Chad,
Is there a way to apply your methods to an abbreivated routine that only uses 4-5 exercises a week?
i.e. someone trains the upperbody and lowerbody each with one exercise on Monday and then trains the upper body and lowerbody again on Thursday with one exercise for each.
I know this isn’t ideal, but can someone apply your methods to a very small number of compound exercises and still get good results?
Hey Chad,
I loved your GPP ASAP article. Thats a great workout. Do you have any other similar GPP workouts that you currently prescribe to your clients?
Thanks,
Poper
Chad, you’re absolutely out of control. Im moving to Arizona and Im gonna come out to see you, You’re the sole reason I finally have been able to get my training back on track after a year of zero fucking progress.
Now, all I need are your thoughts on Intensficiation and Acccumulation phases for a strength athlete (i train for strongman). Basically what periodization protocols have you found to be best for gaining maximal strength and are seperate macorcycles of volume and high weight needed are can they both be combined into one phase with progressive manipulation over time to allow recovery?
And what do you think is a good way to plan a back-off week?
And how often if at all should one change excercises, Im not a powerlifter but I make overhead pressing, squatting and rowing a priority and keep these three in any routine I plan. Would I benefit from dropping any of my main movements every now and then from my cycles?
Amir
Chad, I read your active recovery tips in this month’s Men’s Fitness. What would be the best 3x a week total body workout to combine with it? I’m currently using your Total-Body Training program.
Hi Chad, I just recently made up a program with many of your principle using the 10x3 5x5 and 3x8. To me it looks like their might be a lil too much volume. I was wondering if you can just check it out for me and see what you think. Thanks
Mon: squats
deadlifts (10x3)
calf raises
Wed: Pull ups
Dips (5x5)
tricep extensions
hammer curls
Fri: lunges
pull throughs
barbell rows (3x8)
dumbell press
external rotation
Mon: Pull ups
dips (10x3)
reverse curls(forearms suck)
Wed: squats
dead lifts (5x5)
leg curl
donkey calf raises
Fri: t-bar row
pull overs (3x8)
skull crushers
step ups
leg curls
Mon: barbell rows
flat dumbell press (10x3)
exrernal rotations
Wed: reverse lunges
stiff legged deadlifts (5x5)
donkey calf raises
reverse calf raises
Fri: pulldowns
cable rows
incline dumbell press (3x8)
pushdowns
reverse preacher curls
Chad,
I started your ABBH program today. For day 1 I did slide push ups with bdyweight supersetted with bb rows. The thing is that I’d never done slide pushups before, so I wasn’t sure of my 1rm, or if my bodyweight would suffice.
I just finished the workout, and while the pushups were a little taxing, I don’t know if I should continue on them or switch to a weighed exercise like flat db bench where I do know my 1rm for the duration of the routine (I felt a little fatigued at the end, but not like with the barbell rows, which were harder to do during the last couple of sets).
Should I add a 10 lb plate on my back for the next 2 10x3 upper body workouts, or switch to bench (another concern is that my tri’s and front delts didn’t feel it near as much as if I had done bench)?
Anybody know if CW is still on? I see his name in the Prime Time box, as well as Charles Staley, but they haven’t responded in a good while…
DH
bump
[quote]Hydrolic Kraken wrote:
Chad, what do you think of the “greasing the gorve” method.
In case you don’t know what it is, I originally read it in the book “the Naked Warrior”
It revolves around doing a very low volume of strength training every day of the weak. You pick two excercies (in the book he uses one legged squats and one handed pushups). Then you do those two exercises, or varyations of them every day. Each day using differnt loading parameters. You never ever come close to falure on anything. You never lift for more then 5 reps per set. You have to lift a weight that is heavy (like 5 RM). You spread your sets throught the day.
One example would be, everytime you go to your basement for somethng (such as laundry), you do a few pullups. Or everytime you eat a meal (such as if you eat 6 times a day), you do 2-4 one handed pushups on each arm.
Strength is a skill. The more you practice it, the better you get at it. In my own applications, I have seen some very good results.[/quote]
GTG is a very good technique. It’s been used for decades - just with a different name. In fact, my Volumes of Strength program is based around “practicing” an exercise frequently throughout the week in order to gain neural processes.
Yes, maximal strength is indeed a skill that requires lots of practice. This is especially true with Olympic lifts.
[quote]flynniec6 wrote:
CW,
I posted this before but I think it got lost in the shuffle.
I’m doing TBT with good results. On the off days, I fence. It’s a workout. You recommend GPP for the off-days. I feel that although the fencing class/sparring is a tough workout, my levels of GPP aren’t up to scratch.
TBT is Monday/Thursday/Saturday and fencing is Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday.
Should I do extra GPP work on Sunday (only day off) or tackle it in another way?
Thanks.[/quote]
I suggest you perform more lower-body focused GPP exercises such as squat thrusts, jumping jacks, etc. Check my GPP ASAP article for hybrid GPP exercises.
[quote]ecke2 wrote:
Chad,
Charles P. stated that the brachialis would benefit from some reverse-curling, which could boost my upper-arms.
Im not a very big fan of isolating-exercises, so can i get the same effect from doing some close grip pull-ups instead of my usual chin-ups, the placement of the hands seem similar to the reverse-curl to me?
thx for answering[/quote]
Yes, you’re correct to assume that close-grip prontaed pull-ups are great for the brachialis. But don’t be wary of an exercise just because it’s single-joint in nature. Reverse curls are a great addition to arm building programs. In addition, reverse curls challenge the ubiquitous “puny forearm extensor syndrome” that virtually all lifters possess.
[quote]bigpump23 wrote:
CW any tips for the OH squat, it’ll be my first time doing it tomorrow[/quote]
First and foremost - go light! You’ll be surprised how little weight you can initially move with OH squats. Second, stretch the hell out of your pecs and lats. Third, use a very wide hand spacing since it’s less stressful on your shoulders.
[quote]UNCheelsfan07 wrote:
Hey Chad,
I notice in alot of your programs, you utilize supersets. Are these necessary or will your programs be just as beneficial doing straight sets?[/quote]
In an effort to keep workout durations as short as possible (to maintain androgen levels) it’s often necessary to utilize supersets. In addition to reciprocal inihibition, supersets often allow for greater strength performances which, in turn, lead to more muscle. If I recommend supersets in any program, please take all necessary steps to follow them. I know crowded gyms pose a problem, but try to find a way around it.
Hey Chad,
I loved your GPP ASAP. Do you have any other nice GPP programs similar to GPP ASAP. I’m dying to try another similar to that one.
-poper
Chad-
Considering Hybrid Hypertrophy, but I am wanting to gain strength and mass in the legs, do you suggest following this program straight or do you have any possible modifications or other suggestions? Thanks
[quote]basementD wrote:
Chad,
Is there a way to apply your methods to an abbreivated routine that only uses 4-5 exercises a week?
i.e. someone trains the upperbody and lowerbody each with one exercise on Monday and then trains the upper body and lowerbody again on Thursday with one exercise for each.
I know this isn’t ideal, but can someone apply your methods to a very small number of compound exercises and still get good results? [/quote]
Actually, such a method will work fine. Stick to compound exercises (for sure) and perform exercise per body part. Aim for a set/rep volume of 35-50 since you’ll only be performing two sessions/week. For example, one day you could use 10x3; while the other day consists of 8x5.
[quote]poper wrote:
Hey Chad,
I loved your GPP ASAP article. Thats a great workout. Do you have any other similar GPP workouts that you currently prescribe to your clients?
Thanks,
Poper[/quote]
I utilize many hybrid movements that aren’t easily explained without pics. In addition, I’m a big fan of medicine ball drills. Here’s one to try:
Grab a medicine ball and squat down with it held at chest level. From that position, jump up and forward as explosively as possible in an effort to “push” the ball forward. Run to the ball, squat down, and repeat back and forth for 2-3 minutes. Also, it’s most challenging to perform this on a hard surface since it will allow the ball to roll away from you. Give it a shot, it’s great.
[quote]Chad,
I’m trying to bastardize your TBT programs with Staley’s EDT concepts. 
You’re welcome. How often do you think I could get away with an EDT program if I used the following:
EDT for Upperbody.
Overhead presses with back work (rows and chins)
And Triceps and Biceps.
Perhaps two 10 minute zones for each pairing for a total of 40 minutes of training. Do this 2x per week.
Then for two other days, use a maintenance scheme for legs and chest of maybe 3x8, and 2x12-15.
Could this be feasible to focus on upper body mass and use some TBT concepts for maintaining the legs and chest?
Crazy enough to work?
DH [/quote]
Yeah, it could definitely work. Although, Staley would have better input on the EDT portion. Overall, it looks sufficient. Give it a go!
Thanks Chad,
I’ll certainly be trying that one out
thanks,
-poper
[quote]Freaky Styley wrote:
Chad, I read your active recovery tips in this month’s Men’s Fitness. What would be the best 3x a week total body workout to combine with it? I’m currently using your Total-Body Training program.[/quote]
Any program of mine can benefit from active recovery. The more demanding programs and even more suited for such techniques. Stick to the TBT and 100 rep method since they work well together.