Thibs New Training Questions #3

Training
741

Hi CT,

When following a Push-pull-legs split, and using the micro-ramp technique you’ve discussed, would you use a micro-ramp on the main movement (the one you want to improve) at each of the 6 workouts? If so, would you perform the same exercise each time you repeat a push, pull, or leg workout?

For example:
Day 1-Monday (Push)
Main micrc-ramp exercise…Flat BB Press…8-12 reps
Plus 3-5 push accessory exerccises…max reps

Day 2-Tuesday (Pull)
Main micro-ramp exercise…Rows
Plus Pull Max Rep exercises

Day 3-Wednesday (Legs)
Main micro-ramp exercise…Squats
Plus Legs Max Rep exercises

Day 4-Thursday…OFF

Would you then repeat the above main movements the second 3 days of the split, or would it be better to switch the micro-ramp exercises and even the accessory max rep exercises?

Would 3 days straight of micro-ramping be too CNS intensive and slow recovery from one day to the next?

Could a split such as the following be effective:

Monday—Push Micro ramp + max reps accessory
Tuesday—Pull Dynamic Effort (some olympic lifts) + Force Spectrum accessory lifts for 4-6 reps
Wednesday----Legs Squat Dominant Micro ramp + max rep accessory
Thursday—OFF
Friday—Push Dynamic Effort (some olypic lifts) + Force Spectrum accessory lifts for 4-6 reps
Saturday—Pull Micro ramp + max rep accessory
Sunday—OFF or Legs Hamstring dominant Dynamic Effort (some olympic lifts) + Force Spectrum accessory lifts for 4-6 reps

Would using separate dynamic effort days be redundant, seeing that the micro ramping days utilize a number of sets on the lighter end of the force spectrum? The loads used on these days would be 50% 1 RM or less. Or is this approach completely idiotic?

I apologize for the long 50 part question. If it’s too time consuming, please disregard.

Any feeback you may offer would be very much appreciated. Thank you so much.

742

[quote]denisined wrote:
What bodyfat percentage range do you think is optimal for putting on mass over the long-term in your opinion?[/quote]

That is an highly individual thing. Some people are naturally lean, and function very well at 8% or under. Other have a higher body fat set point and their body becomes less anabolic as they force their body to be leaner than it is used to.

Basically the optimal body fat percentage is the one where your hormones are all optimized. If body fat drop down too low, testosterone normally goes down and cortisol goes up, which makes it hard to gain muscle.

On the other hand, if body fat is too high your insulin sensitivity decreases which makes it easier to gain fat and harder to build muscle.

However what constitutes ‘‘too high’’ and ‘‘too low’’ will vary from one individual to the next.

743

[quote]synergy93 wrote:
Hi CT,

When following a Push-pull-legs split, and using the micro-ramp technique you’ve discussed, would you use a micro-ramp on the main movement (the one you want to improve) at each of the 6 workouts? [/quote]

There are MANY ways to plan this. You could indeed use micro-ramping for each of the 6 workouts or use a form of volume cycling; here are some options:

A. 2-1 RATIO

Week 1. micro-ramping
Week 2. micro-ramping
Week 3. Normal ramping (acts as a volume deload while maintaining intensity)
Week 4. micro-ramping
Week 5. micro-ramping
Week 6. Normal ramping (acts as a volume deload while maintaining intensity)

Very simple and effective; works adequately in almost all situations.

B. ESCALADING VOLUME

Week 1. Normal ramping
Week 2. Normal ramping
Week 3. Micro-ramping
Week 4. Micro-ramping
Week 5. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)
Week 6. Normal ramping with a PR testing at the end of the week

Good for peaking if you have little external or life stress.

C. WAVE VOLUME

Week 1. Normal ramping
Week 2. Micro-ramping
Week 3. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)
Week 4. Normal ramping
Week 5. Micro-ramping
Week 6. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)

One of my favorite for maximum strength gains.

D. DOUBLE PYRAMID VOLUME

Week 1. Normal ramping
Week 2. Micro-ramping
Week 3. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)
Week 4. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)
Week 5. Micro-ramping
Week 6. Normal ramping testing for a PR at the end of the week

A very effective peaking cycle for those with low recovery capacities or a lot of life stress.

[quote]synergy93 wrote:
If so, would you perform the same exercise each time you repeat a push, pull, or leg workout? [/quote]

Yes, I would keep the same main movement, but you can change the assistance work as often as you’d like.

[quote]synergy93 wrote:
Would you then repeat the above main movements the second 3 days of the split, or would it be better to switch the micro-ramp exercises and even the accessory max rep exercises? [/quote]

When I’m doing 6 workouts a week with 2 workouts of each type, I do not use the same main movement for both workouts. Although the main movement for the first day or one type (first push day for example) can be used as an assistance exercise on the second day.

[quote]synergy93 wrote:
Would 3 days straight of micro-ramping be too CNS intensive and slow recovery from one day to the next? [/quote]

It shouldn’t if you do not take it too far (grinding). Ramping, or micro-ramping allow you to reach the max amount of work you can tolerate on one day. If the CNS or muscles have not yet recovered you’ll simply perform less work because you can’t ramp up as high.

Performance might fluctuate during the week, but that’s fine and too be expected.

If you start to feel run down, substitute a regular workout for a neural charge workout.

[quote]synergy93 wrote:
Could a split such as the following be effective:

Monday—Push Micro ramp + max reps accessory
Tuesday—Pull Dynamic Effort (some olympic lifts) + Force Spectrum accessory lifts for 4-6 reps
Wednesday----Legs Squat Dominant Micro ramp + max rep accessory
Thursday—OFF
Friday—Push Dynamic Effort (some olypic lifts) + Force Spectrum accessory lifts for 4-6 reps
Saturday—Pull Micro ramp + max rep accessory
Sunday—OFF or Legs Hamstring dominant Dynamic Effort (some olympic lifts) + Force Spectrum accessory lifts for 4-6 reps [/quote]

Yes it looks fine; again whether this is well adapted to you will depend on your own recovery capacity and stress level. I would personally only do dynamic work on the OL days, no assistance work in the sense you mean.

[quote]synergy93 wrote:
Would using separate dynamic effort days be redundant, seeing that the micro ramping days utilize a number of sets on the lighter end of the force spectrum? The loads used on these days would be 50% 1 RM or less. Or is this approach completely idiotic?
[/quote]

Not at all. I actually like to use ‘‘dynamic work only’’ workouts midway through the week (I call them neural charge workouts) and these actually help my CNS recover and stay in an optimal working form for the whole week.

744

LOL who is the idiot that gave this thread a 1-star rating

745

[quote]hit the gym wrote:
LOL who is the idiot that gave this thread a 1-star rating[/quote]

Probably a guy who didn’t get an answer and took it personally.

746

[quote]hit the gym wrote:
LOL who is the idiot that gave this thread a 1-star rating[/quote]

I hope it has nothing to do with the person who started the thread because this is my favorite one. I always check this thread out.

747

It is really cool to be able to get glimpses into something like this as it’s evolving, when you usually get ‘do x, it made me y’…

748

In the latest interview you said that cluster training is better for strength. How would you implement cluster training according to the HTH principles? Do you ramp up like always and only do the last set with cluster ?

749

Coach,

I have trouble ‘feeling’ the target muscle work while using perfect-rep methods.

I’m low carb but do you think a ‘pump-product’ would be worth it?

I was thinking about taking 5g Creatine Mono, 5g Sea Salt and Glycerine(?) but i cant find any info on how much (glycerine) to take… that is IF this would be an ok approach.

Any help would be appreciated. thanks.

750

WOW!! Thanks so much for your detailed response. As always, very educational and well written.

I basically just finished up with the “Double Pyramid Volume” approach over the course of exactly six weeks. I was able to set 10 year personal bests in bench, squat, and deadlift using this approach, without even going for a true 1 RM on any of the lifts.

This proved to me, that you can develop major strength in more than one big lift within a phase.

I hope I’m not overstepping any boundaries, but I was wondering if it would be possible to contact you via email. I think you said you had a email address that you use.

I’d be very much interested in working with you online, if that would be possible. I could explain in more detail if it would be possible to contact you outside this site. If not, I understand. If you are, please PM me and I will respond as soon as possible.

Thanks again CT for your time. I ALWAYS learn something new.

751

[quote]Thy. wrote:
In the latest interview you said that cluster training is better for strength. How would you implement cluster training according to the HTH principles? Do you ramp up like always and only do the last set with cluster ?[/quote]

I normally do 2 cluster sets, with a limit of 3 if I’m in a really good disposition that day.

I ramp up normally until I hit the max force point. Then conclude the ramp with 2 cluster sets. I will either add more weight relative to the last set of the ramp and do a cluster of 3 reps, or keep the same weight and shoot for a cluster of 5 reps.

752

What do you think of a routine using only these three exercises; barbell hack squat,dip and chin up.

1/Would this cause dangerous muscle imbalances?

2/Would you end up with a “reasonably” proportionate physique?

753

Thibs,

I find it difficult to accelerate the bar as fast as possible when doing deadlifts. If I think “Fast” my hips raise high and my knees lockout first turning it into a half deadlift half stiff legged deadlift. The only way I can get my hips and knees to lock out at the same time is if I go slower. Do you have any coaching cues that you use for the deadlift to help?

754

Hey Coach, I have a question that seems like something you’d be good to ask about.

Lets say I’m doing say 4 workouts per week and feel it’s enough for stimulating muscle growth/strength gains but I’m sitting around one day not doing anything. If I have the urge to train I’m not just going to do a full session but is there anything you would recommend that

  1. would not hurt recovery
  2. would have a real world positive result (I like to train but not enough to go do it if there will be no noticeable/actual benefit to results)
755

I have a question about grip position during deadlifts. I find that at the higher weights my weaker hand is slipping with when using a standard grip and I have to switch to a baseball grip. Since the target muscles for deadlifts are legs and lower back; is there any real difference in the standard, parallel grip and a baseball, opposite grip?

756

[quote]David1991 wrote:
Hey Coach, I have a question that seems like something you’d be good to ask about.

Lets say I’m doing say 4 workouts per week and feel it’s enough for stimulating muscle growth/strength gains but I’m sitting around one day not doing anything. If I have the urge to train I’m not just going to do a full session but is there anything you would recommend that

  1. would not hurt recovery
  2. would have a real world positive result (I like to train but not enough to go do it if there will be no noticeable/actual benefit to results)
    [/quote]

thibs calls them neural recharge workouts - i think

''I like to actually use neural charge workouts within a training week, to amp up the system and improve the quality of the subsequent workouts. But it is also possible to perform a whole microcycle (5-10 days) using only this type of session. It represents a great way to revive a dead nervous system while giving the musculoskeletal system a much needed break.

What does these workouts consist of? Fairly simple:

a) pick anywhere between 2 and 4 exercises either working the whole body (at least indirectly). These can be basic lifts (bench, squat, deadlifts, rows, chins, dips, etc.), variation of the olympic lifts or jumps and throws, or covering a specific movement pattern (depending on how you structure your training).

b) perform the exercises as a circuit.

c) use moderate rest intervals between exercises (roughly 15-30 seconds if using a whole body approach or 30-45 seconds for a movement pattern-specific one).

d) use a load that is roughly 70% of your maximum and perform sets of 3 reps. If you decide to include jumps, use only your body weight and perform sets of 5. At this intensity level and number of reps even when doing a ‘‘same movement pattern circuit’’ (e.g. push press, bench press, dips) you should be able to go through the workout being super explosive and not causing any excessive fatigue or have a drop in performance.

e) perform each repetition as explosively as possible.

f) complete as many circuits as you can in 20-30 minutes (start at 20 and gradually build up to 30) but never allow yourself to do a non-explosive rep. If one exercise stops being explosive drop it from the rotation.

That’s it! You do not want to be gassed or slow during the workout. The emphasis is on speed and power, not burning yourself out. At the end of the workout you should actually want to continue training. And one hour after the session you should feel the need to chain yourself to a tree to avoid going to the gym again!

With this type of deloading microcycle not only do I feel that a drop in training frequency is not necessary, I believe that it is counterproductive. Neural charge workouts work best (as a deloading week) if the frequency of training is high: at least 4 sessions per week, preferably 5 or even 6.

This type of deloading week is ideal when you start to feel less explosive and being to have a lowered motivation to hit the weights. A similar approach is often used by Russian powerlifters who include a phase of explosive lifting only after spending some gruelling weeks under mostly heavy weights.

At the end of such a deloading week you should feel like you want to destroy the weight; you should be amped up to train like never before!‘’

757

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]synergy93 wrote:
Hi CT,

When following a Push-pull-legs split, and using the micro-ramp technique you’ve discussed, would you use a micro-ramp on the main movement (the one you want to improve) at each of the 6 workouts? [/quote]

There are MANY ways to plan this. You could indeed use micro-ramping for each of the 6 workouts or use a form of volume cycling; here are some options:

A. 2-1 RATIO

Week 1. micro-ramping
Week 2. micro-ramping
Week 3. Normal ramping (acts as a volume deload while maintaining intensity)
Week 4. micro-ramping
Week 5. micro-ramping
Week 6. Normal ramping (acts as a volume deload while maintaining intensity)

Very simple and effective; works adequately in almost all situations.

B. ESCALADING VOLUME

Week 1. Normal ramping
Week 2. Normal ramping
Week 3. Micro-ramping
Week 4. Micro-ramping
Week 5. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)
Week 6. Normal ramping with a PR testing at the end of the week

Good for peaking if you have little external or life stress.

C. WAVE VOLUME

Week 1. Normal ramping
Week 2. Micro-ramping
Week 3. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)
Week 4. Normal ramping
Week 5. Micro-ramping
Week 6. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)

One of my favorite for maximum strength gains.

D. DOUBLE PYRAMID VOLUME

Week 1. Normal ramping
Week 2. Micro-ramping
Week 3. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)
Week 4. Extended micro-ramping (micro-ramping sets of 3 continuing with micro-ramping sets of 1)
Week 5. Micro-ramping
Week 6. Normal ramping testing for a PR at the end of the week

A very effective peaking cycle for those with low recovery capacities or a lot of life stress.

[/quote]

Thibs:

This is INCREDIBLY valuable info - thanks so much for posting for benefit of all!

I am implementing it now on this close grip bench cycle.

M

758

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Thy. wrote:
In the latest interview you said that cluster training is better for strength. How would you implement cluster training according to the HTH principles? Do you ramp up like always and only do the last set with cluster ?[/quote]

I normally do 2 cluster sets, with a limit of 3 if I’m in a really good disposition that day.

I ramp up normally until I hit the max force point. Then conclude the ramp with 2 cluster sets. I will either add more weight relative to the last set of the ramp and do a cluster of 3 reps, or keep the same weight and shoot for a cluster of 5 reps.[/quote]

Thibs, in this situation say for the bench press as an example. Would you just do the 2 cluster sets on a regular bench since its only a few sets, or would you still recommend doing them from pins?
Thanks

759

I wasn’t sure where to post this because it deals with no fat loss, and its diet related to specialization recovery.

What do you think is the most important things to maximize the rebound after finishing a specialization phase?
i think i read somewhere that you say surplus nutrients, but how much? and is there anything else?

760

[quote]thrasher_09 wrote:
Thibs,

I find it difficult to accelerate the bar as fast as possible when doing deadlifts. If I think “Fast” my hips raise high and my knees lockout first turning it into a half deadlift half stiff legged deadlift. The only way I can get my hips and knees to lock out at the same time is if I go slower. Do you have any coaching cues that you use for the deadlift to help?[/quote]
only accelerate after the bar passes the knees