[quote]devil007 wrote:
Hey Coach
just want to clear up my confusion
in your workouts on this site eg HSS-100 when you say 4-5 sets in the 6-8 rep range are the sets ramping/flat pyrammids or straight sets?
Thanks [/quote]
I always recommend ramping your work sets.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
J.Wollmann wrote:
CT, iām worried that I might be doing too much on compound movements, but iām not sure. Mondays I do bench and squats, wednesdays are military presses and SLDLs, and fridays are incline BP and Romanian DLs. The isolated work I do with these workouts are made to target the same muscle groups used for the compound workouts, and I try to not work the same muscle group the same more than once a week (but I find itās kind of hard to not do such!) am I on the right track?
Impossible to say without knowing:
a) your loading scheme (sets and reps)
b) the methods you are using
c) the āfatigue levelā used for each set (to failure, beyond failure, 2 reps shy of failure, etc.)
Olympic lifters perform the clean & jerk, snatch and squat at least 5 days a week, oftentimes twice a day. If the loading parameters and fatigue level are controlled, it is possible to train this way and progress. Itās all about managing nervous system fatigue.[/quote]
I do 5x5, and my fatigue level is minute rests, and always near failure. And iām sorry, but I donāt know what you mean by methods. Like drop sets and such or each exercise?
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
JPuxHenri wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
zxp99 wrote:
Thib,
For regressing certain one-leg exercises like pistols (or other versions of a 1-leg unsupported squat), would using a V-handle and a cable machine to āassistā the movement be an acceptable method without causing any major compromise to motor learning?
To be honest I never use pistols or other such exercises.
Coach,
can I ask why?
Do you mean that you only use bilateral leg exercises, even with athletes?
Thank you so much for your time.
No, I do use lunges, step-ups and bulgarian squats. But I never liked pistols because they are done with a posture that is not recommended for sports (or life in general) ā¦ the pistols always end-up being performed with a ātail underā position.[/quote]
Thib,
Of those exercises you listed, only step-ups are a single leg exercise that are āunsupported.ā Do you feel that static, unsupported single-leg exercises are not really needed? What about single-leg squat versions performed on an elevated box (to prevent flexibility issues in the opposite leg from being a potential issue and only done to the point where neutral spine is maintained? (or as pictured below where the non-working leg is bent to prevent spine rounding)
If a developmental progression would go split squats > reverse lunges (less deceleration needed) > forward lunges (more deceleration) > step-ups, I was just wondering where building up to single-leg, unsupported work would fit in. For example, some people may be able to execute a Bulgarian split squat with no issue, but if you had them attempt to lower on one leg youād start seeing ugly angles of the femur and such. So my question was more about regressing things to the very beginning with single leg work and building back up than about pistols themselves.
Coach,
When you trained Oly lifts, what were your weight progressions like?
I also wanted to put up this picture of a āsuspensionā training version of a split squat. Does a version like this have benefit by requiring more multi-planar stability at the hip than a version with the back leg up on a bench/ Or is it more gimmicky than beneficial due to the decrease it would require in terms of loading?
NOTE: I couldnāt find a picture of the suspended split squat, so I put up one depicting a lateral version. The only difference would obviously be the position of the suspended leg.
[quote]zxp99 wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
JPuxHenri wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
zxp99 wrote:
Thib,
For regressing certain one-leg exercises like pistols (or other versions of a 1-leg unsupported squat), would using a V-handle and a cable machine to āassistā the movement be an acceptable method without causing any major compromise to motor learning?
To be honest I never use pistols or other such exercises.
Coach,
can I ask why?
Do you mean that you only use bilateral leg exercises, even with athletes?
Thank you so much for your time.
No, I do use lunges, step-ups and bulgarian squats. But I never liked pistols because they are done with a posture that is not recommended for sports (or life in general) ā¦ the pistols always end-up being performed with a ātail underā position.
Thib,
Of those exercises you listed, only step-ups are a single leg exercise that are āunsupported.ā Do you feel that static, unsupported single-leg exercises are not really needed? What about single-leg squat versions performed on an elevated box (to prevent flexibility issues in the opposite leg from being a potential issue and only done to the point where neutral spine is maintained? (or as pictured below where the non-working leg is bent to prevent spine rounding)
If a developmental progression would go split squats > reverse lunges (less deceleration needed) > forward lunges (more deceleration) > step-ups, I was just wondering where building up to single-leg, unsupported work would fit in. For example, some people may be able to execute a Bulgarian split squat with no issue, but if you had them attempt to lower on one leg youād start seeing ugly angles of the femur and such. So my question was more about regressing things to the very beginning with single leg work and building back up than about pistols themselves.
[/quote]
I really donāt include these exercises in any of my programs. Iām not saying that they are not effectivem but they arenāt my cup of tea. Iām thus not the right person to ask these questions.
Coach,
Just wanna say I love the posts, really been helping alot.
Just curious though, right now Iām trying to get on feet again after having back surgery.
The current program I am starting off again with is:
Mon/Thur : Chest and tri
Tues/Fri : Back and Bi
Wed/Sat: Shoulders and legs
- My workouts from monday opposed to thursday do differ
ex. Monday Barbell bench etc, and Thurs dumbell press for all my workouts.
Cardio with either eliptical or incline walk 4 x a week for 20 - 30 min
Ab circuit 3 times a week after cardio usually.
Just wanted to know what you think. I have put on about 20lbs of fat I donāt want but being a dumbass didnāt change my eating habbits and now am in a pit of a pickleā¦
If you could please lemme kno if you see any flaws in my routine that would help out alot
Thanks,
Devon
Thib, do you think plank variations are useful in ab training?
hey coach would you recomend optimized volume traing for the chest and back workout and the shoulders and arm workout for strenght and size in conjunction with the leap tall building workout. any little bit of information would be great
Hey coach would OVT be a good choice for the chest and back workout and the shoulders and arms workout for strength and size in conjuction with leap tall buildings? Any bit of information would help.
Love the new avatar Therizza. Ultimative Warrior for the win.
Coach,
Iām beginning the final week of shoulder specialization with much success. Iām moving onto a back/bicep specialization block and while I understand the basis for the three days per week (heavy, density, and explosive contrast), Iām having trouble writing the program. The new program isnāt out yet and I know discretion is important so any guidelines you can give me will help.
Thanks Coach.
tyler
CT,
while cutting and maintaining size/strength, would you reccomend going heavy with 8x3ās or would 5x5ās be enough for maintenance? thank you
[quote]marty_a_5 wrote:
Hey coach would OVT be a good choice for the chest and back workout and the shoulders and arms workout for strength and size in conjuction with leap tall buildings? Any bit of information would help.[/quote]
I do not really recommend the OVT approach anymore, Although effective, it isnāt what I consider to be optimal in light of all the knowledge and experience I have gained since writing this article 8 years ago.
[quote]Thy. wrote:
Thib, do you think plank variations are useful in ab training?[/quote]
Only if you have problems doing them for 30 seconds. If you can do the exercise for more than 30 seconds, itās basically worthless.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
devil007 wrote:
Hey Coach
just want to clear up my confusion
in your workouts on this site eg HSS-100 when you say 4-5 sets in the 6-8 rep range are the sets ramping/flat pyrammids or straight sets?
Thanks
I always recommend ramping your work sets.[/quote]
Not to be anal-retentive, but how large are the ramp increments you recommend? 20% (approximate) jumps?
Example:
1st set: 40%
2nd set: 60%
3rd set: 80%
4th set: 100%
Or smaller increments starting at a higher percentage on the first set?
1st set: 70%
2nd set: 80%
3rd set: 90%
4th set: 100%
Iām not looking for a precise percentage, but a ballpark approximation.
Thanks
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Thy. wrote:
Thib, do you think plank variations are useful in ab training?
Only if you have problems doing them for 30 seconds. If you can do the exercise for more than 30 seconds, itās basically worthless.[/quote]
That is funny since 99% of recent articles about core training on this site proclaim the opposite. When I first tried it I could do 2 mins and never tried it again.
Iām interested though, could you explain scientifically why theyāre useless?
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
devil007 wrote:
Hey Coach
just want to clear up my confusion
in your workouts on this site eg HSS-100 when you say 4-5 sets in the 6-8 rep range are the sets ramping/flat pyrammids or straight sets?
Thanks
I always recommend ramping your work sets.[/quote]
thanks for the reply coach
which brings me to another question wont it be better to use straight sets if you consider these 2 cases
1 - 135 x 10; 185 x 5; 225 x 5; 255 x 5; 285 x 5; 315 x 5
2 - warm up with low reps sets ramping stlyle
then 300 x 5 for 4-5 sets
I want to know your opinion because what i feel is this is so because even though the load is more in the 1st case most of the sets are at lower than optimal intensity threshold(only the last 2 have heavy wts), so there is high tension but total TUT cant be counted as enough because only the last 2 sets are heavy wts.
wheras in the 2nd case the weight might be less compared to the 1st but still there is a perfect blend between optimal intenstity and volume in all the sets.
Thanks
[quote]Kaizen514 wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
devil007 wrote:
Hey Coach
just want to clear up my confusion
in your workouts on this site eg HSS-100 when you say 4-5 sets in the 6-8 rep range are the sets ramping/flat pyrammids or straight sets?
Thanks
I always recommend ramping your work sets.
Not to be anal-retentive, but how large are the ramp increments you recommend? 20% (approximate) jumps?
Example:
1st set: 40%
2nd set: 60%
3rd set: 80%
4th set: 100%
Or smaller increments starting at a higher percentage on the first set?
1st set: 70%
2nd set: 80%
3rd set: 90%
4th set: 100%
Iām not looking for a precise percentage, but a ballpark approximation.
Thanks
[/quote]
I donāt work by percentage simply because they donāt work the same for every lift. Take for example a lateral raise for which your maximum is 50lbs for 3 reps and a deadlift for which your max is 500lbs for 3 reps.
If you were to use 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 as percentages it would give you:
30lbs, 35lbs, 40lbs, 45lbs, 50lbs on the laterals, or a 5lbs change at every setā¦
and;
300lbs, 350lbs, 400lbs, 450lbs, 500lbs on the deadlift, or a 50lbs change at every setā¦
Although relatively the same, 50lbs jumps are not the same in reality as 5lbs jumps.
With āsmallā movements I normally ramp up by 5lbs per set
With āmediumā movements (military press, bench press, DB press, etc.) I normally ramp up by 10-20lbs
With āBigā movements (deadlift, squat, leg press, etc.) I normall ramp up by 20-30lbs
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Kaizen514 wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
devil007 wrote:
Hey Coach
just want to clear up my confusion
in your workouts on this site eg HSS-100 when you say 4-5 sets in the 6-8 rep range are the sets ramping/flat pyrammids or straight sets?
Thanks
I always recommend ramping your work sets.
Not to be anal-retentive, but how large are the ramp increments you recommend? 20% (approximate) jumps?
Example:
1st set: 40%
2nd set: 60%
3rd set: 80%
4th set: 100%
Or smaller increments starting at a higher percentage on the first set?
1st set: 70%
2nd set: 80%
3rd set: 90%
4th set: 100%
Iām not looking for a precise percentage, but a ballpark approximation.
Thanks
I donāt work by percentage simply because they donāt work the same for every lift. Take for example a lateral raise for which your maximum is 50lbs for 3 reps and a deadlift for which your max is 500lbs for 3 reps.
If you were to use 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 as percentages it would give you:
30lbs, 35lbs, 40lbs, 45lbs, 50lbs on the laterals, or a 5lbs change at every setā¦
and;
300lbs, 350lbs, 400lbs, 450lbs, 500lbs on the deadlift, or a 50lbs change at every setā¦
Although relatively the same, 50lbs jumps are not the same in reality as 5lbs jumps.
With āsmallā movements I normally ramp up by 5lbs per set
With āmediumā movements (military press, bench press, DB press, etc.) I normally ramp up by 10-20lbs
With āBigā movements (deadlift, squat, leg press, etc.) I normall ramp up by 20-30lbs[/quote]
Thanks, that gives me an excellent reference point.