Hey CT, do you know a guy named Alain Oiseau (I think that was his name)? He had some really sick vastus medialis development. The muscle seemed to cover his entire knee! Anyway, he did OL for several years and then switched to BB. He said his earlier years of OL were responsible for his “blowing-up” after he switched training. What are your thoughts on this?
CT,
I enjoyed your specialization article and remembered how some PL’ers in Michigan were using something similar a few years ago. Basically, their template looked something like this:
Squat specialization - 4 weeks
Bench specialization - 6 weeks
Dead specialization - 4 weeks
While one lift was specialized, the others were on a more “maintenance” schedule. Would you change anything if someone were training under you?
Stay strong
MR
Hey CT –
Just found out tonight that my gym will be closed due to the Hurricane. Something about evacuees – I said they should left sooner…dang it. I think I might have an alternative, but not sure right now.
I will let you know as soon as I do.
Malinda
Hi, I’m a beginner looking to gain lots of muscle. I train my major muscle groups twice a week and I use two compound exercises per muscle per training session.
I was wandering whether I would overtrain my biceps and triceps if I performed two isolation exercises for each of these two muscles twice a week, given the fact that I already hit these muscles indirectly with my compound exercises?
Thanks,
David
CT im a big fan of youre ovt training im doing it during my hypocaloric phase but it takes me roughly an hour and a half to complete ovt is this good in conjunction with y hypocaloric diet or should i do some other type of training don’t get me wrong ovt is working wonders i just dont want to burn myself up with such intensity and a hypocaloric diet
On one of my workout days I have squats where I start from rock bottom and only come up about 75% then go back down. My sister has trouble doing this so I had her do front squats instead with her knees touching her elbows is that a good alternative?
CT,
Just wondering what your thoughts are ton 2x per day training while bulking?
[quote]cal wrote:
CT,
Just wondering what your thoughts are ton 2x per day training while bulking?[/quote]
If you are consuming enough calories and having 2 post-workout shakes, it can be done. I would not recommend more than 4 weeks of this regimen though.
Here are some guidelines to follow:
-
Do not perform two high volume sessions; the total daily volume of both added sessions shouldn’t be much higher than one regular session.
-
Train the same muscle in both daily sessions.
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Include more functional-oriented training in the first session of the day. This means heavier weights, more acceleration or more complex exercises.
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Include more structural-oriented training in the second session of the day. This means more volume, less weight and a slower tempo.
-
Use a good post-workout drink after every session. The best product available is Surge for this purpose.
[quote]KingsRevenge wrote:
On one of my workout days I have squats where I start from rock bottom and only come up about 75% then go back down. My sister has trouble doing this so I had her do front squats instead with her knees touching her elbows is that a good alternative?[/quote]
The elbows should never come into contact with the knees during a front squat. The bottoms up front squat is a great drill, but always keep your elbows high.
[quote]ELGRANPAPI wrote:
CT im a big fan of youre ovt training im doing it during my hypocaloric phase but it takes me roughly an hour and a half to complete ovt is this good in conjunction with y hypocaloric diet or should i do some other type of training don’t get me wrong ovt is working wonders i just dont want to burn myself up with such intensity and a hypocaloric diet [/quote]
The sheer volume of OVT is probably too high to handle on an hypocaloric diet, unless you are using AAS.
If you want to keep up with this system I suggest that you use a modified version of OVT in which you perform the full superset for only the last 1-2 sets.
For example, if a “regular” OVT superset calles for bench press and cable cross-over you whould actually perform:
SET 1: Only bench press x 5 reps
SET 2: Only bench press x 5 reps
SET 3: Only bench press x 5 reps
SET 4: Bench press x 5 reps, cable cross-over either 5 slow reps or 10-12 fast ones.
During a diet, this system is better because it will allow you to lift heavier, not expend as much energy and still get decent growth stimulation.
Darn hurricane!!! Plus I heard that it might inflate the gas prices to 2$ per L …
Anyway, we’ll have to find something … maybe I’ll call the governor and ask to delay the evac so that you can get ready for the world champs 
[quote]firebug9 wrote:
Hey CT –
Just found out tonight that my gym will be closed due to the Hurricane. Something about evacuees – I said they should left sooner…dang it. I think I might have an alternative, but not sure right now.
I will let you know as soon as I do.
Malinda[/quote]
Mike … you’re stealing my thunder! I’m working on an article on this very subject!!!
[quote]Mike Robertson wrote:
CT,
I enjoyed your specialization article and remembered how some PL’ers in Michigan were using something similar a few years ago. Basically, their template looked something like this:
Squat specialization - 4 weeks
Bench specialization - 6 weeks
Dead specialization - 4 weeks
While one lift was specialized, the others were on a more “maintenance” schedule. Would you change anything if someone were training under you?
Stay strong
MR[/quote]
The name is not familiar … however I’ve seen many good olympic lifters develop amazing size when switching to more of a bodybuilding routine. In my opinion this is because OL improves neural efficiency, which allows one to better recruit high treshold muscle fibers and thus stimulate more growth.
[quote]Bob A wrote:
Hey CT, do you know a guy named Alain Oiseau (I think that was his name)? He had some really sick vastus medialis development. The muscle seemed to cover his entire knee! Anyway, he did OL for several years and then switched to BB. He said his earlier years of OL were responsible for his “blowing-up” after he switched training. What are your thoughts on this?[/quote]
I don’t use tempo anymore. I only use a recommendation such as “fast”, “normal”, “controlled” or “slow”.
For bodybuilding purposes you should execute the concentric portion of the lift as fast as you can and the eccentric with a controlled speed… basically control the load but don’t go slow on purpose.
[quote]jreed212 wrote:
Hey CT, quick question, I just started the pendulum bodybuilding training program this week and absolutlely love it, but was wondering should I keep following the tempo guidelines outlined in the article. Im just asking this because I’ve recently read where you said you dont really follow tempo that much anymore and especially with the two articles CW just pubished, it sounds better to just lift for as big a load as possible within those rep ranges. SO, should I stick with the tempo or drop it and worry about the load? Thank you for your time.[/quote]
I don’t use tempo anymore. I only use a recommendation such as “fast”, “normal”, “controlled” or “slow”.
For bodybuilding purposes you should execute the concentric portion of the lift as fast as you can and the eccentric with a controlled speed… basically control the load but don’t go slow on purpose.
You do not use tempo contrast anymore?
Could ya do that for me! I almost hyperventalated when they told me. So close now to the meet it was the last thing I needed. And we won’t even go into the price of fuel.
Any way – I will have access to a local commercial gym a couple of times this week – biggest problem is I am not sure that the bars are competition legal.
But I will have to make do!
Malinda
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Darn hurricane!!! Plus I heard that it might inflate the gas prices to 2$ per L …
Anyway, we’ll have to find something … maybe I’ll call the governor and ask to delay the evac so that you can get ready for the world champs
firebug9 wrote:
Hey CT –
Just found out tonight that my gym will be closed due to the Hurricane. Something about evacuees – I said they should left sooner…dang it. I think I might have an alternative, but not sure right now.
I will let you know as soon as I do.
Malinda
[/quote]
[quote]couture205 wrote:
You do not use tempo contrast anymore?[/quote]
Yes I do, and still use iso-dynamic contrast and some superslow eccentrics. However I now put these in my “intensive training method” bank along with thing like supersets, drop sets, cluster, extended 5s, etc.
Yeah … and it might be odd for them to see you walk in a bench shirt 
It’s an easy week anyway, only to prevent neural detraining while mainting proper preparedness level.
[quote]firebug9 wrote:
Could ya do that for me! I almost hyperventalated when they told me. So close now to the meet it was the last thing I needed. And we won’t even go into the price of fuel.
Any way – I will have access to a local commercial gym a couple of times this week – biggest problem is I am not sure that the bars are competition legal.
But I will have to make do!
Malinda
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Darn hurricane!!! Plus I heard that it might inflate the gas prices to 2$ per L …
Anyway, we’ll have to find something … maybe I’ll call the governor and ask to delay the evac so that you can get ready for the world champs
firebug9 wrote:
Hey CT –
Just found out tonight that my gym will be closed due to the Hurricane. Something about evacuees – I said they should left sooner…dang it. I think I might have an alternative, but not sure right now.
I will let you know as soon as I do.
Malinda
[/quote]
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
cccp21 wrote:
Why don’t you write an article explaining why “sport-specific” exercices in the weightroom are counterproductive? In other words explain what might be wrong about this way of training.
Brandon Green
That’s actually a good idea. I’ll look into it. Excessive specificity, i.e. trying to duplicate the exact sport movements with added weight can be detrimental to skill performance because this can lead to faulty motor patterns.
It is important to use specific exercises, but they shouldn’t be “too specific”… it’s okay to target the muscles and contraction type/velocity involved in a sport, but we shouldn’t try to duplicate the sporting movements in the weight room.
[/quote]
I am looking forward to the article. You know of course that Michael Yessis and supposedly the former Ussr is in direct opposition to this and has data to back it up. In fact technique with “specific exercices” is actually supposed to improve!
Brandon Green