Let’s get the questions rollin’!
are you single 
What do you think of the staggered squat stance? maybe a dumb ? but always wanted to ask you
Hey Chad,
Do you train any powerlifters at your facility? If so, do you generally train different strength qualities on different days (i.e. Mon - Max Effort, Wed - Hypertrophy, Fri - Dynamic Effort…), or do you organize things more like the Westside interpretation of the conjugate method?
Also, what kind of conditioning work do you (or would you) do with powerlifters (in particularly overfat powerlifters)?
Thanks,
Zak
What is your opinion of the Box Squat? I would say that I have a beginner’s form, and a low PR to prove it. Would you suggest using the Box Squat to gain better form? I don’t have a power rack and I work out at home.
Would you advise an advanced lifter to do total body workouts or split them? Goals would be strength and mass.
Thanks for being here! I would like to know what exercises you feel are best for improving the squat – besides the obvious, the squat! I tend to squat parallel which would be fine, if I did not compete in powerlifting and getting out of the bottom is a weakness.
My current squat max is 380 and I would like to hit a 407 in October.
Thanks for your assistance.
Seated Calf raise substitute??
I workout at home and for seated calf raises I deadlift the bar and sit down with the bar across my knees with my feet on a 4x4. In day 7 of ABBH (deadlift, sit-ups, seated calf raise) when I get to the 6th set it gets to be a bitch (not the calf raises; getting into position to do them.) Any suggestions on an alternative to seated calf raises that hit muscles the same.
I know I have seen this asked before but I will ask anyway. Is it necessary for a beginner to do any direct work for abs, forearm or calves? Will they not be worked enough in heavy compound movements such as squats, deads, power cleans, chin-ups etc…?
From reading your articles and listening to your interview on D-Tap, I know you don’t recommend accentuated eccentrics (like a 4-10 seconds eccentric movement before doing an explosive concentric action). I’m curious why not. Don’t accentuated eccentrics increase the recruitment of muscle fibers?
Thanks,
David
[quote]Split wrote:
are you single ;)[/quote]
Please don’t tell me you’re a dude…uh, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
[quote]tig78 wrote:
What do you think of the staggered squat stance? maybe a dumb ? but always wanted to ask you[/quote]
Tell me your definition of a staggered stance and I’ll give my input.
Chad,
I am in week 2 of QD using MAG-10 as in the article. At the end of the 3 week program, you recommend taking at least 5 consecutive days off to allow for supercompensation. During this off week, should I start some Alpha Male/M or wait until I begin working out again.
Thanks
[quote]Ramo wrote:
Hey Chad,
Do you train any powerlifters at your facility? If so, do you generally train different strength qualities on different days (i.e. Mon - Max Effort, Wed - Hypertrophy, Fri - Dynamic Effort…), or do you organize things more like the Westside interpretation of the conjugate method?
Also, what kind of conditioning work do you (or would you) do with powerlifters (in particularly overfat powerlifters)?
Thanks,
Zak [/quote]
I train athletes and non-athletes at all levels.
What I do with PLers is beyond the scope of this post. But I do use a conjugate type of breakdown. I focus on speed and MS work (as does WSB) but I use very heavy loads and low reps with assistance exercises. In addition I use various techniques such as supramaximal holds and partial reps.
Conditioning work is performed at the end of the workout and on off days. I use exercises similar to my GPP ASAP program. That protocol is too advanced for many overly fat individuals, but my clients aren’t overly fat. If a PLer has excessive fat, he/she really needs to get their diet in order. Long duration cardio can burn fat but it’s too detrimental to maximal strength performances.
[quote]S.C. lifter wrote:
What is your opinion of the Box Squat? I would say that I have a beginner’s form, and a low PR to prove it. Would you suggest using the Box Squat to gain better form? I don’t have a power rack and I work out at home. [/quote]
The Box Squat is awesome. Since you’re new to the lift, a perfect program would be my Jumping Box Squat that was posted a few years back. Follow the program and perform maximal strength work for your posterior chain. If you do that, you’ll be lifting big numbers in no time.
[quote]Shadowruler wrote:
Would you advise an advanced lifter to do total body workouts or split them? Goals would be strength and mass.[/quote]
It depends on how you define “advanced.” Obviously I’m a huge advocate of TB sessions, but elite lifters mandate a level of intensity and volume that’s difficult to achieve within a single TB sessions. Those who’ve attempted it usually burn out. That’s precisely the reason why 2x/day sessions were implemented with elite lifters (ie, it was too difficult to get it all done in one session).
But anyone short of elite would reap huge benefits from TB sessions (especially if they’ve been performing traditional bodybuilding parameters).
I have a question about tapering workouts. In some routines, the volume is increased over the course of 3-4 weeks by upping either the sets, reps, or load. In other routines, the load is increased every week while the volume is cut nearly in half. Is the former an example of a hypertrophy routine, while the latter is strength focused? Or do they both serve the same purpose, just in unique ways.
[quote]firebug9 wrote:
Thanks for being here! I would like to know what exercises you feel are best for improving the squat – besides the obvious, the squat! I tend to squat parallel which would be fine, if I did not compete in powerlifting and getting out of the bottom is a weakness.
My current squat max is 380 and I would like to hit a 407 in October.
Thanks for your assistance.[/quote]
Good Mornings
Deadlifts
Back Extensions
Reverse Hypers
Cable Hip Abduction
Leg Curls
Focus on the above exercises. In addition, follow my Supramaximal Hold guidelines for the squat in my Primed for Muscle article.
[quote]orleans_rob wrote:
Seated Calf raise substitute??
I workout at home and for seated calf raises I deadlift the bar and sit down with the bar across my knees with my feet on a 4x4. In day 7 of ABBH (deadlift, sit-ups, seated calf raise) when I get to the 6th set it gets to be a bitch (not the calf raises; getting into position to do them.) Any suggestions on an alternative to seated calf raises that hit muscles the same. [/quote]
Sorry, but the seated calf raise is one of the most difficult exercises to substitute. I suggest you perform the movement one leg at a time so you don’t have to lift so much weight onto your thighs. Don’t rest between legs, do each leg, then rest for the prescribed duration.
[quote]ConorM wrote:
I know I have seen this asked before but I will ask anyway. Is it necessary for a beginner to do any direct work for abs, forearm or calves? Will they not be worked enough in heavy compound movements such as squats, deads, power cleans, chin-ups etc…? [/quote]
No need to isolate given the exercises you mentioned. But many trainees want bigger calves for pure aesthetic reasons. If that’s the case, then yes, you should work them directly - heavy and hard!