Thib's Q&A - April 13 - 20

Training
141

Hey Christian

Regarding “The Big Kahuna” can this method you’ve outlined before be used for the squat also? Or should it mainly be used with the bench press?

Also, for the Athletic/Strength blocks you have outlined before for strength/power.
Week 1: 3x8 (77-82%)
Week 2: 3x8 (77-82%), 3x4 (85,90%)
Week 3: etc.
Week 4: etc.
You know how it goes obviosuly

But you say, at each workout you would use 4-5 exercises and each of the exercise should respect the loading (sets, reps, intensity) guidlines for the week. And a good example for exercise selection would go something like this:

Athlete:
Day 1: Full back squat, Romanian deadlift, 1-legback extensions, lunges

Day 2: Bench press, incline press, push press, BB rowing, seated rowing/chins.

Then the other days would follow for lower body etc.

I don’t understand how you explained this.
For example in the 2nd week that means
we are supposed to do 3x8, 3x4 for the Back squat, then romanian deadlifts, then extensions, THEN lunges?
That would be much overkill doing 3x8, 3x4 on each of those exercises but that’s how it’s explained.

I’ve used your method juts on the back squat and go hard and my legs were quite fried after that and I can only do glute-ham raises for a few sets and my leg day is done (for strength)
Could you explain this to me.
Thanks Coach.

142

[quote]Needmassquick wrote:
Are you aware of if Accutane has any negative affects on bodybuilding/strength? If so what are they?

Thank you,
NMQ[/quote]

I know that it makes some people lethargic and training hard becomes more difficult.

143

Hey Coach,

I know I posted this before, but you always get swamped on here, so here’s hoping you have a moment or two :slight_smile:

I’m presently two weeks out of my first BBing show, and plan on following your “shredded in 6 days” article for my last week. It makes amazing sense, and this is probably the simplest way I have ever seen anyone lay out a guided plan to manipulate water and carbs to get the full, yet dry look on stage. I do have several concerns, and questions that I’m hoping you can clear up, or just clarify for me.

-Mon through Thursday are pretty self explanatory, <50g carbs, and 3 gallons of water. My question is in regards to overall cals ingested. I’ve been on a rotating approach, very similar to your carb cycling codex (intake based on what will be done in the gym that day). So far, I have been scheduling my ‘low’ intake days for when I rest from the weights, and do my interval work. They have involved <50g carbs, and my lowest overall cals throughout the week (usually no more than 2000 - 2100 cals). Should I keep my numbers this low all through the last week, or can I get away with a more moderate intake (2300?) because of the low carbs?

-On the Friday before the show (Sat), you say to cut water at 4pm, when you have the fourth carb meal for the day. The article then advises to have either 1, or 2 more carb meals to be consumed during the remaining portion of the day. My question is this: Will those two meals be all that I will be eating for the remainder of the day, or is it only two P+C meals but I can have a 3rd so long as it is P+F and contains no more than maintenance cals?

-Also on Friday, you recommend taking a hot bath in Epsom salts before bed. My concern is the Pro-Tan. I know some folks apply it, let it ‘dye’ the skin for a few hours, then wash it off and repeat. Others, however, will allow the coats of dye to build up from Thursday night through Sat morning, and achieve a nice dark ‘tan’. What are your thoughts on how necessary the salt bath is vs the darker tan?

-Saturday before the prejudging, you mention ingesting a sugar soda 45 mins prior. I was wondering if it is simply the sugar I would be after, or if the carbonation will have some extra positive effect. I typically get very gasy from carbonated beverages, and the last thing I imagine I would want on stage, is a bloated gassy stomach. (I read of guys taking rice cakes and jam, jelly beans, chocolate bars, even wine.)

-Also on Saturday, I am curious what your thoughts are as far as eating between the prejudging and actual evening show. My prejudging is scheduled for 11am, and the evening show for 5pm. I hear about a lot of competitors going out and downing a burger and fries, thinking that the contest is already decided. A lot of my friends, and folks from my gym are coming out to see me in my first show, and the last thing I want is to look like some fat bastard in the evening show. What would you suggest?

-Thoughts on Creatine also seem to be all over the spectrum. I know that creatine supposedly forces more water into the muscle, but just want to make sure it won’t interfere with the flushing effect we’re going after.

and Lastly…

-I picked up an herbal, OTC diuretic like you suggest, and it instructs to take twice a day. Your article says to use it Friday, however a few competitors say that I should be taking it every day for the last week so it will start to take effect. Will this approach be helpful, or work against the flushing of water by the body?

Thanks Thibs, I know I just threw a lot at you!

S

144

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Needmassquick wrote:
Are you aware of if Accutane has any negative affects on bodybuilding/strength? If so what are they?

Thank you,
NMQ

I know that it makes some people lethargic and training hard becomes more difficult.[/quote]

hm, ok. I haven’t noticed any problems with lethargy and I still push myself really hard. But most of my lifts really haven’t gone up much since starting it a few months ago and actually my lifts dealing with my lower back (mainly squat, SLDL, and deadlift) have gone down significantly. I’m hoping that’s the accutane because it happened almost exactly when I started taking it and luckily I’ll be done soon.

145

Thib,

If working with 2 baseball players, 1 pitcher and 1 position player, are there any lifts that you’d definitively exclude based upon the nature and demands of the sport? I’ve heard a number of thoughts on this issue and recommendations such as avoiding curls (especially preacher curls), cutting out overhead work, and leaving out power cleans to spare the wrists.

You’re one of the few coaches out there who takes things on a case-by-case basis and considers the athlete’s current needs coupled with the risk-reward ratio of exercises when programming. In light of this, I’d appreciate any thoughts you have on this matter.

146

I know you once stated which book on nutrition is your favorite but I can’t find the post anywhere.

Would you care to repost?

147

[quote]q99q wrote:
Thib,

If working with 2 baseball players, 1 pitcher and 1 position player, are there any lifts that you’d definitively exclude based upon the nature and demands of the sport? I’ve heard a number of thoughts on this issue and recommendations such as avoiding curls (especially preacher curls), cutting out overhead work, and leaving out power cleans to spare the wrists.

You’re one of the few coaches out there who takes things on a case-by-case basis and considers the athlete’s current needs coupled with the risk-reward ratio of exercises when programming. In light of this, I’d appreciate any thoughts you have on this matter.

[/quote]

As you mention, it’s an individual thing. With position players I don’t see much need for limitation, except for overhead lifts which should be minimized. I also prefer to use DB for pressing movements instead of a bar. But besides that, it is on a case by case matter.

I am NOT recommending avoiding curls, cleans or forearm work, if anything these movements will improve hitting power.

Pitcher are another story. With quarterbacks they are the most fragile athletes to work with. Definitely avoid bench pressing, overhead pressing and their variations. In fact, pectoral work should be small relative to upper back and rotator cuff work.

148

Coach

According with your recommendation:

Pre/During Workout

1 scoop of whey hydrolysate or isolate (hydrolysate being the best)
0.1-0.2 grams of BCAA’s per pound of bodyweight

Have half of it pre-workout and the other half during the first three-quarters of the session.

Post-Workout

0.3 grams per pound of bodyweight of whey protein isolate
0.2 grams per pound of bodyweight of glutamine
5 grams of L-Leucine
5-10 grams of creatine
1 serving of Power Drive
400-800 mg of phosphatidylserine
0.1 grams per pound of bodyweight of glycine

When I Split the workout in 2 sessions, being the fat loss the main goal, the am workout is strength oriented and the pm workout is more bodybuilding type. How can I split it? I’m not sure if I can do the same pre/during workout in both am pm sessions and split the protein, glycine and glutamine (40% am and 60% pm), or just take 2 shakes and adjust the overall protein (1.5-1.75 grams/lb)

Thanks

149

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
TheBlade wrote:
I started at 213, 17% BF. My goal is 190 and 8%. I’m 5’8
I’ve gone through 7 weeks so far. I’m at 201 now with 13% by the calipers, though I feel like my actual BF is higher, I’m really not seeing abs yet (unless I suck in my stomach a bit and flex them).

13% is still in what I call the “body composition no man’s land”. In other words you are still not cut enough to be defined but not fat enough to look like a fatso.

90% of all individuals must be at 10% or below to have abs.

TheBlade wrote:
And on the other hand I feel like I may be losing some muscle mass as my arms look a bit flatter (though measurements say that at the most I may have just lost an eighth to a quarter inch).

You are just feeling flat from carbs depletion. If you have not lost strength, you have not lost muscle.

TheBlade wrote:
I have 5 weeks left in my cut and I really want to accelerate my progress, get down to 190 or lower in that time. I don’t want to cut for too long for fear of losing muscle mass.

“Accelerating” the process WILL make you lose mass because you have already been dieting for a while.

You probably had unrealistic expectations from the start. My recommendation would be to finish off your 5 weeks, take 2 weeks off from dieting and get back to dieting until you reach your goal.[/quote]
Thanks for the response

I haven’t lost strenth so looks like I’m good

Gotcha. Should I go back to the same style of lifting program and amount of ESW after the two weeks?

150

Hey Thibs,

Right now I’m performing a 1-2-3 ladder routine with my 6rm for my squat. How would I know when to increase weight? Perhaps when I complete the ladder routine for 8 times in a workout?

Any idea on how to perhaps reduce shoulder width? I’m 48cm wide at a 5ft8 frame, my parents/peer commented that I am awkwardly wide, I also keep bumping into things because of it.

I’m heading to McGill for college, so I was wondering how much you charge per session/client or workout. Hopefully I’ll save up enough money to have a training session or two with you.

151

Hey Coach,

Only CT could inspire me to make my first post here, First just say you write awesome articles I’m a big fan!

Question:

in you article “Truth about bulking” you said a person can only gain 0.25 - 0.50 of muscle mass a week.

say if someone did strength training vs same person doing bodybuilding style training, diet being exactly the same.

would the hypertrophy be the same just different aesthetics, or would the bodybuilder style version be bigger even through same amount of pounds gained ??

cliffs

  • is there a point in me doing bodybuilding style training for mass when i can just do strength training and still gain the 0.25 a week, or will i be physically be bigger doing bodybuilding style training? :stuck_out_tongue: