I’ve read the QD articles several times and most of Chad’s other recent articles, and I’ve decided to give the QD program a test-run for the next three weeks.
I have a few questions though that maybe you or Mr Waterbury himself could answer.
Here they are:
My legs are quite a bit ahead my upper body in terms of proportions, so I would like to move the focus of the program a bit more to upper body.
I know this maybe contradicts question 1, but would it be possible to include deadlifts in the program, maybe on the explosive day?
I’m not exactly convinced about the exact antagonist supersets. I think I’ve read most of what Chad has written about it, and generally I like the idea of supersets and have used it before. In the QD program it’s particularly the “reverse” exercises for biceps and triceps I don’t like. First of all my wrists doesn’t seem to like them, and second I can’t use nearly as much weight as I can with the regular grip exercises.
For triceps I would like to use some of these exercises: dips, closegrip bench, db triceps extensions, barbell extensions w. hammercurl bar.
And for biceps: barbell preacher curls, standing ez-bar curls, seated incline db curls.
I?m not very fond of hanging leg raises and situps, as I don?t feel they target the abs very good, so could I use reverse incline bench crunch, inverted crunch or weighted floor crunch (with legs elevated) instead?
Should you use the same weight in all three weeks, or would it be wise to start a bit on the safe side after a week of deload, and then increase the weight in week 2 and 3?
Yes, deadlifts are fine on explosive day. Just be sure to use the same parameters and rest the barbell on the floor between reps to build starting strength.
Try reverse pressdowns with a curved bar to allow the hands to slightly pronate, thus taking stress off the wrists. The fact that you can’t use a large load makes this exercise even more important for you (i.e., it’s your weak link).
Reverse crunches are fine. It’s a good exercise.
It’s always better to start with a lighter load and increase from there.
super. I think I’ll take them instead of lunges then.
Unfortunately, we don’t have that attachment where I train. Only a straight bar, a rope and a bar angled down. I didn’t test my strength exactly in regular and reverse grip pressdown, but I would guess the difference is about 10-15%. I don’t think my triceps in general are weak, because I have a pretty good lockout in benchpress and my dips are fairly heavy compared to others. I did 5 reps with bodyweight + 50kg just last week, with the upper arm breaking parallel.
cool.
thought so…
Here is my choice on exercises. If I’ve changed an exercise the original is mentioned afterwards.
I just wanted to add to CW response on the tri and bi movements that you want to change. It is the exercises that we dont like and cant do as well that are the ones that we should really be doing. They give you the biggest gains. We dont like them because we are lacking in them and they are hard. By concentrating on them you will build lagging points.
It can be a pain but it is true. If this stuff was easy we would all look like AHNOOOLD without a problem.
Just my 2cc.
Keep us posted on how the program goes. Not many ppl have posted results of QD yet. GOOD LUCK.
I see your point Phill, but I don’t think I agree.
I think there are several good reasons why NOT to like certain exercises:
If you don’t feel the hit the target muscle as well as other exercises.
If it hurts when you do the exercise (often the wrists for me)
If an exercise has a higher risk of injury and other exercises hit the muscle just as good. For example would I always choose military press over behind the neck press, because of the stress on your shoulders from BNP.
Training should be fun too, and I don’t think it’s necessary to perform exercises you don’t like to get results.
Everyone’s reverse-grip tricep cable extension is weaker than a pronated grip, you’re not the only one. You are targeting different fibres when done in the supine hand position, so just do it even though you can’t use as much weight. I also find that a wider hand position usually helps the comfort on the wrists when an e-z bar is not available. Train with your head, not your ego!
loopfitt → yeah, I thought it was strange if you were supposed to be equally strong in regular and reverse pressdown (and other reverse-grip exercises).
Don’t worry about me training with my ego - I’m way past that
My reasons for wanting to change the exercises besides the ones I’ve already mentioned are:
If you can use more weight in an exercise it will put more tension on the muscle, and more tension equals more growth. I cannot see what there is to gain from an isolation-movement as pressdown compared to fx dips, if you can only choose one triceps exercise pr workout.
maxpower-
I used my own version of the quatro program a couple of months ago and gained 7 pounds in 2 weeks!
Here is my version:
Day1- Bench press
Barbell Row
Squat (I didn’t superset squats with ghr)
Glute/hamstring raise
Chin-ups
Dips
Day 2- Flat d.b. press
machine row
high bar close stance squat
leg curl
Lat pulldowns
Arnold presses
Day 3-offf
Day 4- Inc. bench press
T-bar row
Front squat (didn’t superset with goodmornings)
Goodmornings
Pull-ups (weighted)
Dips (weighted)
Day 5- off
Day 6- Box Squat
Olympic snatch
Push-press
Bench press
jason → that looks like a mighty tempting program
It seems like you upped the volume a bit compared to CW’s program and use almost nothing but compound-movements. What’s your training experience?
loopfitt → not much. Are you referring to articles on the web or books?
It has been a very different program to follow, but fun to try.
I gained about 1?-2kg in the three week period, so my eating was good
I gained 0.5cm on my arms and legs, but most other measured where unchanged. It’s ok, and I didn’t except much in such a short period of time.
My strength increased pretty good as well. I did new PR’s in all exercises in the last strength-day (squat, barbell rows, chinups, benchpress).
The endurance-days were absolute killers. I’m definetely NOT a high repper. It seems almost impossible for me to do 2 sets of military press for 25 reps with my 27RM weight and the suggested rest-period. My deltoids were swimming in lactic acid after the first set. Just plain brutal. LOL
The supersets worked brilliant and really increased the intensity of the workout, even though I couldn’t keep the rest periods as short as I was supposed to all the time, but generally my workout time was shorter than normal.
