DC guys-I have heard from some members that DC training is for advanced lifters only. I am considering my next training block and wondering if I am advanced enough to make optimal gains from it. Currently:
Body weight: 215lbs@ ~15-20%bf
Deadlift max-365x3
Squat-305x3
Bench-285x1
1.5 years serious training.
Current training style: High volume traditional bodybuilding split
Goal: Natural Bodybuilding
Thanks guys.
MiJuggernaut - your numbers are pretty good, but the 1.5 years of serious training indicate that you have not exhausted various workout schemes and are not at a point of ādesparationā with finding a new way to put on mass. dc is for those who are plateaued after years of training, i donāt think you can say this having trained for only a year and a half.
[quote]MiJuggernaut wrote:
DC guys-I have heard from some members that DC training is for advanced lifters only. I am considering my next training block and wondering if I am advanced enough to make optimal gains from it. Currently:
Body weight: 215lbs@ ~15-20%bf
Deadlift max-365x3
Squat-305x3
Bench-285x1
1.5 years serious training.
Current training style: High volume traditional bodybuilding split
Goal: Natural Bodybuilding
Thanks guys.[/quote]
Hm. Numbers are a little low, as is the training time (though imo training time says little by itself as you can train for 10 years and still not have a clue as to what youāre doing/still not make any progress 
.
I think I remember you from the BBB thread? Maybe run BBB for a full 18 weeks (doesnāt have to be all three phases, number 1 in repeat is fine imo or an altered version with less pressing, like, say, skip chest work in the middle of the week or some such).
After that, you should be good to goā¦ But if you want to give DC a try now, weāll help you out of course.
Diet and cardio atm?
[quote]dropshot001 wrote:
MiJuggernaut - your numbers are pretty good, but the 1.5 years of serious training indicate that you have not exhausted various workout schemes and are not at a point of ādesparationā with finding a new way to put on mass. dc is for those who are plateaued after years of training, i donāt think you can say this having trained for only a year and a half. [/quote]
Indeed. And while you donāt really have to be at the āpoint of desperationā, you definitely need some good time under the bar and have already gained significant amounts of strength to really make good use of the routine.
Back to the front page.
Well, I am aware my numbers are not that good. That is part of the frustration, and the reason I am looking for something I can be sure will improve them. Another advantage of DC is the opportunity to do cardio on the off days. I need it and I find High volume training simply leaves me no time for cardio. My strength has progressed slower than most on other programs as well.
Finally I keep seeing veterans say things like āWell X was a good program , but I think I will be going back to DC for the forseeable futureā. I could continue BBB but my results from the first cycle were not on par with many of the other guys on it. Someone defined insanity as doing the same thing repeatedly, while expecting different results. Also success leaves clues and a lot of vets love this program. I am going to bed now and plan to try a DC workout upon waking. Thanks for your input and future guidance.
juggernaut - maybe you can start getting into dc slowly through the use of some of the principles that the program bases itself off of such as the stretches and upping the weight every workout assuming you stay within your rep range.
[quote]MiJuggernaut wrote:
Well, I am aware my numbers are not that good. That is part of the frustration, and the reason I am looking for something I can be sure will improve them. Another advantage of DC is the opportunity to do cardio on the off days. I need it and I find High volume training simply leaves me no time for cardio. My strength has progressed slower than most on other programs as well.
Finally I keep seeing veterans say things like āWell X was a good program , but I think I will be going back to DC for the forseeable futureā. I could continue BBB but my results from the first cycle were not on par with many of the other guys on it. Someone defined insanity as doing the same thing repeatedly, while expecting different results. Also success leaves clues and a lot of vets love this program. I am going to bed now and plan to try a DC workout upon waking. Thanks for your input and future guidance. [/quote]
Hmmm, you have to ask yourself though: Why didnāt you make great progress on BBB? Exercise selection? Did you do the 4-day version? Diet?
It could be a problem that is going to carry over to DC unless you fix it.
I can make you a 5/3/1 bb template or just a regular 3-way (which you can then do over 3 days per week only or 3 out of 5 days or even 6 days a weekā¦) with fairly low volume etc, a bit closer to DC than what you were doing. We need to find out whatās limiting your strength gains.
Hit me up in my training thread if youāre interested.
My knees keep buckling in and my hips shifting when I front squat. Itās no longer an issue with back squats (it used to be) but itās still happening with my front squats and Iām a bit concerned that it will ingrain poor form as I try to progress in weight. I could do a lower weight up until the point that my form suffers, but I donāt think it loads my legs enough. Either way I feel like I should fix this sooner than latter in case thereās risk of injury and I wouldnāt want to ālockā the poor form and I should fix it to get the most out of my front squats.
Any suggestions? Wider stance? Use a different exercise? (now I have back squats and bulgarian split squats as my other two). I already do abs on the chest, etc. day.
bump
[quote]TheBlade wrote:
My knees keep buckling in and my hips shifting when I front squat. Itās no longer an issue with back squats (it used to be) but itās still happening with my front squats and Iām a bit concerned that it will ingrain poor form as I try to progress in weight. I could do a lower weight up until the point that my form suffers, but I donāt think it loads my legs enough. Either way I feel like I should fix this sooner than latter in case thereās risk of injury and I wouldnāt want to ālockā the poor form and I should fix it to get the most out of my front squats.
Any suggestions? Wider stance? Use a different exercise? (now I have back squats and bulgarian split squats as my other two). I already do abs on the chest, etc. day.
[/quote]
Does it only happen on the last couple reps? Or does it happen on every rep? Does it happen during the bulgarian split squats?
You currently have 3 fairly stabilizer intensive quad exercises in your blast atm. It could be that your knee stabilizers are simply chronically fatigued and youāre noticing it while doing the front squats.
If I were you, Iād probably take one of those movements out and do something less stabilizer intensive (like leg press, or machine hack squats).
Mostly on the last couple reps. A little bit sometimes on the earlier reps. Does not happen during BSS
[quote]TheBlade wrote:
Mostly on the last couple reps. A little bit sometimes on the earlier reps. Does not happen during BSS[/quote]
Probably just acute fatigue then and nothing to really worry about. Everyoneās form gets a little sloppy on maximal effort lifts. As long as itās not dangerously sloppy I donāt think there is too much to worry about.
I would definitely make it a conscious effort to be more strict (pay more attention) form wise though if it tends to be an exercise that you are more susceptible to losing your form on.
You could also try things like wrapping your knees or using knee sleeves for added knee stability if youāre really concerned about it (only on maximal sets though).
Random question to maybe move the thread a little.
Could you do 3 exercises that are essentially the same, for instance decline seems to be the exercise that isolates my chest the most, all the other bench variations are extremely shoulder dominate. Would it be possible to do say, DB decline, hammer decline and BB decline in the same blast? Just something Iāve been wondering. Thanks.
[quote]dday wrote:
Random question to maybe move the thread a little.
Could you do 3 exercises that are essentially the same, for instance decline seems to be the exercise that isolates my chest the most, all the other bench variations are extremely shoulder dominate. Would it be possible to do say, DB decline, hammer decline and BB decline in the same blast? Just something Iāve been wondering. Thanks.[/quote]
i think itās fine. a lot of people, myself included, who want to bring up their upper chest bomb it with three incline movements with no problems. i donāt see why this would be any different with doing three decline movements.
[quote]dropshot001 wrote:
dday wrote:
Random question to maybe move the thread a little.
Could you do 3 exercises that are essentially the same, for instance decline seems to be the exercise that isolates my chest the most, all the other bench variations are extremely shoulder dominate. Would it be possible to do say, DB decline, hammer decline and BB decline in the same blast? Just something Iāve been wondering. Thanks.
i think itās fine. a lot of people, myself included, who want to bring up their upper chest bomb it with three incline movements with no problems. i donāt see why this would be any different with doing three decline movements.[/quote]
Thanks DS, I may try that next blast.
[quote]dropshot001 wrote:
dday wrote:
Random question to maybe move the thread a little.
Could you do 3 exercises that are essentially the same, for instance decline seems to be the exercise that isolates my chest the most, all the other bench variations are extremely shoulder dominate. Would it be possible to do say, DB decline, hammer decline and BB decline in the same blast? Just something Iāve been wondering. Thanks.
i think itās fine. a lot of people, myself included, who want to bring up their upper chest bomb it with three incline movements with no problems. i donāt see why this would be any different with doing three decline movements.[/quote]
You should be fine as dropshot said.
However, you might want to check your form on other chest pressing exercises if you feel them mostly in your shoulders. You are also going to very quickly run out of exercises for your chest if you are only doing decline movements.
Remember that you need 6 good exercises for each body part to rotate through. Thatās gonna be pretty tough if you donāt include any flat or incline movements.
Also, unless youāve got a workout partner, a gym full of reliable spotters, or some āpower hooksā itās gonna get pretty rough doing DB declines, especially 3RP style. Take them as far as you can though.
[quote]Sentoguy wrote:
dropshot001 wrote:
dday wrote:
Random question to maybe move the thread a little.
Could you do 3 exercises that are essentially the same, for instance decline seems to be the exercise that isolates my chest the most, all the other bench variations are extremely shoulder dominate. Would it be possible to do say, DB decline, hammer decline and BB decline in the same blast? Just something Iāve been wondering. Thanks.
i think itās fine. a lot of people, myself included, who want to bring up their upper chest bomb it with three incline movements with no problems. i donāt see why this would be any different with doing three decline movements.
You should be fine as dropshot said.
However, you might want to check your form on other chest pressing exercises if you feel them mostly in your shoulders. You are also going to very quickly run out of exercises for your chest if you are only doing decline movements.
Remember that you need 6 good exercises for each body part to rotate through. Thatās gonna be pretty tough if you donāt include any flat or incline movements.
Also, unless youāve got a workout partner, a gym full of reliable spotters, or some āpower hooksā itās gonna get pretty rough doing DB declines, especially 3RP style. Take them as far as you can though.[/quote]
Thanks Sento, I have a few weeks before I cruise again so when my breaks gets here Iāll check my form on the other chest exercises.
Make sure to keep your scapulae retracted throughout the entire exercise. Personally I like to keep my elbows semi-tucked (like 45 degrees from my torso) as well as this allows me to keep better form and feels more natural on my shoulder joints as well.
You might also want to concentrate on the bottom ROM of the exercises (like from the bar touching the chest to maybe 1/2-3/4 of the way up) as that is the portion of the press where the chest is most heavily stressed and the assistors (front delts and triceps) havenāt really kicked in as much yet.
Some visual examples:
Ronnie
Justin Harris:
anyone here a responder to high volume routines and still have success with DC?
ive been researching DC for almost a year now, even have a program written up, but im just now thinking of jumping into it. the only thing holding me back is that i always hear people say things like āif you grow on low volume/high frequency programs youāll love DCā. well im one of these people who hasnt had much success on those types of routines and seem to respond better to higher volume but it seems like the DC principles would apply to anyone.
what do you guys think?