Thibs Q&A April 21-28

Training
61

[quote]Casey240Z wrote:
I have been following your Refined Physique Transformation article for the last 10 weeks and it has worked great so I want to thank you for that. For the last 3 weeks or so I have been playing pickup basketball once or twice a week and was wondering what I should do for supplements during and post game, should it be the same as a regular workout? The games are full court and usually faced paced.

I try to keep my playing time to around 90 minutes but sometimes I play for about 2 hrs. I am pretty sure this is not ideal but is there something you would suggest to do to limit the damage done? I am following the WSFSB template for lifting and have not needed to do any additional cardio to keep my fat loss progress going.[/quote]

The PERFECT supplement strategy for that case would be to use Surge WORKOUT FUEL prior and during the game. 1 scoop pre (15 minutes before the game) and 1 scoop throughout the game. YES that will give you some carbs but there is so much good stuff in that product that it just doesn’t make sense to avoid using it in your situation. Not to mention that you’ll more than make up for those carbs while playing ball.

62

[quote]PodolskiPower wrote:
Thib,

Two questions:

  1. Do you think that the reduction in the load used if performing deadlifts, rows, pull-ups, etc. with thick-grip implements for 3-4 week cycles is more than offset by the benefits when switching back to regular diameter bars on these exercises? I’m particularly interested in the ability to stimulate new strength and size gains after using thick bars.[/quote]

I have personally not done a lot of thick bar deadlifting however I can relate you a similar experience I had.

When I started olympic lifting training I actually bought my own Eleiko bar (yes I would actually bring my own bar to the gym!). But I mistakenly bought their power bar instead of their olympic lifting one.

That bar was “slightly” thicker (something like 2/16 - 4/16 of an inch, nothing significant), well I tell you, when I switched to a real olympic lifting gym with competition bars my lifts drastically increased when I started training on the smaller bars.

I have no data to back it up, but I am convinced that there is a positive neural effect of training on a bigger bar then moving to a smaller one.

However, as you mentioned, there is the case of not lifting as heavy in training when using thick bar.

In my opinion there best way to counter the potential negative effects of this is to use (on the phases you are deadlifting with a thick bar):

  • heavy partial deadlifts (with a regular bar) from various heights, ranging from 2" below the knees to mid-thigh, changing pulling height randomly every session to avoid neural accommodation.

  • going hard (volume and load wise) on good mornings to keep the deadlift-specific muscles strong.

[quote]PodolskiPower wrote:
2) How do you feel about the use of weighted push-ups (with an X-Vest, wearing chains in an x-pattern, etc.) as a primary or secondary pressing movement? If loaded sufficiently so as to cause fatigue within a given rep range, can this exercise be used so prominently and be maximally effective in terms of strength and size?

Thanks coach! [/quote]

As long as you can find a way to increase the resistance so that 6-8 reps is challenging, then it will be a great exercise.

63

[quote]North wrote:
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. [/quote]

I want to reiterate what I said on that subject in the past: that is AN AVERAGE based on a whole year of training for the non-beginner individual. 12-24 solid pounds (pure, dry muscle tissue… which would amount to around 18-30lbs of scale weight even without fat gain) in a year in a non-beginner is pretty much what someone in the high average can hope to accomplish.

This averages out to 0.25 - 0.5lbs per week.

However gains normally comes in short but intense growth periods. You might, for example gain 8lbs of muscle in a month, then gain nothing for 6 weeks. Same thing usually goes for strength.

[quote]North wrote:
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 ??[/quote]

From experience, strength-based work (not necessarily limit strength work… training in the 3-6 reps range for example) will lead to just as much hypertrophy in the non-beginner.

And lifting in that range for a significant period of time will generally give a different look to the body: the individual looks “harder” more dense. And a guy who has been lifting heavy for most of his training career will normally look just as big unpumped than pumped, whereas those who focused mostly on lighter sets and more volume will need to pump up to look their best and will seem to deflate when they are not pumped.

However, pure strength work also tends to overdevelop your own specific strengths while understimulating your weaknesses. This is because when performing very heavy lifting your body will have a natural tendency to shift more of the workload on the muscles better suited to do the job (your strengths) and as a results these muscles will get most of the stimulation and thus will grow even more.

So for the complete physique, both types of lifting should be used.

[quote]North wrote:

  • 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:
    [/quote]

Yes there is a point: to build a complete physique. And also to change the type of stimulation… the body can accommodate to everything and any training approach if used unilaterally can lose a lot of its effectiveness.

Although it is an oversimplification we could say:

“Compounds like a powerlifter, isolation like a bodybuilder, conditioning like an athlete … party like a rock star”

Okay, disregard the last part, but the first portion of that sentence is a pretty darn good way to build the complete physique.

64

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
dphillips wrote:
Coach Thibs,

Reading your recent reply pertaining to BCAA supplementation, would the 5g of Leucine be taken only pre-workout, post-workout, or 5g spread out through the day (morning, midday, evening, & peri-workout)?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

In an ideal world…

5g pre-workout
5g during workout
5g with each meal[/quote]

Hi CT,
I’ve had some great results with Leucine and in light of you saying ‘The only thing that I found to be true in the extreme majority of individuals is that a perfectly planned peri-workout nutritional plan is the most important part of a nutrition program, especially one designed to gain size.’ I was wondering if you would mind advising me on my peri-workout nutrition plan.

Bear in mind that I’m in the uk so no access to Biotest products. Also, could you point me in the direction of the info around Leucine by itself gaining better resulsts than BCAA’s?

Pre and during workout shake (start sipping before and during):
15g Whey
5g Creatine
15g BCAA (2:1:1)
5g Leucine

Post workout:
Same as above plus 20g Glycine

Rest of the day:
20g of Leucine and 5g creatine spread out over 6 meals.

Goals: strength (powerlifting) whilst staying in the 90Kg weight class (mixture of gaining size and burning fat over the next year), I don’t react well to carbs.

To make it quicker for you - would you recommend dumping the BCAA’s, going for 10g Leucine pre/during, 5g after and spread a total of 30g over the other 6 meals?

Thanks!!

65

[quote]Mondy wrote:
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?[/quote]

It’s not a training approach that I really like so I have not experimented with it. In that regard, I am not familiar with the proper load progression to use with that routine.

[quote]Mondy wrote:
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.[/quote]

Shoulders and money are too things nobody can have too much of! Shoulders really are the mark of a man.

You are akwardly wide for your size? Focus on making the rest of you match your shoulder with! Do a lot of traps work too, guys with naturally wide shoulders will always have a better look with well developped traps (which is not the case with guys who have narrow shoulders).

[quote]Mondy wrote:
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. [/quote]

I’m in Levis, which is 3 hours away from Montreal. Not really practical for personal training purposes.

66

Coach,

What do you think of doing pushups on thin/light and round dumbells (making it unstable) 2-3 x a week to help the body recruit the chest in other bigger/heavier exercises? Would they help at all?

Thanks

67

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Casey240Z wrote:
… I try to keep my playing time to around 90 minutes but sometimes I play for about 2 hrs. I am pretty sure this is not ideal but is there something you would suggest to do to limit the damage done?..

The PERFECT supplement strategy for that case would be to use Surge WORKOUT FUEL prior and during the game. 1 scoop pre (15 minutes before the game) and 1 scoop throughout the game. YES that will give you some carbs but there is so much good stuff in that product that it just doesn’t make sense to avoid using it in your situation. Not to mention that you’ll more than make up for those carbs while playing ball.[/quote]

Christian,

I’ve always wondered about this as well as I play multiple sports. Is this advise relevant to only high energy system type sports like basketball, swimming, etc. Would you extend this same advise to sports like beach volleyball or tennis where there are shorter bursts of energy and more frequent breaks in play?

Thanks!

68

Coach,

I tried a new program pattern a while back and I’ve got a few questions about it. My goal was to gain explosive, functional strength primarily, with size gains being secondary, and I also wanted to keep my heart rate pretty jacked to increase cardio strength without having to go running (I hate running). Here’s what I did:

Day1: bench press 7 sets of 1-3 reps w/80-90% of 1rm followed immediately by the same set/wt pattern for squats. I try do each bench set about 3 minutes apart but I always rest after the squat set rather than before since the squat set doesn’t take 3 min to complete.

For the 8th set, I strip 20-25% of the weight off for bench press after going to failure with 90% 1rm and continued to go to failure, strip, fail, and so on until I was moving just the bar. I rested a couple minutes and did the same with squats.

I rest for 2 days and then do the same with front squats and barbell rows, rest 2 more days and do the same with incline press and deadlifts, rest 2 days and then go back to bench/squat. I usually do hanging leg raises, planks, or bar rollouts at the end of each workout as well.

I made some pretty significant gains (more than 20% strength increases on all the lifts while gaining about 7 lbs over 2 months) and changed it up a few times by using about 60% of 1rm and moving explosively.

I thought of this workout myself but I want to know if a) someone else has pioneered this sort of program and I just didn’t know about it b) is the workout something you would recommend to athletes, especially football or rugby players c) if maximal strength is my first priority, is the eighth stripping set counterproductive and d) if I have unwittingly discovered some new workout program for athletes or anyone else (and I doubt it) how do I get it named after me, ie the Art Complex?

69

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

As I told Biotest’s head man Tim Patterson, my great strength is also my greatest weakness: I have a deep love for everything “training”… I’m like a child; I want to try everything and anything and play with it. Sadly, sometimes the results are not that good :slight_smile:

Thankfully, with my experience I pretty much have most of my mistakes behind me! On the good side of things, it allows me to help you guys avoid making those mistakes.[/quote]

Well your certainly doing a great job at it

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
slaveofhades wrote:
Coach,
Quick question. I was just wondering when your next 12 week program is gonnna come out on T-Nation.
Thanks

What 12 weeks program? Right now I’m working on a new system, two parts have been written so far. I can’t tell you much more than that. But it is beyond effective![/quote]

This sounds like it’s gonna be awesome. Is this a program to buy or a series of articles written on this site?

70

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

Although it is an oversimplification we could say:

“Compounds like a powerlifter, isolation like a bodybuilder, conditioning like an athlete … party like a rock star”

Okay, disregard the last part, but the first portion of that sentence is a pretty darn good way to build the complete physique.[/quote]

lol, I think that’s a very enlightening sentence right there. It’s a good reminder to make sure we focus on strength and not just light weights with more volume.

on that subject would you say strength is almost directly correlated with muscle?
As in lets just say I’m losing weight/cutting but my strength has stayed the same or gone up (which it has) in all or close to all exercises, can I be nearly positive that I have not lost muscle? And when “bulking” if I’m gaining weight at a good pace and gaining significant strength is it likely to be mostly muscle?

71

I’m starting the carb cycling you outlined a while back. I wake up at 5:30 am, lift at 6 then do cardio at 5 pm. How would you break out the carbs with the timing of this training? I use Surge Workout and Recovery, when would be the best times to implement this within the overall carb timing. Thanks…

72

Coach…

First off…let me say thanks for the “Get Jacked…Fast” program. Currently, I’m on week 10 of the progam and thus far I have dropped 11 lbs of fat while maintaining strength and lean mass…along the way I’ve also set some personal records for poundages in several of my major lifts. In short, I’m pleased with the program.

Quick question, just out of curiosity…in week 11…part of the supplementation protecol calls for adding 2 tablespoons of vegetable glycerine to each creatine dose. Gotta say…Im a vegetable glycerine “virgin”…in fact, never even heard of the stuff till now. So, what is the purpose of using vegetable glycerine in supplementation? Also, can you recommend a decent brand/supplier?..or will any veg. glycerine product I can find serve the purpose?

Big fan coach…keep the programs coming!

73

Coach Thibs,

My question is related to resistance training and/or cardio first thing in the morning. I’ll skip all of the mundane details so to keep this short, here’s my predicament: I workout first thing in the morning, around 5am. I’m not joking when I say that it’s THE only time I can workout.

I’m mainly interested in dropping bodyfat and am currently at 215 lbs. and approximately 20%. I have a hard time eating anything before my sessions but am able to sip on Surge Recovery peri-workout on resistance days and take in some HOT-ROX and BCAA’s on cardio days.

Is this the best protocol for my situation? I’ve been tempted to try your Refined Physique Transformation program but I always hit a wall during the lactate-inducing sessions.

Any advice is much appreciated! Thanks in advance.

live_to_lift

74

I know it may not be that important but I have a nagging urge to understand things.

With “the beast evolves” article on the “Don’t diet” plan you had pretty low carbs and fat with 56% of calories coming from protein but that was just 11% to 9%.

But looking back again at your article I noticed you went for 9% to 5% with:
425-450p/100-125c/40-50f!

From everything I’ve ever read you should have lost loads of muscle considering protein made up 68 percent of your calories! your fat was so low I can’t see how anything but protein would have been your main source of energy yet you lost no muscle.

also you comment how you found 125-175g of carbs worked best for you after trying both that and the much lower carbs (0-100 which resulted in “I had some trouble focusing and lacked energy.”)

I know your opinions on things have slightly changed but obviously these things did work for you then and your comments from that time represent this too so I’m just trying to understand.

75

Thibs,

I was one another board and one of their resident “gurus” was proclaiming that taking BCAAs on an empty stomach and/or without food was pointless because in the absence of insulin the amino acids wouldn’t be delivered optimally. What’s your take on this?

76

Coach-

I’m pretty sure my thyroid is running a little slow. At Least I assume, I’m 18, diet has sucked basically whole life, most days below or around 1500 calories and I’m fat, 220 like 25%bf, so I’m now on a strict diet, at around 2300 cals. (I’ll eventually raise)

I saw u recommended:
Thyroid synergy by Poliquin, HOT-ROX Extreme, iodine, selenium

First 2 are out for me, iodine only comes with “kelp” where ever I shop so I have selenium left. Just curious, can I take selenium alone or do I need to take other thyroid supplements along with it?

77

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Additional for MIGHTY STU:

I forgot to reiterate that you have NOTHING to worry about. You’ve done your homework, you’re in great shape you WILL NOT screw this up.

In fact, looking like you do right now, I would have to problem standing with you at the weigh-in and bring you to the stage AS YOU ARE.

You can be proud of yourself, no stress, enjoy these next 2 weeks.[/quote]

Wow Thibs, thanks so much for the kind words, they really mean a lot (I think your writings have had more impact on me than any other coach). I do have a few questions though,…

-If I’m already taking creatine (been having 5g/day for the last month or two), should I bother stopping anyway?

-On Friday, you suggest steak at night if I’m looking good, can I use Bison, or is it not fatty enough for a P+F meal?

-In regards to sodium, I don’t plan on doing anything as far as adding, or stopping, but I do use a decent amount of condiments on a daily basis, should I stop at any point before the show, or would it not make a difference? (I’m thinking maybe on Friday when I cut the water)

-You advice eating ‘normally’ Saturday, but my diet lately revolves around chicken and oatmeal. If I’m not having much water, I’m thinking that the oatmeal wouldn’t be a good idea. Can I just use egg whites and bananas as my food choices n saturday? Also, on Saturday, as I’m not a fan of the carbonated soda idea, what effect would a snickers bar have 30 min prior to prejudging have? (This seems to be popular among those competitors I’ve spoken to)

-Lastly,… I understand that I need to reign in my protein intake the last week so the body doesn’t use the excess for energy, but what about the BCAAs that I typically throw into my water container? Is that something I should skip my last week?

Thanks so much Coach, I can’t tell you how invaluable your articles have been to my progress.

S

78

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
-If I’m already taking creatine (been having 5g/day for the last month or two), should I bother stopping anyway? [/quote]

Do you know what the judges will be looking for (if you have witnessed the same event last year you might have a good idea); conditioning or fullness?

If you know that the judging will reward condition moreso that fullness, drop it 6 days out.

If you know that fullness might supercede condition, keep it in.

I’M NOT SAYING THAT CREATINE WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT YOUR CONDITION. It might or it might now, but if you aren’t sure, leave it out.

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
-On Friday, you suggest steak at night if I’m looking good, can I use Bison, or is it not fatty enough for a P+F meal?
[/quote]

Bison is fine. It leaner than most cuts of beef, but it still has an acceptable fat level.

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
-In regards to sodium, I don’t plan on doing anything as far as adding, or stopping, but I do use a decent amount of condiments on a daily basis, should I stop at any point before the show, or would it not make a difference? (I’m thinking maybe on Friday when I cut the water)[/quote]

Actually stop using condiments 2 days before you cut your water. For maximum ‘drying’ we want sodium to be lower than usual when we start the water depletion. Reducing it too late will not allow for optimal drying.

HOWEVER do not make a conscious effort to avoid foods high in sodium, simply drop the condiments.

You can’t be fully dried while there is a lot of sodium in your system BUT if you don’t have enough sodium you can’t look full and you will have problems getting a good pump.

If you find yourself flat when it comes to eating your steak, add some salt to your steak. If you are full, drop the salt.

Most people who look flat focus on adding carbs, which is part of the equation, but lack of sodium is actually very important in that regard despite what most people believe.

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
-You advice eating ‘normally’ Saturday, but my diet lately revolves around chicken and oatmeal. If I’m not having much water, I’m thinking that the oatmeal wouldn’t be a good idea. Can I just use egg whites and bananas as my food choices n saturday?[/quote]

If you KNOW that your body respond well to these foods (no bloating… eggs bloat a lot of people) use it. Otherwise you’d be better off with something you know. Most guys do well small feedings of chicken and potatoe… actually the chicken is not important. Get some carbs you respond well to and don’t stress about anything. You won’t be hungry anyway.

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Also, on Saturday, as I’m not a fan of the carbonated soda idea, what effect would a snickers bar have 30 min prior to prejudging have? (This seems to be popular among those competitors I’ve spoken to)[/quote]

Why do you think? Most people think that it’s the sugar, which does play a role. But in reality it’s the high sodium from the peanuts and bar that help the guys who are flat due to excessive sodium depletion (those who use pharmaceutical diuretics mostly).

Will it help? If you are flat before you start to pump up, yes. If you are not flat, no it won’t.

It will not make you fuller, it will only make you ‘less flat’ if you can see the difference.

Do be honest… any last minute trick that you will use will only have a small minute insignificant impact on how you look. From experience it’s more of a mental thing.

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
-Lastly,… I understand that I need to reign in my protein intake the last week so the body doesn’t use the excess for energy, but what about the BCAAs that I typically throw into my water container? Is that something I should skip my last week?
[/quote]

No, the BCAAs are fine.

79

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

However gains normally comes in short but intense growth periods. You might, for example gain 8lbs of muscle in a month, then gain nothing for 6 weeks. Same thing usually goes for strength.

[/quote]

CT,

How do you recommend going about adjusting food intake when you reach this point? e.g. if what you’re doing is proper but you may go for moderately long stretches before seeing another uptick in muscle gain, so do you simply wait longer between
adjustment periods than the every 2 or 3 weeks or so when you might make adjustments as a relative beginner

On a quick side note, does much if any actual active hip extension occur if running on a treadmill or using an elliptical? I’m no biomechanics expert, but I’ve long been convinced that little to no active hip extension goes on during these and that both can have a detrimental impact on proper running mechanics. I’m I way off base here?

80

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
However, as you mentioned, there is the case of not lifting as heavy in training when using thick bar.

In my opinion there best way to counter the potential negative effects of this is to use (on the phases you are deadlifting with a thick bar):

  • heavy partial deadlifts (with a regular bar) from various heights, ranging from 2" below the knees to mid-thigh, changing pulling height randomly every session to avoid neural accommodation.

  • going hard (volume and load wise) on good mornings to keep the deadlift-specific muscles strong.
    [/quote]

Coach,

Would you advise making any special additions for times where a thick bar is used for pull-ups or when thick dumbbells, cable attachments, etc. may be used for rowing variations…or can you get by during brief phases subbing regular diamtere bars out for something like a 2" one on these without any major repercussions?

And I don’t want to trouble you too much, but given your Leucine recommendations in this thread and the fact that you are keen on Surge Workout Fuel for various applications, I was wondering under what circumstances you would still be likely to suggest high-dose BCAA usage and also when (if at all) you’d actually advise some sort of “quasi-fasted” ESW (for lack of a better term) where the only intake prior would be whatever you consider the bare minimum to maximize fat loss and muscle retention during the subsequent session.

p.s. thank you for always being so gracious and answering my questions with such quality information. You’re a class-act and a credit to your field, and we are lucky to have you here…and if it sounds like I am kissing you backside, it’s because I am. You’re always first-class, and I appreciate the heck out of it.