Ian, Whats your take on the recent ‘functional strength training’ craze? I know you train athletes, so is this style of training something you use? Also would you reccomend it and if so how would you work it into a training program e.g. should you apply the usual guidlines and do it for 3-4 weeks or should you do it for longer. Thanks.
I’ve used many of Ian’s programs and found them all to be effective and enjoyable. I’ve done 12 weeks to super strength, Great Guns and I’m currently doing Bring the Pain.
My question is what does Ian think of Dave Tates programs and theories and also those of Don Alessi and Charles Poliquin… Does he agree with they’re theories or not…?
Cheers
Stu
Ian, in your last article you mention barbell bench pressing until the bar touches the chest as being mandatory. Is this true for bodybuilding as well as for functional strength training? If so could you explain why this is.
Thank you.
1)Work capacity; How does Ian increase it? How much do we need? Does it need to be periodized?
2)Speed training; How could we train for absolute speed, a 100m race, or a 400m race?
3)Integration of training; Training an athlete is complicated, how do you fit in weights, speed, technical, medicine ball, etc.? How do you periodize? He’s lightly touched on this but I think he could do more.
A mix of 2 and 3: How could we use weights to compliment speed? Basically I’d like some more question on athletic preparation.
Hi Guys,
Here are some questions:
- Rep cycling - I work my reps from 3 to 9 over a period of couple of months. Sample Progresses: 3,3,3; 4,3,3; 4,4,3 to 9,9,9, then weight increase. As you can see this progression take a while but hits all ranges of development. I am making continous progress with this system. Can you think of one that would mix the reps for better results?
- A 12 week program for shoulders? Can you also address what to do for the rest of the body. An article covering “off” days for the rest of your 12 week programs would be great also. Would work a program of heavy weights, single exercise, few reps and many sets be good during this period specializtion?
- While losing fat would it be better to work heavier weight and lower reps? This would focus on the nervous system and create less muscle damage. With less food, there are less materials to repair muscle damage. So wouldn’t this be a great time to work on your nervous system.
- Recently, I tried to start running again. For several years, I have been using treatmills, x-trainers, x-county ski machines and the like to maintain my cardio. Now that I am on the road my lower legs give out with in the first mile. I am not winded or anything. Could you publish a program that would help recondition my lower legs?
Thanks
Jim
Here is my question for Ian. I am recently coming off an 8 month gradual cutting cycle and am very happy with my current bodyfat level. However, it’s time to get bigger! I just started your “Bring on the Pain” series and am following John Berardi’s Massive Eating protocol. What is your opinion on performing 15-20 minutes of cardio immediately following my weight training? I know I will have to add some additional bodyfat while bulking but I would like to keep it to a minimum. Thanks a million Ian.
another vote for Kalman’s question
Hi, Chris. Most probably won’t remember, but in the early '60’s, a Mr. Universe tilte was won by Bob Gajda, now a doctor or therapist around the Chicago area.
The training program he used for the show, was a modified circut/giant set system he created called PHA(Peripheral Heart Action). It would be interesting to ask Ian his personal opinion on this, in relation to strength, hypertrophy, and fat-loss.
thanks,
Martin
Ian, since we both live (last I heard) in the same suburb, wanna get together for drink and talk shop? Nah… just kidding, here’s my real question.
Ian - I understand the reasoning given for pre-workout stretching (even though there’s debate on the issue), but is there really any need to stretch with the same intensity afterwards? I always thought it was a myth.
First, I’d also (along with Avoids Roids) like to hear what Ian thinks about the chron. age/training age continuum and how these two factors affect each other. This is something that will apply to EVERYONE sooner or later (sooner for some of us!). Second, I’ve noticed that when someone asks Ian for a specialization program for a partcular bodypart (calves, for example), Ian tends to recommend a “kitchen sink” program - i.e. one set to failure of every imaginable exercise. While this works well if you have a gym to yourself, often it’s just not possible to set everything up in advance and basically monopolize it for your own use. So what I’d like to see is Ian’s general comments/principles for specialization programs that only use two or maybe three different exercises, as well as a specific example of such a program. Since he hasn’t addressed shoulders (at least in T-Mag) yet, that might be a good choice for the sample program.
I would be most interested in Ian’s thoughts on speed development and weight training, Maybe something like a program of how to improve the 40 would be interesting to many, or at least an overview of his methods for power/speed improvement for athletes.
Chris, how about this one for Ian.
When doing back squats, which direction should the hands/arms be pulling or pushing? ie., should the arms be pulling the bar down into the traps or pushing up slightly. I have lots of theories for both but would like to hear what yourself and Ian have to say about this.
Thanks, guys. I sent Ian a bunch of these and will save the others for another column. Poman, I’m sending you the free T-shirt since you’re “po”.
What is a good lifting program for teens. I have 2 boys 11 and 13. They want to start lifting like thier dad, but I have heard that lifting weights is bad for kids. They both play football and want to get stronger and bigger muscles for the girls.
thanks
I don’t want to pit your writers against each other, but I would love to hear what they had to say about each others training methods. Since this question is going to Ian the question could be something like, “What do you think about Davies, Poliquin, and Tate’s training methods and how they contrast with your own?” Now this could probably take a few books to respond to, so I’ll narrow it down to what I would really like to hear about: “What do you think of Coach Davies workouts that are supposed to raise the work theashold of athletes?” Something along those lines-feel free to change the question to better suit him and the english language.
A few questions: 1) Ian mentioned control drills in his book - what control drills do you recommend. 2) If somebody wanted to do “bring on the pain” back to back, how many of the variables should be changed between cycles? What about changing excersizes? 3) When will the “bring on the pain - abs” be coming out (please take care of our guts before xmas!).
I have a question about recovery. It’s that time of year again, the uni semester is almost over so after an unwanted three week layoff to finish off those assignments I’m getting back into the gym with a vengeance (when I’m not packing shit about my exams that is). Since I had to let all my commitments slide to finish off my assignments I’m getting back into everything else I do as well. I’m an experienced martial artist and I’ve been training for two 1 1/2 hr sessions per wk for about 4 years now. On top of this I also hit the gym 4 or 5 times a week. I do 12 work sets for main body parts plus 4-6 sets on ancillaries, usually calves but if it’s a consecutive day then I’ll do abs or forearms. I do 8 to 10 reps at the most but usually around 6, I try to lift explosively and then take a long time going down. Most lifts are compound movements with the odd isolation stuff chucked in for fun or because I can’t think of another movement to work that muscle. I keep the reps moderately low as I’m not too interested in hypertrophy, more strength and speed.
I get 8 or 9 hrs sleep every night (unless I’ve got a vixen staying over) and I stretch every second day with varying stretches for about half an hour.
I hated having to take time off for uni, and now that I'm back I really want to go hard. So I'm also training at another dojo on mondays for an hour and I'm doing kickboxing for another hour at some other time, usually on the weekend. I'm 21, lean as and 86 kgs. I'm just coming off a weight loss cycle as since I wasn't hitting the gym I thought I'd get the beach muscles onto display. I did this with 1200-1600 calories a day and very low carbs. So all up I train at something just about everyday, two 1.5 hr MA training sessions a wk, two 1 hr MA training sessions and four gym sessions at least. So my question is, is this too much? Am I working too hard for my recovery ability? Since I'm an Aussie I can't afford to shell out for surge or anything like that. If the exchange rate wasn't what it is, maybe that'd be different but I have to live in the real world and it just ain't gonna happen. The last thing I want is to get sick or go backwards cos I'm going too hardcore, but right now I feel like I could train weights in the morning and martial arts at night every day.
I hope this gets answered cos dammit, I really want to know! And a t shirt would be great but that goes without saying. If I get one, I’ll send you guys get a pic of me wearing it at either the state or the nationals next year. Thanks.