It’s only 1pm here, but I’ll start up the thread right now. Since I’ll only be “on” for 2 hours tonight, might as well get a few questions right now so that when I start my “shift” I’ll be able to jump right in instead of wasting the first 30 minutes waiting for the questions to get posted.
First off, thanks for all the articles you post, I sure learned a hell of a lot from them despite being just a recreational bodybuilder.
Anyway, I posted this before, the responses I got from the guys were really appreciated. I just wanna hear this really from you, so: you mentioned tight traps as being the culprit for difficulty in developing the lats. How exactly is this remedied? Do you know of specific stretching exercises for this, or is there more to it? Thanks Coach!
hey CT…what do recommend to increase the old style, pre '72, Clean and Press?
I’m thinking of using sheiko, with slightly higher percentajes…primary assistance with bent rows & bradfords since my weakness is the middle range, the part where the scapula has to rotate before locking out. Add in the traditional westside “accesory” work of shoulders, tri’s, bi’s, abs, etc…and a power clean + front squat.
I’m kinda convinced of using a very high frequency since lifters on that era used to press like 3-5 per week.
OK. Stupid question time. Are there any routines to strenghten your neck muscles? I’m not a pencil neck but would like more proportion to my body. I have seen some guys lie parallel to the floor, support their body weight with their legs at one end and their head on the other and then move their head from side to side and back and forth. Don’t think I can do that.
I’m doing your Pillars of Strength routine. What is the purpose of the 2 second calf raise at the end of the hack squat? The weight I’m using, while giving me a difficult workout, doesn’t seem to be enough to really work my calves.
I also love the Rest Pause Isolation workout with the 4 sets of 25 reps. Kills my legs in a really good way!
I posted this on the Stubby Guys article but didn’t know if you would see it so I’ll re-post it right here.
Coach,
I have two quick questions before I start this program.
1)For the box squats, when you say 45% to 55% is that of your box squat max or your regular squat?
2)For the half dead lifts, both from above the knees and below the knees, what kind of weight are we looking at for the 3/2/1 waves? Close to maxes or…?
I’m pumped up to start this as I just finished a squat dominant conjugate program so I have a renewed excitement for some deadlift training. I’ll keep ya posted on the progress if you like.
Thanks!
Hi CT
I am currently training for football and was just wondering what diet you prefer to use for your football players to shed off unwanted bodyfat. I have been eating P+F meals for pretty much all my meals except pre/post workout but can not seem to get rid of the fat around my abs and chest. I play defensive back and I dont want any useless weight slowing me down.
Hey CT
This post is actually a question regarding my girlfriend. She tends like many women to store her fat in the leg ,glute area,although she is fairly lean with visible stomach definition. She wants her legs leaner so besides dieting obviously would you recommend not train legs at all for awhile so no hypertrophy occurs or just very light brief leg workouts to maintain muscle development. I’m really stumped on this one…thanks!
Hey CT
When doing full(deep) squats, which type of leg positioning do you like to see ? Wide ? Narrow ?
Also, do you like to have the toes pointing at 45 degrees ?
Thanks
Hello CT,
have you had any experience dealing with athletes that get IT band pain with squatting? If so how do you deal with it?
beef
Hey CT,
You’ve stated on numerous occasions that you’ve had success with cyclical low-carb diets. Have you ever done the whole ‘depletion workout’ thing before your carb-ups (as called for by lyle mcdonald and dan duchaine,) or have you otherwise modified your training for optimal interaction with the diet?
Thanks,
Ramo
My Dearest CT,
To make a short story long today after training, one of my partners told me I was getting hyooge, but I have no lats. Could you possibly lay out a twice a week lat specialization program I can do on my ME and DE lower body days? I do so much pressing on my ME and DE upper days I have no time to squeeze in lat training so I do it on my lower days.
My traps and rear delts are over developed compared to my lats and they take over on my lat exercises. I am gonna cut out trap work and cut my rear delt volume in half. If you could help me out I would be a happy camper.
Love always, Joe
You are a staunch advocate of frequent (upwards of 3x a week) training. What do you think of guys like Skip Lacour and Jeff Willett (among other top natural builders) who practice a 5-day-split with maximal loads, training each part 1x per week?
CT,
would your shoulders overhaul program be a good one to follow while using prohormones? i am going to start a 6 week cycle at the end of august and my shoulders really lag my other bodyparts. just seeing what you think. thanks.
Hi Christian,
Which powerlifting federation will you be competing in, and what lifts will you be hoping for? Also, which weight class will you be in? Thanks
Hey CT! Could you take a minute and give your input on this thead: http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=688088
Thanks!
CT,
I’m doing functional program based on the principals from Different Journey’s Different Destinations article and I love it.
I’ve got about 45 minutes in the morning before work and I’d like shed some bodyfat. I’d like to add 1-2 sessions consisting of a few of your Barbarian/Warlord Circuits. Would that be too much on such a demanging program? Should I just stick to joint mobility drills and long walks?
In your recent “Locked and Loaded” article you wrote down #'s you generally use for a person depending on his goals and training age.
Since females don’t recruit motor units as effeciently as males, would these #'s change for females? (i.e. do you still consider 6-8 reps “functional hypertrophy” for the ladies?)
Thank you,
Danny
Skullcowboy,
Are you doing a true Oympic press? It sounds like an interesting lift. I never quite understood how to do it until I read Mike Burgener’s description of it as “a jerk without bending the knees.” Here is the late J.V. Askem’s description of it:
Lay back start with the knees locked. Thrust forward and upward. Then before the bar slows, lay back a second time as the bar passes through the sticking point. Push hard with the arms during the entire pressing movement. The double “lay back” is used to prevent the bar from slowing. A properly executed Olympic press is a fast lift. However, although not a strict military style press, the Olympic press is also NOT a jerk. It is a lift unique unto itself.
CT, you’ve written about this before, the idea of accumlation/intensification workouts during the day. I know the East Germans and the Bulgarins used to use this about 4x per week? I know you’ve recommeded it for natural guys but how long should one use this type of split. I’m defaintly interested in it and I just did it for back today
But aside from the Bulgarians and East germans being chemically enhanced what else do they know about overtraining that we don’t? For a natural guy this seems kickass for 3 weeks, but wouldn’t it bascally be extended overreaching? How come they made gains and didn’t get overtrained(side from chemicals)