New Training Questions

Training
302

Coach,

Thanks for the response.

I used the ramping “method” during my workout for the bench press yesterday and I think I may have made a mistake. My 1rm is 225 so I started out like this:

Bar: 10-15 times
95x1 Feel Set
115x1 Feel Set
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x4

I think 20 pounds may have been too big of jump, leading me to believe I probably missed out on some potentiation and solid reps. I know you usually recommend 10,20,30 lb jumps, depending on the type of exercise. How about everything in between, say 5,14lbs?

That said, is the goal to reach your absolute max for the prescribed number of reps, in which 5 pound jumps is acceptable?

Should the last rep be an all out grinder? Or should it be the last rep you can get with good clean form (No stalling with the weight, go up smoothly)?

Finally, what type of activation techniques would you use for the deadlift?

Thanks

303

Coach Thib,

How much volume would you do with this type of training? I train quads on their own day because I’m too wasted after to really hit hams and calves. So after doing front squats for as many sets as possible with, say, 5 reps, how many more exercises would I do? Same with leg press, back squat, hack squat, reverse lunges…when do I stop?

Thanks Coach!

304

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Lunarisx718 wrote:
Coach,

 Given your new outlook on training (low reps). Is HSS-100 outdated? would you recommend specializing bodyparts for 4 weeks with ramping and low reps instead?

If HSS-100 is still worth doing, would you ramp during the superset portion?

Thanks

It’s not my new outlook on training. It has always been my training philosophy. But in the past I made the mistake of including some ‘mainstream bodybuilding stuff’ in my programs so that the readers would more easily apply the methods I which I really believed in.

Is HSS worth doing? It is a good program, I stand by that. It is not 100% in-line with my beliefs and personal preferences, but it still is effective. Just make sure to ramp up the heavy exercise.[/quote]

This might be asking way too much, but do you have any “quick’n’dirty” tips to modify your HSS specialization routines to fit your current philosophy?

Limiting sets to 5-8 reps, at most, and ditching the 100 rep set?

305

Thib,

Would it be incorrect to say that ramping can cover speed-strength, strength-speed, and strength (depending upon which areas of what you refer to as the force specturm that are stressed the most) but that if capacity is needed you’d need to employ another method? If so, do you have a favored way of working on strength-endurance/endurance-strength if it is needed?

Just curious about one other thing…a while back in your Mondays With Thib Series, you showed the constant-tension alternating curl. Given your own focus on low reps and focusing on maximum CNS potentiation, would you ever use something like the constant-tension alternating curl?

It seems that reading a lot of your stuff, the reader needs to be a bit more careful, since all of it is valid stuff, but you have noted that some stuff was put into articles to make a lot of your “true” views more readily acceptable.

And while many concepts seems easy and natural to you, it is rather easy for people to take snippets from your past articles and get mistaken impressions or missing crucial details that can only be gleaned from training around a coach of your caliber. I say this not as a criticism in any way at all, but to point out that a lot of what probably seems like pure common sense and almost reflexive in nature to you is anything but to many of us. In fact, the phrase “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing” comes to mind. You have the full picture so to speak, whereas a lot of us may get part of it and then butcher the rest without even being fully aware, and in the process hamper our efforts more than if we had just stuck with more familiar methods.

And I hope none of this comes across as knocking you, as I have the highest respect for you, your knowledge, and your willingness to always share with all of us. But i some ways I liken you to a superstar athlete who is levels above others and often accepts his phenomenal ability as commonplace while the rest of us scratch our heads and think, “I know this should feel more intuitive, but I feel like I am missing even more than I am understanding.”

306

Hey CT,
I performed a chest and back workout using the agonist/antagonist alternating sets and had a few questions. I am not asking you for a workout critique. My workout was as follows:

A1) primary/compound chest( horizontal) ramp up to max (5reps)
rest 90sec
A2) primary/compound back ( horiztontal) ramp up to max (5reps)
rest 90sec

B1) secondary chest exercise ( vertical) ramp up to max (5reps)
rest 75sec
B2) secondary back exercise ( vertical) ramp up to max (5reps)
75 sec

C1) isolation chest ( flyes) ramp up to max (8reps)
rest 60 sec
C2) isolation back ( reverse flyes) ramp up to max (8reps)
rest 60sec

I used to do 5x5 at the same weight on my primary exercises and now that I am focusing on accelerating the weight as fast as possible and ramping the weights my numbers are down about 10bs on my last set for 5, however, I do feel more neurally drained.

  1. do I need to work on my speed strength?
  2. is it normal that my numbers are down on my primary lifts( initially) despite feeling neurally fresh at the beginning of both workouts?
  3. Is it ok that I have a 3rd exercise for each muscle group or should I just focus on the primary and secondary lifts?

Sorry for the lengthy message,
Thanks for your time,
teebone2223

307

Hey Thib,

I’ve been powerlifting for a couple years now. My training is very simple; I basicly practice the big 3 with some accessory work for shoulder balance. That’s it. Problem is my bench sucks. I lift raw in the 148 lb. class under IPF rules and these are my current numbers: 390 squat, 225 paused bench, and 405 deadlift. Squat and dead are still moving up at a very fast rate, but bench is really slow. I’m happy with any gains obviously, but I’m mostly curious about some activation work I could utilize that might give me an edge. Part of the problem is that I don’t have the best levers for benchig, I’m sure.

All I need is one thing. I like simple, so I don’t need a program or anything. Right now, I train triples and singles pretty much exclusively, like the Bulgarians, up to a “training max” (as mental state allows) a couple times a week, and usually throw in a recovery day at roughly 60% or so. Just curious if you’ve got a tip I could use for some extra “neuro power” on the bench. Thanks so much.

Steve

308

Hey Coach T!
I’ve wanted to post the following for a few days now, and I really didn’t know which forum to do it in, so I figure why not ask the main man! I’d really appreciate any input :slight_smile:

Basically I am lifting, training MMA, and getting ready for Track this semester.
HT: 5’ 7" (170 cm)
WT: 155 lbs (70 kg)
BF: TBD

My goal in this period is to get stronger, faster, and drop 5 pounds (fight@ featherweight).

Here is my general schedule for the next 3 months -based around school, work, availability etc:

Monday: A.M. Lift / P.M. Sprints followed occasionally by BJJ
Tuesday*: Striking class from 6-7 and No-Gi Wrestling from 7-9
Wednesday: A.M. Lift / P.M. Striking or Sprinting followed by BJJ (PM work done every other Wed)
Thursday*: Striking class from 6-7 and No-Gi Wrestling from 7-9
Friday: Vary/Unknown (options: conditioning/flexibility class, track practice, MMA class, and/or lift)
Saturday: A.M. BJJ (if i wake up lol) / P.M. Flag-Football (sprinting)
Sunday: OFF
*= these days are set in stone

My questions:
Would a nutrition plan following the method of Dr. Hyght be effective? Or how would you recommend I design my “diet?”
I considered the V-Diet but I think I’d burn and I’m only looking to lose 5 lb overall.

Am I lifting enough? How should I organize my work in the weight room to best reach my goals/utilize my sports (sprinting and MMA)?
-I am definitely using your wisdom about explosive movements for strength and CNS. I figured I’d do upper body Mondays and lower body Wednesdays- with abs and grip work somewhere in the schedule. Some olympic style lifts and probably use a lot of dumbbells; but not entirely sure how to put this piece together!

Any opinions on my risk of over or under-training? (doing too much or targeting too many goals at once)

Finally which supplements might you recommend? (Already take Flameout, Carbolin 19, Superfood, multi, and glucosamine)

Thanks for everything you’ve done so far, and thanks in advance!
-Dan

309

[quote]TheBigV wrote:
CT, would time under tension techniques ever supersede maximal force techniques? I know that you are always looking for both, but, I mean, it seems to me that most people always use high reps on certain movements like chest flyes, bicep curls, tri extensions, and other more isolated movements like that.

Also, if someone were to never go over 4 reps in any exercise, do you think optimal growth could occur?[/quote]

Yes I believe that optimal growth could occur simply because that’s the way I train and I trained several people this way. However the number of sets has to increase to be optimal.

310

Hello Coach,

the gym that I work and train at lacks a squat rack, and this inability to squat has caused a loss of size(mostly vastus medialis) and strength. With regards to hamstrings, I lack that “hanging” look when viewed from the side.

Otherwise I rotate a combination of:
Deadlifts
Snatch grip deads
zercher squats
bulgarian squats
dumbbell RDL’S
leg curls
-usually heavy in the 6-8 rep range to start the workout and ending the session in higher reps for whatever exercise
-quads/hams trained together once a week

Should I be focusing more on Time Under Tension now for my quads to regain size and what would you suggest for my desired hamstring development?

As always your help is greatly appreciated Coach

311

[quote]SReishus wrote:
Hey Thib,

I’ve been powerlifting for a couple years now. My training is very simple; I basicly practice the big 3 with some accessory work for shoulder balance. That’s it. Problem is my bench sucks. I lift raw in the 148 lb. class under IPF rules and these are my current numbers: 390 squat, 225 paused bench, and 405 deadlift. Squat and dead are still moving up at a very fast rate, but bench is really slow. I’m happy with any gains obviously, but I’m mostly curious about some activation work I could utilize that might give me an edge. Part of the problem is that I don’t have the best levers for benchig, I’m sure.

All I need is one thing. I like simple, so I don’t need a program or anything. Right now, I train triples and singles pretty much exclusively, like the Bulgarians, up to a “training max” (as mental state allows) a couple times a week, and usually throw in a recovery day at roughly 60% or so. Just curious if you’ve got a tip I could use for some extra “neuro power” on the bench. Thanks so much.

Steve[/quote]

The Bulgarians only work up to a training max so that they can select their real training load for each workout.

Normally they work up to a training max then perform sets of 2-3 reps with 20-40lbs less than the training max. They perform such sets until form starts to degrade.

Your problem might not be an activation one but rather a strength imbalance one. You say that your levels are not ideal for benching. Normally, to me, that also means that your triceps will be holding you back. So some additional heavy triceps work might be the solution.

312

[quote]Mr.Martian wrote:
Coach,

Thanks for the response.

I used the ramping “method” during my workout for the bench press yesterday and I think I may have made a mistake. My 1rm is 225 so I started out like this:

Bar: 10-15 times
95x1 Feel Set
115x1 Feel Set
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x4

I think 20 pounds may have been too big of jump, leading me to believe I probably missed out on some potentiation and solid reps. I know you usually recommend 10,20,30 lb jumps, depending on the type of exercise. How about everything in between, say 5,14lbs?

That said, is the goal to reach your absolute max for the prescribed number of reps, in which 5 pound jumps is acceptable?

Should the last rep be an all out grinder? Or should it be the last rep you can get with good clean form (No stalling with the weight, go up smoothly)?

Finally, what type of activation techniques would you use for the deadlift?

Thanks
[/quote]

Oh yeah, any kind of jumps is acceptable when you are up to the end of the spectrum.

For the deadlift we use variations of the olympic lifts, broad/forward jumps, medicine ball toss overhead.

313

[quote]Buff Sax Dude wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Lunarisx718 wrote:
Coach,

 Given your new outlook on training (low reps). Is HSS-100 outdated? would you recommend specializing bodyparts for 4 weeks with ramping and low reps instead?

If HSS-100 is still worth doing, would you ramp during the superset portion?

Thanks

It’s not my new outlook on training. It has always been my training philosophy. But in the past I made the mistake of including some ‘mainstream bodybuilding stuff’ in my programs so that the readers would more easily apply the methods I which I really believed in.

Is HSS worth doing? It is a good program, I stand by that. It is not 100% in-line with my beliefs and personal preferences, but it still is effective. Just make sure to ramp up the heavy exercise.

This might be asking way too much, but do you have any “quick’n’dirty” tips to modify your HSS specialization routines to fit your current philosophy?

Limiting sets to 5-8 reps, at most, and ditching the 100 rep set?
[/quote]

I wouldn’t ditch the 100 reps set. It’s not a muscle building set, it’s more for active recovery.

I would:

a) Add an activation exercise prior to the heavy movement
b) Keep the heavy movement at 5 reps or less
c) Start at 60% on the heavy movement and gradually work up to the max weight you can handle for the prescribed reps and then stop the exercise
d) For the superset exercises keep the total reps at 12 or under (6 reps + 6 reps, 4 reps + 8 reps, etc.)
e) Keep the special exercise at 7 reps or less
f) Start at 60% of your max and work up toward the max weight you can handle for the selected number of reps.

314

[quote]ThetfordMiner wrote:
Thib,

Would it be incorrect to say that ramping can cover speed-strength, strength-speed, and strength (depending upon which areas of what you refer to as the force specturm that are stressed the most) but that if capacity is needed you’d need to employ another method? If so, do you have a favored way of working on strength-endurance/endurance-strength if it is needed?[/quote]

Yes, a properly designed force spectrum/ramping set will work power and strength.

I already talked about my favored method for building strength-endurance.

I select anywhere from 4 to 6 exercises covering the whole body (or a few muscle groups depending on what you are trying to accomplish); perform sets of 2-3 reps with 85% of maximum; only rest long enough to go from one exercise to the next (circuit); when you can’t complete the required reps on an exercise, you drop that exercise from the circuit and continue on with the other ones; you stop the workout when you have eliminated all exercises.

To me, working on strength-endurance means that there is a significant STRENGTH component. I find it sub-optimal when people perform sets of 15, 20 or more reps to build strength-endurance, the strength component being too low IMHO.

[quote]ThetfordMiner wrote:
Just curious about one other thing…a while back in your Mondays With Thib Series, you showed the constant-tension alternating curl. Given your own focus on low reps and focusing on maximum CNS potentiation, would you ever use something like the constant-tension alternating curl?

It seems that reading a lot of your stuff, the reader needs to be a bit more careful, since all of it is valid stuff, but you have noted that some stuff was put into articles to make a lot of your “true” views more readily acceptable.[/quote]

I could use constant-tension stuff, and sometimes do, but only as the last exercise of a movement. I never said that I don’t use such methods, only that 90% of my training is done with low reps and high-force stuff. That still leaves 10%!

As for having a clear view… you are right… but I believe that people should stop blindly following advice (even mine), learn about as many concepts as possible, reflect and experiment.

315

[quote]teebone2223 wrote:

I used to do 5x5 at the same weight on my primary exercises and now that I am focusing on accelerating the weight as fast as possible and ramping the weights my numbers are down about 10bs on my last set for 5, however, I do feel more neurally drained.

  1. do I need to work on my speed strength?
  2. is it normal that my numbers are down on my primary lifts( initially) despite feeling neurally fresh at the beginning of both workouts?
  3. Is it ok that I have a 3rd exercise for each muscle group or should I just focus on the primary and secondary lifts?

Sorry for the lengthy message,
Thanks for your time,
teebone2223[/quote]

  1. Yes… so I would suggest smaller jumps at the start and bigger ones once you pass the 80% mark.
  2. It sometimes is. To me it actually sounds positive. Why? Because it tells me that the explosion sets produced MORE force than what you were used to. The muscles and nervous system has to work much harder than in the past, leaving you drained. The more you practice this type of training the stronger you’ll get because your nervous system will be more efficient.
  3. If you still feel good and motivated to train, yeah, do that third exercise.
316

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

For the deadlift we use variations of the olympic lifts, broad/forward jumps, medicine ball toss overhead.[/quote]

Coach,

If you had to choose, would you rather use full ROM power clean, hang clean or power clean from blocks as a deadlift activation lift? Do you see any of these as an optimal deadlift activation exercise?

Also should one perform these with max weight or go a bit lighter and concentrate on the explosiveness? It just seems to me that going very heavy on power clean before deadlifting might hurt the deadlifting performance a bit.

317

what is your take on pause between sets when ramping up, i guess if u start at 65% in a 5x5 ramp up, the first 2 or 3 sets will not require 2to3 minutes in between or will they ?

318

[quote]live_to_lift wrote:
CT,

Here are the facts:

1.) Time-demanding profession (City Manager); M-F 8-?pm and a 45-minute commute each way
2.) Married w/ 2 small children under the age of 3
3.) Literally only have 1 hour 5 days a week MAX to train
4.) Fatloss is #1 goal (and not lose too much LMB along th way, obviously)
5.) Lower back issues which preclude me from performing several “money” lifts (i.e. back squats, heavy shoulder presses, non-supported rows, etc.)
6.) 210-215 lbs. w/ approx. 16% bodyfat

I’m at a loss on how to structure my weekly training routine in context of these facts. How many days should I train with weights? ESW? (I’m following your nutritional recommendations from your Refined Physique Transformation article.)

Any ideas? (stupid question, I know)

Thank you.

[/quote]

Since I’ve not received a response before those who posted questions after me have, it begs the question: Was this a stupid question, a type of question CT has answered earlier, a question that wasn’t technical enough or all of the above? LOL

Screw it. I’ll figure it out.

319

Christian,

given the goal is to build as much muscle as possible. (as its nearly always…)
given S/O isnt a total newbie, has some regeneration abilitys and uses good form on the exercises.

And if Im right about that:

  1. The excentric movement causes the most muscle damage.
  2. S/O is the strongest in lowering the weight(excentric again).
  3. S/O can use the SSC to move some of the weight(especially at sticking points;i.e. the bottom of the benchpress)
  4. the SSC is decreased for about 60% when taking 1sec. of a stop

Then what do you think about these two possible reps/tempos?
What whould you prefer?
(Just an example, as exercises isnt that much important right now)

A1
Acromial Bench FG 4x6-8 , 30X0 ; 60’
A2
Chinup, close 4x6-8 , 30X1 ; 60’

Pro:
more powerdevelopment (cause of SSC) ?
you go to momentary muscle failure each time

con:
you use lower weight?
SSC makes it easier for the muscles?

OR

A1
Acromial Bench FG 4x4 , 51X0 ; 60’
A2
Chinup, close 4x4 , 51X1 ; 60’

Pro:
slower excentric does more muscle tissue damage (bigger growth response)?
cause you spend most time in the strongest direction you can use more weight?
you dont have that much a SSC, and are so using more of your “real strength”?

con:
lesser power development (but wich mustnt equal lesser force development,right?)?
anything else thats con?

I hope you can see what I meant. :wink:
What do you think?

Thanks beforehand.

320

[quote]live_to_lift wrote:
live_to_lift wrote:
CT,

Here are the facts:

1.) Time-demanding profession (City Manager); M-F 8-?pm and a 45-minute commute each way
2.) Married w/ 2 small children under the age of 3
3.) Literally only have 1 hour 5 days a week MAX to train
4.) Fatloss is #1 goal (and not lose too much LMB along th way, obviously)
5.) Lower back issues which preclude me from performing several “money” lifts (i.e. back squats, heavy shoulder presses, non-supported rows, etc.)
6.) 210-215 lbs. w/ approx. 16% bodyfat

I’m at a loss on how to structure my weekly training routine in context of these facts. How many days should I train with weights? ESW? (I’m following your nutritional recommendations from your Refined Physique Transformation article.)

Any ideas? (stupid question, I know)

Thank you.

Since I’ve not received a response before those who posted questions after me have, it begs the question: Was this a stupid question, a type of question CT has answered earlier, a question that wasn’t technical enough or all of the above? LOL

Screw it. I’ll figure it out.[/quote]

5 hours a week is plenty of time. You could lift on days 1, 3, 5 and do some ESW on days 2 & 4.

Can you do lunges? I currently have a facet dysfunction (sprain) at L-5 but my PT has cleared me for both stationary and walking lunges. This is helping me at least maintain lower body and walking lunges are great for raising heart rate.

You could use circuits to make the most of your time. From experience, I know these will fit into an hour with about 1 minute rests between sets (gives you at least 2 minutes between movements in the A group). Again, I can usually do this in an hour with about 8 sets for each movement in the A1-A3 circuit (3 warm-ups, 5 working) and 4-5 sets for the B circuit (pretty much warmed up from A circuit).

Workout A:
A1: Lunges
A2: OHP
A3: Pull-ups
B1: curls
B2: skull crushers / close grip press
C: some kind of ab work (planks, roll-outs, etc).

Workout B:
A1: Lunges
A2: Bench press (incline or flat)
A3: DB Row or another “low row” movement
B1: Side lateral raises, front raises
B2: Rear delt row or lateral raise
C: some kind of ab work (planks, roll-outs, etc).

You could keep repeating A/B/A/B or make a C that includes more leg work:

Workout C:
A1: Leg extension
A2: Leg curls
B1: Assistance 1 (eg: calves?)
B2: Assistance 2
C: some kind of ab work (planks, roll-outs, etc).

This is a lot of upper body stuff, but I’m assuming that not being able to squat or deadlift is temporary and you’re only trying to maintain lower body.

For days 2 & 4, ESW. You could do tabata on a stationary bike. That would be pretty quick and give you a lot of bang for your time.

Of course you need to clean up your diet and manage your carbs, which it sounds like you’re already trying to do.

Oh, just noticed you can’t do heavy shoulder presses. Is that standing only? Can you do seated military press? That’s what I’m doing now, seated.

I’m sure you can tweak and revise to come up with a better program for you. Hope this was helpful.

321

[quote]Evander wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

For the deadlift we use variations of the olympic lifts, broad/forward jumps, medicine ball toss overhead.

Coach,

If you had to choose, would you rather use full ROM power clean, hang clean or power clean from blocks as a deadlift activation lift? Do you see any of these as an optimal deadlift activation exercise?

Also should one perform these with max weight or go a bit lighter and concentrate on the explosiveness? It just seems to me that going very heavy on power clean before deadlifting might hurt the deadlifting performance a bit.[/quote]

Power clean from the blocks.

No need to go super heavy, in fact it’s best to keep it light and explosive. You want to get activated, but not tired.