Yep, I’ve thought about it some years ago - how can I do it ALL in ONE exercise! That’s how and why I developed a protocol I’ve described once before, but I can add more detail. There are several considerations:
1)Cardio - quite necessary for longevity, VO2Max, fitness etc.
1a) Develop endurance
1b) Incorporate elements of HIIT
2)Muscle Mass - promotes metabolic health, functional strength, helps with preventing falls
3)Muscle Quality
3a)Endurance - slow-twitch fibers
3b)Strength generation - fast twitch fibers type I
3c)Power - explosive strength generation - fast twitch fibers type II
4)Balance - prevents falls
5)Co-ordination - prevents falls, helps with daily living tasks
6)Rest and regeneration - assists with fitness, injury prevention, muscle hypertrophy and conditioning
7)Longevity focus - not overdoing time - research seems to signal that up to approx. 1 hour a week of weightlifting is good, much more might be counterproductive
Now, how to incorporate ALL these considerations into ONE exercise modality. I developed the following: use a light weight vest of no more than 45lbs and do squats. Squats because legs are the biggest muscle group and the best insurance for functionality (mobility) and fall prevention, and legs participate in cardio. The secret sauce is in the protocol:
Do the 45lb weight vest squats nonstop with no breaks, 32 minutes. This is a form of circuit training, which combines point 1&2 Cardio and Muscle Mass - I can say that I have grown my muscles and elevated my cardio fitness - mission accomplished.
The squats are ATG - full range of motion, so that the muscle is maximally engaged. Weight vest: 45lbs. Now comes the key of sequencing:
I)Warmup squats normal pace - 2 minutes - 30 minutes remaining [workout with a timer in front of you]
II)Next, descend slowly to the lowest position - eccentric movement that builds hypertrophy; when you reach bottom - rise up to standing as rapidly as possible the concentric movement - do this for 5 minutes. This combines hypertrophy point 2 and fast twitch fibers type I to develop strength - point 3b. Now you have 25 minutes left.
III)Next descend slowly to the lowest position - eccentric movement; when you reach bottom, jump up as high as you can - do this for 5 minutes. This combines elements of Cardio with HIIT point 1b, and fast twitch fibers type II, plyometrics point 3c. Additionally, because you are jumping as high as you can, it involves balance and coordination, points 4 and 5. Now you have 20 minutes left. Note: this is quite hard - you will be sweating heavily, breathing very hard (only through the nose at all times), heart pounding.
IV)Back to slow descent and rapid ascent - see point I above. Now you have 15 minutes left.
V)And again - slow descent and explosive jump up - see point III above. Now you have 10 minutes left.
VI)Back to slow descent and rapid ascent. Now you have 5 minutes left
VII)And again - slow descent and explosive jump up. That is your last sequence. By this time, you should have hammered your endurance cardio point 1a, and your slow twitch fibers have gotten a long workout point 3a.
After the conclusion of the 32 minute session, walk around for a few minutes to cool down.
Escalation, progressive overload. There are essentially two ways - one is to increase the weightvest, you start at just 10lbs, and progress in 5lb increments until you reach 45lbs or whatever weight is reasonable for your size - keep it light. Second element - and this is up to you, because this is capable of making it a very heavy weight - you modulate how high and fast you jump. The higher the jump, the “heavier” the 45lbs will be - effectively, as if you are lifting heavy.
Now, you do this twice a week, so I do it Monday and Thursday. That leaves plenty of time for recovery - point 6 and at 64 minutes combined in a week, keeps a longevity focus of not overdoing it - point 7.
And that is how I combined all the elements of fitness into one exercise - my version of weightlifting. I have a separate protocol for jogging, some upper body muscle exercises and a large isometric protocol. I’ve been doing this for 5 years now, and the results are good - no injuries and good conditioning, CV fitness, muscle hypertrophy - I am now 66 years old.
