Thibs New Training Questions #3

Training
241

[quote]Control_61 wrote:

After reading the football program you posted a few days ago I started thinking about difference in training for fast twitch and slow twitch athletes.

I am a typical slow twitch guy. I am not a good sprinter. And my bench max is 120kg, while my 5rm is 107.5kg

Is the phase you posted in the “football program” thread even more important for a guy like me?

Are there any things I should think about when designing my own training programs compared to fast-twitch guys?[/quote]

Yes it is. Many coaches say that ST-fiber guys should train to take advantage of their fiber make-up by doing more high rep stuff and controlled movements. This is idiotic. Studies have found that, while you can’t really turn a ST fiber into a FT fiber, a ST fiber can take on FT-like properties mostly true neural adaptations.

242

[quote]nycsfinest wrote:
Coach,

For activation purposes before a chest workout when would it be more beneficial to perform ballistic pushups from the floor rather than off a bench?[/quote]

When you are strong and powerful enough to do technically perfect and very explosive ballistic push-ups from the floor.

243

a self-spotting DB bench, interesting. . .

244

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]nycsfinest wrote:
Coach,

For activation purposes before a chest workout when would it be more beneficial to perform ballistic pushups from the floor rather than off a bench?[/quote]

When you are strong and powerful enough to do technically perfect and very explosive ballistic push-ups from the floor.[/quote]

Thib:

Somedays I will do an explosive push-up from floor and clap hands to chest and then down for 5 reps. Start from floor, explode up, slap hands to chest and down to floor again, explode. It just gives me a target, nothing really in it hitting chest.
Is there a better way?
Thx,
M

245

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]nycsfinest wrote:
Coach,

For activation purposes before a chest workout when would it be more beneficial to perform ballistic pushups from the floor rather than off a bench?[/quote]

When you are strong and powerful enough to do technically perfect and very explosive ballistic push-ups from the floor.[/quote]

Can external loads (like a weighted vest) ever be used on these? I’ve read that plyometrics should not have external loads added, but I wonder about ballistic stuff like this.

246

Hi CT,

I have been training 3 days on 1 off and repeat with a chest/back, legs, shoulders & arms split, so 6 out of every 8 days, ramping up to the max force or max load point on most exercises with different exercises in the first 3 and second 3 days. I always try to accelerate the weight as much as possible and stop the exercise before grinding any reps. I have been thinking of changing my routine though and instead of simply changing exercises in the second 3 days of the 8 day training week using more explosive movements in these days instead such as speed benches, plyo pushups, broad jumps, jump squats, etc…

Do you think this looks ok and would be more effective than what i am currently doing? Or would I be better off just following phase 1 of the offseason football program you posted for 4-6 weeks to work on my explosiveness and then get into heavier lifting?

For some background info I come from an athletic background and feel like i have at least decent explosiveness and strength (bench about 300 lbs at 175-180)

Thanks

247

[quote]Dark_Knight wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]nycsfinest wrote:
Coach,

For activation purposes before a chest workout when would it be more beneficial to perform ballistic pushups from the floor rather than off a bench?[/quote]

When you are strong and powerful enough to do technically perfect and very explosive ballistic push-ups from the floor.[/quote]

Can external loads (like a weighted vest) ever be used on these? I’ve read that plyometrics should not have external loads added, but I wonder about ballistic stuff like this.
[/quote]

You can add an external load to regular jumping exercises and jump (ballistic push-ups) but this turn a level 1 exercise into a level 5 one. From my post on explosive exercise in the ‘‘Random thoughts’’ thread:

Level 1 - Basic bilateral jumps (vertical jumping, broad jumping, jumping onto a box), throws (medicine ball throws from various positions) and sprints.

Level 2 - Unilateral jumps, hops and bounding

Level 3 - Weight lifting exercises trying to accelerate the weight as much as possible

Level 4 - Shock training or ‘‘real’’ plyometrics (depth jumps, depth push ups)

Level 5 - Ballistic exercises with a significant load (15-30% of the related lift); jumps squats, jumps lunges, bench throws, etc. Could even be medicine ball throws if the ball is heavy enough.

Level 6 - Variations of the Olympic lifts; weight lifting exercises for maximum acceleration with added band resistance

This is an important distinction as:

a) it drastically increases the demands on the nervous system so volume and frequency will need to be adjusted.

b) it may make the exercise outside of the individual’s level of development at the moment. In the article I mention that one mistake made by athletes is to use a level of exercise that is too high for their current capacity level. Before using a level 5 exercise you should make sure to master levels 1,2,3 and 4 first.

And as you mention, do not use any external load for ‘‘real’’ plyometrics (depth jumps). On these movements you increase the stress and difficulty by increasing the drop height.

248

[quote]toots27mkc wrote:
a self-spotting DB bench, interesting. . .[/quote]
http://www.powerhooks.com/

249

[quote]Josgood wrote:

[quote]toots27mkc wrote:
a self-spotting DB bench, interesting. . .[/quote]
http://www.powerhooks.com/[/quote]

Cool find, I once saw a complete bench apparatus build to handle DBs, but this is much less expensive and more practical. I especially like the use for dips.

250

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Dark_Knight wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]nycsfinest wrote:
Coach,

For activation purposes before a chest workout when would it be more beneficial to perform ballistic pushups from the floor rather than off a bench?[/quote]

When you are strong and powerful enough to do technically perfect and very explosive ballistic push-ups from the floor.[/quote]

Can external loads (like a weighted vest) ever be used on these? I’ve read that plyometrics should not have external loads added, but I wonder about ballistic stuff like this.
[/quote]

You can add an external load to regular jumping exercises and jump (ballistic push-ups) but this turn a level 1 exercise into a level 5 one. From my post on explosive exercise in the ‘‘Random thoughts’’ thread:

Level 1 - Basic bilateral jumps (vertical jumping, broad jumping, jumping onto a box), throws (medicine ball throws from various positions) and sprints.

Level 2 - Unilateral jumps, hops and bounding

Level 3 - Weight lifting exercises trying to accelerate the weight as much as possible

Level 4 - Shock training or ‘‘real’’ plyometrics (depth jumps, depth push ups)

Level 5 - Ballistic exercises with a significant load (15-30% of the related lift); jumps squats, jumps lunges, bench throws, etc. Could even be medicine ball throws if the ball is heavy enough.

Level 6 - Variations of the Olympic lifts; weight lifting exercises for maximum acceleration with added band resistance

This is an important distinction as:

a) it drastically increases the demands on the nervous system so volume and frequency will need to be adjusted.

b) it may make the exercise outside of the individual’s level of development at the moment. In the article I mention that one mistake made by athletes is to use a level of exercise that is too high for their current capacity level. Before using a level 5 exercise you should make sure to master levels 1,2,3 and 4 first.

And as you mention, do not use any external load for ‘‘real’’ plyometrics (depth jumps). On these movements you increase the stress and difficulty by increasing the drop height.[/quote]

Awesome, thanks.

In progressing from level to level, what should the general guidelines be? You mentioned in the other thread and this one as well that explosiveness and technique should be mastered, but is there a certain set/rep volume that these qualities should be maintained over before advancing?

251

CT, in your random thoughts you suggested the following for developing strength endurance:

[i]The approach I prefer is to use a circuit of 3-5 basic movements, performed for sets of 2-3 reps with your max force weight (around 75-85% depending on your level). Go from one exercise to the next with as little rest as humanly possible. Obviously the exercises should hit different structures or motor patterns. For this approach I like either a whole body approach or maybe an antagonist one.

For example:

WHOLE BODY A
A. Front squat
B. Push press
C. RDL
D. Chin-up

WHOLE B
A. Power clean
B. Bench press
C. Back squat
D. Barbell row

You perform 2-3 reps per set with 75-85% of your maximum, resting as little as possible (shoot for 15-20 sec. between exercises) and stop AN EXERCISE when you are no longer dominating the weight. For example, it is possible that your push press gets dropped because you are no longer explosive, but that the other 3 exercises are still good. You simply keep rotating through the remaining 3 and eliminate the movements one by one as you stop being dominant on each one. [/i]

What sort of progression should be used here? I’m assuming that at first you try to get in more sets per workout, but at one point should one consider bumping up the weight?

I was thinking of something like this due to equipment limitations:

A. Power clean
B. Push press
C. Front or back squat (depending on the day)
D. Barbell row

Thanks.

252

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Josgood wrote:

[quote]toots27mkc wrote:
a self-spotting DB bench, interesting. . .[/quote]
http://www.powerhooks.com/[/quote]

Cool find, I once saw a complete bench apparatus build to handle DBs, but this is much less expensive and more practical. I especially like the use for dips.[/quote]

I think this may be it… remember seeing it yesterday actually…
http://store.sorinex.com/SearchResults.asp

253

Thibs, while using the ANACONDA Protocol during a fatloss phase what do you recommend…

  1. If wanting/needing to add extra carbs, what time of the day is best for training days? Non-training days?
  2. During days just for metabolic pairings, cardio, esw, or sprints. How would you adjust the ANACONDA Protocol? (I am thinking just to drop the FINiBARs?)

Thanks for your help as always Thibs.

254

CT,

after doing I,BB would the Get Jacked…Fast! program be good for someone trying to lean up? I am just worried the calorie deficit is so huge so quickly.

255

[quote]MikeTheBear wrote:
I was thinking of something like this due to equipment limitations:

A. Power clean
B. Push press
C. Front or back squat (depending on the day)
D. Barbell row

Thanks.[/quote]

The only thing I don’t like is that you basically have 3 movements involving the legs (somewhat) in a row.

Something like:

A. Squat variation
B. Military press
C. Power clean
D. Barbell row

Would be better

256

Hi coach. What’s your opinion about the assesement about postural and corrective exercises? Also do you believe in functional training (core stabilization, free motion movements) concept for the average fitness client or the professional athlete? Thanks again.

257

coach why work antagonist muscles with super sets is one of the most effective training methods?which is the science behind this method?you read in mr Poliquin site your coach article?very useful article.

258

[quote]ab1975 wrote:
Hi coach. What’s your opinion about the assesement about postural and corrective exercises? Also do you believe in functional training (core stabilization, free motion movements) concept for the average fitness client or the professional athlete? Thanks again.[/quote]

I’ll tell you this… if the wheels of your car are misaligned, regardless of how powerful the engine is, it wont perform optimally.

So yes I do believe in corrective exercises. But the only assessment tests I believe in are dynamic (e.g. Cook tests, Poliquin’s structural balance, Klatt tests, etc.) I do not believe that there is a great correlation between static/passive muscle testing and dynamic actions.

259

Christian, good morning!

After severe flexibility issues and a long history of not training legs properly I’ve started doing squats again and would like to get some feedback on my technqiue if you will.

Just need some general pointers I can work on right now, would really appreciate your professional opinion.

Thanks.

260

Coach,

just a question about high-reps HTH:
when do i have to use more weigth to begin with?
for example:
i bench pressed yesterday:

16 with 180 lbs (1.set)
14 with 180 lbs (2.set)
14 with 180 lbs (3.set)
9 with 180 lbs (4.set)
7 with 180 lbs (5.set)

so do i have to start with more weight next time?
Thanks.