Thib's Q&A

Maybe im just on a go slow today but how do you mean twice the energy content ?

Just incase im screwing myself over and ill shoot myself if i am but what im doing is:

1.5g/lb protein
1g/lb fat 20% coming from Fish Oil
Carbs: Well i admit i do sometimes overdo it :frowning:

Is that ok or is there a better way to do things ??

[quote]300andabove wrote:
Maybe im just on a go slow today but how do you mean twice the energy content ?

Just incase im screwing myself over and ill shoot myself if i am but what im doing is:

1.5g/lb protein
1g/lb fat 20% coming from Fish Oil
Carbs: Well i admit i do sometimes overdo it :frowning:

Is that ok or is there a better way to do things ??

[/quote]

1 gram of protein provides the energy equivalent of 4 calories.

1 gram of fat provides the energy equivalent of 9 calories

So the energetic value of 1 gram of fat is 2.25 times higher than that of protein.

Thib,

Couple random questions for you…You seem to be in favor of body part splits for pure mass gains, is it possible to effectively use an upper/lower split training 4x/wk, utilizing some bodybuilding methods for strictly hypertrophy gains?

Or is the volume just to low on each of the upper body days to induce a good amount of growth? Obviously the lower body would be split quad dom. and hip dom., but is it better to use a horizontal day and vertical day for the two upper body days or is it better to include a vert pull/push and hor. pull/push on each day? How would direct arm training fit in here?

With regards to bodyfat distribution, ive seen you mention the suprailliac and subscap as the insulin sites, for females does this also include the kidney/low back area or is that related to something else?

I tolerate carbs pretty well, however during my last mass gain phase, even without raising my total calories to high above maintenance and having higher carbs & cals only on my workout days due to a full serving of Surge during and post workout I put an inch on my waste in under 4 weeks. I did also increase the overall calories in my meals outside of the workout period as well. Im ectomorphic, with a low bodyfat%, so i do need a high amount of calories to grow. Would carb cycling (beyond just the peri/post workout feedings) be a better option this time around?

Thanks!

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
300andabove wrote:
My commiserations on that, though im quite sure with proper care you will slingshot it back up.

Nice pectoral development, and your arms are seriously good triceps seem quite full bellied… something i think im missing unfortunately.

What was the competition for all natural or pseudo natural ?

And not to be too persistant, but whats the plan now ? Back to the drawing board for clean muscle gain or do you hover around the 240 (?) lb mark ?

Again, nice physique nice to see a trainer with brains AND the physique to go with it.

Up untill a couple of months, all the people i took note of were Hepburn, Poliquin and Gironda but you are most definately of their quality.

Bodybuilding in its competitive form has never been my objective. I’m first and foremost a performance guy. I do like being in shape though so I maintain around 90% of my condition year-round. Better for business too.

So I hover between 223 and 230 at under 10% body fat.

My plan right now is strength though. I’m shooting for a 450 eventually 500lbs bench press, which has always been a goal of mine.
[/quote]

Are you training like outlined in the “first person” series or in a different manner?

I have experimented with close grip inclines and find it more comfortable to let my elbows flair out to about 45 degrees. Is this okay or should I keep them by my sides? Thanks

[quote]jimg21 wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
300andabove wrote:
My commiserations on that, though im quite sure with proper care you will slingshot it back up.

Nice pectoral development, and your arms are seriously good triceps seem quite full bellied… something i think im missing unfortunately.

What was the competition for all natural or pseudo natural ?

And not to be too persistant, but whats the plan now ? Back to the drawing board for clean muscle gain or do you hover around the 240 (?) lb mark ?

Again, nice physique nice to see a trainer with brains AND the physique to go with it.

Up untill a couple of months, all the people i took note of were Hepburn, Poliquin and Gironda but you are most definately of their quality.

Bodybuilding in its competitive form has never been my objective. I’m first and foremost a performance guy. I do like being in shape though so I maintain around 90% of my condition year-round. Better for business too.

So I hover between 223 and 230 at under 10% body fat.

My plan right now is strength though. I’m shooting for a 450 eventually 500lbs bench press, which has always been a goal of mine.

Are you training like outlined in the “first person” series or in a different manner?

I have experimented with close grip inclines and find it more comfortable to let my elbows flair out to about 45 degrees. Is this okay or should I keep them by my sides? Thanks

[/quote]

Right now my training is different. The split looks like this:

Day 1 - ‘‘Old school’’ day (1 hand snatch, power snatch, barbell 1 arm curl and press, push press)

Day 2 - Powerlifting bench press day

Day 3 - Powerlifting squat/deadlift day

Day 4 - Beach work (arms)

BTW, I attached a picture of the curl and press since its not a very common exercise.

hey coach

not bad numbers for an old guy :):slight_smile:

your baby student press 215kilo raw today
260 kilo with the power lifting shirt on!

bty-i sent you mail,see if you got it plaese
amit

Thib, I tried to rephrase this a bit, hope it helps. Is there any guideline you follow for pre-workout carbs? (depending on the amount of post-workout carbs being consumed.)

In an earlier post, you have stated that you recommend 1.5g carbs max in the pwo workout period, and 0.75g max in the pwo shake (but prefer 0.5g for the pwo shake). I am currently ingesting 1.5g carbs daily, and consuming 0.75g carbs pwo shake, and 0.75g carbs pwo meal.

  1. If I increase my daily carbs to 1.75g, should I have the extra 0.25g pre-workout?
  2. What is the max amount of carbs you suggest for a pre-workout shake, if the post shake and meal already has 1.5g carbs?

Thanks alot Thib, maybe a more simple question would be… How would you suggest consuming 1.5g carbs while trying to keep fat gain to a minimum (if it isn’t already 0.75g pwo shake, 0.75g pwo meal), and what about 1.75g carbs?

[quote]so yes its for cosmetic purposes

im 510 and 210 pounds. its weird though because im very agile, mobile and flexible and am able to move like a smaller, more in shape person…i just dont LOOK like it…

Go low-carbs … no more than 50g per day
Protein should be at around 300-325g per day
Fats should be at around 100-115g per day
I suggest consuming 20g out of those 100-115 in the form of fish oil
Eat green veggies with each meal

Post-workout use 50g of whey protein, 20-30g of glutamine and 10g of glycine

For your love handle I would suggest supplementing with the product Fenuplex (www.charlespoliquin.net).
[/quote]

Coach, I’m in a somewhat similar situation. I’m no longer playing college football, so I don’t need to keep my current size or strength (6’1, 119kg, 16%). It would be great to keep my strength, but it really isn’t a concern. I have about 4 weeks before I go on a trip and would like to have rather revamped physique for that date. Maximal fat loss is the main concern.

Would you recommend I follow the same diet/approach?

Thanks.

Hi, I’m curious, for a person close to 30%bf who wants to cut down to around 15% whats the best fatloss approach for a time frame of 8-10 weeks?

  1. Low carb diet like listed above.

  2. The regressive Keto diet.

  3. Low carb but Gluten free, carbs around a 100g from fruit and veggies but no starches at all.

Also, is 8 weeks doable for that type of weight loss? (30-15%) Or is that to much of a push? Seems like theres around 40lbs to lose.

thanks

Coach,

I do not own a leg press. What exercise would you recommend for the 100 of HSS-100 for quads?

Is it a bad idea to deload in between four week blocks of HSS-100?

Thanks

Coach, this weekend I had my bf measured and was just under 10% at 180lb. I’m down from around 15% after weeks of going low carb and following the WPI/Glutamine/Glycine PWO protocol. I now want to start adding carbs to my PWO drink. However, I still want to stay lean and possibly continue with my fat loss.

What is least amount of carbs that one can have PWO while still replenishing glycogen and optimizing recovery?

Also, what would be the differences/benefits of using fruit PWO as opposed to Surge for PWO carbs?

Hey Coach,

Do you take L-Leucine on offdays? and what modifications would you include in a bulk/cut for asians (carb-tolerant people). Lastly, what is the optimal frequency of squatting and deadlifting for a beginner?

Best Regards
–Mond

Hello Thib!
First of all: Thanks for your great articles! I love them, but I love the results of training (training as it is explained in your articles) even more.
I started a new programm this month and I tried to structure it around my cycle, as you explained it in “Optimized Figure Training”.

Now I have one question: My primar goal right now is adding muscle and I want to keep that a priority for about 10 to 11 weeks. How do I change my programm after one cycle (after the deloading week)? Do I have to change the exercices, the reps, the sets, or everything, or…
Would be so happy about a reply, because I’m a little bit confused…
Thanks a lot!
yesssy

Hey Coach OVT still for fat loss

I am in an 8 wk fat loss phase, is your OVT program still something you would recommend or have you found something better to possibly gain some more or at least preserve it?

Also is there a way to incorporate some Olympic lifts into the OVT program such as power clean, hang clean, various deads, etc??

Thanks for your help

[quote]brmnstl wrote:
Hey Coach OVT still for fat loss

I am in an 8 wk fat loss phase, is your OVT program still something you would recommend or have you found something better to possibly gain some more or at least preserve it?

Also is there a way to incorporate some Olympic lifts into the OVT program such as power clean, hang clean, various deads, etc??

Thanks for your help [/quote]

If i remembered correctly, Thib wrote OVT program around 8 years ago. Why not try out “metabolic pairings” written by Thib?

Coach Thibaudeau,

I decided to follow a twice-a-day Chest/Back (Monday), Lower Body (Tues), Arms/Shoulders (Wed), Off(Thurs.), Chest/Back (Friday), etc program. I plan on doing heavy compound movements in the morning in the 2-6 rep range and lighter lifts/isolation exercises in the afternoon for 10-12 reps/set. My question is this: If I am trying to build overall mass, where is the best place for me to put deadlifts into the routine?

Thank you very much.

Thib, i forgot to mention another idea for an article pr part of one could be a new version of supplements for newbies witrh any new supplements or changes you would make to your protocol

**Thib,

For these questions, I will define a “generic” raw powerlifting-style bench press technique as having the following attributes:

(a) scapulae fully retracted and depressed
(b) maintenance of natural lumbar lordosis + keeping glutes in contact with bench
(c) elbows tucked so that humerii form 30-45 degree angles with the torso
(d) starting with the bar supported directly over the wrists, elbows, and shoulders
(e) lowering the bar to the nipple line or slightly below, essentially forming a flattened-out ‘J’ pattern from the starting position.
(f) using a grip width that results in the forearms perpendicular to both the bar and the floor in the bottom position of the movement.

I also realize that the following factors can impact the relative effectiveness of any bench press variation.

(1) soft tissue quality and proper muscle activation patterns
(2) shoulder mobility
(3) limb length
(4) CNS efficiency
(5) relative dominance of the triceps and/or anterior delts
(6) strength of the scapular stabilizers and rotator cuff muscles
(7) the muscle that is stretched the most tending to be most heavily recruited

Because the “generic” raw powerlifting-style bench press allows for appreciable loading while keeping the shoulders in a fairly protected position, would it be optimal for blending mass-building goals (including the pecs) with long-term shoulder integrity?

In terms of “real-world” results in pectoral development, would there be a notable difference (if any at all) between the above style and a more bodybuilding-focused style such as the “Guillotine” press?

Lastly, other than a “close-grip” with the upper arms essentially parallel to the torso and a “wider” grip with the humerii at a 30-45 degree angle to the torso, is altering grip width with bench pressing more than this that critical to overall results? (since many other possible widths would yield less-than-favorable lines of push, which would potentially force various muscles to work harder [a good thing] but also force a reduction in load while possibly putting undue strain on the wrists and shoulders [a bad thing])

Would alteration of bench angle and the implement used (bar type, DB’s, cables, etc.) be more than sufficient variety for more complete development?

Thanks for your time and help.

Coach T,

Great vertical jump program yesterday.

2 quick questions though - what is YOUR vertical Coach??

At it’s highest and at what age?

Not sure if you’ve ever posted it before.

And could you put in order, as in which program builds upon which, the following: Hot Wheels in a Hurry; Get Strong, Get Fast, Get Vertical; and your new Superman Vertical Program, based on me being a basketballer, having 12 odd weeks to train, with the last 2-3 weeks being pre-season for me.

Thanks Thib.

Coach T,

Great vertical jump program yesterday.

2 quick questions though - what is YOUR vertical Coach??

At it’s highest and at what age?

Not sure if you’ve ever posted it before.

And could you put in order, as in which program builds upon which, the following: Hot Wheels in a Hurry; Get Strong, Get Fast, Get Vertical; and your new Superman Vertical Program, based on me being a basketballer, having 12 odd weeks to train, with the last 2-3 weeks being pre-season for me.

Thanks Thib.