weight lifted I add about a kG, then next time reset the count and so on. It feels harder than 5X5.

[bd741]

I've used it for arms before. Probably the best pumps I've ever had but I didn't do it on a regular basis. I just threw it in to mix things up. It was very taxing on the arms so I can't imagine how hard it would be with compound lifts and larger muscle groups.