How to Predict What Would Work Best?

Training Beginners
21

[quote]evansmi wrote:
CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
Petrichor wrote:
In conclusion, your original question makes very little (if any) sense to anyone with even a remote understanding of the subject matter, hence some people making fun of the post (but nevertheless giving the ‘right’ answer)

Yes, clearly, who would EVER think that certain indicators may give clues as to what type of training would be of most benefit to someone…

http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459704

http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=739197

http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=740326

http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=05-041-training

…clearly, makes no sense… thanks buddy.

Looks like you already have the answers, and of all the people who responded, no one “gets it” like you do. So I suppose you should stop wasting your time reading our ignorant posts, because we’re just dumbing you down.

Perhaps a more productive activity than reading all of the above responses and applying the basics, would be to spend 25 years conducting numerous studies and tests, utilizing a huge sample size of all body types and using all training methods, then come back and let us know the truth, for we are obviously all just clueless meatheads.[/quote]

Tiribulus gets it. Scottiscool gets it. They read a post that basically said “I think this is an interesting topic, what are your thoughts on this topic?” and replied with their general thoughts on the general topic.

The clueless meatheads are the ones who respond to “What are your thoughts on this topic?” with “You should stop thinking and lift heavy things.”

Sites like these are a great place to exchange ideas and discuss topics, even if just for the sake of discussion. Just to kick some ideas around for the hell of it and see what other people think. All a canned response like “Shut up and lift!” does is obstruct such exchange while adding viturally nothing to the topic at hand.

As to the rest of your post, havent many trainers already done that? Wouldnt it make sense to look at what they’ve found and try to build on it? Isnt there some quote about standing on the shoulders of giants? Again, thats the advantage of a free exchange of ideas that we could have here. I certainly dont think I have all the answers, however, I think the fact that numerous coaches/writers on this site have talked about indicators of what individuals will respond best to means that Petrichor was wrong in saying that my question “Made little sense if any”.

22

[quote]stuward wrote:
CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
Just doing some thinking here.

Are there any ways you think are effective in predicting what training/exercises will be best for a certain person?

Things that cross my mind are muscle fiber dominance testing (which, I suppose, could be done by taking a high percentage of a 1RM (85% maybe?) and seeing how many reps someone could do with that weight… the more reps they could do the more slow twitch dominant they’d be, I would guess).

Also, torso/limb length (I think I remember something about it from the “overcoming lousy leverages” article).

Maybe Poliquins earth/air/fire method?

Hell, maybe a combination of all of them?

What do you think??

You do have a valid question. It turns out Dr. Squat has given this some thought. Try this article.

drsquat.com/articles/trainingsplit.html

Stu

[/quote]

Interesting article, thank you.

23

[quote]jtrinsey wrote:
I think I will echo the sentiments of those above in that it is wise to start with the basics and just learn through trial and error. Also the guy who said “there is only a momentary best” is spot on. For a long time I just didn’t get good mornings.

I couldn’t use any sort of meaningful weight on them, the form felt weird and just… wasn’t a good movement for me. I’d still rotate them in from time to time because the Westside guys did them but I never felt like they were really doing anything for me.

However, this spring, something in my body just clicked and for whatever reason, good mornings started working well. My form was great all of the sudden and I could feel the right muscles being activated. I did them every week for about 12 weeks in a row, got a lot stronger on them and last week I hit a huge deadlift PR, which I attribute largely to the strength I gained in good mornings.

Now in a couple months I might lose this feeling and another lift might be doing the trick. I think you gotta feel it for yourself.

I don’t think that this is a dumb topic, but I think it is better to learn via trial and error than to try to predict. I believe (and have learned through actually doing them) that the muscle fiber typing tests are basically just reflective of what training you’ve been doing, the earth/aire/fire/whatever typing is retarded and that you can’t always put a blanket statement on somebody because of limb lengths.

Case in point, I helped a buddy of mine train to walk on to a D1 basketball team. He’s 6’8". We didn’t throw out the back squat, we just started lower and he had to constantly work on his form. Now he’s gotten a ton stronger, squats with pretty much perfect form and has seen a lot of dividends from that movement.

I also think that consistency is very important. I think too many people go through and totally switch up their program too frequently. If you change 5 of your exercises every 8 weeks, how are you going to know what is working and what isn’t.

Whereas if you change say 2 things (be it different movements, methods, set/rep schemes, arrangements, etc.) every 8 weeks or so, then when you do make improvements, it is pretty easy to see what made a difference for you.[/quote]

Good points, I think CW mentioned in one of his articles that muscles will start to resemble whatever fiber type dominance the person has been training for.

You’re right, I’m sure, that trial and error are, at this time, the best way to go about it, but I think its possible for the subject to be explored enough that something reliable (beyond lift heavy shit to get strong) emerges.