New Training Questions

Training
142

[quote]Thy. wrote:
Thib, the “box squat for bodybuilders” workout listed above parallel box squats to maximize quads involvement.

But for general strength, for example for a strength-orientated squat workout (not specifically designed to maximally stimulate one muscle, but to bring up the whole movement), if I want to use a pin squat should it be from above parallel or from bottom position of the squat ? Also, for the same goal (not bodybuilding-specific focus), is it better to use the same movements (back squat after back squat from pins, etc.) ?[/quote]

Set the pins so that you just slightly above your sticking point.

You can use the same movement or a different one (front squat for example)… use one for one 4 weeks cycle, then switch.

143

[quote]MAF14 wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
baldadonis2002 wrote:
CNS stim - 2 quick and dirty questions for Thibby…

  1. your thoughts on supermax static holds to stim CNS before regular sets ( seems to help me - when I hold a static bench of say 450, my work sets of 365+ feel like a feather…same with squat etc.

It works. The psychological effect actually makes it possible to lift more, and over time you can actually downregulate your protective mechanism (golgi tendon organ) which will drastically increase your strength potential.

Plus they are neurally inexpensive.

baldadonis2002 wrote:

  1. CNS stim exercises for back - if you are ok with static holds…what do I do for back - cant hold a supermax barbell row in a contracted position…I COULD hold a weighted pull up in contracted position.

Thoughts?

Actually the contracted position would not be ideal, you should hold the weight at the easiest position where the muscle is still under tension.

how many holds per session/week do you reccomend? [/quote]

I have no idea.

Seriously, use the number of holds required to ‘get in the zone’ and be comfortable with the overload. It’s an activation tool, and there is no way to predict how long it will take to potentiate the nervous system.

144

Do you believe strengthening tendons and joints thorugh bodyweight exercise has any worth in preparing a bidy for heavy weights.

145

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Thy. wrote:
Thib, the “box squat for bodybuilders” workout listed above parallel box squats to maximize quads involvement.

But for general strength, for example for a strength-orientated squat workout (not specifically designed to maximally stimulate one muscle, but to bring up the whole movement), if I want to use a pin squat should it be from above parallel or from bottom position of the squat ? Also, for the same goal (not bodybuilding-specific focus), is it better to use the same movements (back squat after back squat from pins, etc.) ?

Set the pins so that you just slightly above your sticking point.

You can use the same movement or a different one (front squat for example)… use one for one 4 weeks cycle, then switch.[/quote]

Thanks!

One more quick question :
I’ve been doing deadlifts from very high platform (bar starts almost at the beginning of the shin, hips at least at parallel), but strangely instead of the supposed increased quad involvement I get massive glute contraction and not much in the quads. Does it have something to do with my levers and weak/strong points ?

146

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
MAF14 wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
baldadonis2002 wrote:
CNS stim - 2 quick and dirty questions for Thibby…

  1. your thoughts on supermax static holds to stim CNS before regular sets ( seems to help me - when I hold a static bench of say 450, my work sets of 365+ feel like a feather…same with squat etc.

It works. The psychological effect actually makes it possible to lift more, and over time you can actually downregulate your protective mechanism (golgi tendon organ) which will drastically increase your strength potential.

Plus they are neurally inexpensive.

baldadonis2002 wrote:

  1. CNS stim exercises for back - if you are ok with static holds…what do I do for back - cant hold a supermax barbell row in a contracted position…I COULD hold a weighted pull up in contracted position.

Thoughts?

Actually the contracted position would not be ideal, you should hold the weight at the easiest position where the muscle is still under tension.

how many holds per session/week do you reccomend?

I have no idea.

Seriously, use the number of holds required to ‘get in the zone’ and be comfortable with the overload. It’s an activation tool, and there is no way to predict how long it will take to potentiate the nervous system.
[/quote]

o ok. i wasnt sure if some thing like more than a single hold would be too much for the cns

147

Thib,

I wanted to ask you two questions.

I’m guessing that in sport, reaction time is related to anticipation, quick recognition of developing situations, and then the ability to quickly decelerate/accelerate as needed by producing the necessary force as fast as possible. But is there value to including drills like setting up 4 cones in a small area and then having the athlete immediately break toward the cone a coach or partner points to or something like bouncing a ball off of a rebounder or wall and reacting to it? If so, would these be best included as part of a warm=up?

Lately I’ve seen some supposedly reputable coaches using agility ladder footwork drills with athletes…is the use of such drills almost invariably a bogus tactic? I can’t decide if it has merit or if this is one of those “cute” time drains simply taking time away from developing strength and power in the weight room or working on useful “footwork” by actually practicing the chosen sport.

148

Maybe you will kill me, but here I go:

Thib, What do you think about HST workout?

Seems logic, but not so many popular I guess.
What I do it’s to put the lagging body part first (but only if it’s back, pecs or legs, so big muscles) and then work it out until I finish it. And then I do the triceps+biceps in a superset. Also the last week of negatives I do dropsets instead, so a program of mine will be like:

Mo-We-Fri

  • Squats
  • Leg extensions
  • Leg curl
  • Press
  • Incline Press
  • Lat pulldown behind neck
  • Narrow neutral grip cable rows
  • Shoulder press behind neck
  • Barbell upright rows
  • Dumbell lateral raise
  • Biceps seated alernate curl - in superset with:
  • Triceps rope cable extensions
  • Standing calf raise

I usually do 2 weeks of 15’s, 2 of 10’s, 2 of 5’s and 1 week of Dropsets (3 reps + 2 sets more taking out weight in every set).

Up to now, it works well, but i’m searching a way to improve it.
Could you give me a hand?
Thank’s a lot!

149

Hey Coach, I’m starting your Beast Building to build a good base for my body. I got a question about the Saturday portion of the routine. For the Upper Body Push (Benching), what if I don’t have a training partner to help me with the manual eccentric technique?

Also, I might of missed it but for the Tuesday workout, I understand the Isometric. But for the explosive portion of the workouts (Speed Bench to be exact) do we focus on lifting the weight as FAST as possible or let the bar down slow with a fast push?

150

Hey CT,

My quads are overly developed as opposed to my hamstrings, which Iâ??m trying to correct. My question is, is how frequently can I hit my hamstrings? Or what would you recommend based on my schedule?

My current schedule is:
Monday â?? Upper body (max effort)
Tuesday â?? Lower Body
Wednesday â?? Cardio and Abs
Thursday Upper body
Friday â?? Lower Body (max effort)

I was thinking I could hit them on Wednesday before doing my cardio, but then it means two lower body workouts back-to-back, although Tuesdayâ??s workout is not a max effort day, so perhaps I can?

151

FOCUS ON YOUR POSTERIOR CHAIN AS WELL AS HAMSTRINGS.TRAIN ONCE A WEEK ONLY TRAINING HAMS AND POS. CHAIN.

152

[quote]Smallfry69 wrote:
Hey CT,

My quads are overly developed as opposed to my hamstrings, which Iâ??m trying to correct. My question is, is how frequently can I hit my hamstrings? Or what would you recommend based on my schedule?

My current schedule is:
Monday â?? Upper body (max effort)
Tuesday â?? Lower Body
Wednesday â?? Cardio and Abs
Thursday Upper body
Friday â?? Lower Body (max effort)

I was thinking I could hit them on Wednesday before doing my cardio, but then it means two lower body workouts back-to-back, although Tuesdayâ??s workout is not a max effort day, so perhaps I can?[/quote]what are u training for

153

hey thib

do you still advice spliting training like
Mon Chest/Back
Tue legs
Wed off
Thur arms
Fri off
sat shoulders
sun off
?

i have trained similar to this for about 8 months now, but i did not train shoulders extra, just repeated the Monday on saturday, so that i trained every muscle every 5 days, like poliquin always stressed, now i somehow, after puttin on some decent muscle i winded up with a lagging lateral delt.

do you think its a good idea to switch to the above mentioned approach and therefore training each muscle (only) every 7th day ? as i progressed pretty good training every 5th day, i guess my recovery is running well

you also suggested in one article training arms with shoulders, where do i get the motivation, the drive and the time to mess with 3 muscle groups in one session ? :smiley:

another question is, do you think its more beneficial to switch from one specialization routine to another every lets say 3 weeks to accelerate hypertrophy even more? or is staying at the same routine for about 2 to 3 months not that bad either ?

154

[quote]pw34 wrote:
FOCUS ON YOUR POSTERIOR CHAIN AS WELL AS HAMSTRINGS.TRAIN ONCE A WEEK ONLY TRAINING HAMS AND POS. CHAIN. [/quote]

Your hamstrings are a component of your posterior chain. I’m currently training lower body twice a week with one session working up to maxiumal weight (e.g. working up to 1 set of 3-5 reps) and the other session for volume/dynamics.

My lifts on these days are Squats (bodybuilding style on maximum lift days and full squats on volume/dynamic days), Bulgarian Split Squats, Low Cable Pullthroughs, Hyperextensions, and Deadlifts.

When working on my maximal weight days, I’m 110% focused so if I put down 3-5 reps, I’m doing 5 reps, even if I have to put it down for a second or two. The weight that I use on maximumal training also means, there’s no possible way I can do 6 reps, as my entire body is going through the “shakes” as I’m pushing for the last rep.

In the past, I neglected my posterior chain, only focusing on leg curls - very dumb.

When I started to have knee problems, my doctor indicated I had over-developed quads, compared to my hamstrings. Since then, that’s all I see in the mirror as well.

[quote]pw34 wrote:
what are you training for[/quote]

Hypertrophy, however I feel I need/should balance with strength/power to add thickness.

155

[quote]sergiv wrote:
Maybe you will kill me, but here I go:

Thib, What do you think about HST workout?

Seems logic, but not so many popular I guess.
What I do it’s to put the lagging body part first (but only if it’s back, pecs or legs, so big muscles) and then work it out until I finish it. And then I do the triceps+biceps in a superset. Also the last week of negatives I do dropsets instead, so a program of mine will be like:

Mo-We-Fri

  • Squats
  • Leg extensions
  • Leg curl
  • Press
  • Incline Press
  • Lat pulldown behind neck
  • Narrow neutral grip cable rows
  • Shoulder press behind neck
  • Barbell upright rows
  • Dumbell lateral raise
  • Biceps seated alernate curl - in superset with:
  • Triceps rope cable extensions
  • Standing calf raise

I usually do 2 weeks of 15’s, 2 of 10’s, 2 of 5’s and 1 week of Dropsets (3 reps + 2 sets more taking out weight in every set).

Up to now, it works well, but i’m searching a way to improve it.
Could you give me a hand?
Thank’s a lot![/quote]

I do not make comments about other coaches program, don’t want to start arguments with the fans they might have.

That having been said, I tried HST a while back (I tried almost every training system) and quite frankly I got bored by it and actually felt like I was detraining.

156

[quote]IAgainstI wrote:
Hey Coach, I’m starting your Beast Building to build a good base for my body. I got a question about the Saturday portion of the routine. For the Upper Body Push (Benching), what if I don’t have a training partner to help me with the manual eccentric technique?

Also, I might of missed it but for the Tuesday workout, I understand the Isometric. But for the explosive portion of the workouts (Speed Bench to be exact) do we focus on lifting the weight as FAST as possible or let the bar down slow with a fast push?[/quote]

Lower the bar rapidly but under control and lift it up as fast as you can.

As for your first question… either find a partner or ask someone at the gym.

157

[quote]padrinho wrote:
hey thib

do you still advice spliting training like
Mon Chest/Back
Tue legs
Wed off
Thur arms
Fri off
sat shoulders
sun off
?
[/quote]

GUYS GUYS GUYS… how many times do I have to tell you that:

  1. your training split is probably the least important parameter in your program. As long as it is not totally idiotic, it will work

  2. I do not have ONE split I use; I use several depending on the goal of the program and capacity of the individual

[quote]padrinho wrote:
do you think its a good idea to switch to the above mentioned approach and therefore training each muscle (only) every 7th day ? as i progressed pretty good training every 5th day, i guess my recovery is running well[/quote]

ANY SPLIT PROVIDED THAT IT IS NOT TOTALLY IDIOTIC WILL WORK. That having been said, I don’t like to hit each muscle group once a week. Well, I recommended that in the past, and it works, but I found that 2 weekly stimulations is best for most muscle groups.

[quote]padrinho wrote:
you also suggested in one article training arms with shoulders, where do i get the motivation, the drive and the time to mess with 3 muscle groups in one session ? :smiley: [/quote]

Maybe training is not for you and you should find something that actually motivate you.

You actually don’t need that much triceps work because the best triceps moves are pressing exercises, which you are already doing with chest and shoulders.

[quote]padrinho wrote:

another question is, do you think its more beneficial to switch from one specialization routine to another every lets say 3 weeks to accelerate hypertrophy even more? or is staying at the same routine for about 2 to 3 months not that bad either ?
[/quote]

A spec phase should last anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks (most of the time).

2-3 weeks for a muscle group that is not lagging
4-5 weeks for a muscle group that is lagging but that you have trained
6 weeks for a muscle group that is lagging but that you have rarely trained

3 weeks is not optimal for hypertrophy, except for a muscle group that is an easy responder.

158

What exercises do you suggest for someone with a weak core to start with?

159

[quote]partymonster975 wrote:
What exercises do you suggest for someone with a weak core to start with?
[/quote]

This is one situation where I would not hate planks and side supports.

160

Coach,
If you’re still getting sore after work outs when and should you switch ur routine? I also am intersted to know the basic idea of how the nervous system is used and/ or manipulated. I’m new and I have a feeling this place (T-Nation) is going to give me that extra bit of information to take me to the next level. Thanks alot for even taking the time to help! If there’s anyway that I can become more actively involved let me know.

161

Thib, could you explain the difference between doing a set of 3 with 3RM versus doing 3 sets of 1 with 3RM, or 10 sets of 1 with 3RM or whatever. I’m just trying to understand why the adaptation is different in various types of work (many sets of submaximal reps vs. one set of maximum reps), what type of work brings faster neural adaptations in form of strength increase ?