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541

[quote]michell wrote:
Coach

is it possible adapt this method, with your current view? If so, what changes do you recommend to do extended drop sets?

Extended drop: Start with the prescribed number of reps to failure, rest 10-15 seconds, perform a few more to
failure, drop the weight by around 25% and continue to perform reps to failure, rest 10-15 seconds, perform a
few more reps to failure, drop the weight by 25% and continue to perform reps to failure, rest 10-15 seconds
and perform a few more reps

Thanks[/quote]

Well, it doesn’t really respect the ‘perfect rep’ ideology!!! However one can use what I call ‘Extended Contrast Clusters’:

  • Start with 80-85% of your maximum. Perform 3 reps with maximum force
  • Rest 12-15 seconds
  • Perform 3 more max force reps
  • Lower the weight to around 50% of your maximum and perform 3 explosive reps
  • Rest 12-15 seconds
  • Perform 3 more explosive reps
  • Increase weight back up to 85%. Perform reps, stop on the first rep you are feeling the slightest hint of a sticking point
542

Hey Thibs,

I’ve been having abit of a problem with the loading method for the perfect rep. i’m starting at 60% of my one rep max, doing 3 max force reps, and moving up until i feel i couldn’t accelerate the weight enough, which is fine, and normally leads up to around 85%. The problem is that once i get there, if i’m in “the zone”, and really up for it, i can’t move up without a drastic loss of acceleration.

This is probably for two reasons; i’m a beginner and my 1 rep max isn’t high; my gym only has 2.5kg plates, so i have to move up 5kg at a time, which would be fine but when i’m doing overhead press, my max is only 55kg, so there’s little room to change on good/bad days. My bench is only 95kg too, so again, little scope for adjustment. I was wondering is their anyway to improve the workouts on these days when i’m in the zone on movements where the max is low, so i can’t move up?

Should i just do another couple of sets at this weight? Or would a drop down set to failure be better? Sorry for the figures being in kg’s, in england we don’t particularly use lbs. (and for those of you currently laughing into your protein shakes at my lifts, i’m 16 and 6 ft 3, not particularly built for lifting, but i’ll be bigger and stronger than you one day ;)).
Thanks for any help thibs,

Andrew.

543

CT-

What is a good strategy for aquiring the proper flexibility in order to perform the clean grip for the front squat and other exercises requiring this position? I have a huge issue getting my elbows pointed forward and feel like I end up supporting the bar soley on my wrists which severely limits the amount of weight I can use.

Thanks,
Darian

544

Thibs: Do you think I should do cardio?

I’ve been doing cardio 2-5 times a week since I started working out 3 years ago, but I’m no longer sure if I really need it…

My main goal is strength, but I also wan’t good cardiovascular fitness, and all the health benefits cardio training gives - I currently run 3 km at 11:40, so I’m at a decent level - that why I’m wondering if really need cardio anymore? Or will strength training in it self be enough cardiovascular work?

545

Thib, what are some really effective exercise for abdominal strength besides just doing squats and deads ?

546

Hi coach, iam planning to use carb cycling to lose some fat, what is your take on carb cycling for athletes? i have 4 trainings a week ( and after 3 of them i do strength training) and usually i have a day of rest between them, i was planning to do it that way
1day-heavy training + strength session - high carb
2day-low carb - swimming for rest
3day- high carb - training + strength session
4day- low carb - cardio session
5-high carb - training
6-day moderate carb-training +strength session
7-low carb

547

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]joseway1979 wrote:
Coach,
I’m 4 days off completing, Poliquin’s super accumulation program and not sure what the hell is going on.
First off, I’ve taken 2 weeks off work to do it and added the original peri workout strategy, replacing the finibar and SWF with 30g Casein Hyd and 15g Leucine.
I do the program on my own so I will be the first to admit that on the squats I might do 5 reps when I could probably struggle a sixth one out. I have never trained more that 5 days a week ever and my PR for front squat was 1 set of 3 at 60Kg (I’m obviously not the biggest guy here).
I’m just finding that with each session I’m actually getting stronger, I did 5 sets of 5-7 reps with 85Kg in a frigging week! A couple of the other exercises have gone up quite a bit also.

I just want to know what you think it might be, I’m thinking that I’m getting used to the mechanics of the exercises, since I’m doing them all the time, but 25Kg in a week is insane, for me at least.
Also, what do I do when I finish the program. I feel like shit during and post workout, but the next day I’m ready to go again. Should I carry on another week?
Thanks for any input and your time[/quote]

The fact that you took 3 weeks off before doing the program and that you are using the protocol tells me that you are not likely to ‘overtrain on purpose’ with this program. In other words you were so well rested at the beginning that it is much harder to put your body into a state of transient overtraining. Add to that fact that the protocol increases your capacity to recover from training… you could very well be training well within your capacities to recover. And THE MORE YOU TRAIN WITHOUT EXCEEDING YOUR CAPACITIES TO RECOVER THE MORE YOU’LL PROGRESS.

There’s also the fact that your starting strength level was very low. I train a 47 years old women of 124lbs who can full front squat more than 60kg. So yeah, the rapid strength gains are mostly neural adaptation.

I’d do it for another week. Then simply go back to regular training.[/quote]

But can can she do 85Kg :slight_smile: I knew I’d get ripped on for that.

I didn’t take 3 weeks off before, I was doing my normal routine and then did the program during my 2 weeks off work, but I’ll do as you recommended.

Thanks

548

[quote]joseway1979 wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]joseway1979 wrote:
Coach,
I’m 4 days off completing, Poliquin’s super accumulation program and not sure what the hell is going on.
First off, I’ve taken 2 weeks off work to do it and added the original peri workout strategy, replacing the finibar and SWF with 30g Casein Hyd and 15g Leucine.
I do the program on my own so I will be the first to admit that on the squats I might do 5 reps when I could probably struggle a sixth one out. I have never trained more that 5 days a week ever and my PR for front squat was 1 set of 3 at 60Kg (I’m obviously not the biggest guy here).
I’m just finding that with each session I’m actually getting stronger, I did 5 sets of 5-7 reps with 85Kg in a frigging week! A couple of the other exercises have gone up quite a bit also.

I just want to know what you think it might be, I’m thinking that I’m getting used to the mechanics of the exercises, since I’m doing them all the time, but 25Kg in a week is insane, for me at least.
Also, what do I do when I finish the program. I feel like shit during and post workout, but the next day I’m ready to go again. Should I carry on another week?
Thanks for any input and your time[/quote]

The fact that you took 3 weeks off before doing the program and that you are using the protocol tells me that you are not likely to ‘overtrain on purpose’ with this program. In other words you were so well rested at the beginning that it is much harder to put your body into a state of transient overtraining. Add to that fact that the protocol increases your capacity to recover from training… you could very well be training well within your capacities to recover. And THE MORE YOU TRAIN WITHOUT EXCEEDING YOUR CAPACITIES TO RECOVER THE MORE YOU’LL PROGRESS.

There’s also the fact that your starting strength level was very low. I train a 47 years old women of 124lbs who can full front squat more than 60kg. So yeah, the rapid strength gains are mostly neural adaptation.

I’d do it for another week. Then simply go back to regular training.[/quote]

But can can she do 85Kg :slight_smile: I knew I’d get ripped on for that.

I didn’t take 3 weeks off before, I was doing my normal routine and then did the program during my 2 weeks off work, but I’ll do as you recommended.

Thanks
[/quote]

She does sets with 75. But I trained a 15 years old figure skater who could do 90. She actually power cleaned and jerked 85kg in an actual olympic lifting contest.

549

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[quote]ddelmast wrote:
CT-

What is a good strategy for aquiring the proper flexibility in order to perform the clean grip for the front squat and other exercises requiring this position? I have a huge issue getting my elbows pointed forward and feel like I end up supporting the bar soley on my wrists which severely limits the amount of weight I can use.

Thanks,
Darian[/quote]

The clean catch position is actually a very tough one for many bodybuilders. Thatâ??s because four things can prevent you from reaching that position:

  • Tight triceps
  • Exceedingly large biceps (likely not the case)
  • Tight lats
  • Tight forearms; lack of wrist mobility

The first step in the clean catch stretch is to put two sets of safety pins in the power rack, with a bar resting on the first pair. The height of the second set of pins should about 2â??â?? below your collarbone when standing up.

Then you grab the bar and press it against the second set of pins, trying to force it to rest on your shoulders by pushing against the pins.

Finally your partner pushes your elbows up as high as possible (while you are still using the pins to keep the bar on your shoulders). It is very important to keep a good posture, so not cheat by arching your back or leaning backwards. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds, push down with your elbows for 5 seconds, relax and have your partner stretch you even more and hold for 10 seconds.

550

what can you guys tell me about nitrotek and jaccked 3d protien…are they good to take?

551

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]ddelmast wrote:
CT-

What is a good strategy for aquiring the proper flexibility in order to perform the clean grip for the front squat and other exercises requiring this position? I have a huge issue getting my elbows pointed forward and feel like I end up supporting the bar soley on my wrists which severely limits the amount of weight I can use.

Thanks,
Darian[/quote]

The clean catch position is actually a very tough one for many bodybuilders. Thatâ??s because four things can prevent you from reaching that position:

  • Tight triceps
  • Exceedingly large biceps (likely not the case)
  • Tight lats
  • Tight forearms; lack of wrist mobility

The first step in the clean catch stretch is to put two sets of safety pins in the power rack, with a bar resting on the first pair. The height of the second set of pins should about 2â??â?? below your collarbone when standing up.

Then you grab the bar and press it against the second set of pins, trying to force it to rest on your shoulders by pushing against the pins.

Finally your partner pushes your elbows up as high as possible (while you are still using the pins to keep the bar on your shoulders). It is very important to keep a good posture, so not cheat by arching your back or leaning backwards. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds, push down with your elbows for 5 seconds, relax and have your partner stretch you even more and hold for 10 seconds.[/quote]

Thanks so much for your response, much appreciated!

552

I apologize if this has been answered previously: Do you train your abs directly?

553

CT,

I train like a powerlifter and lift raw only. My setup is upper/lower split with 2 days being rep work (eg 5x5 - just a guideline, not set in stone) and two being intensity days (rep maxes or heavy singles/doubles/triples)

  1. my impression is IBB, the perfect rep, and all the other stuff you will be introducing later are primarily for bodybuilders (hypertrophy emphasis). Is there a way to adapt this to pure strength training? One consideration is the max effort method many powerlifters use. Can this be used in conjunction with the methods you are currently working on? Do you think ME work is an outdated/inferior method?

  2. I never made much progress while I used dynamic effort workouts, as popularized by Westside. Any idea why? What has been your experience with trainees who are non-responders to DE work?

  3. I am unclear what your position on “rep style” is for assistance exercises. Do you still prefer to do them many sets/low reps and stop when they get slow or is it fine to do say 2x10? What about exercises you can’t really do heavy like face pulls?
    To take today’s workout as an example, I did low-incline DB presses for 40 total reps. Most of my sets were 8-10 reps. Would you have preferred to do something like 10x4 with 40-60 seconds rest between sets?

Note on question 2. I do realize working up to the max force point is actually (unconventional) “speed work” (it’s the heaviest you can still accelerate, right) and this will usually be heavier than the percentages normally used in DE work (60% is common). Perhaps DE non-responders will make progress with MFP work, which I guess can be thought of as “heavy speed work.” It’s also way more volume than traditional speed work due to the greater load - I do believe total volume is important.

Thanks for your time.

554

[quote]Brazil wrote:
I apologize if this has been answered previously: Do you train your abs directly?[/quote]

Currently, no. My abs are already ‘‘too thick’’ as it is (due to my olympic lifting background); you could clearly see all 6 ‘‘packs’’ even if I were at 15% body fat (although I don’t plan to go there!). So even if I have great abdominal definition, I still look a bit blocky so I don’t want to develop them more than they are.

In the past, when I did some bodybuilding contests, I would train them for 6 weeks prior to a show, but that’s it.

555

[quote]Ben.K wrote:
CT,

I train like a powerlifter and lift raw only. My setup is upper/lower split with 2 days being rep work (eg 5x5 - just a guideline, not set in stone) and two being intensity days (rep maxes or heavy singles/doubles/triples)

  1. my impression is IBB, the perfect rep, and all the other stuff you will be introducing later are primarily for bodybuilders (hypertrophy emphasis). Is there a way to adapt this to pure strength training? One consideration is the max effort method many powerlifters use. Can this be used in conjunction with the methods you are currently working on? Do you think ME work is an outdated/inferior method?

  2. I never made much progress while I used dynamic effort workouts, as popularized by Westside. Any idea why? What has been your experience with trainees who are non-responders to DE work?

  3. I am unclear what your position on “rep style” is for assistance exercises. Do you still prefer to do them many sets/low reps and stop when they get slow or is it fine to do say 2x10? What about exercises you can’t really do heavy like face pulls?
    To take today’s workout as an example, I did low-incline DB presses for 40 total reps. Most of my sets were 8-10 reps. Would you have preferred to do something like 10x4 with 40-60 seconds rest between sets?

Note on question 2. I do realize working up to the max force point is actually (unconventional) “speed work” (it’s the heaviest you can still accelerate, right) and this will usually be heavier than the percentages normally used in DE work (60% is common). Perhaps DE non-responders will make progress with MFP work, which I guess can be thought of as “heavy speed work.” It’s also way more volume than traditional speed work due to the greater load - I do believe total volume is important.

Thanks for your time.[/quote]

  1. Actually, IBB mostly utilizes the training concepts I learned from my years as an olympic lifter and training with powerlifters. I PERSONALLY believe that the methods that will help you gain the most strength will also make you gain the most muscle.

BTW, IBB is just ONE program. And it is the least advanced of those we will put out. Each program is only meant to put a series of training concepts into an application. The important thing is NOT the program, but the concepts. What we do is introduce those concepts then publish a workout applying them. This time around the concepts are ‘the perfect rep’, ‘max force-autoregulation’ and ‘deadstop reps’. So the program will mostly use those.

Once these concepts are mastered we will move on to more advanced ideas.

  1. There is no such thing as trainees who don’t respond to dynamic work. However not all trainees require the same type of dynamic work. While an advanced lifter might benefit from work in the 40-50% range, an intermediate one will probably need a higher percentage for the technique to work.

  2. I normally keep my reps below 6 (up to 5 is fine) although some of my clients go up to 8 on some isolation exercises. The least complex a movement is, the more reps you can do.

556

CT

Is the idea behind a deadlift or squat ‘overload’ (pin pulls, 1/2, 1/4 squats from pins etc) exercise to get the individual used to the heavier weights? Also, do these have a big impact on recovery?

Would the reasoning behind using leg extensions at the end of a squat and assistance based day be to induce an adaption while minimising impact on recovery?

Thanks.

557

[quote]jk270 wrote:
CT

Is the idea behind a deadlift or squat ‘overload’ (pin pulls, 1/2, 1/4 squats from pins etc) exercise to get the individual used to the heavier weights? Also, do these have a big impact on recovery?

Would the reasoning behind using leg extensions at the end of a squat and assistance based day be to induce an adaption while minimising impact on recovery?

Thanks.
[/quote]

The role of the patial lifts is three-fold:

  1. Increase neural activation
  2. Get used to handing heavier weights
  3. It actually has a training effect on some muscles

Regarding the leg extension; it can be useful for someone who has dominant glutes compared to quads OR long legs. In both cases it can be hard to fully develop the quads simply by squatting and doing the leg press.

558

How can you reduce sympathetic nervous system activity after hard workout?

559

Thib,

How can a setup similar to IBB Shoulder spec days (great stuff btw) be used, but tweaked according to this? :

  1. more strength than size
  2. more of the same lifts to have maximum gains on them and less variations

Are these good ideas? :

  1. sets of 2 instead of 3 in max force ramping
  2. on Wed use the same lifts as on Monday but with more sets and no supersetting
  3. on Fri use the same two main lifts from Mon
560

I did not want to start a whole new thread to ask a question I know has been answered so, I figured I would ask here. What is the reasoning for using low reps (2-5) for building muscle? It has alwats been said that reps in the 8-12 range was best but,lately especially through CT’s writings I have seen that low reps are being advocated. I recently have started implementing some low rep sessions into my training and really like it, I am just looking for the science behind it.

I know this has been discussed somewhere but, I cannot find the discussions it does not have to be CT who answers if anyone can provide the answer or link to the discussion it would be greatly appreciated.