hey, why did you change the photo!
I was wondering how an example of a WHOLE upper body day (pressing AND lats + auxiliary HP assistant work) would look like to you these days, CT? Due to my schedule, I’d like to hit lats a bit more often without having to replace an Upper performance day and thus reduce the frequency for those.
(Perhaps changing the 2nd High Performance day to a ‘whole upper’?)
[quote]Loh-fyve wrote:
I was wondering how an example of a WHOLE upper body day (pressing AND lats + auxiliary HP assistant work) would look like to you these days, CT? Due to my schedule, I’d like to hit lats a bit more often without having to replace an Upper performance day and thus reduce the frequency for those.
(Perhaps changing the 2nd High Performance day to a ‘whole upper’?)
[/quote]
Fairly easy… as you know on the upper body performance days I like to use a staggered approach to training the traps, rhomboids and rear delts… meaning that I will throw in a set of a trap, rhomboid or rear delt exercise in-between sets of pressing.
If you want to hit the lats more you can always use the same staggered approach but with a lat exercise.
OR at the end of the workout throw in a lats circuit (1-2 sets of 3-4 exercises for the lats done as a circuit of 8-10 reps per exercise)
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]dem0n wrote:
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]dem0n wrote:
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]dem0n wrote:
CT could you please post a sample upper body performance workout with assisting body parts? Or is there a sample somewhere on the website? I did have a look but could not find one. Just trying to put all the peices together and one like to know what it would look like.[/quote]
There will be a video and article detailing it shortly.[/quote]
OK then nice. Was just wondering - I find that power cleans from blocks have the most benefit in training my traps and I’m really trying to bring them up. Would you recommend doing these on an upper body performance day after the pressing movements?[/quote]
I would actually do them first in the workout, as an overall activation exercise. I often do that with power snatches myself.[/quote]
Ok. Can I do these heavy to really work my traps? Say 5 sets of 6-8 reps ramping up? Would they not be to draining before the presses?[/quote]
From experience, I never suffer any decrease in performance if I start with a snatch or clean. You might have a slight drop the first week, but you’ll get used to it.[/quote]
Thanks a lot CT.
CT,
As traps, rhomboids and rear delts are performance muscles does that mean horizontal pulling movements are best done in the lower rep range (3-5) and vertical pulling movements are in the higher (6-12)?
Also when using higher rep ranges for lats and biceps, I’m assuming that they are still performed with the perfect rep, explosive concentric and minimized eccentric, style. Is this a correct assumption?
[quote]pro.nub wrote:
CT,
As traps, rhomboids and rear delts are performance muscles does that mean horizontal pulling movements are best done in the lower rep range (3-5) and vertical pulling movements are in the higher (6-12)?
Also when using higher rep ranges for lats and biceps, I’m assuming that they are still performed with the perfect rep, explosive concentric and minimized eccentric, style. Is this a correct assumption? [/quote]
Traps, rhomboids and rear delts are not performance muscles per se, but rather performance assistants. They are best trained using an intermediate rep range (6-8 reps).
You should apply the perfect rep principles most of the time. HOWEVER biceps, calves and abs are muscles that also respond very well to constant tension techniques.
Off topic CT but I was just saw a picture of Brock Lesner on Yahoo.com and it looks like you behind him in the photo lol.
CT,
Have you ever trained someone with uneven limbs? My left arm is over an inch longer than my right one. I have a quick 2-part question in regards to this
-
Would you substitute dumbbell-dominant Pressing workouts more often, and if so, how often?
-
Would your rep range stay the same if doing so?
It’s really annoying because my left arm has to “press” further than my right arm and my eccentric motion isn’t that smooth because of the different starting points. I LIKE doing barbell movements and want to continue doing them, I just don’t want any muscular imbalances.
Okay, CT. I finally found a “template” for my arm workout that I really found good:
A1. Barbell curls: ramping sets of 5 (today I did it with dead-stop at the bottom)
A2. Close-grip bench press: ramping sets of 3
B1. Hammer Curls: ratchets of 1-3 reps with 4 RM (I really love em)
B2. Triceps extensions: ratchets of 1-3 reps with 6 RM (start from the bench and end there too)
C1. Triceps Pressdowns: 5 reps with 6-7 RM (constant tension)
C2. Wide-grip elbows-in preacher cable curls: (constant tension)
- 5-5-5
- 6-6
- max full reps
- max full reps, max top half reps and 20 seconds isometric-hold on the lower portion (veins were poping-up madly)
On the A superset I managed to do 6 sets (last one max reps), on the B superset 4 supersets and on C 5 supersets (triceps stopped at 4th).
If you see anything wrong with it so far please post away.
My main problems are:
- How can I assure myself that I’d get a good recovery ? (if you revise my last posted workout therese more of a volume aproach but I didn’t made progress with it) Also some insights on glycogen if possible?
2(the MAIN trouble). I got everything there done in 75 min and I felt I could have done more for biceps, yet I didn’t have the time. How can I improve my density? (I mean I’m not chating too much, I’m taking as less rest as possible and I’m using denity tehniques… what’s wrong with me?)
3.Is it just me or my volume capacity really sucks (at arms specially, because two days ago on my push day I did about 30 sets only for chest and shoulders and I haven’t felt sore at all) ?
Hi coach, if someone is doing three whole body workouts per week, in the long run would it be better to do two upper body performance days with legs and one foundation day with legs, or alternate between the two? Also, if I may, I have been ramping up to a top set of 5 reps on pressing movements, 7 reps on lat movements, and then doing a few clusters with the top weight. I reduced the number of exercises to account for the intensity, so I thought it would be useful to stagger some blast-strap/band exercises for added volume, is that a waste of time, or a decent application of the ideas you have been presenting? Thanks for all your info
Hey coach. I was hoping to get your opinion on this. I’m currently using the 5/3/1 protocol and trying to mix your foundation/performance ideas into the program by targeting the areas you mention and staggering most sets with other exercises/ band work to target the supporting muscles. Performance is great, and everything seems to be improving most of the time; but, recently I’ve noticed more and more imbalances in my body. For example, when I do my chin-ups, it seems that my body relies on one my right side more and more as the set goes on. When I sit down, it seems that there is more muscle on the right side of my back than on my left. There are also definite imbalances in my chest and biceps. I know I’m painting a pretty messed up picture of myself, but these imbalances are starting to weigh on my mind. I was wondering if I should take a break from 5/3/1 and focus on single-appendage movements for a while or add in eccentric-less work with bands or straps? I don’t know if this is enough information, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.
CT,
I have been using the Staggered approach of delts/traps/rhomboids with my upper body perfomance days. what exercises are appropriate one for these?
I’ve been using bent over rows, shrugs, body shrugs, body upright rows (drive with legs), lateral or front raises.
Any recommendations for exercises to target these assitants would help me.
Thanks again x10
[quote]jmatta wrote:
CT,
I have been using the Staggered approach of delts/traps/rhomboids with my upper body perfomance days. what exercises are appropriate one for these?
I’ve been using bent over rows, shrugs, body shrugs, body upright rows (drive with legs), lateral or front raises.
Any recommendations for exercises to target these assitants would help me.
Thanks again x10[/quote]
As I mentioned in the past, I do not like to use the bent over row on that day, too neurally draining.
I personally like overhead shrugs, military press drives (start in the same position as a military press and bring the bar to eyes level only using your traps), rear delts machine, chest-supported DB rear delts, blast straps rear delts, face pulls.
Thanks coach
I appreciate it all the knowledge and applications you have provided for us.
I will improve on my mistakes.
CT, When do you use movements like snatch power pulls, clean power pulls, or any variation thereof? Do these fit more with a foundation day or a press performance day?
Hey CT, for maximum chest and triceps mass do you feel isolation movements are necessary?
[quote]Elite0423 wrote:
Hey CT, for maximum chest and triceps mass do you feel isolation movements are necessary? [/quote]
a couple pages back CT answered a question that might be able to help you. Here is his response:
“Direct chest, triceps and deltoid work can be added at the end of the performance days. On my OWN upper body performance days I normally have a total of anywhere between 20 and 40 sets of heavy pressing (I once went up to 70 sets, no kidding!); I just dont see how the triceps, chest and deltoid would need any isolation work after that considering how heavily involved they are in most pressing movements. Im not saying that you cant do isolation work for these, with bodybuilders I do have isolation work for the chest, triceps and delts. But if your goal is simply to build a lot of mass, power and strength, they are not needed.”
[quote]itisfinished wrote:
CT, When do you use movements like snatch power pulls, clean power pulls, or any variation thereof? Do these fit more with a foundation day or a press performance day? [/quote]
The power snatch and power clean and their variations can be used on any training day… technically it works muscles in all the categories.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]itisfinished wrote:
CT, When do you use movements like snatch power pulls, clean power pulls, or any variation thereof? Do these fit more with a foundation day or a press performance day? [/quote]
The power snatch and power clean and their variations can be used on any training day… technically it works muscles in all the categories.
[/quote]
I thought that, but wanted to make sure. I really like Snatch based movements on Pressing days and Clean variations on Foundation days. They really prep the nervous system, even working to a single attempt. I use a no-missed attempts rule on those days.
On another note, have you ever worked with any athletes with permanently torn muslces? How have you modified their training volumes and loading?
Hey CT, do you supplement the big lifts with single-leg training for athletes?
When I’m pushing for pure strength gains, I tend to drop single-leg stuff, but I like them and feel healthier and more balanced using them. I’m wondering if additional Prowler work would have something of the same effect, since we drive with essentially one leg at a time…?