[quote]thoughts1053 wrote:
With all the new info, it’s hard to keep track of everything. Sorry if this was asked before, but if a person was able to train twice a day, what would be the best approach?
AM: activation and PM: heavy workout or AM: Heavy workout and PM: Eccentric-less? Both? Something totally different?[/quote]
There is not one best set-up. It depends on what you want to accomplish on that day and how you feel.
For example, if your goal is to lift as much weight as possible, working mostly on strength development you would go with a neural activation in the morning and a heavy session in the afternoon.
If your goal was maximum muscular development you would go heavy in the AM (with one activation exercise to start the day) and a mix of eccentric-less and max-reps circuits in the PM.
If you felt down and wanted to promote recovery you would go neural charge in the AM and eccentric-less in the PM.[/quote]
After all these techniques and ways of training are you showing us, do you think electro estimulation could take place between them? or it’s not worth it.[/quote]
Funny you should ask. I personally have a Compex Sport EMS unit and had Tim buy 3 units for the Headquarters. To me, properly used EMS can have much of the same effect as eccentric-less training: it is a good wa to increase training volume without drastically increasing the recovery needs.
In regards to the 3 day per week set up that you mentioned, what do you think about starting the workouts with versions of the o lifts for activation, then using a strength circuit for the pressing performance/lower body days? Then maybe finish up with 1 max rep circuit and one isolation circuit if needed? I know it’s not ideal, it just seems like a way to make the best out of a bad situation. Thanks for your time
Coach, I’m interested in how you’re organizing muscles into different classes. It’s not a far stretch from what I’m doing now; my chest/back day is similar to an upper body performance day, as is my shoulder day. That leaves legs, which I train in a variety of rep ranges; and arms, which is like an upper body foundation day plus more pressing. A lot of overlap, but the volume isn’t that high.
With some minor tweaking I could keep my current exercise selection but set it up like:
Day 1 - Upper Body Performance 1
Day 2 - Lower Body
Day 3 - Upper Body Foundation
Day 4 - Upper Body Performance 2
Day 5 - Neural Charge
Obviously the upper body volume would be a little lower than your 7-day split because of the increased frequency. I’ve just found that I really like working on a shorter rotation, and was wondering if you approved. Thanks for your time!
Although not optimal, would a 3 day split be effective for maintaining/or even increasing strength if doing 2-3 hours of sport throughout the week? (Muay Thai, Soccer, sprints etc…)
Mon early AM - Foundation
Wed early AM - Lower (heavy lifting + prowler or curcuits)
Friday early AM - Upper performace ( pushing alternated with traps etc + triceps at end)
I could also do a couple of N charge workouts on my off days also.
Any feedback would be appreciated
[/quote]
It is not optimal, especially as far as pushing frequency goes (it requires more frequency to be optimized).
I would something like:
Monday: Upper performance + some lower body
Wednesday: Foundation
Friday: Lower body + some upper body performance
But again, 3 times per week is not optimal… but that’s the best you can do. With added neural charge workouts it will be more effective though.
[/quote]
CT
As always, good advice. I’m thinking of training 4-5 days one week (with the schedule you originally suggested), then 3 days as above. I’m trying to improve my Muay Tha1 and have found that 3-5 of intense /bag work/sparring, 5 hours of weights and a full time teaching job don’t mix to well.
[quote]Daveski7 wrote:
Hey coach as far as a upper body performance day what do you think of this.
Shoulder press ramping max force of 4 reps about 5 sets
then Incline bench with bands ramping 3-5 reps about 4 sets
the floor press max force to 3-4 reps about 5 sets
Then a max rep circuit of
shrugs
DB rows
lying tricep ext
lateral and front plate raises?
[/quote]
Good exercise selection for the first part. But I hate your circuit.
Don’t mix support muscles (traps, rhomboids, rear delts, rotator cuff) and synergist muscles (triceps, chest, delts) in a circuit.
I would do the support work (traps, rhomboids, etc.) in-between sets of the main pressing movements and the synergist work as a circuit at the end of the workout.
[/quote]
Alright yeah i did the first part and i didnt do a circuit after words, i felt great afterwards. but had no more time left had to run from the gym(which is my garage). But yeah i wish they still had the Anaconda Value Pack. Haha But what you gonna do.
In an old Poliquin article, he told a guy that his poor trap development could be caused by 1 of 2 things: poor routine or neural blockage. Now I was beginning to believe that I possibly have a neural blockage, but yesterday I stumbled across your article “The Power Look” and decided to give power clean from the blocks a try. I did multiple sets of 4-5 reps and ended the workout when I was no longer able to explode (btw I kept th weight a little light so I could explode better).
Today I have DEEP soreness in my traps (something I never seem to be able to produce in that muscle)! Does that mean I can stop worrying about nueral blockage?
[quote]never_got_ripped wrote:
CT, can I use Smith machine for the bench presses in your I bodybuilder program ?[/quote]
I’m not CT by any means! but i do know that pressing in the smith machine does not allow you to press with the proper bar trajectory and over time can lead to joint problems. proper technique involes the bar hitting lower on torso with arms tucked in toward sides and as you press it up, the elbows will flare outward and the bar will move not only upwards in relation to the floor, but will travel further “up” the torso. Basically, the bar path would not be linear, but have more of a curved pathway (CT explains this in his video series). Whereas, the smith machine forces you to press in a linear fashion.
Personally i wouldn’t use it, but again, you heard this from me, not CT.
In an old Poliquin article, he told a guy that his poor trap development could be caused by 1 of 2 things: poor routine or neural blockage. Now I was beginning to believe that I possibly have a neural blockage, but yesterday I stumbled across your article “The Power Look” and decided to give power clean from the blocks a try. I did multiple sets of 4-5 reps and ended the workout when I was no longer able to explode (btw I kept th weight a little light so I could explode better).
Today I have DEEP soreness in my traps (something I never seem to be able to produce in that muscle)! Does that mean I can stop worrying about nueral blockage?[/quote]
Yes it does. People are WAY to quick to blame some form of nerve problem. True problems of the sort are actually fairly uncommon. You simply didn’t find the proper exercises for your own morphology. My guess is that the better you become at cleans, the better you will be at recruiting your traps and the more effective “traditional” traps exercises will become.
In an old Poliquin article, he told a guy that his poor trap development could be caused by 1 of 2 things: poor routine or neural blockage. Now I was beginning to believe that I possibly have a neural blockage, but yesterday I stumbled across your article “The Power Look” and decided to give power clean from the blocks a try. I did multiple sets of 4-5 reps and ended the workout when I was no longer able to explode (btw I kept th weight a little light so I could explode better).
Today I have DEEP soreness in my traps (something I never seem to be able to produce in that muscle)! Does that mean I can stop worrying about nueral blockage?[/quote]
Yes it does. People are WAY to quick to blame some form of nerve problem. True problems of the sort are actually fairly uncommon. You simply didn’t find the proper exercises for your own morphology. My guess is that the better you become at cleans, the better you will be at recruiting your traps and the more effective “traditional” traps exercises will become.[/quote]
CT,
could you recommend some potentiation movements to start my workout on performance days, for someone who can’t do cleans and snatch type movements due to a brachioradialis injury.
I already do military presses from pins from forehead and standing push press/(throws) with 60% of my max. I don’t want to get stale on same two movements.
Would horizontal presses from pins work even though I always start the routine with vertical pressing first?
Mon: Upper body performance
Tues: Lower body performance
Wed: Upper body foundation
Thurs: Neural charge
Fri: Upper body performance 2
Sat: Lower body
Sun: Neural charge
The second lower body day consists of sled/prowler work at home and I’m kind of unsure about a proper way to set this day up as far as order of exercises, # of sets, etc… Could you give me some recommendations? Also would it be ok to do some upper body sled work on this day in addition to the leg work? I would do upper body sled work in a seperate session on one of my upper body days but unfortunately i do not have the time. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Thibs, was glad to read that you are working on a new book, can’t wait to buy it! Just wanted to say thanks for all teh advice over the years. I love the new advice about eccentic-less and neural charge workouts with am and pm sessions as well. I have been finding it hard with 2 young kids and trying to plan workouts around mine and my girlfirend’s schedule to get to the gym more than once or to fit in a neural charge workout here and there. I finally made teh desicion and ordered a “build your own 3x3 rack” from EliteFTS in addition to the Prowler and blast straps I purchased a few months ago. Thanks again… I think you somehow infuenced me to just go for it and buy it, which will make things more easier for me to follow, which will definetely bring on faster results…so thanks again, I think this is the best decision I have ever made for myself!
