Yeah right? CT is masterful…keeps you coming back even after he tears you apart lol (jk)
I’ve seen your comments and yeah we seem similar! I’ll be honest, it’s hard for me to stick to any training “plan” these days.
But the consistent style that gets me back into the gym and motivated is a legs/push/pull or push/pull/legs split, 6x a week. I do biceps on legs days to (with zercher).
I start every workout with some ring work and handstands and bodyweight stuff (pulls ups/pushups/lunges/handstand). Just a few reps done in rounds and generally to get a nice pump, adrenalin flowing, and satisfy my 2a cravings (if there’s lots of people at the gym, few see ring work…which is probably why i used to be so obsessed with this tool, made me feel special).
Then i do 2 compounds ramped up and either do sets of 3-4 (shooting for 30 reps total, like Thib army’s GVT recommendation) or ramp up in sets of 5 to a top set of 5. And then rest pause that set for max reps. Then 1 or 2 assistance exercise ramped up in sets of 5, maybe a 6-8-10 drop or high reps at the end. Thats bascially it
I like to switch exercises on the 2nd push/pull/legs of the week (different compound), but maybe sticking with the same would produce more gains (GVT, repeated motion over and over).
*one thing I’d add is perwirokout (plazma) makes a huge difference in volume tolerance. When i train fasted with only bcaa’s (xtend scivation), despite having an incredibly intense/“god mode” mental feel from the caffeine, fasted state, and citrulline mallate + electroylytes…the lack of cyclic dextrin is VERY noticable.
i have basically 15 minute of epic performance before i feel some nervous system fatigue and/or flat muscles.
basically even when i do 3 reps, i am usually only able to do 10 sets (85% RM) for the first compound. the second compound would be very difficult unless i have intra workout, so i just switch it to assitance/ramp up in 5’s or straight sets instead.
i miss plazma and all the biotest goodies. pricey as hell but makes a difference!
That is learned behavior, your neurotype doesn’t change. Even if you “find your place in society” if you are born with a 2A brain chemistry you stay a 2A unless your brain is modified somewhat. You simply learn to function in society and adapt your behavior to be able to “play with others”.
It’s taken me a while but I think I’ve finally got myself figured out in regard to your neuro typing. I have to admit when you first published all this I went through it and didn’t really buy it because nothing seemed to fit. What I thought I sounded most like didn’t fit what I found worked for training and nutrition. However, after some thought and re-reading I think I’m soundly a 1A. Everything about 1A makes sense for me except I don’t do well in social situations or with people in general. I do great on low carb, I’m strong but slow lifter, I do best with high intensity and frequency, I’m performance driven, I suck with high volume, ect. I think the catch is that I’m on the Asperger’s spectrum and 1A. I’m willful and confrontational and confident around others, but I just don’t like people, don’t care what they think, and suck horribly at reading social cues (for the record, this combination requires me to have to surround myself with a lot of very understanding people). What is your opinion on something like this and how things like Asperger’s might factor into someone’s profile?
I think I’m a 2A too then with modified behavior. I was very sensitive to adrenaline growing up to the degree that I would have panic attacks when speaking in public, and I could do athletic things but failed under any pressure.
I was a good teacher in small groups though and I desensitized myself to the stress of public speaking when I was teaching and ended up becoming good at it but it required that I be uber confident in my ability and preparation. I hate big parties and get lost but crave the chance to be important in a smaller group. I have never been able to describe myself as an introvert or extrovert. I like to strike up conversations with 1-2 people, even strangers (especially) but turn inward in larger public settings.
I am physically most affected by mental fatigue or stress, but it is virtually impossible for me to overtrain physically though I don’t “need” lots of volume. I do fine on very low carbs or fasted training.
When I get more fatigued, rather than shifting to 2B training, I tend to slide to 1A (but change my specific exercises a lot instead of rep schemes and tempos) but it is a strategy. When I’m mentally drained or tired It is easier for me mentally to do fewer, heavier shorter sets and just get it over with than to do longer sets closer to failure. I spent the longest time on Westside but kept half of my assistance heavier like 5x5. Tended to overdo the assistance, not detrimentally but more than was needed. I also didn’t need to go ME, and probably would have done better staying under 90% loads 2/3 of the time. Because of Westside training, my knowledge of bands and conjugate variations, Allow me to do well in the 2-6 rep range (rather than having higher rep periods) but I have to change the eccercise or tempo all the time. When I am well rested I tend to put in higher rep stuff.
I have addictive tendencies. I was a college age alcoholic and don’t drink at all. Tended to overuse workout stimulants like the old ephedra and caffeine. Have to follow diet rules 100%! Of the time -no cheating.
And that’s not even the most up-to-date info. But yeah, except for some specific special cases yeah it is amazingly accurate. I’ve had people cry in my seminars!
Fantastic thread!
Thank you CT for all the things you share!
Obviously, I am also just learning here, but I would like just to humbly add something that has helped me…if you have trouble determining your profile, try to focus on what is the neurotype that you fit in PREDOMINANTLY, or most of the time, or in most situation.
I believe CT has mentioned that in some thread when neurotype concept was brought out, but few people are pure type, and that might confuse you when assessing yourself.
I’ve also had doubts where I fit, but at some point I perfectly recognized the situation in assessing wheter I am type 2A or 2B, because I am the guy that when in center of attention(in the party or something) do all the right stuff and greatly enjoy it, but when attention of people shift to something else, I step back, feel uncomfortable, can’t seem to find the right words etc.
This is something that I’ve discovered and became aware long time ago, but never really understood why and beside that it felt so frustrating…funny how it clicked the moment I’ve red the neurotype article on T-Nation.
Meanwhile I was thinking, if you weren’t a type 2, we probably wouldn’t be getting half of our questions answered-or 90% for Sigil. The neurotype model seems to be something that 2As are more prone to be interested in because they want to see where people fit in.
Well, that is just uncanny! Just as I was thinking “Hey, I wonder will I ask CT why all the feedback for the 2a’ers?” and true to form, a direct and honest response appears right on the screen!
This discussion reminds me of a number of Introvert/Extrovert questionnaires I’ve been involved in through work and managing work teams. I always thought of myself as one thing, a shy analytical introvert, whereas others who only know me as an adult have me down as a pure extrovert confident leader type.
I cannot tell whether the very strong influences in my upbringing and youth made me inclined to behave like a shy analytical introvert, and I’m just “coming out of my shell” in adulthood/middle age, or, whether I have “learned behaviour” to fit better into society and the workplace.
I’m guessing that the behaviours with which one is most comfortable are closer to one’s natural state, no? Maybe a few decades of meditation and yoga etc. have loosened some of the tighter knots as well.
I spent a few hours just now looking at your Thibarmy videos on Neuro types, and I had another one of those “you may think and insist you are one thing, but you’re not, you’re the other thing” moments, like when I had some advice in the past from colleagues and management consultants.
For example, I believe now it is unlikely I am a Type 3, or anywhere near it. If anything, I think I am a Type 1a or 1b! LOL. Sure, I am risk adverse now, but only because I nearly killed myself a number of times and spent time in hospital with falls from height, near drowning and motor accidents as a teen and young adult, and I suppose I just decided to adjust to stay alive.
I am in recent years, and today especially, fairly shocked at how mixed up my perceptions of my own personality are, and much they are based on my early childhood influences, some national cultural influences, which later in life have gradually faded to allow me to settle into what feels, well, like me.
Learning on this level is very rewarding. Thanks again.
Yes, that’s why I don’t like to use tests. I rely on one on one assessments… getting the client talking about himself. When answering a test we often answer based on our perception of ourselves or what we think others want to hear
So in other words 2a’s are machiavellian & great at winning people over…sounds like a thread full of winners here ! lol
This is cool stuff CT, every year or so you have landmark systems (I think back to Indigo first, then look like a bodybuilder, layers, and now neurotype which is the ultimate culmination)…this latest one will go down in the history books!
Great recent podcast CT…it seems like the end evolution of a hard/serious trainee is actually 2A in nature. Given the necessity for change (to prevent accomodation) in creating more physique gains, naturally one has to adopt a more 2a sort of approach.
And even your commentary on the gaba dominant guy needs change in 5 weeks or so…so bascially training blocks can be longer term but in effect advanced guys do not actually repeat the same workout ever! This is some really applicable and good stuff…for me at least i know i’ve instinctively needed to alter contractions (there’s a mental craving for it).
The ultimate manifestation would be that Four Seasons fella you mentioned (changing complete training style every 3-4 months).
Also thanks for the reminder on leanness…it’s key!! The balance of fats for optimal body is great, as was the crop analogy.
Great quotes: “Slower strength lifts to build tissue…but dynamic movement, bodyweight, hitting a tire, move in space, sprinting jumping boxing to [not look like a collection] of body parts”
Would also add martial arts, dancing to movement quality improvment
The loaded carries secret tip is great. Carrying girlfriend/wife(plural) in various positions also fantastic way to execute, can be done anywhere & also adds instability that a dead barbell doesn’t provide…
Great recent podcast CT…it seems like the end evolution of a hard/serious trainee is actually 2A in nature. Given the necessity for change (to prevent accomodation) in creating more physique gains, naturally one has to adopt a more 2a sort of approach.
I thought the imperative for 2A to change it up was driven by their personality based susceptibility to boredom. It is a response to a personality trait rather than an ideal in itself. I don’t beleive any of us “naturally …has to adopt” any particular neuro Type; we ARE our neuro Type.
I thought “accommodation” could be addressed using reps and pace variations.
We can’t have you Type 2A lads takin’ over the world ya know
