Coach,
Can you recommend anything to take as a pre-training stimulant (only to be used 2xweek). Low carb/keto diet diet plus training after a long day at work sort of puts me to sleep by gym time. once or twice in the past i used a drink called red kick and i felt alot better. Wondering if there were any recommendations you could give me? (Biotest products are out of the question for now as i cannot afford the prodcuts/shipping/tax that i’d pay here in the UK.)
Thanks
Thib,
I was hoping you can settle a debate my roommate and I are having. If two individuals have the same 3RM for bodyweight exercises e.g.
Dips: 100
Pull Ups: 45
Squats: 315
who is stronger:
Individual A who is 5’8" 170lbs, or individual B who is 6’1" 200lbs?
Thanks,
Ryan
[quote]swat51 wrote:
Hey Coach,
Say you just finished a mass phase and have now switched into a fat loss phase. Does it make sense to purposely decrease your weight training volume?
I read it somewhere (no idea where anymore)… something about how it’s important (obviously) to try to maintain the weight you can lift on all exercises during this time, but that since you are now in a caloric deficit, your recovery will hindered by trying to keep the same volume you were using during your mass phase. And, because of this, you should purposely reduce your overall weight training volume for the duration of the dieting phase.
Is there any truth to this? And, would you recommend it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. [/quote]
From experience it eventually becomes true, but not at first. For the first 6 weeks or so of a fat loss diet you should be able to maintain your work capacity up. Only reduce volume when you find that you are having problems recovering from your workouts.
CT,
Just bought your Get Jacked… Fast E book and plan on starting it up in a few weeks. I’m a little confused on how to set-up the diet. For instance AM snack calls for 3 portions of protein and 2 portions of dairy.
2 Portions Dairy → 250 g of 1% cottage cheese
3 Portions Protein → 225 g Chicken
This meal yields Cals- 356,F-4.2,C-4.1,P-70.6
Am I doing this correctly or do I need to adjust according to the food items I choose (protein content of cottage cheese)
Thanks
CT
I thought I asked this question before, but I have looked and can’t find it so maybe it didn’t post. If I did and you have already answered it I apologize in advance for being a moron.
It seems that I pull muscles in my traps/neck a lot when I’m doing shoulder exercises. I’d assume that this means my form is bad or that I have a weakness. Would you be able to give me any input with the information I’ve provided?
The exercises I have most trouble with my traps/neck are shoulder presses and lateral raises.
I have had ART performed several times for this problem and one of the doctors used has been Dr Lehey the founder in Colo Springs.
Any input you can give would be awesome. I don’t really know what information to provide you with so if you need more information please let me know and I’d be glad to give more.
I’m not asking you to help me rehab, just asking if you know any common things that I might be doing wrong.
Thank you for your time and all of your free advice.
[quote]Free2Be wrote:
CT
I thought I asked this question before, but I have looked and can’t find it so maybe it didn’t post. If I did and you have already answered it I apologize in advance for being a moron.
It seems that I pull muscles in my traps/neck a lot when I’m doing shoulder exercises. I’d assume that this means my form is bad or that I have a weakness. Would you be able to give me any input with the information I’ve provided?
The exercises I have most trouble with my traps/neck are shoulder presses and lateral raises.
I have had ART performed several times for this problem and one of the doctors used has been Dr Lehey the founder in Colo Springs.
Any input you can give would be awesome. I don’t really know what information to provide you with so if you need more information please let me know and I’d be glad to give more.
I’m not asking you to help me rehab, just asking if you know any common things that I might be doing wrong.
Thank you for your time and all of your free advice.
[/quote]
I do not give online advices regarding injuries. I feel that doing so without being able to see and evaluate the individual is irresponsible.
Without seeing your actual lifting form, I cannot really make any specific recommendations.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
pumped340 wrote:
Hey coach,
Whats your opinion on sugar free jello and sugar free pudding? I know a lot of dieters using keto use sugar free jello (with a little whipped cream) so I was wondering about that. As for the pudding it seems less ok since the jello has no carbs but the pudding has 6-8g (apparently from lactose) even though its “sugar free” but it also tastes better lol
Thanks
AVOID FRANKENSTEIN FOODS!!!
Even though the jello doesn’t have carbs in it, it can actually cause an insulin response in those who are insulin resistant. This is because recent studies have shown that the TASTE of a food also plays a role in insulin release and activation of the digestive mechanisms.
[/quote]
wow really? That’s interesting, sucks for me because I used to be fat so I know my insulin sensitivity can’t be that good.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Now, the poudding you are talking about ISN’T sugar free. It’s a ‘‘NO SUGAR ADDED’’ product. Which simply means that they do not add any extra sugar to the product. However it still may contains carbs/sugar which is naturally present in the base ingredients used to make the food item.
Here’s something from one of my articles:
'‘This is the Achilles’ heel of disciplined dieters. You may have all the will and dedication needed to succeed, but if some of the foods you’re eating contain more than you bargained for, you’re screwed.
Some examples of these hidden nutrients are “no sugar added” and “low-impact carb” products, drinks, and even protein bars.
The no-sugar added denomination can lead us to believe that these products are low in calories and carbs. Some dieters even see them as “free foods.”
“No sugar added” simply means that they didn’t add any sugar to the recipe. They can still be high in carbs, and they’re generally much higher in fat than their regular counterparts to give them better palatability. Not a good mix.
These, like the “low-impact carb” club, can also be based on sugar alcohols like maltitol, glycerol, mannitol, and sorbitol. Because of a legal trick, companies can make you believe that products loaded with sugar alcohols are good for dieting because of their “low-impact carbs.”
For example, a protein bar can have 35 grams of carbs, two grams of sugar, five grams of fiber, and 28 grams of sugar alcohols, and the company can claim that their product only has two grams of impact carbs. Slap on a “low carb” label and call you gullible.
While it’s true that sugar alcohols have a reduced impact on insulin compared to regular carbs, it still has an effect, especially in individuals with poor insulin sensitivity (which is most people who start a body transformation).
Moreover, sugar alcohols do provide energy and can lead to fat gain. For example, each gram of sugar alcohol normally provides three calories; sugar provides four. Yes, it’s lower, but it’s not a huge difference.
Plus, sugar alcohols are hard on the digestive system. In excess, they’ll leave you bloated and gassy. They also reduce the efficiency of the digestive system.
It’s clear why the “no sugar added” and “low-impact carb” products should be avoided if you’re serious about changing your body. And I’m saying this from personal experience.‘’
Another thing is that sugar-free products like the Jello keep your sweet tooth active… in other words by eating that sweet tasting food, even if it doesn’t have sugar in it, will make you crave more sugary stuff whereas if you drop all sugary foods you will eventually lose your sweet tooth.[/quote]
I have read that article before now that I think about it. Yea your right about there still being some carbs/sugars from the ingredients but it’s only 6g so I guess thats not terrible. Theres still the taste thing you mentioned though so thats bad.
Damn I was hoping for some pudding and jello during this cut 
I don’t like sweet foods that much although I do like them, mainly only the ones that are also fatty/creamy lol which is why I was looking for the pudding over the jello. Mainly I was just looking for some filler food while cutting but in that case I guess might as well eat more vegetables when I just want something to eat.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
swat51 wrote:
Hey Coach,
Say you just finished a mass phase and have now switched into a fat loss phase. Does it make sense to purposely decrease your weight training volume?
I read it somewhere (no idea where anymore)… something about how it’s important (obviously) to try to maintain the weight you can lift on all exercises during this time, but that since you are now in a caloric deficit, your recovery will hindered by trying to keep the same volume you were using during your mass phase. And, because of this, you should purposely reduce your overall weight training volume for the duration of the dieting phase.
Is there any truth to this? And, would you recommend it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
From experience it eventually becomes true, but not at first. For the first 6 weeks or so of a fat loss diet you should be able to maintain your work capacity up. Only reduce volume when you find that you are having problems recovering from your workouts.[/quote]
Would the only real way to know your not recovering be that your strength isn’t going up anymore?
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Ripped Fury wrote:
Hello CT,
I will be competing in my first bodybuilding contest in May this year. My contest dieting will start at the end of this month and it will conicide with the strength phase of your HSS-100 program.
Would it be a good idea to continue with the strength phase and reduce the rest intervals or would you recommend a different program/approach?
Thank you and have a great new year!
From experience training competitive bodybuilders, training for strength is actually the best way to prepare for a show until about 3-4 weeks out (more for injury prevention than anything).
Use diet and cardio to lose fat; training to maintain or even build muscle.
Amit Sapir, and Isreali bodybuilder I helped win his pro card kept gaining strength right until 3 weeks out of the show. He actually hit personal best in the bench, squat and dead 4 week out!
Gaining strength is the best way to make sure that you are not losing muscle mass. So when dieting down DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER to gain strength, or at least maintain it. Even if that means resting a bit longer between sets.
Let diet and cardio do the job.[/quote]
Hello CT,
I am now 9 weeks out from my contest. I have been following your advice and training for strength to maintain muscle.
I’ve been following the template of the strength phase of your HSS-100 program.
I have been doing singles for the first exercise. 6 sets with 100% of my 1 rep maximum and resting 3-5 minutes between each set
I’m sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but I would like to know if this a good way to gauge strength levels from one training session to the next.
Thanks for your time and best of luck for your contest!
[quote]pumped340 wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
pumped340 wrote:
Hey coach,
Whats your opinion on sugar free jello and sugar free pudding? I know a lot of dieters using keto use sugar free jello (with a little whipped cream) so I was wondering about that. As for the pudding it seems less ok since the jello has no carbs but the pudding has 6-8g (apparently from lactose) even though its “sugar free” but it also tastes better lol
Thanks
AVOID FRANKENSTEIN FOODS!!!
Even though the jello doesn’t have carbs in it, it can actually cause an insulin response in those who are insulin resistant. This is because recent studies have shown that the TASTE of a food also plays a role in insulin release and activation of the digestive mechanisms.
wow really? That’s interesting, sucks for me because I used to be fat so I know my insulin sensitivity can’t be that good.
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Now, the poudding you are talking about ISN’T sugar free. It’s a ‘‘NO SUGAR ADDED’’ product. Which simply means that they do not add any extra sugar to the product. However it still may contains carbs/sugar which is naturally present in the base ingredients used to make the food item.
Here’s something from one of my articles:
'‘This is the Achilles’ heel of disciplined dieters. You may have all the will and dedication needed to succeed, but if some of the foods you’re eating contain more than you bargained for, you’re screwed.
Some examples of these hidden nutrients are “no sugar added” and “low-impact carb” products, drinks, and even protein bars.
The no-sugar added denomination can lead us to believe that these products are low in calories and carbs. Some dieters even see them as “free foods.”
“No sugar added” simply means that they didn’t add any sugar to the recipe. They can still be high in carbs, and they’re generally much higher in fat than their regular counterparts to give them better palatability. Not a good mix.
These, like the “low-impact carb” club, can also be based on sugar alcohols like maltitol, glycerol, mannitol, and sorbitol. Because of a legal trick, companies can make you believe that products loaded with sugar alcohols are good for dieting because of their “low-impact carbs.”
For example, a protein bar can have 35 grams of carbs, two grams of sugar, five grams of fiber, and 28 grams of sugar alcohols, and the company can claim that their product only has two grams of impact carbs. Slap on a “low carb” label and call you gullible.
While it’s true that sugar alcohols have a reduced impact on insulin compared to regular carbs, it still has an effect, especially in individuals with poor insulin sensitivity (which is most people who start a body transformation).
Moreover, sugar alcohols do provide energy and can lead to fat gain. For example, each gram of sugar alcohol normally provides three calories; sugar provides four. Yes, it’s lower, but it’s not a huge difference.
Plus, sugar alcohols are hard on the digestive system. In excess, they’ll leave you bloated and gassy. They also reduce the efficiency of the digestive system.
It’s clear why the “no sugar added” and “low-impact carb” products should be avoided if you’re serious about changing your body. And I’m saying this from personal experience.‘’
Another thing is that sugar-free products like the Jello keep your sweet tooth active… in other words by eating that sweet tasting food, even if it doesn’t have sugar in it, will make you crave more sugary stuff whereas if you drop all sugary foods you will eventually lose your sweet tooth.
I have read that article before now that I think about it. Yea your right about there still being some carbs/sugars from the ingredients but it’s only 6g so I guess thats not terrible. Theres still the taste thing you mentioned though so thats bad.
Damn I was hoping for some pudding and jello during this cut
I don’t like sweet foods that much although I do like them, mainly only the ones that are also fatty/creamy lol which is why I was looking for the pudding over the jello. Mainly I was just looking for some filler food while cutting but in that case I guess might as well eat more vegetables when I just want something to eat.
[/quote]
Yeah, one pudding only has 6g of carbs which isn’t bad by itself. However, from experience, the pudding portion is very small and not that satisfying. More often then not you would end up eating 4-5 of them at a time or plunge into some real sugary stuff.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Yeah, one pudding only has 6g of carbs which isn’t bad by itself. However, from experience, the pudding portion is very small and not that satisfying. More often then not you would end up eating 4-5 of them at a time or plunge into some real sugary stuff.[/quote]
Yea serving size is half a cup. I never binge or anything like that unless it’s a planned cheat day or something which almost never happens but I understand your point.
Do you do anything to deal with a large calorie deficit as far as hunger goes when your getting pretty far into a cut?
Coach,
Are low-back fat and love handle fat considered the same with regard to the hormonal issues that cause them? Thank you
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
keilnirby wrote:
The meal I have after the post-post-workout meal always seems to give me digestive problems, even though I’ve been shifting the foods a bit.
Basically, after about an hour of training, I’ll have some Surge.
The meal after that (about 30-45 minutes later) I’ll usually have some omega-3 eggs mixed with egg whites, and broccoli.
Then, in the meal after that, about 2 hours later, I’ll have some Grow! plus an apple (recently replaced by a handful of nuts)
But this last meal seems to give me some problems, mainly bloating. Switching to nuts didn’t help. (I don’t know why I thought it would.) I’m not sure what the problem is. Perhaps too much fiber?
You have one meal too many. Do not have your meal 30-45 minutes afther the Surge, that’s too soon.
Furthermore, that meal will not be fully digested when you eat your next meal. It’s not so much the GROW and apple/nuts that is the problem, but rather the fact that you are simply pilling on food without hav ing fully digested and absorbed your meals.
Wait 60-90 minutes after the Surge to eat again.
[/quote]
I have 1 scoop whey with surge PWO. Would I be better off with 2 scoops surge and then waiting and eating 60 min later?
Ti-bee-do,
Quick question about L-leucine...i've been very successful with your advice about using leucine to expediate a return to ketosis on a CKD.
Are there any dangers in going beyond the 1:1:2 BCAA ratio? It seems like everyone here adds a scoop here and there to enhance shakes, etc. Just wondering if elevated leucine alone could cause any trouble. Is the ~20g/day max just because of possible hypoglycemia?
I know you’re extremely busy so feel free to ignore this. Thanks so much for being so diligent in informing ingnorant people like me.
-TC
Thib,
When using a weekly carb-up after eating low-carb for the rest of the week, would placing the carb-up right before the part of the week with the heaviest training (and then filling out the week with depletion work) be best for focusing on pure strength and placing it after a heavy session occurring at the end of a week that had started with more glycogen-depleting work be a better strategy to maximize fat loss
while possibly promoting some measure of hypertrophy i.e. saving the carb-up for after the session that would likely provide the greatest hypertrophy stimulus?
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Free2Be wrote:
CT
I thought I asked this question before, but I have looked and can’t find it so maybe it didn’t post. If I did and you have already answered it I apologize in advance for being a moron.
It seems that I pull muscles in my traps/neck a lot when I’m doing shoulder exercises. I’d assume that this means my form is bad or that I have a weakness. Would you be able to give me any input with the information I’ve provided?
The exercises I have most trouble with my traps/neck are shoulder presses and lateral raises.
I have had ART performed several times for this problem and one of the doctors used has been Dr Lehey the founder in Colo Springs.
Any input you can give would be awesome. I don’t really know what information to provide you with so if you need more information please let me know and I’d be glad to give more.
I’m not asking you to help me rehab, just asking if you know any common things that I might be doing wrong.
Thank you for your time and all of your free advice.
I do not give online advices regarding injuries. I feel that doing so without being able to see and evaluate the individual is irresponsible.
Without seeing your actual lifting form, I cannot really make any specific recommendations.[/quote]
I understand, could you simply comment on proper form?
Thank you for your input.
Coach,
Is it possible for someone to maintain size if only doing reps in the 12-20 range(barring good genetics conducive to that type of training)? I know you don’t answer injury related questions but this has actually to do with hypertrophy.
I’m asking because I need shoulder surgery but have to hold off for 3-5 months for personal reasons. I don’t want to lose size and I’m still able to do movements but not heavy which I normally like doing. I can manage in the 12-20 range. I was thinking of high volume and high frequency with intensity techniques such as pre-exhaust, drop sets, static holds etc, along with higher carbs on those days.
Can someone maintain size or hypertrophy with light wieght and high reps in this manner? I know initially it’ll work because of the change in pace from heavy low reps to high reps but what about longer term? Any other suggestions for hypertrophy purposes? Thanks.
Coach Thibs,
3 quick questions:
(1) I know you have said that you supplement your Flameout with another type of fish oil brand to mix things up…If you don’t mind me asking, what brand is it?
(2) If a person is on a budget, is 10g of BCAAs pre-workout & 10g post-workout still considered effective?
(3) I remember reading about you putting your body comp. clients on this rotation (strength circuit, metabolic circuit, total-body workout)…Is that protocal a M,W,F or 3 days on and one day rest, then repeat?
As always, THANK YOU for your time and effort. Your input is greatly appreciated and highly respected!
[quote]dphillips wrote:
Coach Thibs,
3 quick questions:
(1) I know you have said that you supplement your Flameout with another type of fish oil brand to mix things up…If you don’t mind me asking, what brand is it?[/quote]
It’s a Canadian brand only available in Quebec.
[quote]dphillips wrote:
(2) If a person is on a budget, is 10g of BCAAs pre-workout & 10g post-workout still considered effective? [/quote]
In that situation I’d use the whole 20g before the workout.
[quote]dphillips wrote:
(3) I remember reading about you putting your body comp. clients on this rotation (strength circuit, metabolic circuit, total-body workout)…Is that protocal a M,W,F or 3 days on and one day rest, then repeat? [/quote]
Normally 1 day one off… on the off day, low-intensity cardio is done.
coach,
What weightlifting shoes do you recommend for squats/deads? I am 6’ tall.
Thanks!