Question Answered in High-Performance Mass: Lats and Biceps Fatigue Loading; very good info there Thib… much appreciated!
[quote]bigla2004 wrote:
My question is: what exactly is the structure like on the leg workout after upper days or upper days after lower days. I understand just one movement but to what extent? I guess I worry about a body being able to handle squatting or benching 4 times a week for instance.[/quote]
From what I understand of the article, that extra exercise was “practice” or “secondary emphasis.” In that case, my plan is to do the same rep scheme for that exercise each time I do it. So, for week 1, I’d OHP on Mon, Tue, and Thur doing a single micro-ramp (MTW, -10, +5, +5, -10).
For my secondary emphasis exercises, I’ve decided to do squat on Mon, deadlift on Tue, OHP on Thur, and bench press on Fri.
Thib, am I interpreting your methods in the article correctly?
Hey Coach,
I’m compiling my own spread sheet to run a 6 week cycle for your HPM Program. As I’m getting into week 3, I’m finding that it’s very tedious to go through changing the numbers from week to week. You’ve mentioned that after the 6 week cycle is over, you like to retest your max weights and re-run the new numbers but this sounds daunting after doing just 3 weeks with a calculator by hand.
Do you have a spreadsheet with formulas that automatically set up the proper weight for each set that you use for the individuals that you train? Do you sit there with a calculator and come up with these by hand or is there an easier way to compile these numbers?
I am not sure if you have answered this before, but do you have a preferred olympic lifting shoe. I am looking to get some as a Christmas gift to myself and since they are pretty spendy I would like to make sure I get a decent pair.
Hi Thib!
I guess the goal in life is to move forward, not backward, but I was searching your old articles and this one caught my eye:
That seems like an older version of HPM-program, like pressing almost every workout, ramping to 2-3, keeping reps explosive, picking 1-2 main tmovement and training those until you cant increase the weight (yes, there was a big list of movements but you said stick to 1-2) etc. There are some differences though like going to daily max one a week. That program was mainly for strength, not for mass.
How succesful was that program? Did you reach your goals 435 pound floor press and 600 deadlift? 
coach, I apolgize for not putting this under the livespill yet I was having trouble posting. Anyway, my question is that earlier you mentioned that eccentric-less leg work “could” be done by doing “l leg up and 2 legs down” as in leg extensions, smith machine squats, leg presses, lunges, etc. Realizng that this type of eccentric-less work is not as good as sled work how do you rate it as compared to sled work?
[quote]ajweins wrote:
I am not sure if you have answered this before, but do you have a preferred olympic lifting shoe. I am looking to get some as a Christmas gift to myself and since they are pretty spendy I would like to make sure I get a decent pair.[/quote]
I always used the PowerFirm shoes which are custom-made from a guy in Canada. You send him a print of your foot and he designed the shoes for you.
www.weightliftingshoes.ca
[quote]IHaveThePower wrote:
Hi Thib!
I guess the goal in life is to move forward, not backward, but I was searching your old articles and this one caught my eye:
That seems like an older version of HPM-program, like pressing almost every workout, ramping to 2-3, keeping reps explosive, picking 1-2 main tmovement and training those until you cant increase the weight (yes, there was a big list of movements but you said stick to 1-2) etc. There are some differences though like going to daily max one a week. That program was mainly for strength, not for mass.
How succesful was that program? Did you reach your goals 435 pound floor press and 600 deadlift?
[/quote]
Nice find!
[quote]Getting back to my schedule, the completed form looks like this:
Day 1: Hard deadlift (no accessory exercises) and easy pressing (two total accessory exercises)
Day 2: Hard pressing (no accessory exercises) and easy deadlift (two total accessory exercises)
Day 3: Moderate deadlift (one accessory exercise) and moderate pressing (one accessory exercise)
Day 4: Off
Day 5: Easy deadlift (up to two accessory exercises) and easy pressing (up to two accessory exercises)*
Day 6: Hard deadlift (no accessory exercises) and hard pressing (no accessory exercises)
Day 7: Off (or another easy deadlift and easy pressing workout)[/quote]
CT, my main goal is strength. I’ve been reading over alot of your HPM principles and i’m thinking of running something like this with the above guidelines from your First person article.
AM: 1 lower body press, 1 upper body press
PM: 1 lower body press, 1 upper body press
4 main lifts - FSQ, Dead, OHP and BP
Assistance work will be based on the HPM system.
Hey Thib,
not a training question but i had to share this. A crossfit site posted their strength focus for the day. It says to do 30 reps with 60% of your bodyweight on bench press. It is ridiculous that they have 2 day certified trainers taking peoples money giving them these bullshit workouts.
One of the activation exercises for the lower body pressing days is “Power Cling”.
I’ve never heard of these before - care to explain?
I suspect if for being a typo for ‘Power clean’?!
[quote]Loh-fyve wrote:
One of the activation exercises for the lower body pressing days is “Power Cling”.
I’ve never heard of these before - care to explain?
I suspect if for being a typo for ‘Power clean’?! [/quote]
Yep, you answered your own question.
Hey Thibs,
Thanks for putting out HPM. I love the method, and am always interested in learning how you train and why.
Your section on training abs was thought-provoking. Do you use rotational ab work (such as landmines) for athletes requiring rotational power? I’m thinking fighters or baseball players…or do you think this could be sufficiently addressed with things like medicine ball throws?
Thibs, because of my work schedule, it isn’t possible to perform the lower body pressing + eccentric-less workouts on days that I work, and will need to be done on my days off (3on/3off shift). To fit my needs, I took your 7-day split, but drop the last neural charge day, and plan on adding a neural charge here or there if needed depending on how I feel.
Just wanted to make sure it is still a reasonable split?
Thanks
1.work-- upper body pressing +1 lower pressing (w/ staggered assistance work)
2.work-- upper body pressing +1 lower pressing (w/ staggered assistance work)
3.work-- neural charge (pulse fast)
4.off----- lower body pressing + 1 upper pressing, sled work for legs
5.off----- lower body pressing + 1 upper pressing, sled work for legs
6.off----- lats/bis
repeat
After reading all of the articles a few times I’ve come up with an initial workout that I’ll start on Monday. Some of the pairing ideas I got from another poster here.
I couldn’t tell from any of the articles if both days of the same focus (upper or lower) are meant to be the same rep scheme (3 rocket-style reps) or if it would be advantageous to vary it light I have below. So instead of over-thinking it, I’m doing it.
The assistance exercises will probably be for the lighter sets, as CT recommends.
Would appreciate any input.
Monday
Military Press (Assist: Light High Pulls)
Bench Press (Assist: Rows)
Dips (Assist: Face pulls)
Tuesday 5x5 @70%
Military Press (Assist: Shrugs)
Bench Press (Assist: Reverse Flyes)
Dips
Wednesday - Neural charge Workout (3 sets)
Snatch
Push Press
Ball Slams
Bench press from pins
Squat Jumps
Thursday
Squat
Deadlift
Afternoon Sled Work (3 movements, 3-6 sets)
Friday (5x5 @70%)
Squat
Deadlift
Afternoon Sled Work (3 movements, 3-6 sets)
Saturday (Lats & Biceps)
A) Chin-Ups (5-8 reps)
B1) Band Straight-Arm Pulldowns
B2) Rope Lat Pulldowns (6-10)
C) DB Curls (8-10)
D) Monkey-ups (1 set)
Sunday (Neural Charge, light & explosive)
Snatch
Push Press
Ball Slams
Bench press from pins
Squat Jumps
Coach–thanks for your answers both here and in the HP mass LiveSpill.
Really hoping I can get your advice on this—I’m posting it here to keep the LiveSpill on target. Although it’s very related to the Lower Body Pressing I just wanted to make sure I didn’t water down that thread…I am trying to apply your principles of volume/frequency to a squat strength specialization cycle that I want to be long term.
In other words, not a 2 week blitz with concentrated loading. I don’t particularly want hypertrophy, although I’m not specifically avoiding at this point. I just want crazy strength.
Question–how would you personally go about a pure squat strength spec. cycle?—I’ve been playing around with a few ideas (none of them in stone, just drafts). I was thinking about cycling the intensity–1 day at 80% 3RM, 1 day singles at ~85% 1RM ( or whatever I can accelerate hard w/o grinding), and then 1 upper body days at 60-70% 3 RM and 1 upper body emphasis day at regular 80% 3RM. Using your ramping single wave, double ramp, triple wave approach to loading.
Potential Split as follows:
MON – Lower Body Pressing SINGLES ~85% of 1 RM
TUES – Upper Body emphasis, Lower body triples 60-70% of 3 RM
WED – Lower Body Pressing TRIPLES 80% of 3 RM
THUR-- Back Thickness + separate Neural Charge session
FRID – Upper body Emphasis, lower body triples 80% of 3 RM
SAT – OFF/N. Charge
SUN – OFF/N. Charge
I was also thinking about taking this split and changing things around–doing BOTH lower body Pressing days at singles 85% of 1 RM, and then back day a deadlift variation at 80% of 3 RM, then both upper body days at 60-70% of 3 RM for very easy squat work. In that case I would switch WED and THURS and include my deadlift variation on my new Back day. Neural Charge workout that evening to refresh nervous system for Thurs. Squat Singles would be done Thurs then.
Potential Split #2 as follows:
MON – Lower Body Pressing SINGLES ~85% of 1 RM
TUES – Upper Body emphasis, Lower body triples 60-70% of 3 RM
WED – Back Thickness + DL 80% of 3 RM. LATER separate Neural Charge session
THUR-- ower Body Pressing SINGLES ~85% of 1 RM
FRID – Upper body Emphasis, lower body triples 60-70% of 3 RM
SAT – OFF/N. Charge
SUN – OFF/N. Charge
Coach, If I am consuming 120 grams carbs around my workout what would be the best way to spread them out - 120 grams before? 60 before and 60 after? 120 grams after? or 50 before 20 during and 50 after? etc.
thanks.
[quote]Loh-fyve wrote:
One of the activation exercises for the lower body pressing days is “Power Cling”.
I’ve never heard of these before - care to explain?
I suspect if for being a typo for ‘Power clean’?! [/quote]
Yes, it’s a typo and the percentage is 70% not 40%
Could you please list 2-3 of your favorite neural charge circuits?
Thank you!
[quote]CPerfringens wrote:
Could you please list 2-3 of your favorite neural charge circuits?
Thank you![/quote]
We’ll have a complete neural charge section soon with over 80 exercises. I honestly do not have a favorite NC circuit as I rarely repeat the exact same workout twice.
CT, i had seen almost all of the info you put in this forum.
The last program there is only one thing that i think i misunderstood.
The use of strength circuits at the end of the session.
In a upper / upper two days in a row, you will focus a strength circuit for chest in 1st train and a strength circuit for shoulders in the 2nd day?
I think everything was very easy too understand, only this kind of circuits become more confuse for me.
Thanks for the support, cheers