Density Training for Fat Loss
by John Romaniello
04/19/10

One of the most challenging and effective fat loss methods you'll ever try.

cool article, John Romaniello is a funny bastard, anyone ever read his blog about the spider??

I really like this guys articles. For the past 2 weeks I've been doing a hybrid heavy and density day routine 6 days a week (2x a week each muscle group 1 heavy day, 1 density) and I swear I'm getting leaner and stronger and the scale isn't moving much. I'm quite enjoying it.

good shit John... I really like your articles. Really good stuff.

.greg.

Isn't this the same idea as P90X?

Thanks John, great article. Quick question though:

Are the rest periods always supposed to be ascending (10,20,30,...)? If not, how do you schedule them? And the rest between circuits?

Nice article. The bodyweight sounds pretty similar to any martial arts course fitness activities except we usually divide the mat in 4 and students jog from one station to the next as their rest. Will definitely consider this with weights and the idea of increasing the reps on the second set. Also like the general knowledge I learned from it about the neuro system's impact that I can try to tell my students when they undoubtedly complain.

I do wonder about the practicalities of this. I know at the gym I go to getting 4 barbells loaded and ready to go just for me would be next to impossible. Any suggestions for us gym members that don't have access to private facilities?

Thanks,
Ender

So quick question, would something like the "300 workout" be under this category? Just curious.

In basic sense, yes--you'd be increasing density from workout to workout, in that you would be trying to accomplish that feat in less time.

This set up is a bit more sophisticated, but is built on those more basic principles.

It sounds like crossfit.

One quick clarification question: In your protocol are you to do each circuit 4 times? The instructions read: "Continue this pattern for all exercises. Rest 120s and repeat. For your SECOND circuit". Does this mean that the FIRST circuit is twice through, then you add weight and go through twice again, or its literally once through, add weight, once through?

Thanks much!

John,

What do you think of this sample workout. In order to increase intensity the rest periods decrease until the client is reaching a point of local fatigue (i.e. if the legs give out but the lungs are still good to go). At that point adjustments would be needed to make the conditioning more demanding:
Three sets of 20 with
A1)Walking Lunges rest 10sec
A2)Leg Press (high feet) rest 120sec
B1)Rafter Style Pullup rest 10sec
B2)Alternating Pushup on MedBall rest 120sec
C1)Decline Bench Chopper rest 10sec
C2)Floor Cobras rest 60sec
Stretch, Eat, Go Watch the Yankees game.

Next week try to make rest intervals be 10sec, 100sec...so on so forth.

Respectfully,
Mykael

Great article.

One question:

What do you recommend in terms of "as part of a good program"? Should this replace a training day, replace cardio, or be added to a complete FL routine without further manipulation?

Thanks,

mid

John, Great article! Thanks for sharing.
What do you think of following the same sequence of time and loading but with one movement like power clean & push press?

John, thanks for the article...definitely gave me a different challenge when faced with time.

Another practical question though: I found it awkwardly difficult to manage my stop watch while going through the session, as it only counts forward and I cannot easily see it because of glare issues from the lights, angle just wasn't great, etc.

What do use to help keep track of the time in an easier-to-see fashion? Are there timers out there that you can set for say 25 seconds and it beeps or something at the end? The stop watch is great for rest intervals, but fussing to keep track of how much time I have left in the middle of a set ends up taking too much attention away from the actual work I'm doing.

Thanks!

John have you ever done an article for T-Nation on diet?