CT, I was wondering your opinion on this after todays T-Nation article. It seems like the methods you use combine strength and hypertrophy. So how you you feel about the claim in today’s areticle that it is either go for size or go for strength? How do you train your bodybuilders? In the high rep range?
[quote]irfhdah wrote:
CT, I was wondering your opinion on this after todays T-Nation article. It seems like the methods you use combine strength and hypertrophy. So how you you feel about the claim in today’s areticle that it is either go for size or go for strength? How do you train your bodybuilders? In the high rep range?[/quote]
I’m not a bodybuilding specialist. BUT I have trained many decent bodybuilders. I’m currently training an IFBB pro in the 212 class (just turned pro), Pat Bernard. Currently we do a lot of strength work. Something like:
DAY 1
Olympic deadlift (see Amit’s article) 5 x 5
Bent over barbell row 5 x 5
T-bar row 4 x 6-8
Superset super heavy half lat pulldown (5 reps) + lighter full pulldowns with squeeze (10 reps)
Deadlift 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 1
DAY 2
High incline bench press (60 degrees) 6 x 4
Seated shoulder press (75 degrees) 4 x 6
Superset DB shrugs (12 reps) + heavy partial laterals (8 reps) + full laterals (10 reps) 3 sets
Superset Barbell shrugs (10 reps) + high pulls (6 reps) … shrugs is about 90lbs heavier… 3 sets
DAY 3
Seated leg curl 2 x 15, 2 x 12, 2 x 10, 2 x 8
Safety squat 1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
Hack squat 6 x 4
Superset leg extension (10 full + 10 partials) + leg press (20… only because we can’t fit more weight on the sled) for 3 sets
DAY 4
Rear delts machine 4 x 12-15
Bench press 1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1 (after each set do one set of rear delts raises)
Incline bench press (30 deg) 5 x 5
High incline bench press (60 deg) 3 x 8
Push ups with chains drop set (3 chains, 2 chains, 1 chain, none)
DAY 5
Superset barbell curl (6 reps) + dips (8 reps)
Superset hammer curl (8 reps) + Decline DB triceps ext. (8 reps)
Superset reverse preacher (10 reps) + Close-grip bench (10 reps)
Superset with occlusion machine curl (12 reps) + rope triceps extension (12 reps) 4 sets, no rest at all
This is not a program recommendation, it’s what we did last week. Honestly I use more exercises than I normally would with him because he has deep rooted beliefs and I’m trying to gradually move him more toward my full philosophy. But it still respect my general belief. He is pretty strong and we are striving to maximize strength right now. Our target is 485 bench, 585 safety squat and 585lbs dead
I have my own opinion and it’s different than the one of the authors of the article and I’ll leave it at that, but other reasons than “using high reps” might be involved in the difference of physique.
Thanks for the answer! Truth be told I did the body building thing for years until I hit on your stuff (I didnt know any other way) on this site in the fall and started trying it out. I feel like just doing the big lifts and the style you promote has made me much more vascular, stronger, and bigger overall than I had been with the body building stuff.
Also, I don’t feel like crap for two or three days after (although I will sort of have like a deep soreness in the muscle oftentimes after the workouts I learned from you). I think I need to complete maybe a year or two of the style of lifting you promote to be sure of the effect it has on my body but it just makes sense to me to lift this way.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
DAY 3
Seated leg curl 2 x 15, 2 x 12, 2 x 10, 2 x 8
Safety squat 1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1
Hack squat 6 x 4
Superset leg extension (10 full + 10 partials) + leg press (20… only because we can’t fit more weight on the sled) for 3 sets
Our target is 485 bench, 585 safety squat and 585lbs dead
[/quote]
Hey CT, what are your thoughts on the safety squat for your main squat pattern when it comes to building strength? I have one at my gym and really like it.
I didn’t feel it was necessary to make a whole new thread for this one question.
The safety squat is not perfect (no exercise is) but I like it for some people: very large bodybuilders who have problems racking a back squat comfortably and individuals with shoulder issues mostly. It puts less straight on the shoulders.
As far as muscular development goes I find that it is a pretty good middle-ground between a front squat and a back squat: it will hit the quads a bit more than a traditional back squat but a little less than a front squat… but it allows you to load a bit more than on a front squat.
I have no problem at all with someone using it as his main lower body exercise or who includes it in his squat rotation.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
The safety squat is not perfect (no exercise is) but I like it for some people: very large bodybuilders who have problems racking a back squat comfortably and individuals with shoulder issues mostly. It puts less straight on the shoulders.
As far as muscular development goes I find that it is a pretty good middle-ground between a front squat and a back squat: it will hit the quads a bit more than a traditional back squat but a little less than a front squat… but it allows you to load a bit more than on a front squat.
I have no problem at all with someone using it as his main lower body exercise or who includes it in his squat rotation.[/quote]
Awesome! I unfortunately suffered a bit of a groin injury during some one arm farmer’s walks. After taking a few weeks off from squatting, I tried a few different variations to see which one I could do with the least amount of pain for the next few weeks/months.
It turned out to be the safety squat. Thanks for the info CT.