Coach, what’s your stance lately on abdominal exercise (for aesthetic purpose)?
Heavy weight for <6 reps or classic hypertrophy zone with 8-12 reps? Sit-up and crunch or isometrics-only with wheel and plank?
Recently, you mentioned to your abs would show even if you’d be 15% BF in part because of your olympic background (I hope I’m not distorting what you said). I suppose that meant that all the core work involved in overhead lift is in cause, is this the best way to hypertrophy midsection?
Thibs,
What is a good plyometric exercise to increase vertical jump? I’m thinking of adding a plyometric exercise to do in a alternate set fashion with back squats.
I can front squat 205 for 2, but today I did back squats 215 for 2 felt very heavy. Do I just need more practice to grease the groove?
Thank you
[quote]Mondy wrote:
Thibs,
What is a good plyometric exercise to increase vertical jump? I’m thinking of adding a plyometric exercise to do in a alternate set fashion with back squats.
I can front squat 205 for 2, but today I did back squats 215 for 2 felt very heavy. Do I just need more practice to grease the groove?
Thank you[/quote]
Any other jumping exercise is not plyo, rather it should simply be known as ‘‘jump training’’. There IS a big difference since ‘‘jump training’’ can pretty much be done year round, whereas ‘‘plyo’’ should only be done for 3-4 weeks as a time and for no more than 2-3 such blocks during the year.
For your goal, jump squats with 20% of your max squat would be a good choice.
Still, your front squat should be around 70-80% of your back squat. So if you can front squat 205 for 2 you should back squat 245-265lbs for 2.
I have not seen your training over the past few months and have never looked at your technique, so it is kinda hard to pinpoint what the problem is. It could be that you didn’t practice the back squat enough, that your lower back is weak, that your hip flexors are tight or that you simply had an ‘‘off’’ day.
[quote]CPerfringens wrote:
Coach, what’s your stance lately on abdominal exercise (for aesthetic purpose)?
Heavy weight for <6 reps or classic hypertrophy zone with 8-12 reps? Sit-up and crunch or isometrics-only with wheel and plank?
Recently, you mentioned to your abs would show even if you’d be 15% BF in part because of your olympic background (I hope I’m not distorting what you said). I suppose that meant that all the core work involved in overhead lift is in cause, is this the best way to hypertrophy midsection?
[/quote]
I do not have a ‘‘stance’’ on anything. I am not painting myself in a corner by believing that only one way of doing things work.
PERSONALLY my abdominals too thick already. YES this is largely due to YEARS of olympic lifting and YEARS of football training using mostly big compound lifts before that. So I do not need to train them often or hard.
This DOESN’T mean that:
Training on the big lifts (squats, deadlifts, cleans and snatches) is sufficient for everybody to build good abs.
That SHORT TERM use of the big basic lifts will lead to the same results that I had over the LONG RUN. This reminds me of people who think that they’ll get the body of an elite male gymnast by starting to do blast straps and bodyweight stuff. The elite gymnasts are built this way not only from the type of work they are doing BUT MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY DO IT FOR 30-40 HOURS PER WEEK AND HAVE BEING DOING SO FOR MANY YEARS.
YOU don’t need to do abs work. For example some people can get big muscular arms from doing only the basic compound movements; however most will need to do direct arms work to optimize their size.
Most will need to do abs work to optimize their abdominal development. In that case I do use several approaches, depending on the training phase or the needs and capacities of thr athlete.
I often recommend staggered abs work: doing a set of an abdominal exercise between sets of your strength exercises. This could be done either on weight abs work for sets of 6-12 reps or on exercises without added resistance for max reps. You obviously don’t use this approach when training squats, deadlifts and overhead movements in a workout.
If training the abs by themselves I like to recommend supersetting one heavy abs exercise for 6-12 reps with one without resistance for max reps.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
I have not seen your training over the past few months and have never looked at your technique, so it is kinda hard to pinpoint what the problem is. It could be that you didn’t practice the back squat enough, that your lower back is weak, that your hip flexors are tight or that you simply had an ‘‘off’’ day.[/quote]
CT
Are there any particular methods you would use if trying to improve flexibility?
I have tried static stretching my hip flexors but see very little improvement in ROM.
Thanks.
Thib,
What is your opinion on the use of assisted vertical jumps (w/bands) as a means of improving vertical jump height in athletes.
Thanks
[quote]Mondy wrote:
Thibs,
What is a good plyometric exercise to increase vertical jump? I’m thinking of adding a plyometric exercise to do in a alternate set fashion with back squats.
I can front squat 205 for 2, but today I did back squats 215 for 2 felt very heavy. Do I just need more practice to grease the groove?
Thank you[/quote]
I also wanted to comment on 2) and say that it could very well be a practice thing. I’m able to front squat (zercher style) 255 for 6 reps, but only able to back squat 135 for 5-6. Seems very odd, but the thing is, last week (this was when I attempted back squats) was the first time in my life that I attempted back squats.
Hey, at least your back squats vs front squat aren’t THAT off 
started the Anaconda Protocol and workoutts on the weekend. because of my schedule my Saturday is the monday. If I wanted to do two workouts a day what would the second session be? a repeat of the day or should I split the outlined workout?
Thibs,
I would like to start a olympic lifting program. I have read your black book of secrets which contains a 12 week program to learn all the lifts.
My question. Can i follow the outlined program…or should I change the guidlines. See my explanation below:
Weekly Split:
Day 1: Snatch Emphasis
A) Snatch from blocks (1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 5)
B) Snatch Grip Deadlift (1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 5)
C) Overhead Squat (4 x 5)
D) Overhead Shrugs (4 x 5)
E) Cuban Press (3 x 15)
Can I ramp up to 3RM (max force) on A,C,D and (max load) on B? Or should I just use your ‘old’ guidelines?
Day 2: Jerk Emphasis (same structure as day 1)
Day 4: Clean Emphasis (same structure as day 2)
Day 5: Remedial Exercises
A) Back Squat: Ramp up to 3 RM (max force)
B) Bench Press: Ramp up to 3 RM (max force)
c) Chin Up : Ramp up to 3 RM (max force)
Or these OK choices for the remedial day?
Thank you very much for all you do!
With kind regards,
Michael Kramer
[quote]mkramer89 wrote:
Thibs,
I would like to start a olympic lifting program. I have read your black book of secrets which contains a 12 week program to learn all the lifts.
My question. Can i follow the outlined program…or should I change the guidlines. See my explanation below:
Weekly Split:
Day 1: Snatch Emphasis
A) Snatch from blocks (1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 5)
B) Snatch Grip Deadlift (1 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 5)
C) Overhead Squat (4 x 5)
D) Overhead Shrugs (4 x 5)
E) Cuban Press (3 x 15)
Can I ramp up to 3RM (max force) on A,C,D and (max load) on B? Or should I just use your ‘old’ guidelines?
Day 2: Jerk Emphasis (same structure as day 1)
Day 4: Clean Emphasis (same structure as day 2)
Day 5: Remedial Exercises
A) Back Squat: Ramp up to 3 RM (max force)
B) Bench Press: Ramp up to 3 RM (max force)
c) Chin Up : Ramp up to 3 RM (max force)
Or these OK choices for the remedial day?
Thank you very much for all you do!
With kind regards,
Michael Kramer[/quote]
Since you are just learning the lifts, you shouldn’t work up to heavy weights. Thus do not work up to max force yet. You need to focus on learning the proper lifting technique first.
Thib in terms of that three day set up that you felt would be effective, if one was able to add a forth day, should it consist of another day of 2 deadstop exercises and another o-lift. Thanks for your time
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]Needmassquick wrote:
How exactly does 3x3 with a heavy weight deload you from working up to just 1 set of max force? Assuming you start week one at say a MFP of 3x200 and get great gains up to 3x215 (which is probably more than most could expect in 2 weeks) or so on the 3rd week it seems like 3x3x200 the next week would still be more taxing. I don’t plan on doing an abbreviated routine but just out of curiosity, and maybe for info on how I might set up a future deload. [/quote]
You should deload with a lowered volume, not lowered intensity. Plus, the 3 x 3 is done with the MAX FORCE WEIGHT… read the multiple posts about this point. The MFP is the heaviest weight you can accelerate for all the reps. For 3 reps that is arounf 80-85%. Although heavy, it is not maximal.
Not to mention that you are using the max force point you reached on week 1 of the cycle, normally you gain strength in the 3 weeks prior to the deload.[/quote]
Right so from what I can see you’ve written it looks like your still doing more volume. In the prior weeks you’re working up to a max force set of 1x3, yet in the deload week you’re doing 3x3 max force sets. Yes you will likely gain some strength but as mentioned above you would likely not add more than 10lb. or so (given a 200lb. lift) so even if you get up to a MFP of 3x210 on the 3rd week I don’t see how 3x3x200 would really be a break especially if thats the only change you made in your training
Hello Thibs,
Inspired by Your MODIFIED CANADIAN COMPLEX and High-Threshold Muscle Building I have came up with such a routine. I’m 6’2, 183 pounds - few years of training. My priority is to improve my performance, mainly at volleyball (I think vertical and overhead power should be my main concern), size is secondary.
MONDAY Lower-Body
Activation work
Single leg squat x 3 - 5 reps/each leg
Giant sets 4 or 5
Vertical jumps 10 reps
Depth jumps 5 reps
Goblet jump squat 5 reps
Bulgarian split squat (or Front squat) 3 reps
Back Squat Max reps on last set
TUESDAY Upper-Body
Activation work
Push-ups on stability ball x 3 about 10 reps
Horizontal pull-ups x 3 about 10 reps
Giant set 1 - 4 sets
Power clean from hang 6 reps
Pull-ups 3 reps
Metabolic work high-position pulling 20-30 sec
Pull-ups MAX on last set
Giant set 2 - 4 sets
DB Snatch 6 reps
Overhead unilateral DB press 3 reps
Metabolic work shoulder punching 20-30 sec
Push press MAX on the last set
Superset 3 - 3 or 4 sets
Dips 3 reps
Metabolic work triceps extension 20-30 sec
THURSDAY Lower body
Activation work
Swiss ball leg curl 3 x 10 reps + Bridge 20 sec
Giant set
Jump for distance 10 reps
Depth jump for distance 5 reps
Single leg hyper-extension 3 reps each leg
Romanian deadlift 3 reps
Sumo deadlift MAX reps on last set
FRIDAY Upper-body
Activation work
Push-ups on stability ball x 3 about 10 reps
Horizontal pull-ups x 3 about 10 reps
Giant set 1 - 4 sets
Explosive push-up 5-10 reps
Unilateral incline DB bench press
Metabolic work Low-cable punching 20-30 sec
Bench press MAX reps on last set
Giant set 2 - 4 sets
Alternate floor DB row 5 reps each arm
Power DB Row 3 reps
Metabolic work low-cable pulling 20-30 sec
Power BB Row MAX Reps last set
Superset - 3 or 4 sets
1-arm Dumbbell curl 3 reps
Metabolic work cable curl 20-30 sec
So on to my questions.
Thanks
Thibs,
This is my current posterior
A1) Goodmornings from pins ramp up to set of 5
A2) DB Hammer curls ramp up to a set of 5
B1) BB hip raise ramp up to a set of 5
B2) Calve Machine/Pinch hold
C1) Glute Ham Raises 3 sets of max reps
C2) Back Extensions ramp up to a set of 8
I’m primarily doing this to strengthen my lower back, especially since I have a relatively long torso.
Should I replace the back extensions with a make shift reverse hyperextension by using a bench and placing a dumbell between my feet? Obviously, the range of motion will be only reduced to the top half.
Should I drop the BB hip thrust if my goal is to strength my lower back?
Thank you.
Coach, if you had to recommend one of your books which ties into your current views on training which would it be?
I am currently deciding between Theory and Application of Modern Strength and Power Methods: Modern methods of attaining super-strength and The Black Book of Training Secrets. Which do you think would be the better first purchase? (bearing in mind I will probably end up purchasing both eventually haha)
Thib,
Is it effective to train a specialized lift 5-7 times a week ?
For example, doing it almost everyday if possible on AM, and do the rest of the body on PM on some of the days ? What would be the loading protocols for such work if it’s adequate ?
Hey CT, I have 2 questions that you can hopefully answer.
I have just recently starting implementing your new views of low rep/ perfect rep training. Are there any exercises that should be avoided when doing low reps (3 reps)? Exercises like DB bench press, preacher curls, hammer curls.
Is it possible to bring up a body part when cutting? I am helping a friend lose BF but it now looks like his arms are lagging a bit behind the rest of his body (He trained fullbody 5 x a week).
Thanks in advance.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]BBriere wrote:
Coach,
I’ve just been wondering. Since some of your earlier articles such as HSS-100 and Pendulum Training advocated higher reps and more bodybuilding techniques, do you still hold those articles to be valid? Would you say if you were training for bodybuilding principles that it’s still best to stay at low reps and ramp up or go for higher reps?[/quote]
I addressed this in the past. For all my training ‘‘career’’ (well, except for the first 2 years) I used mostly lots of sets (6-12+) of low reps (6 or less) of few exercises (2-4 per workout). That’s how my first coach had us train for football (training heavily based on powerlifting and olympic lifting with plyo thrown in) then I continued to train the same way when I switched to olympic lifting.
This pretty much covers a period ranging from 1990 to 2001. During that period I’d say that 90% of all my sessions were based on doing 4 basic lifts per workout. Either using an upper-lower split (when playing football) or a traditional olympic lifting breakdown (1 snatch variation, 1 clean & jerk variation, 1 squat variation, 1 pull or deadlift variation); doing a high number of sets of each exercise (6-12+) and kept my reps in the 1-5 range.
10% of the time (about 2 weeks after every 4 months of training) I would do a more traditional bodybuilding training to give my joints and psyche a break.
I then trained in a powerlifting gym for about 1-2 years, still doing the same type of workouts but focusing more on the bench and squat (used a program designed from reading Westside’s stuff). So I was still doing mostly low reps, with some inclusion of a little medium reps (6-8) on some isolation exercises.
I then got injured, started my career as a coach and decided to get lean to increase my credibility. I added more typical bodybuilding stuff, still keep a base of heavy lifting.
Around 2003 I decided to compete in bodybuilding and drastically changed my training; dropping the heavy lifting and focused mostly on isolation, tempo, drop sets, etc. It actually destroyed my physique and did very poorly at my first contest (lost a lot of muscle mass and fullness). I didn’t realize that it was the change in training, I simply believed that I overdieted.
I competed again a years after that still training like a bodybuilder, with typical ‘‘fatigue-isolation-pump’’ stuff. Did a bit better mostly because between both contests I had gotten back to heavy lifting and rebuilt somewhat of a base. I did better at the contest, but still wasn’t that good.
I basically decided to forget about bodybuilding at that point and really decided to get back to trying out for powerlifting. So I got back to heavy lifting and dropped most ‘‘pump’’ stuff (still doing isolation work, but heavier).
I was approached by Sebastien Cossette who wanted to compete in his first bodybuilding show (in 2005 I think). Being backstage with him kinda made we want to compete again. Which I did a year later. But I was a bit smarter and kept rotating strength-based training (3 weeks) with higher reps stuff (3 weeks) and did better at the contest.
BUT most of the people who knew me still asked what happened… the thing is that even though I was a pretty good shape at the show. I looked much better… bigger, fuller, more muscular and almost as lean 5 months prior to the show when I was still doing mostly strength stuff.
I once again blamed it on diet. It took me a while to realize it, but I finally understood that:
Heavy low reps training = muscular, full, powerful looking
Higher reps = losing fullness, not as muscular
Obviously this is just a sample size of 1 test subject (me). But I am now convinced that ‘‘pump’’ training is less than optimal for most. I’m not saying that everybody will need to keep using exclusively super low reps; some of my clients use a lot of work in the 6-8 range for example. But most will do better avoiding all those pump, fatigue-inducing techniques.
YES I wrote articles involving higher reps stuff and technique aimed at creating a burn or pump. But I wrote those when I was doing that type of training myself and when you are in the middle of doing something it is often hard to stay objective.[/quote]
CT, How did you then or how would you now ramp up sets and reps? I am 46 years old and have come to realize I need to do the same thing but for longer periods of time, maybe one or two months a stretch. In the past when I have done higher reps, i.e. sets of 8-10 reps, I obviously got fatigued working up to a top set. Would it be best to do a few low rep warm upsets then start at a top weight and derease the weight with subsequent sets?
[quote]Thy. wrote:
Thib,
Is it effective to train a specialized lift 5-7 times a week ?
For example, doing it almost everyday if possible on AM, and do the rest of the body on PM on some of the days ? What would be the loading protocols for such work if it’s adequate ?
[/quote]
If the volume and intensity are properly planned, it could work. But unless you are a strength athlete competing on one or two specific lifts (e.g. powerlifter or olympic lifter) I don’t see the point.
[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:
Hey CT, I have 2 questions that you can hopefully answer.
I have just recently starting implementing your new views of low rep/ perfect rep training. Are there any exercises that should be avoided when doing low reps (3 reps)? Exercises like DB bench press, preacher curls, hammer curls.
Is it possible to bring up a body part when cutting? I am helping a friend lose BF but it now looks like his arms are lagging a bit behind the rest of his body (He trained fullbody 5 x a week).
Thanks in advance.[/quote]
Low reps can be done with any exercises. I personally perform my curls in the 3-5 reps range. However you CAN perform more reps on small movements (either movements with a short range of motion or low coordination requirement), like 6-8. But this doesn’t mean that you HAVE to do higher reps on these exercises.
In most cases, not really. In some specific ones it might be possible. For example if the lagging bodypart was so neglected that it is actually detrained or if the individual goes from a shitty diet with a caloric surplus (e.g. eating mostly junk with a low amount of daily protein) to a good diet with plenty of protein but at a slight caloric deficit. In both cases you might be able to grow for 4-6 weeks.